I recently ran a LinkedIn poll asking: What is the #1 hesitation you hear from lawyers (or other seller/doers) that keeps them from engaging in marketing & business development? The results were telling:
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43% said “Don’t know where to start.”
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29% said “Discomfort with self-promotion.”
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21% said “Lack of immediate results.”
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7% said “Fear of rejection or failure.”
None of these answers surprised me. If you are a lawyer - or coach lawyers on business development - they probably don’t surprise you either. But they do highlight something important:
...hesitation doesn’t stem from lack of intelligence or ability; it comes from uncertainty, mindset, and a lack of structure.
We’ll break them down and provide suggestions to overcome them moving forward.
1. “Don’t Know Where to Start” (43%)
This is the most common barrier. With so many potential activities (writing, speaking, networking, LinkedIn), it’s easy for lawyers to feel paralyzed. The fix? Start small. One clear next step (reach out to one contact, comment on one LinkedIn post, attend one target-rich event) is better than a vague goal of “do more BD.” Clear priorities build momentum.
2. “Discomfort with Self-Promotion” (29%)
Most people don’t want to come off as bragging. The key is to reframe BD from selling to helping. Sharing a client alert that is relevant to their business or making an introduction to a subject-matter expert on an issue they’re facing isn’t self-promotion; it’s being helpful. That’s what true business development is. Being genuinely helpful and adding value.
3. “Lack of Immediate Results” (21%)
Business development is a long game. Let me repeat, a long game. Relationships, trust, and credibility take time to build. The challenge is seeing progress in the short term, even when results (new matters, referrals, collections) take longer. Celebrate “leading indicators” or “bite-sized KPIs” like new LinkedIn connections, sending a few client thank-you notes, or setting up a coffee meeting. Those small wins add up.
4. “Fear of Rejection or Failure” (7%)
This one is more common than lawyers admit. Reaching out to someone and not hearing back can feel personal, even though it rarely is. The truth is, business development takes persistence—research shows it takes, on average, 15 connections for a new project to land. That means every “no” or non-response isn’t failure; it’s part of the process. Each ask builds resilience, sharpens your messaging, and increases the odds of a “yes” the next time. The more touches, the closer you get.
Bonus: “No Spare Time”
Time pressures are real. Billable hours, client demands, and firm responsibilities can make BD feel impossible to fit in - not to mention the demands of personal responsibilities and downtime. But the reality is that business development doesn’t have to mean hours each week. Building micro-BD habits like spending five minutes a day commenting on LinkedIn, making one client touchpoint a week, or having a quarterly lunch, add up. BD is a long-term investment, not a time sink.
These hesitations are real. They don’t come from a lack of intelligence or ability; they come from uncertainty and lack of structure. The good news? All three can be addressed with small, consistent actions. When they are, business development shifts from overwhelming to doable—turning hesitation into confidence, and confidence into growth.
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Rebecca Edwards Hnatowski is a marketing and business development advisor with nearly 20 years of experience helping busy stakeholders establish, maintain, and grow client relationships. Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn.
