Leading with Heart: Megan K Senese of stage On The Power of Authentic Women’s Leadership

Intoday’s dynamic world, the concept of leadership is continuously evolving. While traditional leadership models have often been male-dominated, there is a growing recognition of the unique strengths and perspectives that women bring to these roles. This series aims to explore how women can become more effective leaders by authentically embracing their femininity and innate strengths, rather than conforming to traditional male leadership styles. In this series, we are talking to successful women leaders, coaches, authors, and experts who can provide insights and personal stories on how embracing their inherent feminine qualities has enhanced their leadership abilities. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Megan Senese.

Megan Senese, a former Big Law legal marketing and business development professional, is now the co-founder of stage, LLC. stage, a women-owned legal marketing and business development firm, specializes in coaching and actionable strategies to boost empathy, revenue, and visibility for lawyers, with a particular focus on women. stage stands out as one of the pioneering in-house legal marketing teams to transition from Big Law and launch an independent venture as a united team.

Additionally, stage provides free business development coaching to support working parents before and after parental leave. Megan brings 17 years of experience in professional services marketing and business development, covering personalized coaching, revenue growth strategies, new team development, co-selling initiatives, programming, and content campaigns for profile building. Her passion and expertise make her a valuable asset in the legal marketing and business development field.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about authentic, feminine leadership, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

Ialways joke that no one sets out for a career in legal marketing because it is obscure and niche, yet so many of us always stay. During college, I was a marketing intern for a law firm, and then I spent the next 16 years in professional services marketing because of my passion for helping people. The love continues and one year ago, I co-founded stage with my partners, and I am continuing to support lawyers and marketing teams who need us.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I always like to start the story by sharing how I applied to a Big Four accounting firm on Monster.com, which feels utterly unheard of now. While that job site dates me a bit, it also shows how much the industry has changed. I also had no idea that KPMG was an accounting firm. I thought it was a radio station, which is another hilarious view into how naïve I was upon graduation.

I was able to make my way into the Big Four Accounting Firm at KPMG by simply applying online. The most interesting transition was moving from Big Four to Big Law and becoming a co-founder of a woman-owned legal marketing company. My two partners and I said “I Quit” on the same day and launched our business two weeks later. Leaping into entrepreneurship is the most exciting thing about my career journey. I never set out to be my own boss; now, there’s no turning back.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

This is a good one. For me, the word “coach” is thrown around on social media and LinkedIn. The overuse of the word makes me hesitant to use it to describe what we do. Our clients are lawyers, and they are stretched thin with a ton of demands; business development is often the last thing they have time for. They need someone to “do”. Instead, I refer to stage as the legal marketing and business development “doers” who execute marketing activities with and for lawyers. My partners and I worked together in-house in Big Law as a collective group, left as a collective group, and formed a company as a collective group, which is one more way we differentiate ourselves from other legal marketing companies. We are clear about our purpose: to help and support all lawyers, not just the senior rainmakers. We also offer free 1:1 coaching for any lawyer going out on or returning from parental leave. We have a straightforward company ethos and believe in giving. When what we do is matched with purpose, it’s easy to stand out.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

I appreciate assessments that focus on strengths. By leaning into strengths, there is almost no stopping you. For me, CliftonStrengths assessment was one of the most accurate tools to reflect my strengths. According to the assessment, my top three strengths are “discipline,” “achiever,” and “relator.” These have been highly beneficial while working in large matrixed law firms. “Discipline” and “achiever” are my driving forces to complete tasks and achieve goals. Law firms often move slowly, so having the discipline to stick with it whatever project I was working on always lead to completion instead of things falling flat. The achiever in me enabled me to be promoted to every position I worked in. If there is a goal, I will figure out a way to leverage resources and get it done. I once stood up 42 client teams in one quarter, which is a heavy lift. “Relator” is my ability to connect with people and understand their needs and styles. When you support hundreds of lawyers, everyone has a different working style; flexing and adhering to their style comes in handy.

Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader? I’m curious to understand how these challenges have shaped your leadership.

The word leadership has many connotations. It encompasses various meanings. Leadership can be as simple as leading yourself or colleagues at work and can be demonstrated in multiple ways. Making difficult decisions is often challenging because there is limited information. Make the best decision you can with the available context and resources and lead with your heart.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a personal experience where embracing your unique leadership style, which might not align with traditional expectations, led to a significant positive impact in your organization or team?

Whether leading a team or myself, my leadership style is to lead authentically. I show grace and set high expectations for myself. I lead with ambition, aim high, and demonstrate goals. Where I might buck tradition is to continue to voice my ambition and goals once I became a parent. What you want, what you strive for, those things don’t just change because you become a parent. Women have been told that a feminine approach is unprofessional. Our speech is monitored, our writing is reviewed, and our clothing is criticized. They say, “be feminine and assertive”, but not too much of either. Men do not get this message, at least not as often.

