Several law firm leaders have considered the idea of hiring sales professionals, but don’t know where to start. I’ve also seen more than a few firms on-board their first sales hire, only to have them fail within a year or two.
So, what’s the secret?
For starters, firm leadership needs to agree on building a sales function and clearly understand the value a sales professional will bring to them. Once this first step is achieved, the following points can be addressed:
- Aligning firm culture with the sales role, removing all underlying impediments.
- Articulating a crystal-clear compensation plan that is motivational, achievable, and rewarding.
- Uniformity and understanding of this person’s role, responsibilities, and goals.
- KPIs that are specific and provide metrics to measure success.
- A clear reporting structure that makes sense for the role and the firm.
Building a sales function in a law firm is complicated, but following some of these guidelines can make the process easier.