With AI, Clients Won’t Buy Big: They’ll Buy Better

I have been in the legal industry since 1996. And for all of those 30 years, size has been treated as a proxy for value:

Big firm + Big team = Big fees

But that way of thinking is starting to wane. And AI is only going to accelerate this shift.

So for this BD Tips Wednesday post, I'm taking a high-level look at what client access to better tools, faster information and more delivery options, will likely mean for law firm pricing as clients focus more on precision than scale.

In a new world order, the real drivers of price will be...

As AI becomes more and more imbedded in the delivery process of legal services, there are likely to be three main factors that will shape how much a firm can charge. No prizes for guessing this, but none of them are going to be determined by headcount!

1. Perceived expertise and relevance

Pricing power will come from being seen as the right choice, not the biggest one. A smaller firm with a strong reputation in a narrow area will be able to command more than a larger generalist competitor. A firm known for being subject matter experts will hold more pricing power in that niche than a national firm offering broad capability across dozens of practice areas trying to cross sell its services.

Why? Because proven expertise reduces risk. Clients will pay more for a provider who feels tailored to their problem than for one who simply looks impressive on paper.

2. Client experience and accessibility

Most clients have no idea what their legal problem is about. So they are not really buying legal advice. What they are buying is the confidence you provide that you have their backs.

• Human-touch responsiveness will matter.

• Plain English clarity will matter.

• Commerciality over legal precision will matter.

And so will direct access to the person actually leading the matter.

For many clients, a direct relationship with a senior lawyer who understands the context of their problem, communicates clearly and moves quickly will be worth far more than a prestige brand supported by layers of delegation.

With AI, a smoother, more transparent experience will create more value than a bigger team ever can.

3. Outcome certainty and risk management

Clients don't buy your time. The buy the outcomes you can provide. Without necessarily knowing it, they are looking to reduce risk.

They want:

• fewer surprises.

• clearer pathways.

• confidence around what is likely to happen, what it may cost and how the matter will be managed.

That is where real pricing power will sit in the future. Firms that can frame their offer around certainty, risk reduction and outcomes will always be in a stronger pricing position than firms still talking mainly about hours, effort and technical inputs.

Why niche firms will have pricing advantage

This is where AI is going to make things interesting. Niche firms are often far better placed to adapt their pricing model than larger ones. They are usually less constrained by legacy systems, internal politics and entrenched billing habits. They can move faster. They can test new approaches. They can price in ways that reflect how clients actually want to buy.

Subscription models, staged fees, fixed fees, retainers and outcome-linked pricing will be easier to implement in a smaller, more agile, niche environment. Unlike in large firms where Finance dictate the pricing terms, in niche firms the decision-maker is closer to the client, closer to the work and closer to the economics.

That matters.

Because, in a laggard industry like law, innovation (including pricing innovation) rarely fails because the market is not ready. It fails because the firm is not ready to let go of the old ways of doing things.

Takeaway

Being small will no longer mean being the cheaper option. Phrases like: "Top-tier experience at an affordable price" will be a thing of the past.

Firms that are able to command stronger fees will:

• define a clear niche.

• build trust-based relationships.

• communicate value in terms of outcomes, not effort.

• price around certainty, not just time.

In a market that has long confused scale with strength, AI is going to sharpen the distinction between the firms that are merely bigger, and the firms that are genuinely better.

Need Help With Your Business Development?

Get in touch if you want to talk about any of this. We also offer a very affordable BD Audit and Training package.

The Importance of Anticipating Common Client Objections

Most lawyers prepare extensively for their pitch, proposal or client meeting. They refine their capability statements, polish their pricing and rehearse their value proposition. Yet many are caught off guard by the most predictable part of the conversation: objections.

Objections are not barriers, they are signals. They indicate that the client is engaged, thinking critically and assessing risk. The rainmakers who consistently win work are not those who avoid objections, but those who anticipate them and are able to head them off before they are even raised or asked.

So for this BD Tips Wednesday post I thought I would take a quick look at 5 of the most common objections and how you can fend these off.

