A question on social caught my eye: “What’s the best way for a lawyer to get a raise at their law firm?”

There were many suggested answers, such as finding a mentor, making alliances, working late, staying out of trouble, and so on. Basically, show the partners you are a team player and can bill 40 hours a day.

Nobody said, “Bring in more clients.” Which is the most obvious way to show your partners that you can fatten their bottom line.

A firm can always hire more worker bees to crank out the work and increase their profits. Good bees are valuable. The lawyer who brings in new clients (and keeps them), however, is worth their weight in Gold Pressed Latinum.

Look at it this way: if a firm decides they need to make some cuts, who do you think will be the last to go?

Right. The rainmaker.

And, when it comes time for raises, who do you think will get the biggest?

Right again.

Because partners are smart and know that if they don’t take care of their rainmakers, said rainmakers will take their marketing chops and go somewhere else.

So, that’s my answer to that question.

Prince’s song, Purple Rain, is supposedly about Armageddon. Which might be the fate of the lawyer who doesn’t understand the importance of marketing.

If you are in a firm and doubt this, go talk to a sole practitioner. They know.

Take your marketing to the next level