Commissioning prospect research should give you more than a spreadsheet full of names. You need to know what was researched, why each reference appears and what you can do with it.
Prospecting services for law firms can be organised into research cycles. An initial setup defines the criteria. Each cycle explores a specific focus and produces a deliverable you can review.
This is the model we are developing at Bocau for firms that want to give their business development a clear structure. Before comparing proposals, it helps to separate three parts: preparation, research and follow-up.
Initial setup: turn your specialism into research criteria
The setup defines how the research will work. It starts with your practice areas, services and the client profile you want to work with. It establishes what to look for, what to exclude and what needs checking before a reference is included.
A firm offering ongoing advice to companies needs different criteria from one looking to collaborate with complementary professionals. Location, language, organisation size and the relevant contact may all change the scope.
The setup should also define acceptable sources, the delivery structure and exclusions. Any substantial expansion of services or sources needs to be assessed before work begins. An initial configuration should not appear to cover every possible future investigation.
A one-off cycle: one research round with a defined focus
A cycle is a unit of prospect research work. It has an objective, a scope and a deliverable. It is not a guaranteed number of clients or an outreach campaign.
For example, a cycle might study companies in a particular sector and location to assess their fit with an advisory service. The research documents observed facts and possible next steps. Your firm reviews relevance before using the information.
The research limit, timetable and depth of review should be agreed in writing. If there are not enough suitable references, the deliverable should say so. Filling a table to reach a target makes the whole exercise less useful.
What an opportunity research deliverable should contain
A well-designed deliverable lets you return to the source and understand the reasoning. A name and an email address are not enough.
- Identified reference: a company, professional or published request, depending on the objective.
- Facts and evidence: what was observed, the source and the date checked.
- Fit hypothesis: a possible connection to a specific service, clearly separated from verified facts.
- Available professional information: without invented roles or email addresses.
- Review and next step: priority, open questions and a proposed action.
- Continuity: a stable identifier, duplicate checks and exclusions for later rounds.
The Bocau model is designed to include an opportunity table, detailed records and a CSV export compatible with Excel. Fields are adapted to the practice area. An approach draft is material to review, not a message already sent.
Website project by Bocau for Juan Casulá. The digital presentation of a specialist legal practice.
Ongoing research: agree a rhythm your firm can use
Recurring work makes sense when there is a business development focus to maintain and capacity to work with the findings. Frequency should reflect your firm’s pace and the availability of relevant information.
A renewal or cycle request should not be confused with completed research. In the workflow we are preparing, requesting a cycle, carrying out the work and receiving the deliverable are separate stages. This allows the history and research focus to be reviewed.
Before commissioning an ongoing plan, clarify frequency, available balance, validity, cancellation and the treatment of unused rounds. The commercial terms and capacity limits of a general offer should not automatically be transferred to a specialist law firm service.
How to compare prospecting proposals for lawyers
Compare the scope, rather than the headline cost per contact alone. A purchased list, a self-service tool and a reviewed research service are different propositions.
Ask for a proposal that separates initial setup, research cycles and any additional integration. Check whether human review, exclusions and source verification are included. Ask who decides whether a reference meets the quality standard and how duplicates are treated.
Business outcomes are measured later. Research may bring clarity and reduce repetitive tasks, but it does not establish a legal need. Nor does it replace your firm’s review of conflicts or the appropriateness of making contact.
Bocau's approach: judgement, presentation and continuity
The Bocau prospecting product page explains the general setup and cycle model. We are preparing a practice-specific version for law firms, with scope and terms agreed by proposal.
The specialised purchase and execution integration in Bocau OS is still being developed. The current product page lets you request a proposal; it does not mean a purchase automatically launches research for your firm.
Your firm’s presentation matters at the next stage too. A reference may become interested and need to understand what you do. A law firm credentials brochure helps explain services and expertise without turning the first conversation into an endless presentation.
A deliverable earns its value through the decisions it supports, not the rows it fills.
Frequently asked questions
Does the setup include unlimited research cycles?
No. Configuration and research rounds are separate items. The proposal should state the entitlements, limits and conditions for each.
Can we commission a single round?
The model includes one-off cycles after the necessary configuration has been prepared and validated. Feasibility and scope are assessed for each firm.
Is a number of prospective clients guaranteed?
A research scope is agreed. An investigated reference is not an interested contact, a confirmed need or a client. Weak references should not be added to fill a quota.
What should law firms consider under AEPD guidance before automating prospecting?
Researching opportunities is not permission to send advertising. For operations in Spain, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) explains that certain professional contact details may be processed on a legitimate-interest basis, subject to purpose and data-minimisation limits. That basis does not, by itself, authorise marketing emails, even when an address is publicly available.
Article 21 of Spain’s LSSI generally requires marketing emails to have been requested or expressly authorised in advance. An exception applies where there is a prior contractual relationship, the contact details were obtained lawfully and the sender promotes its own products or services similar to those previously contracted. A simple, free way to object must be offered when collecting the details and in each communication.
Before activating a workflow, your firm should validate the lawful basis, sources, privacy information, opt-outs and the tools processing the data. Each channel needs its own assessment. Automation does not come with AEPD approval or guarantee compliance. This summary concerns Spain; other jurisdictions require a separate review.
Sources in Spanish: AEPD guidance on professional contact details and Article 21 of the LSSI.
If you are defining your approach, read prospecting automation for law firms. To organise the findings, continue with CRM and business development follow-up.
To connect your firm’s identity, website and communications, explore our services for law firms (page in Spanish).
