Feature Article: Law Practice Management Series
by Mary G. Anderson, Life Management Consulting Group
My goal today is to provide some ideas to help you create your annual marketing plan. To get started I recommend that you purchase a large wall calendar for the upcoming year to create your firm’s marketing goals and timetable. Since we are only a few weeks from the New Year, this is an excellent time to take out your new calendar and decide what you and your staff will do on a daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis to serve, increase and expand your client base.
Here are some ideas to create your “marketing by design” plan:
- What “client care systems” will you develop and institute next year?
- Would you consider starting a monthly “clients only” presentation, free teleseminar, newsletter etc.?
- What type of regular communication will you develop or expand with your current client base (e.g. thank you cards, birthday cards, sending clippings and articles of interest, etc.)
- What ‘referral partners’ have you developed? What is your goal for 2012?
- What speaking opportunities would enhance your visibility?
- Have you written any articles that could be shared on the Internet for potential clients who are searching for legal information?
- Do you have a plan for local advertising? Frequency of ads?
- What about increasing your social media presence? Set up a weekly schedule of posts?
- What local networking groups will you attend?
Remember only 3 out of 10 individuals have an estate plan! People want and need your help! After you design your marketing plan, take some additional time to decide what ‘new’ services you will be offering during the upcoming year. We aren’t actually talking about new areas of law but we are talking about the focus of your firm’s offerings. For instance, many firms are beginning to specialize in elder abuse law, special needs trusts, conservatorships, complex tax planning for corporations and pet trusts. What about you? What is your specialty?
What can you add to your client services ‘menu’ that would allow your clients to feel more protected, more safe, more secure and more at peace about the security of their estate. One idea to consider is to focus on one area of law each month in your newsletter, here are some ideas of areas to help educate your client base:
- Elder Law
- Asset Protection
- Medicaid Planning
- Planning for Long-Term Care
- Health Care/Advance Directives
- Pre-Nuptial Agreement
- Conservatorship
- Guardianship
- Special Needs Trust
- Dynasty Trust
- Business Succession Planning
- Legacy Planning
- Estate Planning for Pets
- Charitable Giving
- Information on Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILIT)
- Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs)
- Family Limited Partnerships
- Catastrophic Illness
You have a short window of time before January 1st arrives to put a plan in place and begin to ‘plan your work, and work your plan’. We are here to support you if you need some coaching support.
Quote To Ponder
“Managers are people who do things right,
while leaders are people who do the right thing.”
~Warren Bennis, PhD
About the Author:
Mary G. Anderson, is the Program Director at Advanced Legal Training Institute. She also provides client service programs through her company, Life Management Consulting Group. Many estate-planning attorneys have clients that are in need of guidance and support as they manage their elder years. Mary offers 1-on-1 coaching support for families that are facing some of the challenging aspects of end-of-life/eldercare such as choosing/evaluating a nursing home/assisted living center, professional organizing of important papers and documents, estate settlement and support with funeral planning, grief and loss. These consulting services assist clients who are either in 1) the midst of handling a death of a loved one and executing their estate and/or 2) a client who has decided to get organized and plan ahead by completing their will, organizing their important papers, completing a checklist of final wishes and creating a legacy will. Mary is the author of “My Estate Management Guide“, “Pet Protection Legal Care Plan: Financial and Legal Planning to Protect Your Companion Pet” and a Certified Mediator & Estate Settlement Agent.
Legal Seminars | Customized In-house MCLE Training
Legal Consulting & Coaching | Speaking | Client Support Services
©copyright 2006-2017 | all rights reserved worldwide