I promised the delegates a note of the key points that arose at the recent, action-packed Future Marketing Manager workshop in London.
Amongst the solicitors and accounting firms attending, I was delighted that there were also two barristers chambers represented. Despite the variety of delegates (in sector and seniority), the key challenges were familiar and similar:
- Managing small teams
- Achieving buy-in
- Stepping back from operational and tactical activities
- Seeing the bigger picture
- Changing fee-earner mind sets
- Improving the perception of marketing/business development
The most interesting points from the day from the delegates’ point of view were:
- Goals and focus
- Concentrate on supporting the firm’s aims and profit forecasts
- Make a bigger contribution by focussing on just a few critical projects
- Internal relationships
- Develop empathy with fee-earners (the thoroughbred horse and the Italian ‘maneggio’!)
- Use relevant language and avoid negative labels
- Develop product, client and market knowledge
- Refine your own brand using the framework provided
- Strategic contribution
- Analyse the pipeline for current opportunities – and beyond
- Develop financial simulation models to test the impact on profit of alternatives
- Work on new pricing models
- Improve strategy and planning knowledge
- Evaluate the results of campaigns
- Efficiency and effectiveness
- Use the “rock, stone, pebble” method for time management
- Remember the POLCA model
- Measure outputs (results) rather than inputs
Highlights of the day for me were:
a) the creative attempts (including sketches and role plays – some in German!) to demonstrate some of the challenges of working with senior fee-earners.
b) the additions to the self-motivation playlist (including Titanium by David Guetta, We are young by FUN and Paradise by Coldplay although I don’t think I can repeat the Lazy Jay lyrics!)
With thanks to Berwin Leighton Paisner for hosting the event in their fabulous riverside offices. And in response to some of the comments on the feedback forms – there are separate courses on marketing planning, buy in and assertiveness http://www.pmforum.co.uk/training/index.aspx