When women heed the well-intentioned advice and lean into the “masculine” to get ahead, they are often met with feedback that they are “too loud,” “too aggressive,” “too driven,” “too ambitious,” and “too bossy.”

This is why authenticity wins. What I know to be true is that being a person with grace, resilience, grit, sturdiness, and understanding are human traits that serve everyone. When you are authentic with yourself and transparent about your values, that draws others to you who are similarly situated.

In your journey as a leader, how have you balanced demonstrating resilience, often seen as a masculine trait, with showing vulnerability, which is equally powerful, but typically feminine? Can you give an example where this balance created a meaningful difference?

Resilience and vulnerability are not exclusive to gender but are human traits essential for effective leadership. Balancing these qualities by acknowledging that resilience is crucial in navigating challenges while vulnerability fosters authentic connections and empathy within the team. Everyone can practice resilience to get the goals they set out to achieve. That means failing and maybe even failing a lot. How you talk to yourself during those moments of failure — that is resilience. Resilience is not shoving down the emotions of an upset. It’s about being brave enough to know when you need support and resources. People separate the two traits but really vulnerability and resilience go hand in hand. Want to innovate a new offering? Be a successful salesperson? Launch a company? Try something new? All of those require a level of vulnerability and there will be times that you will fail. And, how you overcome that setback — again, that is resilience.

Shedding prescriptive perceptions of what is professional has allowed me to connect more deeply with my clients. I show up authentically, and my clients, who are lawyers, feel comfortable sharing things that are bothering them. From there, we can get to the heart of the issues and obstacles they might encounter with developing their book of business.

As a woman in leadership, how have you navigated and challenged gender stereotypes, especially in situations where traditional male-dominated approaches are the norm? What strategies have you employed to remain authentic to your style?

When I first started my career in Big Law, I was frequently the only woman in the room and the youngest member present in meetings. This is a common experience among legal marketing professionals. However, I always remained professional, responsive, and organized, allowing my work to speak for itself. I aimed to produce quality work, provide support, and offer guidance. I never had trouble expressing my opinions or ideas using my voice. I also connected with other women mentors to be informed on how they approached certain situations. The most important thing was to use my voice, and I will continue to find ways to elevate the voices of others.

How do you utilize emotional intelligence and active listening to create an inclusive environment in your team or organization? Could you share a specific instance where these qualities particularly enhanced team dynamics or performance?”

Leveraging emotional intelligence creates a supportive environment where the team members want to do well and grow personally. As the leader of any group, you need to know what motivates them and drives them forward. Understanding each person’s perspective and preferred communication modes will allow you to tailor your communication style to ensure they hear you effectively. I often only connected with team members on video because that was received much more effectively than an email and vice versa, depending on the team member. Additionally, knowing people’s strengths allows each person to contribute meaningfully.

What role has mentorship played in developing your authentic leadership style, and how do you communicate authentically to inspire and empower both your mentors and mentees?

When people think about mentorship, they may imagine someone much more experienced and senior to them. However, my mentors were only slightly ahead of me in their career or stage of life. This allowed them to provide me with more timely feedback on experiences they had recently encountered and that I was also experiencing. Finding individuals with whom you can work well and trust is crucial to leading authentically. Explore relationships with curiosity and be open to unexpected connections.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways Leading Authentically As A Woman Will Affect Your Leadership”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

1 . I’d like to list 5 ways to lead authentically as a person, not as a woman. Authentic leadership, leveraging emotional intelligence and empathy, applies to anyone. Create an open and inclusive environment where every voice is heard and every idea is welcomed. Foster a culture of belonging, respect, and acceptance. Seek out new ideas, seek out different voices, and educate yourself. We want to ensure resources are available for as many people as possible.

2 . Be driven by unbridled curiosity. Approach every project with a relentless desire to understand, learn, and explore to uncover unique solutions. During the first year of stage, I easily had over 200 meet and greets. Every meeting I took was an opportunity to get to know someone, be curious about who they are and explore ways that I could help and connect them with others.

3 . Leverage empathy to guide your actions. Strive to understand others’ challenges. Be a perspective taker; try to see other people’s points of view. This is how we coach and guide our clients in their sessions so that they take those skills and apply them to their client relationships.

4 . Share insights, collaborate openly, and build relationships based on trust and transparency. Know in your heart that regardless of your position, you have something of value to say. In the first year of stage’s launch, I was a guest on 8 podcasts discussing how to build relationships. All this opportunity came from writing about what I knew on how to connect in an authentic way.

5 . Embrace resilience and use it as an opportunity for growth. The best test of resilience…create a company, run the company, and reach the year mark. And, then, check in with me next year!

Are there potential pitfalls or challenges associated with being an empathetic leader? How can these be addressed?

