Effective Strategies for Accelerating your Collaborative Law and Mediation Practice

 Are we starting to see a turnaround in the economy? Recent reports are showing increased optimism about the economy than they were even three months ago.  What does this mean for lawyers and professionals who want to grow their Mediation and Collaborative practice? This is the time to execute strategies for proactively growing your practice. The outreach and planning you do today will positively or negatively impact the growth of your practice in the next 3-6 months.
The following are 3 strategies you can implement today to accelerate your Mediation and Collaborative law practice in a slow economic time:

1. Develop a road map for business development strategies.  Imagine going on an important business trip that has no margin for error, you must make every connection. You would never think about leaving your office without thinking through the important details of your trip and itinerary.  Yet many professionals are trying to navigate the rough waters of a changing marketplace without a plan.  Now is the time develop a clear plan on where you are, where you want to be and most important, how you will get there.
2. Focus your business development efforts on your ideal client. This is the time to assess and clarify who your ideal clients and referral sources are.  By knowing the profile of your ideal clients and referrals sources, you are in a position to convey your knowledge on the unique problem those clients encounter and as important your specialized expertise in helping them solve their problems.  Clients and referral sources are constantly being interrupted with generic marketing messages that do not mean anything to them. Now is the time to differentiate your practice and attract desirable clients and referral sources by speaking to their unique problems, needs and interests.
3. Accelerate your visibility among targeted referrals sources and clients. Never has the statement, “out of sight, out of mind” been more true for mediation and collaborative law professionals.  In a market where clients have more choices than ever before and immediate access to information about the services they desire, you must stay top of mind with the clients and referral sources you want to attract to your practice. The following are four strategies for increasing your visibility:
   1. Speak at targeted association meetings, organizations and conferences. Research what is going on in your area, create a list of possible opportunities and make contact with the organizations that are the best fit for your market.
   2. Optimize your online visibility. Every client needing your services should be able to find you on the internet. Google your city and the word that describes your practice, what page do you show up on? If you are not on the first page, take action today to increase your visibility. Consider a social media strategy that includes a blog, Twitter and a Linked   In account.
   3. Write articles on topics of interest to your target market. In todays on line world, you have direct access to your target market.  The internet has made it possible for you to write articles that can submitted to web sites such as www.mediate.com online press release, blogs and e-newsletters. Instantly your articles will be published.  In addition to online media, local newspapers and magazines are always looking for relevant community based articles that provide good content for their publications. 
   4. Get involved. Your business is based on relationships and trust with other professionals. The more time you commit to an organization, association or group you believe in, the more referrals you will see from colleagues and professionals who have some experience with you and your expertise.

In summary, we may be close to an economic turnaround and those lawyers and professionals who take action today will prepare themselves for prosperous growth in the future.  Starting today, begin to take action for accelerating your Collaborative Practice and Mediation practice growth plan.

                       

Elizabeth Ferris

Elizabeth Ferris has served organizations as a marketing consultant for more than 20 years. She started Ferris Consulting in April, 2000. The company was created to help organizations and individuals achieve accelerated growth. Liz specializes in assisting attorneys, mental health professionals and financial specialists to grow their practice through result-oriented… MORE >