Plaintiffs ordered to submit fraud claims to arbitration in Bermuda

Closed Published by Natalie January 4th, 2010 in ADR Case News.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Competitive Analysis Worksheet

Closed Published by admin June 18th, 2009 in Checklists and Worksheets.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Giving Winning Presentations

Closed Published by admin March 20th, 2008 in Marketing Your Practice.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Procrastinate?!? Not me, not ever!

0 Comments Published by admin November 16th, 2007 in Getting New Business, Marketing Your Practice.

By Natalie J. Armstrong,
www.MarketingMediation.com

Procrastinate?!? Not me, not ever !
We all procrastinate. I do. I procrastinated about buying a pair of dress shoes that fit me better. I’ve continued to procrastinate for about 3 months now while continuing to wear the ill-fitting shoes. Right now I’m procrastinating about calling the podiatrist. My feet have been hurting lately. But I start to imagine all the machinations I’ll have to go through to get there, get examined, get treated, get billed and then go back. I’m hoping my feet will get better. They won’t. I’m hoping the shoes will stretch out. They won’t. But still I procrastinate.

I also procrastinate about picking up the cleaning, starting my tax returns, and cleaning my desk.

Do you procrastinate about anything? Of course. Do you procrastinate about marketing? If you are anything like the hundreds of clients I’ve worked with you put off some or all of the following:

Getting focused - creating a strategy
Writing marketing materials
Writing articles
Joining networking groups
Asking for referrals
Setting up speaking engagements
Preparing a presentation
Calling past clients
Developing a sales approach
Creating a database
Sending thank-you notes

Sound familiar? Have you ever asked yourself why you put things off you know you should do? Of course you have. But if you ask yourself why, your subconscious will leap up in defense and create all kinds of rationalizations to answer that why. The validation usually goes like this. “I must be putting off my marketing because I’m just not a marketing type” or “These things won’t work anyway so why bother.” You just reinforce your old beliefs.

Instead, ask yourself empowering questions: “How can I find a way to do this” or “what could I gain by moving forward with this?” or “who knows how to do this better than I do who could give me some ideas where to start?”

All of these questions work to move you into action, which is a whole lot better than moping around feeling bad about not doing your marketing.

So let’s try to answer some of your new and empowering questions.

“How can I find a way to write some marketing materials?”

Start collecting the promotional pieces others send you. Read what the content says, pay attention to the layout of pieces. Keep everything whether it’s a piece that you like or not. Now make a list of the attributes that appeal to you and that you think will appeal to your target audience and a list of those attributes that don’t.

“I know that I should keep in touch with previous clients. What could I gain by moving forward with this?”

Calling past clients and sending thank-you notes is a powerful way to maintain your relationships. I know, I know, you’re thinking that it would take you too many weeks to phone everyone with whom you’ve previously worked. And you’re right but who says you have to do it all at once? Try phoning just 5 folks a day. We all have time to phone 5 people. The same with cards and letters. Send thank you notes to people with whom you’ve just worked and a personal letter to those with whom you’d like to work again. Just 5 a day. Just 5 a day means that 1250 people will hear from you this year that didnât last year.

“How can I find the time to write an article?”

Writing articles can be a terrific marketing tool. When I suggest this to my non-writing clients they always tell me the same thing. I just stare at my computer and it just stares back. If you fit this category try talking your way through it. Find a topic that interests you. Then, while speaking into a recorder, talk to your associate, your spouse, or dog on the subject. Use the tape to create your article outline and viola! No more blank stare!

Natalie J. Armstrong is the Founder and Managing Director of Golden Media, a marketing and consulting firm dedicated to promoting resolution industry. She is the author of The Essential Guide to Marketing Your ADR Practice and speaks internationally on business developement and the successful marketing strategies of the conflict resolution industry. More ADR Practice Development articles and information about Ms. Armstrong and Golden Media can be found at www.MarketingMediation.com.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Opportunity Calling

0 Comments Published by admin November 13th, 2007 in Impressions of Your Practice.

By Natalie J. Armstrong,
www.MarketingMediation.com

While shopping at my corner drug store over the weekend, I had an opportunity to witness a common marketing mistake. During the course of my browsing I could hear the store’s phone ringing persistently, rarely being answered. Shopping finished, I proceeded to the check out counter where once again the phone rang. The clerk let the phone ring six times before she cursed Dammit I’m busy! then grudgingly answered the phone. I can just imagine how she sounded to the caller.

This attitudinal error probably occurs a million times a day in every imaginable type of business, as the incoming call interrupts the important work. Don’t let this attitude overrun your business and marketing efforts.

Remember that if the phone rings at all, the marketing investments youâve made are paying off. Be thankful that the phone rings and let THAT attitude pervade your tone and the content you provide to the potential client.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

MarketingMediation.com Glossary of Marketing Terms

0 Comments Published by Agolden October 31st, 2007 in Advertisement, Direct Mailing, Marketing Your Practice.

This glossary is a great addition to your marketing portfolios and will certainly help you tackle some interesting concepts. Available in PDF for you now. Don’t miss the outstanding Glossary of Words that Sell; also posted in a PDF for you.

Â : MarketingMediation.com Glossary of Marketing Terms

Whatever you do, DO NOT miss out on the Visual Thesaurus. Whenever you sit down to write, be it an article, website copy, or something of the like, this is one of the single, most powerful tools you can possibly utilize. Take a look: Visual Thesaurus.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Glossary of Marketing Words that Sell

0 Comments Published by Agolden October 24th, 2007 in Advertisement, Direct Mailing.

Here’s a powerful tool for you to add to your marketing playbook.

Created in PDF format for you to download and incorporate into your marketing materials. Special thanks to Natalie for bringing this one to the table.Â You’ll need Adobe Acrobat to view the PDF.Â

: MarketingMediation.com Glossary of Marketing Words that Sell

Â Good Luck!

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Taking the ‘SUX’ out of Sioux. Turning a Negative into the Best Positive.

0 Comments Published by admin October 22nd, 2007 in It's Just Business.

I love this. Classic story of what you can do with an opportunity and a positive attitude. It reminds me of the folks at MoFo. Looking forward to seeing what some creative marketing people can do when handed the ball.

(Continued Reading)

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Quotes of the Week for May 16, 2007

0 Comments Published by admin May 16th, 2007 in Quotes of the Week.

The longer we analyze the current ways of operating, the further we fend off that awesome day when we will have to change something. Analysis becomes a defensive maneuver to avoid making fundamental change.”
–Michael Hammer and Steven Stanton

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
–Lord Chesterfield

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”
–Henry Ford

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”
–Walter Bagehot

You have a zero percent scoring average on shots you don’t take.”
–Wayne Gretzky

How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.”
–Marcus Aurelius

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Marketing Glossaries: Words That Sell & Marketing Terms

0 Comments Published by Agolden May 10th, 2007 in Advertisement, Direct Mailing.

When it comes to your marketing materials, your choice of words can make or break you. Sales copy is some of the hardest content to write, add the fact that youâre often writing about yourself and itâs twice as difficult.