There is no such thing as being “too nice” or “too understanding” if you have clear boundaries with yourself. You can be nice and expect a lot. You can be understanding and have your team perform. And chances are, if you are empathetic and understanding, your team will want to do things for you. They are less likely to leave. Leading with empathy is the path forward if you want to hire, retain, and encourage people to produce the best work possible. Want people to be more productive? To bring in more revenue? To collaborate? Lead with empathy, show vulnerability, treat people respectfully, pay them their worth, and provide them with the necessary resources to do their jobs. People want to do a good job, and they also want to have a good life.

Businesses need to avoid the banality of the outdated statement, “It’s just business.” Regardless of the industry, what matters most is the people.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

To promote more women in every aspect. Promote more women of color. Promote more mothers. Promote more women entrepreneurs. Promote women over 50. Paraphrasing Sallie Krawcheck who says, get more money into the hands of women and the entire economy benefits. Invest in women. Hire women.

How can our readers further follow you online?

On LinkedIn, Instagram or our website at www.stage.guide

Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Thank you for having me.

what’s new on stage LinkedIn

Megan Senese authors article in Bloomberg

Lateral Partner Recruiting Must Focus on Honesty and Clear Data

Legal experts explain the state of lateral partner recruiting

• Hiring teams must build trust and manage expectations

Increasing competition for shrinking profit margins has only escalated the war for talent. Meanwhile, 44% of lateral partners cited a lack of confidence in firm management and strategy, according to a 2023 Major, Lindsey & Africa report.

The report found this lack of confidence to be the biggest reason law firm partners consider leaving their firms. Effective integration of laterals into their new firms was the best predictor of their satisfaction.

Lateral partner recruiting should begin with, and be driven by, plans that assess where the firm is right now, where it wants to go, and how lateral partner hiring is going to help deliver its goals. Hiring plans should align with the firm’s overall strategic plan—as well as plans of key practices—to ensure consensus on types of sought-after candidates to target.

A strategic framework helps stakeholders share why the firm’s culture is different, the firm’s value propositions, and its core principles. It also shares how a particular attorney or practice fits into the firmwide strategy.

Firms should be able to articulate how they allocate resources to support individual and practice growth, enhance client service, and drive revenue. Hiring committees should partner with their firms’ marketing communications and business development teams to share this messaging in a way that builds trust and manages expectations.

Next-Level Recruitment

Firms need to focus on telling compelling stories about how potential lateral partner candidates can help achieve longer-term goals—a firm’s ability to support its partners in a top “pull” factor, the report noted.

It’s important for firms to emphasize their clients, capabilities, and commitment to relevant practice areas, as well as the marketing and business development support for lateral partners. Firms also should show how they foster cross-selling and cross-pollination opportunities.

While it’s important to be enthusiastic, firms shouldn’t overpromise. They should use this early contact as an opportunity to set a tone.

Right Fit

Many firms require lateral partner candidates to complete an extensive questionnaire, or LPQ, which solicits essential information for the due diligence process. The responses tell firms what a prospective candidate hopes to bring and allows the hiring committee to vet those clients, including for potential conflicts of interest.

LPQs are an important part of the process, but they are only one diligence tool. Ultimately, hiring should be driven more by the strategy at the center of the firm’s lateral partner hiring plan rather than by a potential lateral partner’s projected book of business.

It’s important to contextualize LPQ information. Further diligence, probing questions, and verification often can help distinguish between projected potential business and projected portable business, such as clients with a high likelihood of following the lateral partner to the new firm.

Future potential business may include existing clients and whether they’ll follow the lateral partner candidate to the new firm, and prospective clients that the lateral partner candidate will continue to cultivate in hopes of bringing them aboard.

Big Picture

Recruitment processes that used to take four to six months before the Covid-19 pandemic are now taking four to six weeks.

Firms should develop a standardized, efficient recruiting process that respects candidates’ time and sensitivities inherent in meeting with a potential new firm. Many attorneys have spent their entire careers at one firm—this process may be the first time they’re entering the lateral partner market.

Firms should realize that for every lateral partner candidate hired, there often are dozens more who weren’t. Some of those who weren’t hired (or who didn’t move forward in the process of their own volition) could be future clients, prospects, referral sources, or simply a better fit for the firm later. It’s critical that they walk away with a positive impression of the firm.

To gain the best talent, firms will need to adopt a data-driven, deliberate approach to lateral partner hiring while emphasizing transparency throughout the recruiting and hiring process.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax, or its owners.

Author Information

Brian J. Carrozza is director of client development at Goulston & Storrs.

Courtney C. Hudson is business development manager at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.

