Presentations – A Way to Become a Magnet for New Business

By Jeff Wolf

Speak with impact, connect with your audience, and grow your practice, live, virtual, or hybrid.

Time to read: 2 minutes

Building your book of business today is challenging. Competition is fierce, clients are selective, and demands on your time are higher than ever. You may have tried relationship-building, but time is limited.

One of the most effective ways to stand out is to give a talk to a roomful of people or a virtual audience. Speaking positions you not just as an expert, but as the expert in your area. When done right, presentations attract new clients, grow credibility, and get people to approach you or connect on LinkedIn.

You become a people magnet. Attendees may hand you their business cards or send LinkedIn invitations, saying, "Please call me." Translation: "I like your message and think you are the type of lawyer I want to do business with." Calls and emails often continue for weeks as word spreads through the business community.

Why Most Speaking Opportunities Fail

Sadly, most lawyer presentations don’t deliver results. The worry about prep work, the pressure of performance, and the focus on your own comfort often result in returning to the office empty-handed.

I’ve seen it many times. Lawyers finish a talk thinking they did a great job, yet no one approaches them afterward and no new business comes in. They often conclude, “Speaking is a waste of time and doesn’t generate business.”

As a professional speaker  and presentation skills coach, I’ve watched lawyers present to audiences over and over. Even experienced attorneys sometimes struggle to deliver a motivating and memorable presentation that truly engages their listeners.

A Golden Opportunity

I recently gave a keynote address in Los Angeles. Before my talk, a lawyer gave the membership a legal update. His thirty-minute monologue of facts and figures, delivered in a monotone voice while leaning on the podium, was a disaster. Groups of people walked out. An audience of over 500 shrank by about half. When he finished, the applause was polite but half-hearted. The emcee asked everyone to take a break so the audience could regroup for my presentation.

This is a clear example of wasted time, for the lawyer and the audience, and a missed opportunity to make a positive impression on hundreds of potential clients.

The Key to Success

If you want to succeed as a presenter, remember this: it’s not about you. It’s about your audience, the people who are investing their precious time to hear and see you.

They listen intently with one question in mind: "What’s in it for me?" They want to be engaged by your personality and passion. If you are genuinely passionate about your topic, your listeners will become excited too.

Deliver your message with energy, clear voice inflections, and confidence. Avoid hiding behind the podium. Step forward, make eye contact, smile, and show that you know your material inside and out.

Even in virtual presentations, these principles apply. Your gestures, eye contact with the camera, and enthusiasm capture attention. Use Q&A, polls, and follow-up content to extend engagement beyond the session.

Here’s something to take to heart. A famous study on communication found that:

• 55% is body language
• 38% is tone of voice
• 7% is the actual words

A Success Story

Last year I spoke at an event with over 700 participants. After my keynote, I attended several breakout sessions and at one, I observed an attorney presenting to about 75 people. She ignored the podium, walked through the audience, and engaged directly. She was passionate about corporate tax law, carried herself with poise, and was clearly well-prepared.

At the end of her presentation, I counted 25 attendees approach her and hand her their business cards, saying they were interested in speaking further with her. After the room emptied, and while she was packing up her things, I walked up and introduced myself. We talked about how her presentations were generating new business for her firm and self-evident benefits for herself.

She said she had been doing roughly eight to ten presentations a year, each generating measurable new business. We shared a knowing laugh when I told her our consulting firm has seen the same results.

When I asked her what the key to her success was, she said: "Most lawyers think speaking is a waste of time because they don’t want to invest in practice. Most of my colleagues focus on themselves. In the real world, outside of law, it’s all about the needs of the audience. That’s why I continue to speak and keep growing my practice at an unbelievable rate year after year."

Takeaway

Presentations, done well, are one of the most effective ways for lawyers to generate new business. Focus on your audience, bring energy and passion, and connect personally. When your message resonates, your audience becomes your best business development engine.

If you or your firm give presentations but aren’t seeing results, it’s time to change that.

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Ready to turn your presentations into a client magnet?

Let’s talk. Reply to this email or call 858-638-8260 to schedule a brief consultation and start turning your presentations into new clients.

About Jeff Wolf

Jeff Wolf is a nationally recognized coach and consultant for law firms. Featured on NBC, CBS, CNBC, Fox, and the Legal Broadcasting Network, he helps lawyers and firms build stronger teams, attract and retain clients, and achieve sustainable growth through leadership and business development strategies. He is founder and president of Wolf Management Consultants, LLC, and the author of two books and numerous articles on business development and leadership.

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