1. Pricing Concerns: The Most Predictable Objection

Pricing objections are almost never about the number itself. They are about uncertainty. Clients are worried about:

❌ Unexpected cost overruns

❌ Paying more than necessary

❌ Not receiving sufficient value

If you wait for the client to challenge your pricing, you're already on the defensive. Instead, address pricing proactively. Explain how your pricing works. Clarify what is included. Provide examples of outcomes and value delivered. Where possible, offer structured pricing models that provide predictability.

2. Timing Issues: The Fear of Delay

Clients often worry that engaging you will slow things down rather than accelerate progress. They may be thinking:

• How quickly can you start?

• Will this delay our internal timelines?

• Will we need to manage you closely?

You address timing objections by:

• Demonstrating readiness and structure

• Explaining your processes

• Outlining key milestones

• Showing that you have a clear plan for delivery.

When clients see that you operate with discipline and predictability, timing concerns diminish (although don't usually disappear altogether).

3. Quality Assurance: The Fear of Getting It Wrong

Many clients have had poor experiences with other service providers. They worry about rework, errors and inconsistency. Quality concerns are best addressed through evidence, not promises. This includes:

✔️ Relevant experience

✔️ Case studies and examples

✔️ Demonstrated processes

✔️ Clear review and quality control steps

Clients trust providers who can show, and not just claim, that they deliver high standards.

4. Competitor Comparisons: The Invisible Benchmark

Even when clients do not explicitly mention competitors, they are making comparisons. They are evaluating:

❓ Why choose you instead of someone else?

❓ What makes your approach different?

❓ What reduces the risk of choosing you?

If you do not articulate your differentiation, the client will default to safer or more familiar options. Anticipate this by clearly explaining your approach, your experience and your unique strengths.

Clients do not always choose the best provider. More often than not, they choose the provider they trust most to deliver the outcome they want or need.

5. Trust: The Objection Behind Every Objection

Most objections are not technical, they are emotional. Clients are asking themselves:

❓ Do I trust this person?

❓ Do they understand my situation?

❓ Will they follow through?

Trust is built through clarity, consistency and confidence.

When you anticipate objections, you demonstrate empathy. You show that you understand the client’s concerns before they have to voice them.

Takeaway: Anticipation Creates Confidence

The most effective rainmakers do not wait for objections; they design their conversations to address them naturally.

👉 They explain pricing clearly

👉 They communicate timelines confidently

👉 They demonstrate quality through evidence

👉 They articulate their differentiation

👉 They build trust through clarity

When objections are anticipated and addressed early, they rarely become barriers later. The client no longer feels they are taking a risk. They feel they are making a safe decision.

Need Help With Your Business Development?

Get in touch if you want to talk about any of this. We also offer a very affordable BD Audit and Training package.

Commercial Imposter Syndrome - The Need To Understand Your Own Value

Value is in the eye of the beholder

They say the perceived value of something is subjective and varies from person to person. It is suggested this is why value-based pricing is so hard: trying to convince your client that the service they are getting from you is of great value.

But, what if I said one of the biggest challenges professionals face isn't convincing their client they're getting great value for service, but rather the need to convince themselves that they are providing great value?

It has been my experience that most partners, principals, directors etc suffer from what I call 'commercial imposter syndrome'. This is to say, they understand their professional value but have no idea of the commercial value they provide. That's not a problem, until you realise that these are the very same people who are setting the price of the service being offered.

So for this BD Tips Wednesday post, I thought I would do a post on '3 Tips to Understanding Your Own Value'.

3 Tips to Understanding Your Own Value

1. Take Stock of Your Skills and Achievements

Self-worth starts with self-awareness. Get a piece of paper and a pen and make a list of your key skills, experiences and achievements.

Be specific, don’t just write “good at problem-solving”; and note the measurable results you’ve delivered for your clients. This record not only reinforces your sense of value, but also gives you tangible examples to draw on when negotiating your fees.

2. Identify What Makes You Different

Understanding your value also means knowing what others in your industry are doing so you can determine how you are doing things better. Research your market; know your client expectations (tip, ask them!); and your competitors’ offerings.

Ask yourself: “What is it I do differently to the rest?”

Is it your speed?; Your depth of expertise?; Your ability to make complex things simple?

This will help you position yourself realistically, while avoiding the trap of undervaluing your services out of fear or guesswork.

Being clear on your differentiators also allows you to communicate them with confidence and justify your pricing decisions.