Megan K. Senese is co-founder and principal at stage, a women-owned business development and legal marketing firm.

read the article HERE

podcast: megan senese + The Legal Burnouts

Episode 25. Pregnancy, Parenting, and Entrepreneurship With Megan Senese

Rhia Batchelder and Kate Bridal speak to Megan Senese, cofounder of Stage, a women-owned legal marketing and business development firm that offers- among many other services- a free program to support working parents before and after parental leave.

This program, called Courderoy, was partially inspired by Megan’s previous experience hiding her pregnancy from her firm for SIX MONTHS.

Though nobody told Megan she had to hide her pregnancy, there were plenty of cultural indicators that she should, and she was neither the first nor the last woman on her team to do so. A reasonable move, considering that a woman’s earning potential statistically takes a lifelong hit after she becomes pregnant with her first child.

Megan walks Kate and Rhia through her journey to entrepreneurship, the pressures of being a high-achiever while parenting (especially when schools refuse to call her husband no matter how many times she lists him first), and how escaping traditional firm settings has her feeling like a dragon unleashed.

Listen to episode 25: HERE

how we help

lawyers at all levels and titles are busy solving complex problems and

managing a myriad of demands in high-stakes environments, often leaving little time and energy to think, let alone execute on business development and marketing.

if everything feels like it's ramping up as we head to summer, it's because it is!

if you are are lawyer and you are struggling with finding the time for marketing and business development, we can help with our 1:1 offering.

if you are the head of a marketing team and your team has upcoming vacations that you need to cover, we can help with our fractional services.

if you need assistance with creating business development workshops for your summer associates, we can help with programming.

stage shines in leveraging an empathic approach coupled with Big Law experience. With a dose of humor and the human touch, we tailor each project, request, and interaction to reach your goals (no matter how big or small).

marketing workshops

looking for fresh new voices to help deliver your upcoming workshops?

we got you. we also just so happen to be a woman-owned business.

plus, we have 55+ years of in-house Big Law marketing and businessdevelopment experience.

why does that matter?
we know how to support lawyers. we know what they are facing.
we know the pressures that marketing teams are under to deliver. let us help.

sampling of workshop titles:
Network Where You Are: Everyone Can Network
The Art and Science of Understanding the Client
Lawyer Love Hurts: Overcoming Rejection, Objections & Unresponsiveness

marketing assestment

when was the last time you assessed your marketing mix and culture?

do you have the right firm structure, processes, and marketing performance?

have you thoroughly examined your talent, strategies, tactics, and overall performance of your marketing function?

are you aware of your marketing team's strengths, weaknesses, and potential #opportunities?

our assessment is designed to help.

YOUR insights

OUR actionable recommendations

resulting in growth for your people and your business.

want a sample report? reach out.

we can't guarantee the assessment will make you leap for joy like Kathleen, but we promise it will propel you forward.

fractional marketing field guide

welcome to stage's fractional marketing field guide – inspiration credit Seth Godin.

flexibility:
in a world where rigidity hinders progress, embrace the power of flexibility. while some companies insist on minimum hour commitments, we do not.

fluidity:
picture a senior team capable of swooping in and out seamlessly on any project…from keeping the trains running to orchestrating strategic growth. we all know, those trains gotta run, Chambers is a hungry animal.

diversity of perspective:
in the realm of fractional teams, innovation reigns supreme. drawing insights from varied creatives, law firms, and macro marketing industry trends, we offer a treasure trove of ideas.

relationships rule:
in the grand theater [could not resist] of business, we recognize that, fundamentally, we are in the service business. relationships stand as the cornerstone of our services – where every interaction is a chance to build lasting connections.

the b-word | brand:
for some, the term "brand" is a vague notion. we understand its essence. to truly brand yourself or your firm, dive deep into a niche. specialization is more than a choice; it's a strategy. specificity fuels your journey towards a well-defined brand.

content is king, queen, and non-binary royalty:
step into the spotlight and stay there with content that harmonizes the heart of the firm and your human talent.

ROI:
in legal’s ever-evolving landscape [hello AI], monitoring is key. continuously evaluate your return on investment – identifying what drives growth and what should be jettisoned.

Seth said it best: “Offer the opportunity to have a discussion and invite people into a relationship. Talk about a possibility and give power back to them.”

challenge - TODAY: contact one relationship and invite them to have a virtual coffee or cocktail. start the conversation.

get to the heart of what your client wants

want to get to the heart of what your client thinks about a trend, topic, or new regulation?

to find out, we recommend an effective and often underused methodology: ASK THEM

Jennifer Ramsey’s collaboration with TreeHouse Innovation: how to have deeper conversations with your clients and win more work

Lawyers are client-centric by definition. They’re experts in their clients’ businesses and dedicated to meeting their needs.

Regardless of their industry, every client will be facing a huge array of challenges right now – from technological disruption, to sustainability, to shifting customer expectations, and more. So there are more potential ways for lawyers to help them than ever before – and new avenues for growth for law firms.

