This post originally appeared in Susan Kostal's Legal Marketing Bits & Bites Newsletter. Sign up for more content here. We all know the tyranny of the inbox. He is a jealous lover, prone to wild behavior, incredibly possessive, covets your every moment, and won’t shut up. So break up with him. OK, I get that’s impossible. But it’s vitally important for business development that he doesn’t control your life. Be Proactive, Not Reactive Most incoming email demands reactiv

Unless you’ve been living off the grid, you know that TED talks are wildly popular. One reason why is that each carefully scripted presentation tells a succinct 20-minute story. The audience moves with the speaker through the narrative arc. They are shown, not told, about a perspective they may not have considered before. They listen enraptured, eager to know more. Fittingly, "The Power of Personal Narrative" TED Talk by Elan Morgan. John Hagel, who joined Deloitte Touche USA

All products and companies need a brand, and all individuals need a personal brand. It greatly influences the consumer’s buying decision, and allows for the crafting of the all-important sales narrative. Let me illustrate. I only buy Dawn dishwashing detergent. Why? First, it doesn’t smell gross. And it works. But most importantly, I buy it because it is the detergent of choice for washing oil-soaked birds after spills and other chemical disasters. I feel bad about oily birds

Consumer companies create dozens of consumer personas to sell products. Anybody who sells anything has likely labeled you, your needs, and your interests. Does the necessity to create client personas apply to law firms? Absolutely. You are selling a product--legal services--and you need to figure out who's in your market. Sample Sally doesn't sell seashells by the seashore. A client persona is a detailed description of the targeted buyer. It drives all marketing efforts, cont