Know-How Exchange : Other

Make the page look like a cereal box. Include a "nutrition info" panel that shows benefits (client retention, revenue growth) and ingredients (creativity, chutzpah). Use the cover to show some of the people, like athletes on a Wheaties box.

That'll grab 'em AND make 'em hungry.

Shelley ;]

Be careful. Has every department been asked to prepare such a document, or just marketing?

I have spent an hour or more each day calling on attorneys and law firms for eight years. I do not know about your position (are you the head of marketing, or do you work in the Marketing department) and I do not know about the size of your firm - and I could be all wrong - but I see red flags here.

Who is the audience for this document? Perhaps this project was initiated by one of partners who does not believe in Marketing, who feels that business comes to the firm from their relationships with other attorneys and comes to them throught their own competance, rather than "overhead" such as a marketing department.

If I were writing the document, I would provide (if possible) specific and compelling examples of times when the marketing department was of service to the attorneys, and assisted them in obtaining new business. I might also include a discussion of any metrics you use to evaluate marketing expenses, essentially taking the same side as those who say that marketing must be cost justified.

If it were possible, I would try to get a better understanding of who is asking for the document, and why. Good luck.

Hi ctaylor-scott,

I have also called extensively on attprneys and agree completely with Telemoxie - heed his advice.

Partners do not feel they need marketing - they became partners through the long slog of building their practice, which for the most part now almost always sustains itself internallly or from referrals because of these years of work.

Associates could use a helping hand, but most of them get by just fine on the scrap the partners don't have time to do.

So, regardless of what you do it might fall on deaf ears.

Rather than focus on how you can get new business, I would suggest focusing on what you can do to strengthen and deepen current relationships, and how to make their jobs easier so they can bill more time.

Bill, bill. bill. biill. bill, that is their hot buttton.

I hope that helps.

One approach may be a monthly tear sheet or mini-newsletter showing successes staff have had in using your products / services. Testimonial quotes, etc.

Include maybe a catalog style listing of things you have available, as well as things you can do.

If your job includes external marketing functions - ads, pr, public speaking, etc., reprints in the newsletter, etc., will be helpful to you - and them.

Be, and remain, indispensable, and promote it by examples of success (no chest beating)