Okay, you had the best of intentions after the summer to gear up for the fall and winter months ahead, right? But, you didn’t get around to it, right? Well, two “rights” don’t make a wrong… it just means that you procrastinated. Join the club.

However, it is time to give serious consideration to what you are going to do to develop business in 2011, RIGHT?!! I hope so.

My friend Stacy West Clark had an article in The Legal Intelligencer in September (published again on Law.com’s Small Firm Business) that provided 10 items you should consider in putting your law firm’s marketing plan together. Her suggestions are just as valid now as they were in September, and mentioned below are the ones I like best; and strongly urge any plan to focus on these first in developing a 2011 plan.

They include:

• Make a list of key clients and referral sources, and assign contact responsibilities to specific attorneys;
• Plan to uncover client satisfaction by seeking feedback (via short written survey, telephone or in-person interviews) at least from your important clients;
• Visit clients at their place of business;
• Find ways to spoil your top clients; and
• Focus your marketing efforts and dollars on your “superstars” where the return will be the greatest.

There is more, and I commend the article to your reading.