How much time do you spend working on your marketing efforts? Thirty minutes? One hour? Under five minutes?

Many of you have told me that one of your most difficult marketing obstacles is the element of time. Finding the time to make lunch appointments, follow-up with phone calls, or send thank you notes. Much of marketing requires an investment of time on the part of the attorney. Larger firms can rely upon marketing directors to deal with client development, but small firm practitioners have to be more creative.

Here’s a suggestion for small firm practitioners that can cut your time in half: use a Marketing Assistant. This is a person who can devote time each week to your firm’s marketing efforts, including:

• Scheduling marketing events: lunches, dinners, meetings, social gatherings
• Working on public relations activities
• Supporting firm communication efforts with clients and referral sources
• Managing your database of clients and referral sources

…and more! Ideally, the marketing assistant should be a person with an active interest in marketing; someone with past experience in marketing, sales or public relations. This can be a person who works remotely (a virtual marketing assistant), part-time (a college student), or full-time (an in-office hire).

Right now, the market is flooded with marketing people who, due to the recession, have been downsized. While college students who are studying marketing remain a great resource as marketing interns or assistants, remember to also look at the more experienced people who are in the job market. Right now you can hire experienced marketing talent for less than you think.

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Mark Powers & Shawn McNalis

Mark Powers & Shawn McNalis

Mark Powers, President of Atticus, has been coaching attorneys for nearly thirty years. He is the founder and developer of the first personalized training program dedicated to teaching attorneys the lasting skills and habits necessary for practice development. These skills include strategic planning, client development, customer service, prioritization, time blocking, managing interruptions, financial management, staffing, and delegation… [read more]

Shawn McNalis, Atticus Curriculum Director and Practice Advisor Trainer, is a former Imagineer with the Walt Disney Company and credits her 15-year career with Disney for her creative, collaborative approach to advising attorneys. In partnership with Mark Powers for 20 years, Shawn is a senior practice advisor, director of curriculum, and a trainer for Atticus… [read more]

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