The following column is by Janet Stanton, Partner, Adam Smith, Esq., LLC–Bruce

Firms are increasingly realizing the value of expanding relationships with their existing clients – be it involving more partners, additional practice areas, offices or other services.  While this may not provide the adrenaline rush of bringing in a new client, work from current clients is often more profitable than that from new clients.  Moreover, many research studies show that broadening a client relationship makes it stickier, encouraging higher levels of client retention – and firm stability.  In reality, this does not just happen on its own.  Firms need to make intentional efforts to nurture and expand client relationships – much as they would do to bring in new clients.

Unfortunately, many firm leaders resort to continually exhorting their partners to “sell, sell, sell,” thinking that that will suffice to get the job done.  The problem is that this generally falls on deaf ears because most partners absolutely hate to sell (and most clients don’t like being “sold.”)  So, what’s to be done?

Consider cross-serving instead of cross-selling.

This is far more than a semantic difference. It’s truly a headset change: cross-serving starts with the client’s needs, cross-selling starts with the firm’s wants. Stop and think about the implications of this for a minute, or so, as this is counter to much advice given to law firms.  Cross-selling is about getting the client to buy what your firm has to offer, regardless of the client’s needs or how well they are currently being served by others. Cross-selling is basically along the lines of, “Want to meet our new tax guy?” (nothing against tax lawyers; but you get the idea)

Cross-serving, however, requires a bit more thought and preparation than cross-selling, making it much more effective, and, we’d think, satisfying than cross-selling.  Cross-serving starts with an understanding of the client’s business and their priorities – and how their priorities meaningfully intersect with what your firm can provide.  This will allow for the development of a trenchant, solutions-oriented business proposal tailored to the client’s priorities; truly serving the client; not selling.

Does this take more time and effort?  Yep – it does.  To quote Philip Stanhope, 4^th Earl of Chesterfield, “Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.”  Cross-selling is often just going through the motions; cross-serving brings something of value to clients, which will redound positively to the firm and the individual practitioner; building longer-term, more robust client relationships.

Firms need to invest in the resources necessary to help make this happen rather than just expecting their partners to do this on their own.  At the very least, and this is no small task, firms should endeavor to help folks “know their firm” and be willing to commit time and resources to meaningfully research and understand the clients’ (and their industries’) business dynamics and issues, etc. This is an area where the firm’s business professionals can make a significant contribution.

Fundamentally, cross-serving changes the center of gravity of your interactions with your clients from “did you know our firm is great at [XYZ]” to “what are you worried about?  Let’s think through some options together.”  In other words, the locus of attention shifts from you to the client.  And rather than requiring you to brag, which makes many lawyers, no matter how technically accomplished they may be, most uncomfortable, you get to demonstrate to the client they are your first and highest priority. (They are, right?)

Finally, I’ll share with you a strong hunch of mine: Hardly any other lawyer will have taken this approach with your client.  They will notice and appreciate that you put them first.