Here are some rainmaking ideas for patent practitioners who are starting out as solo practitioners or joining a new firm. Rainmaking is all about bringing in the business, that is, paying the rent. More than anything, business development is about being known and recognized.
Networking opportunities you might consider:
LinkedIn - a business networking portal where you enter details about yourself and build a network of connections
<http://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=logo>
LinkedIn Questions and Answers, where you respond to queries. Here is the IP section:
<http://www.linkedin.com/answers/browse/law-legal/corporate-law/intellectual-property/LAW_COR_IPP>
Law Guru IP discussion Forum:
<http://www.lawguru.com/cgi/bbs/mesg.cgi?l=all&c=16>
Create a blog and establish yourself as a pundit in some IP area:
<http://www.blogger.com/start>
Respond to IP related blog entries:
<http://patentlaw.typepad.com/patent/>
<http://www.legalsanity.com/>
Patent Law Practice Mailing List:
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PatentLawPractice/join%7C%5D%5D%5B%5Bhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/PatentLawPractice/join>
Troll the Craigslist Legal Services section:
<http://www.craigslist.org/lgs/>
Start your own newsletter.
Create a seminar for professionals. Teach them.
Publish a general interest article in local newpaper, IP trade magazine, Bar Assoc., etc.
Get a spot on local PBS radio station or another, talk about IP law, trolls, answer call ins, whatever.
Sponsor a local sports little league team, charity event, etc.
Speak at an IEEE, ACM, etc. local section meeting.
Do some related pro bono work for a charity, United Way, etc.
See also:
<http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/magazine/2003/jul-aug/stevens.html>
<http://www.coachingforchange.com/pub07.html>
Post articles you author on your web site. Make them a regular feature with real advice.
Meet with clients, prospects, on their turf, not yours.
Leverage LexisNexis:
<http://www.lexisnexis.com/associates/career/career0705.asp>
Read this book:
<http://www.rainmakingmadesimple.com/endorsements.htm>
Hire a legal marketing personal consultant:
<http://www.lawmarketing.com/pages/articles.asp?Action=Article&ArticleCategoryID=7&ArticleID=520>
<http://legalease.blogs.com/> - one of the best!
Refine your elevator pitch, e.g.,
"I’m John Smith, an attorney helping individuals and companies protect their intellectual property with an emphasis on valuing my clients assets and making the process as worry-free for all involved." [Note that no multi-name law firm was mentioned here. Stick to what people can remember!]
And finally, the ultimate marketing tool--write a book!
Friday, April 6, 2007
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Mobile Cell Phone Usage Models
There is an interesting news item at Cellular News describing a recent study of mobile cell phone users and how they are using their phones. Here is a link to the 13-page document referred to in the news item.
The document contains a useful table describing the features most desired by users. Interestingly, some 47% of the users surveyed wanted to have mobile maps as a feature. Another 8% were planning to discontinue using land line phone service in favor of the cellular phone. For anyone with children, it should come as no surprise that 32% of young people felt they could not live without their cell phones. (sigh)
The report also has some very interesting gender based results. Recommended reading!
The document contains a useful table describing the features most desired by users. Interestingly, some 47% of the users surveyed wanted to have mobile maps as a feature. Another 8% were planning to discontinue using land line phone service in favor of the cellular phone. For anyone with children, it should come as no surprise that 32% of young people felt they could not live without their cell phones. (sigh)
The report also has some very interesting gender based results. Recommended reading!
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