Positioning to Compete (II)
Novices tend to panic. They don’t know where to begin. They see themselves as failing if initial efforts don’t immediately pay off. They need to understand that marketing is a methodical art; that it happens on a step-by-patient-step basis. They need to understand each separate step as part of a larger programmatic initiative.
As such, the first important training goal is to help them develop a comfort level with the jprocess as a whole. And, the way to do that is by enumerating individual tasks that are singularly manageable and often enjoyable. Among them:
* Attend Cle and bar events.
* Get involved with sponsoring committees.
* Memorize an elevator speech.
* Enrich your resume.
* Expand your contact list.
* Job performance.
* Help colleagues.
* Write lists and set deadlines.
Next column, we’ll discuss details of these tactics. The impact of such curricula is to demystify marketing for associates. It’s a practical agenda with specific steps any committed professional can take - simple enough steps, perhaps, to deprive lawyers of excuses for inaction.
