Summer Cross-Selling Strategy
Released on July 29 2026
Cross-selling can be one of the best—and easiest—ways to generate more revenue for your firm and for your own practice.
The clients already know the firm, the relationship is in place, and a level of trust has already been established.
You don't have to find a completely new prospect, persuade them to take a meeting, or convince them to move work away from another firm.
But there is still an important obstacle.
Your colleagues have to be willing to put you in front of their clients.
And that requires more than simply knowing which department you work in.
Your colleagues are putting their reputation on the line
When another partner recommends you to a client, ultimately, they are taking a risk.
If you do an excellent job, the client gets more value, the firm generates more revenue, and your colleague strengthens their relationship.
But if you communicate badly, miss something important, or fail to deliver, your colleague may be the one left explaining what happened. Their client relationship is now exposed. And that is why cross-selling is fundamentally a trust decision.
Your colleagues need to feel confident that you will protect the relationship they have spent years building and make them look good for bringing you in.
Trust is built through positive human interaction. And the good news is, summer is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues you might not usually spend time with and often in less formal settings—whether that's a round of golf, a relaxed lunch, a mid-morning walk between meetings, or even rooftop drinks after work. Grabbing a little face-to-face time helps you connect more meaningfully, resulting in colleagues wanting to help you.
So, why not use the remainder of the summer connecting with a few potential referral partners to build more trust, get them thinking of you more, and giving them what they need to be able to help sell you.
Don't expect people to think of you automatically
Even colleagues who like you, trust you, and would happily refer work are busy.
They are not walking into every client meeting thinking through all the services the firm provides, and which partner they should introduce.
Imagine a corporate partner hearing that a client is rolling out a new internal AI tool to improve efficiency and customer service. That conversation could create opportunities around data protection, intellectual property ownership, employment issues, procurement contracts, cyber risk, and emerging regulatory requirements.
But unless the partner recognizes those issues and connects them specifically to you, the conversation will likely stay at a high level and move on.
The opportunity may disappear without anyone realizing it was there!
Cross-selling often fails not because colleagues are unwilling to help, but because the right person does not come to mind at the right moment.
So, part of your job is to make yourself easier to remember.
That does not mean constantly promoting yourself around the firm. It means spending enough useful time with your internal referral sources that they understand the types of client work you handle, how and where you add value, and feel actively inclined to bring you into the right conversations.
Teach people how to spot the opportunity
Most partners probably know broadly what you do.
But broad knowledge often isn't enough to generate a referral.
Knowing that you "handle trademarks" is different from understanding which business developments might create a trademark issue, what warning signs to listen for, and which questions to ask.
You need to help your colleagues recognize the moment when your expertise becomes relevant.
Give them a simple explanation of:
The business changes that commonly create a need for your services
The problems or risks clients may mention
The kinds of clients you are best placed to help
The easiest way to bring you into a conversation
You could also give them three simple questions to use with clients:
"Are you launching any new products, brands, or services?"
"Are you planning to enter any new markets?"
"Has anything changed in the business that creates new risks or assets we should be helping you protect?"
The goal is not to turn your colleagues into experts in your practice area.
It is to give them enough understanding to recognize a potential need and open the door for you.
Want More Internal Referrals?
Cross-selling becomes much easier when colleagues know what you do, understand when to involve you, and trust you with their client relationships.
If you'd like to discuss how to build stronger internal referral networks, let's talk.
Click here to find a time to talk
Get into their minds before the busy season
From September to year-end, many partners will be attending conferences, meeting clients, reviewing accounts, and planning ahead. These are exactly the conversations where cross-selling opportunities arise.
Wouldn't it be useful if they already understood the problems you solve, trusted you with their clients, and knew when to bring you in?
Your Four-Week Summer Cross-Selling Challenge
Over the next four weeks:
Identify three partners or internal referral sources whose clients may benefit from your work.
Arrange a coffee, lunch, or 30-minute conversation with each of them.
Ask about their practice, their priority clients, and the work they want to grow.
Explain two specific situations where you can help their clients.
Give them three questions they can use to identify a potential need.
Agree on at least one next step, such as reviewing a client list, attending a client meeting, or making an introduction.
By the end of the four weeks, aim to have:
Three stronger internal relationships
One simple cross-selling explanation you can reuse
Three client-identification questions
At least one agreed client conversation or introduction
Cross-selling becomes much easier when people trust you, remember you, and understand how to help you.
Summer gives you the time to put those pieces in place before the busiest BD months begin.
Taking on the challenge?
If you decide to try this four-week challenge, I'd love to hear about your experience.
– Phil
If you would like help building a practical cross-selling strategy for your firm or practice group, reply to this email and let's talk.
Click here to find a time to talk
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