Four steps to developing your business in 2016

First, I hope you are reading this once the predictable raft of 'new year, fresh start' self-help missives that appear at this time of year are a dim if not distant memory… because I'm about to launch into a 'new year, fresh start' missive.

Yes, the whole new year/new broom shtick is a cliché, but that's only because it's true.
This is the best time to think about where you are, what you want to achieve, and the best way to get there. However -
and hopefully this will give
you heart - when it comes to business development this process isn't meant to be cathartic or spiritual. It is a practical procedure designed
to improve your performance
as a solicitor.

1. What do you want to achieve in 2016?

Take a blank piece of paper and write down no more than three objectives. These could relate directly to billing, winning one major new client, trying new marketing approaches (such as winning a speaking slot at a recognised industry event, getting an editorial published, or making more of social media), or improving the way you manage your existing client relationships.

They will depend on your practice and the stage of your career. The important thing
is that all three are specific, measurable, and achievable, and that each ties in with your departmental objectives - when your objectives fit with your firm's, you will find it easier to get the help of colleagues and the firm's marketing resources if required.

2. How are you going to
get there?

Once you know what you want to achieve, choosing the tactics you need becomes much more straightforward:

• To get more work from your existing clients, spend more time with them. You could visit them, provide training for them, or ask them for coffee or lunch more often;

• To make more of existing referrer relationships, see them more often and apply more consistency. Find reasons to get together:
  this may be a shared social preference or the possibility of instigating joint marketing initiatives or swapping client introductions;

• To win new clients in specific sectors, you could write for relevant publications, participate in online forums, speak at conferences, or join networking groups; and

• To improve the way you communicate with your professional network, you could distribute more via social media, set up an e-news service, run more workshops or professional discussion forums, or participate in the growing number of online platforms.

However, cementing your tactics has another benefit.
It allows you to discount the potentially expensive and time-consuming marketing initiatives that crop up before they cost you time or budget.

3. What will you need to
get there?

Budget is, of course, the main consideration. However, by planning what you want to do, you will be able to give your management a better idea of what you need (and why), which makes the acquisition of the required budget more straightforward.

Keeping tabs on what that budget is delivering is also essential. If you find something is delivering ahead of expectations, being able to prove that will make obtaining
a little more budget easier.

But budget isn't everything: as a solicitor you have a day job to do and a billable hours target to hit, so you only have a finite amount of time for marketing. Carefully consider how much time you can commit and make sure you're not overstretching yourself.

You may also need other people's time for some activities. Work out whose help you may need (management, partner, fee earner, or marketing/BD/IT support) and how much of their time you might want, then double-check they're willing to provide it. If they're not, you'll need a plan B.

4. How often and when will you do those things?

We've already mentioned
both the need to measure
and the time constraints you are operating under. This is why the 'when' is just as important as the 'what' and the 'how' when it comes to BD planning.

Make sure you have definite numbers next to your tactical choices - for example, visiting your key clients once every six months, seeing your 'A list' once a quarter, or posting three updates a week on LinkedIn.

Once you've got your numbers, diarise them and monitor progress by using a recording mechanism that is simple and easy to update. SJ

Douglas McPherson is a director at Size 10 ½ Boots