Happy Thanksgiving to my readers in the U.S. If you haven’t yet taken the time to reflect on accomplishments during the past year, as well as identify where
you want your business to go in the new year, now is the perfect time to do just that.

Read on to learn more about creating a vision, including an exercise that is as fun as it is thought provoking.

CREATING A VISION FOR A SUCCESSFUL 2007

As each year comes to an end, do you make it a point to create a vision for what you want for your business in the upcoming year? Visioning is an important part of having a successful business. In fact, I believe it’s crucial to have a vision for one’s business BEFORE one sets goals and takes pen to paper to draft a plan to achieve those goals.

Many of my clients have an overall vision for their business at its pinnacle. They frequently check their current status with their dream to make sure they’re on track. This is great, and to help ensure you are taking the steps necessary to make your dream come true, I suggest spending time creating a vision each year that helps lead you toward your ultimate dream.

One powerful exercise to help you consolidate your thoughts for the year ahead is something I call “The Future Letter.” The instructions are simple. Pretend that it is December 31, 2007 and you are writing a letter to someone you care about who would want to celebrate your successes. Share what has transpired and what you have accomplished during the past year in your business.

Remember, the goal of this exercise is to identify your objectives for the year. This format helps you connect with what you really want, not what you think you should do. While you can certainly write whatever is compelling to you, important areas to address are:

1. What your business (or practice) looks like (number of clients, type of clients, revenue generated)

2. How you feel about your professional skills

3. Your business infrastructure

4. Marketing strategies

5. What your typical workday looks like

6. Anything that is important to you regarding your business

For maximum effectiveness, balance what you would love to have happen in your business with what you believe can happen. You want to balance what you currently believe is possible with what you could believe possible.

For example, let’s say part of your long-term vision is to write a book on your specialty area and you haven’t yet written a word and aren’t even sure about the way to make it happen.

Better to write about what you believe you could accomplish (i.e., I’ve written the outline, have gone to a writer’s conference, have a lead on a publisher, have written four amazing chapters and have sent 30 query letters) than something that is a huge stretch for your belief (i.e., I am a best selling author). Of course, if you want to have a best selling book in contract within a year and believe you can do it, then don’t hold back!

Once you write your future letter, you can create a plan that outlines the steps and strategies you will take during the year to make your vision a reality! Don’t forget to check back against your future letter throughout the year to see how you’re doing.

And, of course, remember that your future letter does not have to be perfect. In fact, there is no perfect! This is a “work in progress” and always will be. Give it a try and see how much more focused you are in the coming year. Also, if you would like to see a sample of a future letter, drop me an email and I’ll be happy to send you one.

Assessments. Assessments can be powerful tools for individuals and organizations alike to reach their true potential. Rainmaker Strategies offers the following assessments:

DiSC Personality Profile - The DiSC Assessment indicates one’s personal communication and behavioral style. It identifies strengths and challenges and makes clear recommendations for increasing overall effectiveness and ability to communicate with others.

Time Mastery - The Time Mastery Profile provides an assessment of one’s current time management effectiveness and clearly pinpoints the specific actions that will most profoundly impact productivity and effectiveness.

360 Feedback – 360 Feedback is a method and a tool that provides each employee the opportunity to receive performance feedback from his or her supervisor, peers, direct reports, and customers in addition to the employee’s self assessment. A development plan can be created from the results, allowing the participant a clear path to leverage strengths and develop areas of opportunity.

Contact me at Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com to find Out whether assessments are right for you and your business.

Making Rain Out of Mist Program.
Lawyers, are you happy with the results you’ve been getting from your business development efforts thus far this year? Perhaps you’re not quite sure what to do or how to create a system for your marketing so that you’re maximizing the precious time you’re spending on developing business.

If this sounds like you, I can help. I created a practice building program that walks you through the steps to build the practice of your dreams.

Consisting of a comprehensive workbook and four audio CD’s, Making Rain Out of Mist is designed to help you clearly identify the vision of your perfect practice, including the type of clients with which you wish to work and in what area of law. The program then helps you determine the best marketing strategies to make that vision a reality, and helps you master the subtleties of converting a prospect into a paying client without coming off like a salesperson.

Want to know more? Please contact me directly at Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com or go to my web site at www.rainmaker-strategies.com
and click on the Products link.

Booklet Information. 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 $5.00
for a single copy (plus tax where applicable and shipping).

Barbara Nichols Mencer
Rainmaker Strategies
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.

Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.