3. Get Comfortable Saying No

When you understand your value, you stop chasing every opportunity; especially those that don’t respect your worth.

Saying “no” to underpaid work or misaligned projects isn’t about arrogance, it’s about protecting your time, energy and reputation for the right opportunities.

Bonus tip: Seek Feedback

Ask trusted peers, clients or mentors for feedback on the value you provide. Often, others see strengths you’ve overlooked. The challenge? Believing them. Resist the urge to downplay compliments and/or ingore feedback about your weaknesses.

Final Thought

Understanding your value is an ongoing process, not a one-off exercise. The more you can define, articulate and stand by your worth, the more aligned opportunities you’ll attract and the less you’ll need to justify yourself to others.

In the end though, if you don’t understand your value you cannot expect your clients to.

Further Reading

• Business Development Is a Confidence Game‍ ‍

• Is Your Firm's Pricing Too Low?‍ ‍

• The Silent Killer of Profit – Pricing Against Yourself‍ ‍

• Why Lawyers Need a Business Development Sherpa ‍ ‍‍ ‍

Need Help With Your Business Development?

Get in touch if you want to talk about any of this. We also offer a very affordable BD Audit and Training package.

The Silent Killer of Profit - Saying "Yes" to Everything

[First published on LinkedIn 16 July 2025]

Ask a professional - lawyer, engineer, accountant - if they can do something for you, and likely as not the answer will be "yes". That's because they are trained to say "yes". "Yes" to submitting a capability statement. "Yes" to submitting a proposal. "Yes" to doing a free training session. I know this to be true because when I was starting out my partner said to me:

"Richard, never say "no" to a client unless it is illegal to do it. Even then, come talk to me first."

While that last part might be something of a stretch, the truth is all too often professionals end up chasing the wrong kind of work simply because they don't know how to say "No" to a client. This low-margin, high-risk client work never becomes profitably and very rarely justifies the effort made to "win" work that no one else actually really wants! The only real winner here is your professional indemnity insurance provider via the high premium contributions you're making!

So for this BD Tips Wednesday post I thought I would take a quick look at what I call the Illusion of Opportunity and a Silent Killer of Profit - Saying "Yes" to Everything!

The Illusion of Opportunity

Lets accept a fact: to professionals every opportunity looks promising. That pitch to the big international client that you have zero chance of winning will take your firm to the next level. That potential Government panel appointment will make you millions, even though you know absolutely no one in the Department.

This is known as 'The Illusion of Opportunity'. It is the trap of mistaking any available work = valuable work.

But, here is a truth: time in finite. Energy is finite. So when you spend time chasing the wrong work, truly strategic, profitable opportunities are missed.

The Illusion of Opportunity lies in you thinking volume equals value. In reality, smart growth comes from strategy: knowing which opportunities align with your strengths, your pricing and your long-term goals.

5 Quick Ways To Tell This Opportunity Is Wrong For You

If any of the following 5 things is prevalent when discussing the opportunity, red flags and alarm bells should be ringing loud!

1. Pricing is the first thing discussed: If the first thing you are asked to do is discount your rates, run don't walk.

2. Unstructured procurement process: If the scope of services is vague, unrealistic timelines are requested and more than two people are providing you with instructions, run don't walk.

3. Lack of relationship access: If you're not given access to the real decision-maker | economic buyer, you’re making up the numbers. Run, don't walk.

4. No clarity on value: If the client can’t articulate what success looks like or why they’re buying, it’s a setup for scope creep and dissatisfaction. Run, don't walk.

5. “We just need this one win” thinking internally: If your team is pitching reactively out of desperation. Pause. Rethink. Reset.

What Does "No" Look Like?

Okay, so what does a "No" strategy look like. Because a well-defined "No" strategy is not actually about saying "No". It's about being disciplined, strategic and focused.

So here are some examples of what "No" could look like:

Clear Criteria for Work You Don’t Take

Firms with a strong “No” strategy have a documented list of red flags and dealbreakers. These might include:

• Clients who consistently push for aggressive discounts or unrealistic turnaround times.

• Work that falls outside your core areas of expertise

• Projects that pose undue reputational or legal risk

• One-off engagements that don’t lead to recurring revenue or long-term value.

Defined Ideal Client and Project Profiles

Instead of chasing everything, firms define what a good client persona looks like: industry, size, attitude, values, budget, and strategic fit.