Here, Treehouse’s El Tong and Jennifer Ramsey from stage – a women-owned business development and marketing venture focused on relationships, revenue, and growth for legal services – share six tips to help lawyers have deeper conversations with their clients and identify other problems they can help them solve.

1. Go deeper with your research

Of course you’re already well-versed in your client’s business and their sector, but to take your conversation to the next level, adopt a mindset of curiosity. Go deeper with your research and try to find something meaningful about what they’re personally passionate about to talk about. What can you learn about their interests, both at work and beyond? What are they proud of?  

Curiosity doesn’t come naturally to everybody, but you can train yourself to be curious by developing a habit of preparing in this way. Gather as much insight as you need to feel comfortable having a really good, open conversation. Remember, it’s not creepy to look at someone’s LinkedIn page – it’s a compliment!

2. Have an open conversation

It’s human nature to go into a conversation thinking about what you need to get out of it. But then you lead with bias from the get-go. You frame the conversation around what you need and when that’s your focus, opportunities to expand the conversation will pass you by. This is where curiosity comes in again.

Instead of starting with questions about specific business needs or projects you’re aware of, ask broader, more open questions, such as:

What’s on your plate right now?

What’s on the horizon for you in the next few months?

What’s most important to you at the moment?

You can then build on what they say and show your genuine interest. You might say:

That’s interesting, can you tell me more about why that matters to you?

I’m interested to learn more, why do you think you’re struggling with that?

Why is this such an important issue for you at the moment?

By asking why, you give the other person permission to share more deeply. They’re more likely to tell you what else is going on, which you probably wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

When you approach conversations in this way, you naturally start to build empathy and trust, which puts you in a great position to start looking for solutions to challenges together. Rather than ‘touchpoints’ the stage team coaches its clients to think of these interactions as ‘trustpoints’, as it’s trust you’re seeking to build.

You might worry that you’re going to cross a line by asking someone these kinds of questions, but it’s all about getting the tone right. Keep it light and conversational and demonstrate genuine curiosity, and people will feel safe to share.

3. Silence is a powerful tool

It’s very tempting when you ask somebody ‘Why’ to feel the need to suggest possible answers yourself. But try to hold back. If you jump in and say ‘Is this happening because XYZ’ you will immediately steer the conversation in a certain direction, and you will miss the chance to hear their gut response and may miss opportunities.

There may be silence while they think about their answer, but that’s OK. Hold your nerve and see what comes. People are generally quite forthcoming, and especially when they can tell that you genuinely care.

Active listening is a companion of curiosity – they go hand in hand. It’s not an exact science but aim to speak around 10% of the time in a discovery conversation, as your main job is to listen and create a great conversation experience.

4. Co-create the solution together

Now that you’ve developed a shared understanding of the challenge they’re facing, you can naturally start exploring what a good solution could look like.

It’s not about putting all your offers and services on the table, but instead discussing what might help. If you have ideas for solutions, put them out there in a general way, without inserting yourself into it – for example:

I wonder how it would feel if you could plan out your caseload for the next year?

I wonder if it would be useful if you had an easy way to understand how that regulation change will affect you – what do you think?

So you’re suggesting a solution that might help, but you’re not presenting it as a deal you have to sell. This allows you to test the water and see if this is something they’re actually looking for, and to build towards an answer. Continue to hold the curious approach you’ve taken so far, and explore together what they might need.

Remember that you don’t need to work it all out in one conversation. If you’ve built a genuine rapport, you will undoubtedly be invited back to chat again, and then you can put forward how you can help.

A great quote to keep in mind is from Maya Angelou –

5. Follow up

Never underestimate the power of a thank you note! Whether it’s handwritten or an email, a thank you note is always worth sending. It’s a great opportunity to summarize the main points you discussed, and confirm any actions you took away and when you will come back to them.

Quick follow-up is another ‘trustpoint’ and a great way to keep that door open for future discussions.

6. Remain curious

We give a lot of thought to the questions we ask at the beginning of a relationship, but we need to maintain that approach throughout because situations change.

Even when you think you’ve agreed on a solution for a client, keep talking to them as you develop it. Keep checking in and get their reaction to what you’re building. Ask them: How does it make you feel? Can you give me your gut reaction to it? 

Too often people will put loads of time and energy into perfecting a solution, only to show it to a client and discover it’s not what they were expecting. Stay curious, keep asking questions, and you’ll land on a solution that gives you a happy client – and happy partners too.

read here

6 business development tips to show gratitude this season

1. Call them. Old school style and ask them how they are connect on a personal level. 
2. Gift them. Send them a token of appreciation.
3. Invite them. To a webinar, an event, or better yet, a 1:1 coffee, lunch, or dinner.
4. Offer them….insights on the legal landscape and how it will affect business and challenges.
5. Give them something free (that they actually want).
6. Thank them.

coaching collaboration with the Wellbeing @ Work (W@W) platform

Often, lawyers feel "existential dread" (a real-life client quote…) and stress often associated with marketing and developing business.

