Professional service firms: don’t let partners dominate client relationships!

In this post, I summarized an article by an author who argued that PSF marketers should focus only on individual brands – those partners and rainmakers of a law firm.

The article’s points stimulated comments from a number of top tier professional service firm CMOs (none of which are law firms). In my most recent post, I featured a comment by a top tier PSF who argued that PSF clients DO rely on institutional brands, especially in global buying situations.

Yet another services organization CMO advises “firms to be cautious about not allowing partners to dominate relationships.”  

“The writer makes some valid points but I think part of the reason that marketing and brand building in PSF is so complex is because there is no single solution/answer. PSF brands are built around a combination of things: Personal relationships, Client rosters, Results, Reputation.

Clients can be driven by any combination of those. If anything it argues for firms to be cautious about not allowing partners to dominate relationships. The broader the basis of the relationship the more stable it will be.

In my opinion, the brand reputation of a firm is built around its core values and what it delivers for clients. The people who deliver on the mission cement the reputation, but without the resources/methods of the firm, the chemistry for success may be lost. A study done by one of our [experts] last year showed that people who were rainmakers in one firm were rarely able to recreate that magic in another.”

Comments

[Ian Brodie]

This is a really interesting topic Suzanne. And for me it highlights just how important it is for Professional Services Marketers to truly understand their specific market, positioning and capabilities - and their individual clients.

Some clients buy the capabilities of a practice, others the skills of an individual, others the reputation and safety of a firmwide brand. Even individuals can have firmwide impact - I might hire you for litigation not because I know you're the best, but because I know the corporate partner I have a strong relationship personally with will make sure I get dealt with as a priority.

And, of course, decision making is always multi-faceted rather than focusing on a single factor.

Simple black or white "one best way" thinking is just not adequate for PS marketers.

Ian