Accountability to Yourself: Maintaining a Journal of Business Development Efforts
I listened to another podcast of Cordell Parvin (http://www.cordellparvin.com) yesterday while running/walking around the block. Cordell interviewed one of his lawyer clients, Tricia DeLeon, a partner in a Texas law firm. http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-consulting-coaching-podcast/id310588211She said that she,with Cordell's encouragement, started to keep a journal in MSWord of her business development/marketing efforts, putting the electronic pen to paper of everything she does to market herself and her firm. I love the idea of it.I have always been a big fan of journaling and things to do lists and writing generally. These writings create accountability, bringing to your consciousness exactly what you do each day to achieve a goal that you set.Found this quote on the internet:"Accountability-actions toward or involving others that reflect the integrity of the person you want to be."I remember in law school I did this charting/journaling sort of obsessively in respect of behaviors I wanted to stop or start doing (i.e., stop saying the word "like", read at least the front cover of the New York Times, etc. ... you get the picture). I called it a "Ben Franklin chart" (got the idea from the book The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin). So Tricia and Cordell are basically encouraging lawyers to do something similar re: one's own marketing/business development endeavours.You hear often that you should have your own business plan for yourself no matter where you are working, no matter whether you are an owner or not. I think that just taking this first step to keep a record of what you do (or don't do) every day is an easy start.So just so you can see how it works, here is the beginning of my track record:SALENE KRAEMER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TRACK RECORD
- Sunday-10/3/10-listened to Cordell Parvin’s podcast while running; set breakfast appointment via LinkedIn with venture capitalist who is visiting Pittsburgh in October
- Monday-10/4/10- started MSWord “Track Record” journal re: business development efforts; listened to daily WSJ podcast; wrote blog post re: maintaining a “Track Record”; updated LinkedIn post re: filing proof of claim for client.
Hopefully, I will continue to maintain it. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!! I hope this gets your marketing wheels rolling.