Lawyers are often "learners" who want to continuously improve and focus on improving their weaknesses instead of their strengths. In our 1:1 coaching, we work with lawyers across all levels to ask, "How can you use your strengths more intentionally?"

Still trying to figure out how to answer that question?

We map our client's 5 leading strengths to marketing activities - creating a personal roadmap to activate business development and sales activities confidently.

And for all those lawyers who love stats, according to Gallup, "People who use their strengths every day are 7.8% more productive in their role and three times as likely to say they have an excellent quality of life."

With our Wellbeing @ Work (W@W) platform collaboration, our goal is to mitigate stress by incorporating well-being into coaching. stage offers concrete coaching tools and a supportive consultative style.

top 3 podcast appearances

Looking for something to listen to as race towards the end of the year?

How about our top 3 podcast episodes?

🎤 Freeman Means Business (TM) with Susan C. Freeman. Amplifying Women's Voices Through Storytelling (with Kathleen). Listen here: https://bit.ly/3NxBhSj

🎤 Good2bSocial Podcast with Guy Alvarez. The power of a Sector-Based Approach. Specificity Drives Strategy (with Jennifer). Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eVwZW4iZ

🎤 Nexl This Legal Life. Not Another Legal Podcast with Ben Chiriboga. Beyond Business Cards - Authentic Networking (with Megan). Listen here: https://bit.ly/3TrfJut

Stroock closure or any biglaw layoff

We know going through transitions is tough, and we wanted to make it easier for anyone who is impacted by the Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP closure or any biglaw layoff.

Join Megan Senese and Benjamin Field (from Individuation Coaching) on Thursday, Nov. 16th, from 12-12:45 pm ET for a virtual "Open House."

It is free for any business professional (including business development and legal marketing) or lawyer.

It's a safe + welcoming space where people can connect, network, and find support. The goal is to create a supportive community of peers who can offer support, network, and gain new insights.

Reach out to Megan Senese for the link.

Jennifer Ramsey authors article in Law360: How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies

Jennifer Ramsey and Gina Sponzilli co-author: How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies

Three key developments in the legal industry are making account-based marketing strategies more relevant and important than ever:

• Law firm mergers are on the rebound in 2023.[1]

• Lateral partner moves have continued to move at a brisk pace.[2]

• There is an increased focus on the totality of the client experience — the sum of all interactions with a firm — which means law firms can differentiate themselves in this area to engender loyalty, retain key clients and grow revenue.

These three taken together make a strong business case for an increased focus on account-based marketing strategies in legal marketing, regardless of firm size.

Merger and acquisition activity and lateral partner movement can create significant disruptions in the legal industry. This type of marketing allows law firms to focus their business development and marketing efforts on specific accounts or clients, ensuring they maintain and strengthen client relationships, and allocate resources efficiently and effectively.

In addition, as partners move between firms or firms merge, client relationships can become strained. Account-based marketing enables law firms to maintain strong connections with their key clients and ensure they continue to receive the attention and service they need.

It is also useful for reputation management — these strategies can be used to manage and shape the narrative surrounding these developments, ensuring that the firm's brand remains intact or is improved.

As more firms embrace and emphasize the client experience to not only meet, but also exceed client expectations, this marketing approach puts the client at the core of the firm.

While not a new concept, demand for this type of marketing has continued to grow stronger due to measurable improvements that dedicated account-based marketing strategies produce.

For example, drawing on 279 qualitative interviews from account-based marketing leaders across the globe, Momentum ITSMA and ABM Leadership Alliance's latest benchmark study on the topic found that most of these programs drive substantial business impact, with an Jennifer Ramsey Gina Sponzilli 84% increase in pipeline growth, 77% in revenue growth and 72% higher return on investment than other types of marketing.[3]

Account-Based Marketing in a Legal Marketing Context

At its core, account-based marketing is an approach to business-to-business marketing and sales designed to uncover additional opportunities with an existing customer or client, and ultimately increase revenue. In the law firm context, this kind of marketing requires close collaboration between business development professionals and law firm leaders and partners to create personalized buying experiences for high-value accounts. When executed well, those experiences integrate the client company's specific attributes and needs. Successful account-based marketing programs also help build and maintain long-term relationships with premier clients.

This approach is particularly effective for businesses that operate in industries with long sales cycles, involve a complex buying process and develop into high-value accounts — all of which apply to legal marketing. It allows all stakeholders to take their most precious resource — time — and focus on accounts that have the highest impact on the firm's business.

