The “Give First” Rule Of Business Development

There’s a quiet truth about business development that many professionals struggle to accept:

Rainmakers, who consistently win work, often appear to chase work the least.

This is not because they are passive or indifferent to growth. Nor is it because they are somehow naturally gifted networkers. More often, they have learned a principle that quietly underpins strong professional relationships:

give value before you ask for value in return.

In this BD Tips Wednesday post, I look at why consistently investing in relationships – more often than not for nothing – is the business development tool you have.

Business Development Starts Earlier Than Most People Think

Most lawyers still think of business development as a sequence of activities tied to winning work: networking events, proposal meetings, lunches and pitches.

Yet most clients do not experience relationships this way. They rarely appoint advisers because of a single impressive meeting. They work with people they trust, remember and value. In short, people they like working with.

Most importantly though, clients choose advisers who have already demonstrated an understanding of their world.

Here’s the crux: trust isn’t something you buy over coffee. It often develops through smaller interactions over time. It may be a helpful article shared after hearing about an industry challenge. A quick phone call to help someone think through an issue. A useful introduction between two contacts who should know each other. Sometimes, it is simply remembering what matters to a client and checking in when something relevant arises.

These moments may seem small, but they compound. Over time, they shape perception and position someone as a trusted adviser rather than simply another service provider.

Giving First Does Not Mean Working for Free

At this point, you may ask:

Does “giving first” simply mean giving away expertise without being paid?

No, not at all.

The “Give First” rule is not about endless unpaid advice or blurring commercial boundaries. It is about creating value without attaching an immediate expectation of return. There is an important distinction between providing value, and giving away your services indefinitely.

Often, value comes in forms that cost little but matter greatly to clients. It may be sharing insight into a market trend, asking thoughtful questions that help clarify a problem, introducing someone to a useful connection or pointing a client in the right direction before an issue escalates.

In many cases, the most valuable thing a lawyer can provide is perspective.

Clients remember the people who helped them make sense of a problem; particularly before it became urgent.

Why the “Give First” Rule Works

Professional services businesses ultimately operate on trust. Clients are rarely buying time alone; they are buying judgement, confidence and reduced risk.

Before engaging a lawyer, most clients ask themselves a simple question:

Do I trust this person to help me solve an important problem?

Giving first helps answer that question long before a formal proposal is ever requested.

First, it makes you memorable. Many professionals disappear between matters, only resurfacing when they need work or have something to sell. By contrast, those who remain visible through relevant and useful interactions stay front of mind.

Second, it demonstrates capability before the pitch. Every helpful conversation, thoughtful observation or useful introduction becomes subtle proof of how you think and how you show up for clients.

Finally, generosity tends to create momentum in relationships. This is not about manipulation or keeping score. It is human nature. People naturally remember those who have been helpful, and when an opportunity arises, whether a referral, a panel appointment or a strategic matter, trusted relationships often come to mind first.

Three Practical Ways to Apply It

The good news is that adopting a “Give First” mindset does not require a complete overhaul of your business development approach.

Start by becoming more intentional about relevance. Instead of generic check-ins, send clients or referrers something genuinely useful: an article, market insight or observation tied to an issue they are likely facing.

Second, make introductions generously. Lawyers who consistently connect people build strong reputations as trusted relationship-builders, often without realising the long-term value this creates.

Finally, ask better questions. Rather than opening with “How’s business?”, ask what challenges clients expect in the next 12 months or what is becoming harder for their team. Better questions lead to better conversations, and better conversations create stronger relationships.

Takeaway: Stop Chasing. Start Helping.

Rainmakers who build strong books of business are rarely the most aggressive marketers. More often, they are the people who consistently show up, stay curious and make themselves useful long before an opportunity emerges.

The “Give First” rule is not about generosity for its own sake. It is about recognising that trust compounds over time. When an important problem eventually lands on a client’s desk, they rarely start searching from scratch.

Instead, they call the person who has already been helpful.

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