One key to successful business development is recognizing a good opportunity to communicate with your targets. A new year is just such a time. There are both marketing and business development activities that provide natural reasons for outreach and education.
As we close out the year, you still have some time to prepare for new year initiatives.
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New Year Marketing Ideas
The launch of a new year provides a great opportunity to either look back or look forward. How can you capitalize on turning the calendar? Here are some thoughts:
- Write a “Year in Review” on a topic related to your practice or industry. Give a high-level overview of developments in your field.
- Use the occasion to produce some true thought leadership for the practice or industry in which you work — what are your predictions for the new year?
- Aggregate some information related to your practice, for example, the top 10 reported cases or number of transactions in the past year.
- Prepare an annual report of your activities — matters handled, results obtained, presentations or other activities — to send to people on your list.
Business Development
What are some business development activities to consider to take advantage of the new year? Here are a few ideas:
- Send Happy New Year cards, emails or gifts. It can be a way to separate you from the many holiday messages people receive.
- Set up planning meetings or 2025 forecast sessions for some good clients. In them, you can discuss business issues (e.g., their imperatives, budget, hiring plans and so forth) as well as legal issues either you or they anticipate in the new year.
- Plan client visits. Get some visits on your calendar now for 2025. While you’re there, take a tour of the facilities, give a lunch-and-learn to the staff or arrange to meet people you haven’t met before. (Read “Make the Most of Client Visits” for more tips.)
- Set up a regular schedule of contact for selected people next year. For example, are there referral sources you can see once a quarter? Is there a good client who would be a candidate for a monthly breakfast meeting?
This is your annual opportunity to make some things happen in marketing and business development. Don’t miss it!
More Ideas to Boost Marketing Success in the New Year
Writing Your Annual Marketing Plan
Review and Reset Your Marketing and Business Development Activities
Tip: The end of the year is a good time to update your contacts and experience database.
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