Even though existing clients are a prime source for new matters and referrals, by no means should you neglect your prospecting for new clients. The key to expanding your client base is to think in terms of specific industries – health care or biotech, for example – rather than narrow practice areas.In other words, market what you want, not what you do – which means establishing Industry Practice Groups within your firm. Identify which industries you wish to target Consider first your existing relationships within a particular industry, as well as your firm’s current expertise, then research the profitability and the sophistication of the legal work required. Look at projected growth of the industry in your geographic areas, and consider what competing firms have done.Appoint strong and committed group leadersThis is a critical decision that should not be based solely on seniority or your current book of business. Industry Practice Group chairs have to be capable and effective marketers, willing to lead by example, are respected within the firm, and, above all, are passionately committed to the Industry Practice Group model.Determine group membersIt’s a good idea to let your attorneys select the group or groups themselves. Some attorneys might want to participate in more than one group, and that’s okay. But they should declare a primary affiliation with one group, not three or four.Develop a Practice Group profileGet the ball rolling by having the Group chair prepare a written profile that sets forth basic information about the Group, including current clients, referral sources, key trade organizations, etc. The profile serves as a starting point for discussions and as a roadmap for ongoing business development for the Group.Hold the Group’s first meetingWe suggest lunch meetings that last 60-90 minutes. Have an agenda and relevant handouts, track attendance, and distribute meeting notes within a few days after the meeting.Meet monthly to discuss business developmentFor best results, Industry Practice Groups should hold monthly meetings that focus exclusively on business development. Lunchtime seems to work best for many firms.Develop Industry Practice Group descriptionsKeep them short and easy to read…no more than 500 words. Avoid legal jargon and tortuous syntax. Include brief case studies that demonstrate the firm’s industry expertise. These descriptions can also serve as springboards for marketing materials for the Group.Develop a Group Marketing PlanKeep it simple and focused. Use the techniques discussed in Chapter 1.. For prospecting new clients, consider getting involved in industry trade organizations and seminars, and providing industry-focused law alerts and related communications.Develop Individual Attorney marketing plansThis is the chance for Group members to set forth their contributions to the Group’s plan, as well as their other marketing and business development activities. The latter includes enhancing relationships with existing clients and referral sources, and getting involved in key industry trade groups.As the individual plans generate results, New Client Welcome Kits start a relationship on the right note. Include a letter from the managing partner, Industry Practice Group contact list, firm brochure, practice group description, and a client service pledge.While you’re at it, ask a new client the method (phone, email) and frequency of communications they prefer, then deliver updates and progress reports accordingly. Invite new clients to visit your offices. Introduce them to the lawyers, paralegals, support staff, etc., who comprise the Practice Group.Provide adequate resourcesAs we discussed in the section on planning, most law firms spend 2-3% of gross revenue on legal marketing and business development. We encourage you to make it 3-4%. Most of these dollars should be invested in programs that enhance relationships with existing clients and referral sources.Measure and reward desired behavior (even when it’s not billable!) Enlightened firms are finding ways to measure and reward non-billable contributions, including business development. Start by measuring non-billable time invested in meaningful activities. Consider establishing a bonus pool to recognize these contributions.Look for meaningful results in 12-24 monthsResults will not come overnight. It takes time to build relationships and see the results of an effective marketing program. Look for a payback in 12-24 months. If your firm develops and implements an effective industry group-oriented marketing program, you’ll see great results for years to come.

