There’s something I’ve been seeing a lot lately, and it’s too important to ignore. Too many lawyers are out there networking, attending conferences, speaking, and generally hustling, but still not seeing meaningful results for the time invested.
On the surface, it looks like momentum. But when you dig a little deeper, something becomes clear: there aren’t many new client opportunities coming your way.
For countless attorneys putting in daily effort on the business development side of law, the problem isn’t effort. It’s growth and results. Or more accurately, the lack of them.
Here’s the tough question I ask lawyers when we start working together:
Do you have 10 years of experience in business development, or one year of experience repeated 10 times?
This question tends to raise a few eyebrows. But it’s a crucial distinction. There’s a huge difference between being active and actually getting better. Just because you’re doing business development doesn’t mean you’re improving at it.
Think about it. Athletes review game tape. Chefs constantly tweak recipes. Musicians record rehearsals to catch missed notes and polish performance.
Why aren’t lawyers doing the same with their business development?
In the legal world, the billable hour creates a dangerous illusion: if you’re busy, you’re successful. But real business growth — the kind that builds long-term control over your practice — requires something more: deliberate learning and consistent improvement. You need to reflect, evaluate, and course-correct constantly. Otherwise, you’re just doing laps on a treadmill, sweating but going nowhere. Meanwhile, your most valuable asset, time, is on the line.
One of the most impactful tools I introduce to my clients is something called the Success Journal. It’s not complicated, but it’s powerful.
Here’s how it works:
You track your business development activity daily or weekly. Who did you meet with? What follow-up did you send? Did you ask qualifying questions? Was a next step established? You write it all down. And then, here’s the key, you review it. With this simple Excel spreadsheet completed regularly, patterns begin to emerge. Strengths show up. Gaps become glaring.
For example, let’s say you emailed ten people to meet for coffee, and only one replied. Without tracking and reflecting, you might not realize your outreach needs work. Or maybe you had 10 networking meetings this month, but no next steps were created. If you’re not qualifying the right people, being proactive in offering value, or establishing meaningful follow-ups, you’re just going through the motions.
Without a proper tracking system, it’s like hacking your way through a jungle without a map. With one, it’s like turning on GPS. Suddenly, you’re not just doing business development. You’re getting better at it strategically, deliberately, and consistently.
Another vital element of improvement is the art of debriefing. Like an NFL coach watching back game tape, you take five or 10 minutes after a meeting to review what happened. What went well? What could have gone better? And most importantly, what steps were skipped?
If you’re wondering why I mentioned “steps,” it’s because yes — you should be following a process when engaging in business development. Winging it is not a strategy.
Here are a few debriefing questions I share with my clients to help refine their networking meetings:
- Did I begin the meeting by establishing strong rapport?
- Did I set a game plan to ensure the meeting had purpose and value?
- Did I learn about the other person and understand their goals?
- Did I identify a way to add value for them?
- Was a next step created to advance the relationship if properly qualified?
While I provide a detailed forms to follow for my clients, these questions illustrate the intentionality that should drive every meeting. Most lawyers simply have coffee and wait to see what happens next. Spoiler alert: not much typically does.
So, ask yourself, what is your time investment in business development really costing you? If you’re not tracking or debriefing, you may never know. In many cases, when digging into my clients past habits, we find millions of dollars in lost time, energy and opportunities.
There’s a saying I often share: “You can’t manage what isn’t measured.” And I’ll add, you can’t improve what you don’t review.
Improvement is a choice. It’s the decision to pause, reflect, and refine. That’s how the best rainmakers operate. Not just with hustle, but with intention.
If you’re serious about owning your growth and becoming not just a good lawyer, but a confident, organized, and skilled rainmaker, start treating your business development like your billable hours. Track it. Debrief it. Learn from it.
Because time will pass either way. But progress? That’s on you.
Want a free evaluation of your current business development habits and how to improve them? Let’s talk. Visit fretzin.com or shoot me an email at steve@fretzin.com to set up a quick strategy call.
Steve Fretzin is a bestselling author, host of the “Be That Lawyer” podcast, and business development coach exclusively for attorneys. Steve has committed his career to helping lawyers learn key growth skills not currently taught in law school. His clients soon become top rainmakers and credit Steve’s program and coaching for their success. He can be reached directly by email at steve@fretzin.com. Or you can easily find him on his website at www.fretzin.com or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin.
The post Is Your Business Development Evolving Or Just Repeating Itself? appeared first on Above the Law.