This time of year can often be really exciting. The summer weather is starting to show, the plants are starting to bloom, you can spend more time outside or you can choose to hunker down and watch the NBA playoffs. It may not be obvious at first, but there are a lot of similarities between operating a law practice and the NBA playoffs. If you weren’t planning on watching this year, don’t worry because this is your in-depth explanation.

Getting Teammates Involved

In the NBA playoffs it becomes even more paramount to get your teammates involved. Perhaps during the regular season, certain teams were able to rely on one or two stars to get it done. Once things tighten up in the playoffs it’s important to rely on the entire team to complete a job. Just like how a team must rely on everyone, it’s important to utilize your teammates in the courtroom. Developing a good relationship with your paralegals and intake staff is a significant key to success. Be confident in their abilities and be able to delegate certain tasks for efficiency. Those staff members are often the very first point of contact to a potential client, so you need to make sure they are included in the process.

The Game Slows Down

If you’re an NBA fan one of the most popular yet factual statement about the playoffs is how much “the game slows down.” The stakes are higher, so often teams are more careful with their possessions and try to get more effective looks. It can also be a great time for teams to harp on the fundamentals that they practice throughout the year. This can compare to your law practice because it’s just as important to focus on the fundamentals in the courtroom and at your firm. If you find yourself being overwhelmed with the many different tasks you’re responsible for, it can be helpful to dwell on the key components of a given case. This can be anything from developing a marketing strategy to an intake process. You can review your process for inefficiencies just like a team reviewing their game tape. Make sure you slow yourself down so you don’t miss any significant steps.

Increased Competition

One of the harder aspects of the NBA playoffs is the increased level of competition. Teams are more prepared and strategizing harder than they would previously. Everyone is vying for the same thing, to be a champion, and you must stand out to win. This can easily be applied to your law practice because it’s challenging to stand out in a digital landscape. How will your google ad campaign get consistent cases when every other firm is doing the same? This can further be compared to firms using lead generation. Most services will send a potential lead to multiple firms and they essentially have to fight for the right to represent them. If you are struggling with the increased level of competition, maybe you can try using an exclusive lead generation service. At eGeneration, each lead will only go to one firm so you don’t have to worry about other law practices retaining your potential client.

In conclusion there are a myriad of ways to compare the NBA playoffs to your law firm. It’s important to get your teammates involved and have defined roles so everything can run smoothly. Since the game can slow down in times of high pressure, it’s essential to prepare and strategize in order to focus on the fundamentals. Finally with increased competition and multiple firms vying for the same ad space or clients, it can be helpful to use an exclusive lead generation service.