Making the juice worth the squeeze
It’s directories season again. Cue the collective groan. Half the profession swears blind that “no client ever came through Chambers”, while the other half can’t bear the thought of missing a Legal 500 ranking. Yet here we are, knee deep in spreadsheets, matter summaries, and referee lists.
So, if you have to do them (and let’s face it, you do), why not make the process actually work for you? From a sales and BD perspective, here’s how to turn directory season into something resembling commercial gold. Enjoy.
AND, if you are struggling with you matter summaries, speak to Leonard.
#1. Referees: treat them like gold dust
Referees are more than just names to tick off a list. They’re people (not just an email address) who’ve seen you in action and (hopefully) rate your work enough to say something nice. That’s BD dynamite, but only if you use it effectively.
Don’t just send a perfunctory “can I use you as a referee?” email. Reach out properly. Thank them for their past support, let them know what’s coming up for you this year, and, crucially, use the conversation as a relationship builder. Ask who else in their network it might be useful for you to speak to.
Remember, the directories themselves estimate that only around 30% of referees even bother to respond to the feedback requests. So rather than leaving it to chance, pick up the phone. Not because of the directory, but because it’s a good excuse to reconnect. Think of it as a strategic coffee, not an admin chore.
#2. Matters: turn submissions into sales intelligence
If you’re pulling together a year’s worth of highlights, you’re already doing the heavy lifting for a killer BD exercise.
Take your submission (all those big, complex, or just plain cool matters) and hold them up against your current and lapsed client base from the last 24 months. Where do you see overlaps? Which clients have similar profiles, challenges, or industries to those in your submission?
That’s your ready-made opportunity list. Those examples aren’t just for the editors — they’re case studies you can take back out to market. Drop your clients a note: “We’ve just done something similar for X, and thought of you.” Instant relevance.
#3. Internal intel: join the dots inside the firm
The submissions process forces everyone to surface what they’ve been working on, something lawyers rarely do voluntarily. Use that to your advantage.
Look at who’s been working alongside you on the matters you’ve put forward. Are there partners or associates in other teams who keep cropping up? Sit down with them and work out what more you can do together.
This is prime cross-selling territory. The directories might care about how brilliant your work was; your clients will care that you can bring a joined-up, multi-disciplinary team to their next challenge. Use the process to find those overlaps and turn internal cooperation into external opportunity.
Final thought
You can grumble about directories all you like. They’re not going away. So, use the season to your advantage. Engage referees like they’re key accounts, mine your submissions for sales intel, and turn your internal collaboration into client value.
Do that, and directory season stops being a box-ticking exercise and starts being part of your growth strategy.
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