Cultivating Champions

From the blog Mediation Marketing Tips

As promised, here is a follow up regarding one of the gems from our teleseminar last week with Jeff Krivis.

Jeff spoke about business development and marketing a mediation practice. Quite frankly, there are things everyone must do (e.g. have a web site, a core base of articles or blog, a speaking presentation) to present a mediation or conflict resolution business. Then, in the short term and the long term, there are the things that bring in business that complement your core marketing toolset and really fuel the fire. In a nutshell, the things that work!

Now, an important point to remember is that although there are overlapping principles of success that many highly successful mediators have utilized to market and build a practice, there is no cookie cutter approach.

Your marketing plan and business development strategies should focus on both the long and short term. You will also want to tailor your activities to your niche, your personal strengths, your network and a variety of individual factors (including your background and your geographical area). All this is being said as way of background to the point of this blog about cultivating champions. While this was the key strategy that helped launch Jeff’s practice, there are other highly successful mediators that may not have used this.

ok, disclaimers aside, here’s the point: cultivate champions.

A champion is one who knows you, likes you and trusts that you do good work and they preferably are a leader of a center of influence. These people will put in a good word for you to others. They come into contact with many people and can really make your practice take off.

You cannot force a relationship with a champion. You can strategically think about who in your niche and geographice area could potentially be a champion and see if you can make a connection. Sometimes it may be just finding one such leader with a personality that clicks with yours. Remember mediation is such a personal service that who you are is your most critical marketing piece.

So, in the litigation world of mediation (the world that Jeff lives in), his champion was a local employment lawyer who was a leader in the field. His recommendation was gold and other lawyers followed it.

Is there a champion in your midst? Remember, your focus must be on providing value to others. Think about how you may help them, ask about them and at the right time you can explore the possibilities of mutual gain.

NEVER GIVE UP!
Committed to your success,
Kristina Haymes

                       

Kristina Haymes

Kristina R. Haymes is a mediator of litigated and non-litigated cases.  She has successfully assisted parties in resolving employment, real estate, commercial and family business & estate disputes. MORE >