Depending on the client company, that can be measured in terms of revenue growth, number of deals, retention value and expansion into new service areas. Account-based marketing is closely related to the client-team approach that many large law firms have adopted. Client teams bring together a diverse group of lawyers and professionals to focus on delivering exceptional service to a specific client. It involves deep research into the company and related industry trends.

It also requires an understanding of the client's goals and objectives, specific legal needs, and pain points. Client team marketers and business developers play an instrumental role in effectively communicating all this information to the service delivery team and the entire firm. Using this type of marketing, legal marketers and business developers can move beyond transactional exchanges to integrate relational interactions.

It incorporates relationship marketing, which is the opposite of transaction marketing: Transactional exchanges involve a single, short-time exchange with a distinct beginning and ending. Relationship marketing involves multiple, connected exchanges over time, and usually involves both economic and social bonds. Relational exchanges provide a competitive advantage to the extent that they create barriers to switching to a competitor and contribute to service differentiation.

Considerations for Launching an Account-Based Marketing Approach

With the ultimate goal being to effectively serve the client, account-based marketing provides a collaborative framework for internally bringing lawyers together from different practice areas to fully understand their colleagues' skill sets. For legal marketers, employing this form of marketing can be one of the more fulfilling and fun parts of the role. It requires a shift from an individual practice perspective to a team based orientation, with the client at the center of the conversation. Working together, the team uncovers client needs, matches service areas to those needs and wins new business. That said, there are a few things to keep in mind when launching an account-based marketing program.

Using an STP Approach

Legal marketers can incorporate account-based marketing into their strategic plans by using a segmentation, targeting and positioning approach.

Segmenting

Determine which clients are appropriate based on criteria such as potential revenue growth, strength of relationships with key client contacts, company size, strategic fit and industry position. An efficient way to identify high-value clients is to look at the firm's client base through an industry sector lens. A sector-based approach is designed around the client and brings together lawyers from different practices and with different specializations to help solve problems for clients in a particular industry. As an example, health care companies will have distinct legal needs, such as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance, versus a software company, where intellectual property protection is at the heart of its business.

Targeting

Research stakeholders, company strategy and business expansion plans, and then map back to the firm's strengths and differentiators. Positioning Develop programming that speaks to the client, demonstrates an understanding of their needs and clearly articulates how the firm is positioned to serve those needs.

Know Thy Client — The Human Factor

Clients are not faceless entities representing companies, but rather humans whose decisions are influenced by a delicate interplay of reason and emotion. Understanding executive decision makers, influencers and end-user personas is key to running successful account-based marketing programs. This same thinking can be applied to and expanded upon in legal marketing. Identifying personas beyond the office of the general counsel to include the C-suite, board of directors and other legal department leadership expands a firm's networks and offers a competitive edge.

Consider specific role-based topics, including:

• For C-suite executives: on-demand legal advice, M&A, board management, risk analysis and corporate governance.

• For the board of directors: fiduciary duties, corporate governance, shareholders' rights; executive compensation and key executives' succession planning.

• For general counsel: risk management, litigation and dispute resolution, legal expense budgeting and operations, and data privacy and security.

• For staff attorneys and others in the office of the general counsel: human resources and employment issues, litigation, IP management, and legal cost containment.

Sample questions to ask clients to better inform ABM include:

• What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

• What results and outcomes do you measure?

• What business metrics are you measured by?

• What aspirations or goals are driving your decision

• What are the top strategic challenges or priorities you are currently facing in your role, and how are you addressing them?

Asking questions like these is paramount to building strong, long-lasting relationships with clients. Relationship building is a cornerstone of account-based marketing and helps foster trust and rapport, which are crucial for successful business-to-business relationships. By asking questions and actively listening to client responses, lawyers and legal marketers demonstrate genuine interest in learning more about clients' businesses and challenges.

Valuable insights can be gained that allow for delivering highly personalized experiences to individual client accounts. The answers also allow lawyers and legal marketers to uncover pain points or challenges that the clients may not have initially mentioned and gives way to customizing solutions to client needs.

Creating an Account Plan for a Holistic Client Experience

The deeper the relationship, the more holistic the client experience, which can lead to lower customer acquisition costs and reduce churn. Delighted clients are more inclined to give testimonials, provide referrals and participate in thought leadership. A comprehensive client-centric account plan that members of an account or client team can create, or even co-create with the client, and refer to over time, is invaluable for achieving a holistic approach to client experience. The plan is evergreen, evolving and present at every account or client team meeting. Key components include:

• An overview of the client relationship, organizational structure and company strategy;

• The firm's revenue targets and other objectives;

• An analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats — an activity that all client team members can participate in;

• A legal needs assessment of the client and the firm's tailored solutions; and

• Relationship building activities and timing.