Maintaining or renovating a home can be a very daunting task for most people. However, after all the hard work and investment in time and resources you have allocated for a home improvement project, the satisfaction of seeing a superbly crafted home that you can call your own can be priceless indeed. Such is the importance of choosing the best and most qualified contractor who is knowledgeable and capable enough to turn your vision into a remarkable work of art.When choosing a contractor for repairs or renovations for your home improvement project, it is vital that you first acquire all the important information about a particular contractor before ever committing in getting their services. You need to make sure that they are capable of performing all the inclusive work, including customized builds and improvements that you would want your home to have. To get all these pertinent information, you should ask your contractors a strategic set of questions designed to extract all the data that you will need. To help you start in this direction, you should ask the following set of questions:* Does the contractor have the appropriate knowledge and experience with the type of home improvement project that you have in mind?According to recent information from the industry, approximately 80 percent of contractors and builders are knowledgeable and are adequately trained in the latest construction and building techniques. However, even though they may have the training with these new techniques and the certifications to show for it (ex: techniques in energy-saving green building technologies, etc), their actual experience may have just been picked up or even achieved as they work on new projects. On some cases, the home renovation projects may involve a historic home with irreplaceable artifacts or sections. A contractor may not have the expertise in dealing with such a home nor could they match the craftsmanship involved with these historic masterpieces.* Is there an existing relationship between your contractor and architect/designer and have they worked together on a project before?For your home improvement project, you may take on the services of some of the best architects and interior designers in the whole of Massachusetts. To complement the expertise of these professionals, it is but proper to also get the services of the best contractors for the project. In such cases, it would be best to choose a contractor whom your architect or designer knows. They may be aware of the track record of these contractors and may be comfortable working with some that they can identify. With such arrangements, you can be assured of a timely completion of your project and in the manner that you envisioned it to be.* When you inquire something about the project, does the contractor communicate well with you?It is a normal thing for homeowners to ask something about a home remodeling project from their contractors. However, if all you get is a hasty answer without much details and it would appear that they want you off their faces, then be careful of such contractors. A good contractor should be receptive of the needs of their clients and should be ready to discuss every detail of the project should you ask for it.* Is the contractor experienced in working with your kind of home?A commercial construction is different from a home construction in terms of details and even on building and safety codes. The contractor should be adept in the type of home that you have, otherwise they might turn your priced possession into their laboratory for trial-and-error building methods.* How fast can the contractor start and how soon can they complete the job?Finding the best contractor is one thing, but having them start on your home as per schedule is another. You might be at the end of a long list of clients and would have to sit it out for months on end. You should weigh the urgency of having the work done as soon as possible or getting the services of the best contractor that you can get.* Is there a guarantee for their work after completion?A competent contractor will give you the assurance of an excellent renovation or repair work and will provide you with a guarantee on the work done. They should be confident enough of the quality of their work and give their clients the assurance that they need.Conducting a one-of-a-kind home improvement project for your Massachusetts home entails the best services from the best professionals available for the job. Taking a few extra moments in checking out your contractors before hiring them can spell the difference between a disastrous undertakings or a magnificent work of art you can call your home.

Certain food and drink allergies can make you very uncomfortable in few situations, keeping you always suspicious of what you are about to eat or drink. This can affect a human in a many different ways. Just think about it! How easy it is to have the same food every day you are already bored with? Well let me give you a clue, ”It’s NOT Easy.”Even worse factor is, in some of the cases when you were able to enjoy a certain food or drink, but in the meanwhile you have developed an allergic reaction to it. It surely is very unpleasant to hunger after a certain food and to resent it at the same time because you anticipate the disagreeable effects it will have on you.Food and Drink sensitivityThe way you get allergic reaction is when a specific enzymes in the product you are having can not tolerate some chemical or natural substance of it.The main symptoms are: gas, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, skin rash, headaches, and cough.From another point of view, allergy is an immune response to some allergens, or food proteins that generate the allergy, and has a partially different symptomatology: soft tissues (tongue, lips, eyelids, etc.) swelling lesions itches vomiting culminating anaphylactic shock.Most common Food generating allergies include milk, eggs, seafood, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and wheat.Aloeride effectivenessNow there is a easy way to regain the possibility of using food and drinks banned for long time from your diet. Few cases reports an increased tolerance to substances you could never even think to ingest again after undergoing terrible reactions to them. The fact that Aloeride performs on the immunity system guarantees that allergic reactions, as immunity responses to some mixtures found in food or drinks, can be dealt with. Using Aloeride for drink or food allergies doesn’t really mean you should go and grab everything you had allergy before with. It would be really irresponsible from your side, however Aloeride may actually surprise you, it offers you an opportunity to learn simple things like rightfully appreciated food, especially after a period of constant prohibition and frustration.