Subject: Hard to be strategic (when you don't know what strategic means)

When you say you want to be more strategic, what exactly do you mean?

Success Without Sacrifice

N E W S L E T T E R

Because real success leaves space for real life. 

“I want to be more strategic,” she said (about her BD activities).


When asked what being strategic means to her? Blank stare.


This is not an uncommon response because most lawyers are stuck inside all the things.

  • Should they write articles?

  • Or maybe speak?

  • Where to do this?

  • What about?

This is actually what strategy is all about: narrowing down all the things into the right things for you (with a clear plan on where and what to talk/speak about).


But how do you do that?


Today, I’m sharing with you a piece of my framework for determining this for yourself.


Here we go:

INNER STRATEGY

Start With You


We started the month focusing on alignment for a reason. This is (mostly) about that.


Know your values, strengths, and the “why” behind what you want. Because if you don’t know that, your goals and strategies will be wrong. Which means you’ll end up in the wrong place.


But there are 3 more pieces to this.

  1. Your strengths.

  2. Your personality.

  3. Your mindset.

Strengths


What are you good at?


This isn't just about "I'm a good writer or speaker." It's about why people come to you for advice and help.


For example, I am good at storytelling and breaking down complex ideas so that they're easy to understand. Notice how I use those two strengths in my marketing?


Personality


Do large gatherings energize or drain you? Do you enjoy writing about difficult topics (but shudder at the idea of speaking in front of a crowd)?


Don't just mirror others; choose the BD strategies that make sense for you.


Mindset.


This is all about what you think and how you think.


And it's preeminently important because you (of course) care what others think about you. But you don't want that to guide your decision-making (it's how to get onto the wrong path).


Also, business development is hard. It's uncomfortable (vulnerable, even).


You need a strong mind for it.


[Mentioned this resource before. If you haven’t accessed my Legal Mindset Mastery Toolkit yet, do so now >>> here].

VISION AND GOALS

A Holistic Vision


Paint a picture 3-5 years into the future. Into that life you want (and the work you want to support that life).


Think about how you want everything to fit together. About what that means for the clients you want. And how you want to service them (including your team and how it would all fit together to give you the holistic life you want).


Don’t worry about getting this “right” (it will change as you and your circumstances change, so be sure to revisit annually).


Once you have a long-term vision, work backward to determine your initial goals. Where do you feel it’s reasonable to get to in one year (or less)?


Be reasonable with your goals. But also, push yourself enough (it’s more fun that way).


Once you have a clear vision and goals, write them all down. Consider creating a vision board. And then keep them all close (somewhere you'll see them daily - it's how to motivate yourself when things feel hard).

YOUR PERFECT CLIENTS

Know Your Clients


This is where most lawyers mess up. To be strategic, you must understand your clients backward and forward.

  • What are their needs?

  • What are their risks, struggles, and problems?

  • What do they KNOW (about the above) vs. need to know?

  • What do they want (needs and wants aren’t the same thing)?

  • What are the industry trends?

  • Where do they go for help and/or knowledge (competition, resources, etc.)?

  • What professional/industry associations do they join?

  • What conferences do they attend?

  • What industry publications do they read?

Conduct a deep dive into your perfect clients. The ones you want for the business you're building.


Going through this process will help you narrow down all the things into 1-2 things that make sense for you, given your strengths/personality and where your people are.


There are many ways in which to build a business. But you don't need to do all the things. Just what will work best for you and the business you want to build.


XO,

Heather


P.S. Want help with this? This is what I do for my clients (both in 1:1 business coaching and inside the mastermind). Learn more about both >>> here.


A B O U T

H E A T H E R

Former BigLaw partner. Lawyer coach. Cancer survivor. Mom x2. Recovering overachiever.


I traded in my $2.5MM+ practice to help lawyers create the kind of success that doesn’t come at the cost of their well-being.


Learn more about me here.

Visit our LinkedIn page
Moulder Consulting Services, Inc., 11816 Inwood Rd #3153, Dallas, TX 75244, United States

You may unsubscribe or change your contact details at any time.

    This is an online snapshot of a newsletter created by the owner of Course Correction Email List (Moulder Consulting Services, Inc., 11816 Inwood Rd #3153, 75244 Dallas, United States) and sent via GetResponse on 2025-09-30. Report abuse