Anything that falls too far outside that profile triggers a polite but firm “No”.

Pricing Discipline

Saying “No” to discounting or underpricing is a key part of profitability. Firms with a "No" strategy protect their margins by refusing to:

• Undercut competitors just to win the work

• Offer “mates rates” that compromise professional value

• Accept work that barely breaks even

Capacity Awareness

A good “No” strategy includes operational discipline. When the team is at or near capacity, the firm turns down additional work rather than stretching resources thin and compromising quality.

Strategic Alignment

Projects that don’t align with the firm’s growth objectives, brand positioning, or long-term vision are declined. This helps ensure that every engagement builds toward a larger strategic goal, rather than pulling the firm in too many directions.

Final Thought

A good "No" strategy is as much about mindset as it is about numbers. When you look around at the most profitable firms, they are not the ones saying "yes" to everything. On the contrary, they know their strategy. They know their ideal client persona.

They ARE the ones that say "No" with discipline and only chase work that leads to long-term value and relationships.

The 3P Framework for a Smarter Pricing Strategy

Often, in professional services, the role of pricing is mistakenly placed with the Finance and/or Data Analysts team(s). I understand why this is the case; the current business model necessitates that pricing be a function of costs, margins and mark-ups. But, look at pricing closer, the truth is if pricing is to sit anywhere in your firm, then its natural home is actually with Business Development.

Why do I say that?

Because, when you look closely, pricing isn't about costs and margins, its about your value, your market confidence and your brand reputation. And all of these have a natural home in Business Development, not Finance.

So, for this BD Tips Wednesday post I thought I would introduce you to another of my little toolkits: The '3P Framework' and how it can help you to make smarter pricing strategy decisions.

1P- Positioning: Price to Reflect Your Value

Your pricing tells a story about your brand. So the next time you think about how much you should be charging clients, ask yourself: "What story am I telling the market by pricing at this price?":

• Are you positioned as a premium advisor or a discount provider?

• Does your pricing align with the value and outcomes you deliver?

• Is your pricing consistent across your messaging, proposals and website?

Positioning drives perception. If you position yourself as the specialist who solves high-value problems, your pricing must reflect that expertise. Conversely, if you are constantly discounting your pricing, you probably need to be the cheapest provider in town/

🧠 Tip:

Strong positioning earns you the right to charge more. Weak positioning forces you to discount.

2P- Pipeline: Build Pricing Options for Every Stage

A strong pipeline gives you pricing confidence.

When your pipeline is full, you can hold your price, stay selective and focus on value. When it’s empty, you’re tempted to discount—and that’s where pricing erodes.

• Offer entry-level services to bring in new clients, and premium services to retain and grow them.

• Use phased or bundled pricing that matches the client journey—from first engagement to major projects.

• Track your pipeline closely. Healthy pipeline = healthy pricing decisions.

🧠 Tip:

A strong pipeline protects your price—and your margins.

3P - Partnerships: Strengthen Pricing Through Others

You don’t have to defend your pricing alone.

Strategic partnerships can build credibility, validate your value and open new opportunities where pricing strength matters.

• Collaborate with complementary businesses to offer joint services that reinforce higher pricing.

• Benchmark with partners to ensure your pricing is competitive (but not a race to the bottom).

• Share client success stories and testimonials that externalise your value.

🧠 Tip:

Good partnerships multiply your reach—and your pricing power.

Putting the 3P Framework into Action

If you’re facing pricing pressure, ask yourself:

✅ Is my Positioning strong enough to justify premium pricing?

✅ Is my Pipeline healthy enough that I can confidently hold my price?

✅ Am I leveraging Partnerships to validate and extend my pricing power?

The Bottom Line

As I said at the start, pricing is not just an accounting exercise of costs and margins. It’s a reflection of your strategy, your value and your business development strength.

Further Reading

• Is Your Firm's Pricing Too Low? ‍ ‍

• The Silent Killer of Profit – Pricing Against Yourself‍ ‍

• Law Firm Financial Metrics ‍‍ ‍

• With AI, Clients Won't Buy Big: They'll Buy Better

Need Help With Your Business Development?

Get in touch if you want to talk about any of this. We also offer a very affordable BD Audit and Training package.

