December
2003
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IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
Article: Creating an Individual Marketing Plan – Part 1
News and Announcements
Contact Information
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WELCOME
As the year comes to a close, I wish you
all a wonderful holiday season and a
new year filled with peace, joy and
happiness.
The end of the year is the perfect time
to reflect on our accomplishments. Did
you set goals at the beginning of 2003?
Did you meet those goals? If so, good
for you! If you didn’t actually reach your
goals, did you take action toward them?
If so, celebrate! Most people are too
hard on themselves and don’t give them-
selves credit for the small steps they take.
Over the next couple of weeks, make a list
of your accomplishments over the last year.
Even if you didn’t reach the goals you set
for yourself, celebrate the actions you
took toward your goals. You’re that much
closer to meeting those goals and that’s huge.
The next step is to review your goals and see
if they still hold true for 2004. If so, keep
taking action steps until your goals are a
reality. If necessary, retool your goals
and come up with a new action plan that
will help you meet them.
And, if your goals include creating and
implementing a marketing plan for 2004,
read on for some helpful hints to create
a dynamite plan.
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CREATING AN INDIVIDUAL MARKETING
PLAN
The best marketing plans include classic
activities, such as joining organizations,
speaking, and writing. They also include
business development activities geared
toward client development and retention,
as well as new business development.
Read on for the first installment of a two
part series on creating an effective marketing
plan.
Outside Activities. An effective marketing plan
includes involvement in professional, industry,
civic and community organizations. Don’t join
too many – no more than three to five - and be
sure to become active in those that you join.
Go to meetings. Join committees. Become known.
Leadership. Work into a leadership position
in the organizations you join. Become chair of
a committee or seek a position on the board of
directors. Become editor of the newsletter
or involved in putting on the organization’s
annual educational conference.
Presentations and Articles. Give presentations
to your target market on topics of interest to
them. Write articles on those same topics and
published them in industry publications. The
goal is to have those who hear your speeches
read your articles and vice versa. It does little good
to give a speech to an audience that will never
read the articles you write or to write for an
audience that will never attend your presenta-
tions.
Seminars. Participate in the planning and
implementation of a seminar. The seminar
may be put on by your firm, or together
with another company that focuses on the
same target market as you. Be creative but
be sure to develop a budget and plan for your
seminar, possibly including a survey of your
target market for topic ideas and interest prior
to embarking on such an endeavor.
Promotional Materials. Promotional materials,
such as brochures, newsletters and web sites,
can boost a good marketing plan by providing
something tangible to give to prospects you
have met through being active in organizations,
writing articles, and giving presentations and
seminars. That being said, do not hold off on
moving ahead with proactive marketing
efforts if you don’t have promotional materials.
They can support your marketing efforts, but
do not take the place of getting out there and
“doing” marketing.
As you can see, there are many activities you
can include in your individual marketing plan.
The magic is in “going deep” into your target
market so that your marketing is consistent
and focused. Next month we will take a look
at other critical components of a good plan,
including personal development, client
development and retention, and targeted
prospect development. In the meantime,
enjoy the rest of the holidays and celebrate
those successes!
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NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Individuals Needed for Focus Group.
Are you a lawyer who is a solo
practitioner or with a small firm
of under five attorneys? If so, I
have an exciting proposition for
you. A business associate and I
are in the process of creating a
dynamite program for solo
practitioners who wish to dramatically
grow their practices and create
the thriving business of their dreams.
We are enthusiastically working on
this project and are looking for a
few individuals who would like to
participate in a focus group discussion
to help us fine tune a few things and
make sure we’re meeting your needs.
If you are a solo practitioner or lawyer
in a small firm (under five lawyers)
and are interested in participating in
a one-hour telephone focus group on
January 21, 2004 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific
Time, please call me at (858) 566-5585
or send me an email at
Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com.
Booklet Details.
To purchase your copy of my booklet,
Business Development: 97 Quick & Easy
Tips For Lawyers, go to my web site
at www.rainmaker-strategies.com
or
send me an email at
Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com
and I’ll be happy to process your order.
Cost is $5.50 for a single copy (which
includes tax).
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Barbara Nichols Mencer
Rainmaker Strategies
10606-8 Camino Ruiz, PMB 309
San Diego, CA 92126
858-566-5585
Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com
www.rainmaker-strategies.com
If you’ve enjoyed this article and learned a valuable
business-building tip, please feel free to forward
this newsletter to your friends and colleagues.
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Copyright 2003, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
