![\"Checklist](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lawyer-business-development-checklist.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
Table of contents<\/h2>\n\n- Why Long-Term Plans Often Falter<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Power of a To-Do List (and Checking It Off)<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4 Steps: Building a Weekly To-Do List for Business Development<\/a>\n
\n- 1. Start with Your Larger Goals<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Prioritize<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. Make It Visible<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. Celebrate Small Wins<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Gaining Momentum from Small Wins<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Tips on Effective Business Development<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
You\u2019ve likely experienced the excitement that comes when you create an annual business development plan, followed by the inevitable frustration when June (or even March!) rolls around, and you realize you\u2019ve hardly made a dent in it. The problem isn\u2019t the plan itself. It\u2019s that the plan sits idle \u2014 too big and too vague to translate into actionable day-to-day steps.<\/p>\n
A more effective approach is a weekly\u2014and sometimes even daily\u2014business development to-do list. <\/p>\n
Why Long-Term Plans Often Falter<\/h2>\n
Annual plans tend to be long and ambitious, including everything from client outreach targets and networking events to speaking engagements and publishing goals. While vision is crucial, trying to tackle too many large objectives at once can quickly paralyze any forward progress.<\/p>\n
A plan might say, \u201cDevelop relationships with three new referral sources this year.\u201d But unless you have a weekly or monthly to-do item\u2014like \u201cInvite X for coffee,\u201d or \u201cAttend the Bar Association networking event\u201d\u2014you\u2019re less likely to follow through.<\/p>\n
The Power of a To-Do List (and Checking It Off)<\/h2>\n
Research shows that writing down goals and tasks can significantly improve follow-through. For instance, a well-known study by Dr. Gail Matthews at the Dominican University of California found that people who wrote down their tangible goals and shared updates with a friend were 33% more successful in achieving them than those who simply formulated goals in their heads.<\/p>\n
In addition, Harvard Business Review has published insights on how the sense of making progress\u2014no matter how small\u2014fuels our motivation. This concept, sometimes referred to as the \u201cProgress Principle\u201d (coined by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer), underscores the importance of professionals seeing frequent, measurable advances in their work. Each checked-off item creates a quick, gratifying sense of accomplishment, making you more likely to tackle the next one.<\/p>\n
4 Steps: Building a Weekly To-Do List for Business Development<\/h2>\n1. Start with Your Larger Goals<\/h3>\n
Review your annual plan (or create one if you haven\u2019t) and break each major goal into smaller tasks. If your goal is \u201cIncrease referral sources,\u201d list the specific steps: researching new contacts, attending a particular luncheon, scheduling coffee with a professional in a complementary practice area, etc.<\/p>\n
2. Prioritize<\/h3>\n
Pick a few crucial tasks for the week and put them at the top of your list. Being selective is essential: if your list is too long or too ambitious, you risk falling back into overwhelm.<\/p>\n
3. Make It Visible<\/h3>\n
Whether you use a digital task manager or a simple sticky note, ensure your list is in plain sight. Seeing the tasks (and crossing them off) activates your brain\u2019s reward centers and keeps your goals front and center.<\/p>\n
4. Celebrate Small Wins<\/h3>\n
Each time you mark a task complete, pause for a moment to acknowledge it. This recognition helps build positive momentum.<\/p>\n
Gaining Momentum from Small Wins<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s easy to underestimate how powerful small successes can be. When you see visible progress\u2014like completed to-do items\u2014it triggers a sense of accomplishment that can energize you to do more. And with business development, momentum is everything. A coffee meeting today can lead to a referral next month. A follow-up phone call this week can keep you top-of-mind for a client\u2019s new project.<\/p>\n
The beauty of a weekly business development to-do list is its simplicity and immediacy. By focusing on smaller, more frequent wins, you sustain the motivation needed for long-term growth. <\/p>\n
Instead of letting an annual plan loom over you\u2014or get lost in a database\u2014break it down, check it off, and build momentum that helps you grow your business.<\/p>\n
More Tips on Effective Business Development<\/h2>\n\n- Get Serious About Business Development and Start Taking Action (Even If It\u2019s Imperfect)<\/a> by Jay Harrington<\/li>\n
- The Art and Science of Goal Setting for Lawyers<\/a> by Jay Harrington<\/li>\n
- Build Your Law Practice One Small Step at a Time<\/a> by Jay Harrington<\/li>\n
- Checklist: Review and Reset Your Marketing and Business Development Activities<\/a> by Sally Schmidt<\/li>\n