Data Analytics Rule: How to Measure Success

Detailed account data paired with analytics and a reporting tool are helpful to properly launch and measure an account-based marketing program. Without some type of system to measure performance, it is difficult to evaluate the program's impact. One of the key metrics to measure the success of this kind of marketing is customer lifetime value. "Customer lifetime value" is defined as the total amount a customer spends with a company during the lifetime of the relationship. Those accounts — i.e., clients — that are in the higher range of customer lifetime value are prime candidates for this type of marketing focus. The goal of account-based marketing is to increase customer lifetime value to a percentage growth rate or spend amount. This metric can be especially useful for legal marketing and business development. To effectively measure customer lifetime value in a law firm context, metrics to look at include gross margin associated with each client engagement, average revenue per year and the number of matters. Other metrics that are accretive to customer lifetime value include value from referrals, potential revenue from cross-selling opportunities, and the cost to acquire a new client or matter.

What's Next

The legal industry is undergoing significant transformation in 2023, which creates a compelling business case for full adoption of account-based marketing strategies. With the pace of law firm mergers and lateral partner moves, these trends further underscore the need for law firms to adapt and enhance their marketing strategies. Coupled with the growing emphasis on the holistic client experience, these factors highlight the potential for firms to stand out, foster client loyalty and drive revenue growth through this marketing approach. These three developments collectively reinforce that now is the opportune time to embrace the account-based approach in legal marketing and leverage it for sustained success.

Click here to read on Law360.com

Reproduced with permission. Published October 12, 2023.

11 ways to scare legal marketing

1. I have feedback; pls call.

2. A Friday 5 p.m. email with an urgent pitch request due in two hours.

3. Submitting chambers late. Chambers due after a long holiday weekend. Anything Chambers-related.

4. Forgetting to put on track changes.

5. Spelling a client’s name wrong on an RFP or a name tag or anything.

6. “Pls fix.”

7. A “quick” Saturday meeting.

8. Getting invited to a partner meeting only to realize it’s just to take notes.

9. “Can you reformat these slides? It should only take a minute.”

10. When the lawyer declines client feedback because the they think they already know the client.

11. “Got a sec?”


What else scares the pants off you?

spotlight: Logan Tracey

today we are honored to shine a spotlight on Logan Tracey, Head of Business Development & Marketing - Real Estate at Herrick, Feinstein LLP.

we applaud Logan's emphasis on a holistic approach to individuals and her intentionality around compassion.

the new way to be “professional”

There has been a shift in what is considered professional and how clients want to see their lawyers.  The landscape is changing to allow permission for more personalization. Being authentic is key, allowing for a greater connection with your contacts, colleagues and clients.

Share your genuine insights, personal stories, and expertise with your audience.

Authenticity builds trust and trust builds lasting client relationships.

If you are unsure of how to show up as your authentic self, start small, with micro and intentional activation of relationships.

On a beautiful fall day, cannot resist sharing this one "just as an acorn contains the mighty oak tree, the Self has everything it needs to fulfill its destiny. when the inner conditions are right, it naturally emerges."

Jen Ramsey presents at LMA NEXT Pre-Conference 11.13-11.14

Defining your personal brand is no easy feat. Join Jennifer Ramsey at the LMANEXT Pre-Conference at Tech West in November to hear best practices for practical steps and actionable strategies in "Channel Your Superpowers into Your Personal Brand."

If you are a legal marketing professional with less than seventy years of experience, the LMANEXT Pre-Conference at Tech West is designed with you in mind.

In two dynamic, fun, and informative sessions, participants will learn practical steps and strategies for personal branding on LinkedIn, and an overview of and uses cases for ChatGPT in legal marketing.

In "Channel Your Superpowers into Your Personal Brand," Jennifer Ramsey, co-founder of stage, will lead attendees through a workshop to define their personal brand, create an effective LinkedIn profile, and model best practices for LinkedIn engagement and metrics tracking.

In "ChatGPT Unveiled," Jylian Ibsen, a senior solutions consultant with Pitchly, will dive deep into the multifaceted world of ChatGPT, shedding light on its capabilities, risks, ethics, and transformative potential within the realm of legal marketing.

The LMANEXT Pre-Conference program is complimentary with Tech West conference registration or $235 Member and $260 Prospective Member.

Register here https://lnkd.in/gBkPgHEG

stage’s dedication to working parents

stage's core values include a dedication to supporting parents in the legal industry.

becoming a parent is already tough, and layering on becoming a parent in Big Law can be even tougher.

with stage's launch, we introduced "corduroy" - our free parental leave business development coaching package for any lawyer going out or returning from a parental leave.

we want to ensure our company is tied to our core values.
we want to empower parents with concrete and actionable resources to excel.
we want to amplify the voices of working parents while also building confidence around developing business.

if you can't find that support internally, come to us.
if we might supplement your current resources, come to us. we love to collaborate.

if you are interested in what #businessdevelopment can do for you, brand amplification, or your book of business, come to us.