Ask the authorities.

THE QUESTION: In my firm there is a credibility gap simply because I don't have a law degree. They said they hired me for my expertise, but then they didn't believe or take my suggestions and input. I was not at the proverbial table. How do you close the credibility gap?

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Laura Meherg

Closing the credibility gap requires demonstrating the value you bring to the table, trustworthiness and a willingness to be a team player. Here are tips to get started.

* Knowledge is power. Understand the firm's business from top to bottom. Learn as much as you can about firm finances, compensation, profitable and underperforming practices and partners. Most importantly, learn everything you can about the firm's key clients.

* Identify strategic players and influencers in the firm and get to know them, their clients and their needs. Cultivate one or more of these partners to be your champion and coach.

* Focus. Choose one initiative as your priority and passion and pursue that with relentless focus. It can be as simple as helping a few influential partners with their business-development goals or launching a pilot project for a practice group, office, industry or client team.

* Measure results and track successes.

* Communicate like a business person. Don't talk about your ability to create collateral, plan events or manage creative projects. Tell them how you can achieve RESULTS for them in a language that is meaningful to them.

* Share the credit.

Laura Meherg is a partner in the Wicker Park Group, a consulting practice with a focus on client service interviews and client growth programs. She served as director of client services and marketing at Burr & Forman from 1998 to 2005.

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Beth Cuzzone

In-house marketing and sales professionals WITH a law degree grapple with this issue just as those of us without one do. I am a strong believer that every in-house professional should:

[1] Develop strong "product knowledge." Know your firms services, clients and members inside and out. The power of information is extraordinary and creates a stronger credibility perception.

[2] Become a sales expert. Strengthen your sales skills to help you overcome objections and verbalize value propositions in terms that mean something to the attorneys so that you can educate lawyers about the value and results of your actions. These skills also help when you want to get an initiative started or move in a particular direction.

[3] Don't...