Okay, we’re two months into the new year. Do you think it’s too late to do a marketing plan for 2015? Wrong answer. It is never too late to plan. To paraphrase the Cheshire cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, if you don’t know where you’re going (i.e. no plan), any road will take you there. Unfortunately, it may “take you” to a failed law practice.
Your plan doesn’t have to be lengthy (a page or two is a good start), complicated or difficult to implement. It can be a simple plan. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be specific, challenging, have deadlines, and provide for accountability, as Paula Black suggests in an article on her website. Her straight forward suggestions are:
- Set specific goals. They must be measurable. Wanting ‘’more clients” is too vague. Specify X number of new clients to gain or revenue dollars you want to obtain;
- Leave your comfort zone (at least a little). There should be enough of a challenge to improve your business development activities. Same ole, same ole won’t do it;
- Set deadlines. Otherwise it will only lead to procrastination. For instance, plan to have lunch with two clients and three referral sources (by name) by March 31; and
- Be accountable to someone. Empower a colleague to ask you about your activities and whether you are following your plan. It could be a close friend, another lawyer, or a coach (internal or external).
The important point is to prepare a plan. It is NOT too late for 2015. It doesn’t have to be a big undertaking. A simple one will be a good start.
P.S. CALL FOR SUGGESTIONS. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Legal Marketing Blog, I have decided to ask my readers for suggestions on marketing and business development tips that they would like me to cover. So, SUGGEST AWAY!