This article appeared in Marketing the Law Firm, an ALM/Law Journal Newsletters publication reporting on the latest, and most effective, strategies for Chief Marketing Officers, Managing Partners, Law Firm Marketing Directors, Administrators and Consultants.

Two companies have the same legal need. Both companies end up speaking to the same lawyer, although they came to that lawyer through two different paths. In the first situation, the company searches for the lawyer to solve its problem. It does an Internet search, finds the lawyer and retains her almost immediately to solve the problem.

In the second situation, the lawyer seeks out the company that has the problem that she can solve. She speaks to her connections and referral sources, gets an introduction to the company, secures a meeting and makes a very well-received presentation to the company's decision maker.