- Writing Your Annual Marketing Plan<\/a> by Sally Schmidt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 1. Start with Your Larger Goals<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Prioritize<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. Make It Visible<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. Celebrate Small Wins<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Gaining Momentum from Small Wins<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Tips on Effective Business Development<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
You\u2019ve likely experienced the excitement that comes when you create an annual business development plan, followed by the inevitable frustration when June (or even March!) rolls around, and you realize you\u2019ve hardly made a dent in it. The problem isn\u2019t the plan itself. It\u2019s that the plan sits idle \u2014 too big and too vague to translate into actionable day-to-day steps.<\/p>\n
A more effective approach is a weekly\u2014and sometimes even daily\u2014business development to-do list. <\/p>\n
Why Long-Term Plans Often Falter<\/h2>\n
Annual plans tend to be long and ambitious, including everything from client outreach targets and networking events to speaking engagements and publishing goals. While vision is crucial, trying to tackle too many large objectives at once can quickly paralyze any forward progress.<\/p>\n
A plan might say, \u201cDevelop relationships with three new referral sources this year.\u201d But unless you have a weekly or monthly to-do item\u2014like \u201cInvite X for coffee,\u201d or \u201cAttend the Bar Association networking event\u201d\u2014you\u2019re less likely to follow through.<\/p>\n
The Power of a To-Do List (and Checking It Off)<\/h2>\n
Research shows that writing down goals and tasks can significantly improve follow-through. For instance, a well-known study by Dr. Gail Matthews at the Dominican University of California found that people who wrote down their tangible goals and shared updates with a friend were 33% more successful in achieving them than those who simply formulated goals in their heads.<\/p>\n
In addition, Harvard Business Review has published insights on how the sense of making progress\u2014no matter how small\u2014fuels our motivation. This concept, sometimes referred to as the \u201cProgress Principle\u201d (coined by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer), underscores the importance of professionals seeing frequent, measurable advances in their work. Each checked-off item creates a quick, gratifying sense of accomplishment, making you more likely to tackle the next one.<\/p>\n
4 Steps: Building a Weekly To-Do List for Business Development<\/h2>\n
1. Start with Your Larger Goals<\/h3>\n
Review your annual plan (or create one if you haven\u2019t) and break each major goal into smaller tasks. If your goal is \u201cIncrease referral sources,\u201d list the specific steps: researching new contacts, attending a particular luncheon, scheduling coffee with a professional in a complementary practice area, etc.<\/p>\n
2. Prioritize<\/h3>\n
Pick a few crucial tasks for the week and put them at the top of your list. Being selective is essential: if your list is too long or too ambitious, you risk falling back into overwhelm.<\/p>\n
3. Make It Visible<\/h3>\n
Whether you use a digital task manager or a simple sticky note, ensure your list is in plain sight. Seeing the tasks (and crossing them off) activates your brain\u2019s reward centers and keeps your goals front and center.<\/p>\n
4. Celebrate Small Wins<\/h3>\n
Each time you mark a task complete, pause for a moment to acknowledge it. This recognition helps build positive momentum.<\/p>\n
Gaining Momentum from Small Wins<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s easy to underestimate how powerful small successes can be. When you see visible progress\u2014like completed to-do items\u2014it triggers a sense of accomplishment that can energize you to do more. And with business development, momentum is everything. A coffee meeting today can lead to a referral next month. A follow-up phone call this week can keep you top-of-mind for a client\u2019s new project.<\/p>\n
The beauty of a weekly business development to-do list is its simplicity and immediacy. By focusing on smaller, more frequent wins, you sustain the motivation needed for long-term growth. <\/p>\n
Instead of letting an annual plan loom over you\u2014or get lost in a database\u2014break it down, check it off, and build momentum that helps you grow your business.<\/p>\n
More Tips on Effective Business Development<\/h2>\n
- \n
- Get Serious About Business Development and Start Taking Action (Even If It\u2019s Imperfect)<\/a> by Jay Harrington<\/li>\n
- The Art and Science of Goal Setting for Lawyers<\/a> by Jay Harrington<\/li>\n
- Build Your Law Practice One Small Step at a Time<\/a> by Jay Harrington<\/li>\n
- Checklist: Review and Reset Your Marketing and Business Development Activities<\/a> by Sally Schmidt<\/li>\n
- Writing Your Annual Marketing Plan<\/a> by Sally Schmidt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n\n\n\n\n - The Art and Science of Goal Setting for Lawyers<\/a> by Jay Harrington<\/li>\n
- 2. Prioritize<\/a><\/li>\n