Knowing Your Point Of Difference

I often hear partners and business development managers tell me that it is hard, if not impossible, to tell the point of difference (POD) between what their firm offers with what their competitor firms are offering.

With this in mind, for this BD Tips Wednesday I thought I would share with you two tools that I use that should help you not only know what/where your POD is, but also how you can be maximizing the value from that POD.

Step 1: Feature Comparison Table

Step 1 is to complete a Feature Comparison Table.

Here, you need to write down a list of products that both your firm and your competitors offer.

The 'products' here can be:

• 'Services': such as tax, equity/debt capital markets, or mergers & acquisitions.

• 'Geographic': such as offices in all the major capital cities.

• 'People': such as the number of partners/senior associates you have in each office.

What you are looking for is a table that looks something line this:

Step 2: Client Value Matrix

Step 2 is to complete a Client Value Matrix.

Here, you need to keep the same 'products' you had in Step 1, but you then need to ascertain/determine if your client or target client values this product (I would suggest you use a 1-10 scale here).

The matrix should look something like this:

Bringing it all together

Once you have completed Steps 1 and 2, overlay the results of Step 2 on Step 1 and you not only have a POV, but you also a Client Value Matrix.

Here's the kicker, do this right and you'll know what your client/target values, as well as how you differ from your competitors and QED you can charge a premium - otherwise known as 'value pricing'.

If you have stuck with me this far, here's a TIP:

Use these tools with the tool I suggested in 'Resell before you Cross-sell' and you will have a bag of tools that will go long way to helping you standout from your competitors.

Need Help With Your Business Development?

Get in touch if you want to talk about any of this. We also offer a very affordable BD Audit and Training package.

‍ ‍

Is Your Firm's Pricing Too Low?

I recently had the opportunity to listen to Ron Baker and Ed Kless on their 19th July edition of The Soul Of Enterprise podcast discuss Daniel Langer’s 4E Framework. If you’re not aware of who Langer is, or what the 4E Framework is - and I certainly wasn’t, then all I will say is it's a great primer for evaluating whether or not your firm is pricing too low - and so the subject of this BD Tips Wednesday post!

Langer’s 4E Framework is centered around:

• Emotion

• Experience

• Engagement

• Exclusivity

Taking each in turn then:

Emotion

"Emotion" is the ability to create an emotional response. It's the ability to create a “deep connection” with your customers.

In professional services lingo, it's having a “customer-centric culture”.

As Langer states: “Without emotion there is no desirability”. And without desirability, there is no intention to buy.

To create emotion, and thus desirability, you need to share stories that resonate with your clients, create emotions and feelings and allow your clients to feel connected to your firm brand.

Experience

Next up is “experience”.

In professional services lingo, this is what we call the “customer journey” - or the CX - and not your firm's experience.

You need to create a memorable, personalized and tailored experiences to tick this box.

Keep in mind that customers of professional services firms are no longer just buying accesses to your expertise, they want an experience - they want to feel valued.

This is the Disney effect!

Engagement

Engagement is about deep and meaningful connections. It means actively engaging with your customers. It’s about building trust and loyalty.

What it’s not about is sending your customers generic newsletters that are not tailored to their needs. It’s not about generic social media posts that talk about how well you're doing because you've been ranked in an unknown directory or won an award that no one has ever heard of!

What it is about is creating opportunities for your customers to connect with you - to engage with you - around a common issue.

Exclusivity

Importantly “exclusivity” is not about rarity or singularity, it’s much broader than that - it’s about providing an 'exclusive feeling of being valued'.

In professional services lingo, this is “empathy” - understanding the uniqueness of your customer’s problem while also telling them you have done this hundreds of times before so that is why they should trust you!

The 4E Framework effect on your pricing!

In today’s hyper-competitive world, those professional services firms that can tick all four of the 4E Framework boxes are in the box seat to be able to charge a premium for their services!

Further Reading

• Law Firm Financial Metrics‍ ‍

• The 3P Framework for Pricing Strategy

• The Silent Killer of Profit – Pricing Against Yourself‍ ‍

• With AI, Clients Won't Buy Big: They'll Buy Better

Need Help With Your Business Development?

Get in touch if you want to talk about any of this. We also offer a very affordable BD Audit and Training package.