Sugarcrest Launches
Rainmaker Reality Check
Interactive Tool Helps Lawyers Assess Their
Client Development and Relationship Management Skills.
WASHINGTON, DC--December 1, 2000--Sugarcrest Development Group, Inc., the legal industry's premier business development partner, announced today the release of the Rainmaker Reality Check--an interactive tool designed to help lawyers assess their skills in each area of the client development and relationship management process. Requiring less than 10 minutes to complete, The Rainmaker Reality Check is offered free-of-charge at http://www.sugarcrest.com/reality. After providing general contact information, lawyers are asked to respond to a series of questions covering such topics as strategic planning, marketing, reputation building, networking, essential sales skills and client service. Once the respondents answer the questions, they are immediately provided with a report that details their current performance in each of these areas and suggests where improvements can be made. "The Rainmaker Reality Check is the best tool I've seen for quickly assessing an attorney's rainmaking skills and developing a blueprint for rainmaking success," said Andrew Ness, Managing Partner at Thelen Reid & Priest's Washington, DC office. "We developed the Reality Check in response to the growing realization among lawyers that client development and relationship management skills are critical to their professional success," said Sugarcrest CEO, Felice Wagner. Two recent studies conducted in association with Of Counsel Magazine point to reasons behind this realization: 57% of Fortune 1000 companies plan to reduce their use of outside firms over the next five years; 70% of Fortune 1000 companies plan to reduce the number of firms on their approved lists over the next five years; and 81% say that cost is the driving factor behind these reductions. In addition, law firms are facing increasing pressure from multidisciplinary practices (MDPs). These trends have sharpened the focus of firm management on an attorney's ability to develop business and manage relationships for his or her firm. "Today, it is expected that every firm being considered for an engagement has more than enough competence to handle the prospective client's legal matters," said Wagner. "What separates the winners from the losers are the intangibles that stem more from marketing muscle than legal intellect. Today, more than ever, it's about your ability to conduct meaningful interviews of prospective clients, draft winning responses to RFPs, make successful client-focused presentations and demonstrate a firm commitment to client service and relationship management. It's about getting your clients to see you more as a trusted partner than a commodity-peddling vendor." ABOUT SUGARCREST DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Sugarcrest Development Group is a professional training and consulting firm focused on helping law firms and legal service providers win new business and build long-lasting, revenue producing relationships with their clients. The company offers a suite of sales and marketing training programs and management consulting services designed exclusively for the legal industry. Sugarcrest is widely recognized both for its experienced management team and its innovative programs, including its provision of dynamic training and ongoing learning via the Internet. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Lynn M. Janczak
Marketing Director
Sugarcrest Development Group, Inc.
lynn@sugarcrest.com
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