mediator blah...blah...: Two interesting questions

The secret is out mediation has the potential to be a million dollar business.

Stop, and read that again. What a powerfully motivating statement. I get teary just thinking about how much good that means in the world.

Count Me In

I glean a lot of valuable information from the small business and women entrepreneur markets but we have a sort of love/hate relationship. Wonk that I am, I love pouring over articles for business principles that can be applied to mediators. But, it annoys me to have to 'read between the lines' and extrapolate so much.

So when I read that Count Me In, the leading national non-profit for micro-loans for women entrepreneurs, selected a mediation practice as one of the winners in it's Make Mine A Million Program you know THAT got my interest. The program goal is to inspire a million women entrepreneurs to develop businesses that reach 1 million in annual revenues by 2010. I'm intending to be one of them, and I hope you are, too.

Peace Talks

Diana Mercer, Esq. and Tara Fass, LMFT run Peace Talks, a multi-disciplinary mediation practice servicing family and divorce clients, which won the honor. (not only did they get bragging rights, they got mentors, money and a wonderful community) I was so excited at the news I called Diana immediately.

Although I was nearly tongue-tied with admiration, I managed to convince her and Tara to do an interview with me. The notion of a holistic practice combining the knowledge a therapist and attorney makes a ton of sense to me. (I'm an affiliate for the Boston Law Collaborative, a blended practice in Boston) The question for many practitioners, perhaps even you, is how do you do that successfully? Happily, these dynamic women will share their insights with us.

TELESEMINAR

Day in the Life: Diana Mercer, Esq. and Tara Fass, LMFT of Peace-Talks.com

February 11 at 10 am PST/1 pm EST

This is going to be a popular call for family/divorce folks so
you may want to register now. Also, there'll a slight increase in tuition after 12/31 so you'll save a few bucks by signing up now.

Thanks Geoff

And, you can read Diana's thoughts on practice on a recent post by Geoff Sharp. Click here to read mediator blah...blah...: Two interesting practice questions

Try. Fail. Learn. Grow! Dina

Better than Papelbon: What's Your Best Elevator Pitch?

Nobody likes doing an elevator pitch. It's nerve-wracking. A bit embarrassing. And, surely you never quite get out all the words you practiced for so long. And, yet... if you nail that 30 seconds of flirtation, new clients and connections await you.

Pitching Greatness

I'm sure Jon Papelbon would agree that pitching greatness is a art and science- in baseball and in business.

I'm thinking about the difference between a boring elevator pitch that outlines services, locations, cost savings, etc and a crisp, humorous pitch that catchs my attention and imagination. On October 25th, I'm hosting a call, Elevator Pitches Made Easy, for mediators to take their best shot and get just-in-time feedback. The best pitches- definitely, the ones that make me say hmmm- are provocative. Compelling pitches draw me into the conversation further with just a few well chosen words until I'm asking questions and thinking about next steps.

The analogy that comes to mind for me is seduction. Although that word has a pretty racy past, the dictionary describes it as ' deliberately enticing someone into an act'. Getting clients to work with you as their mediator could be considered a seduction. And, if that's the case it makes figuring out your pitch a lot more fun, I think.

Help Sharpen My Ears


As the 25th approaches, I feel the need to perk up my ears. So, here's a serious invitation. You are cordially invited to add your very best elevator pitch to my comment section. I'll get a tune up and you'll get a exposure for your website and maybe even some on the fly coaching! Add your pitch below now!

Try. Fail. Learn. Grow!

Dina


PS as a little fall fling, I'm bundling One Page Business Plan with Elevator Pitches Made Easy. Register for both for just $65

Let's Stay Together: Marital Mediation Practice

An attorney in Chicago recently posted a billboard that says, 'Life is short. Get a Divorce'. Certainly that resonates with some people, but Laurie Israel finds that some married couples are searching for new ways to stay together.

Laurie, an attorney and divorce mediator in Brookline, MA, expanded her practice to include 'mediation to stay married' and shared her experiences during a recent teleseminar, Building a Marital Mediation Practice. Here are a few of Laurie's insights for creating this type of practice:

• Be passionate about the types of problems you want to assist couples to resolve
  
  
• Being married or divorced isn't a pre-requisite but it builds understanding and awareness
  
  
• Surround yourself with responsible practitioners like mental health professionals, attorneys who can supplement/compliment your expertise
  
  
• Market by writing articles and speaking as much as you can. You never know where new clients will come from

The discussion was far-reaching and included Laurie's philosophy of 'mediating in the shadow of the law'. The audio recording of the call is available on ADRPracticebuilder.com in the Marketplace.

Try. Fail. Learn. Grow!

Dina

School Vacation and Mediation

It's almost that time of year again when mothers and fathers wrack their brains for things for the kids to do while on vacation.

Newspapers and other publications like blogs, ezines, etc are also wracking their brains for content about school vacation. Family mediators, here's your chance to raise your credibility and visibility . Write an article or two.

Topics for School Vacation Week

Here are a few titles that spring to mind:

• Mom as Mediator
  
  
• Movies or Hike: Negotiate Family Outings Without Fighting
  
  
• Mom, I'm Bored: Brainstorming Fun Things to Do
  

If you're feeling stuck, feel free to use one of these titles.

Writing for $$: Article Marketing with Bonnie Jo Davis

Better yet, please join us for a 60 minute, interactive session with Bonnie Jo Davis of Articlesthatsell.com on April 26, 2007 at 2 p.m.EDT
Register now

Bonnie is an amazing resource with great ideas on how to generate article topics, where and how to post articles and more. Even better, she has a database and provides publication services.

Article marketing is a simple yet highly effective way to build your practice. We had a great turnout with this call last year, so why not register now!

Try. Fail. Learn. Grow!
Dina

What Problems are You Solving with Mediation?

Niche, niche, niche. You've heard me say it before- creating a niche practice is a very effective marketing strategy that distinguishes your practice from the crowd and attacts potential clients. (If you haven't begun to investigate a niche, now is the time to start, people.)

Refine Your Niche

Once you have answered the 4 questions and evaluated your niche, you're not done yet. You need to refine your niche further by articulating what specific problem you can be helpful in solving.

(Don't know the 4 questions? Join our next free teleseminar on May 7th at 12:30 p.m. by visiting ADRPracticebuilder.com

Why? Because mediation consumers, otherwise known as parties, are interested in solutions, not process per se. Your goal is to articulate their problems so well that they clearly understand that you can provide a way to reach the solution.

Let's look closer. Suppose you decide to be a family mediator. Great. Your niche is custody issues. Wonderful. But as a consumer I won't choose you unless I know that you can solve the type of issue I'm facing like who is the final decision-maker regarding college selection, for instance. Your marketing materials should speak to the specific custody problems you address. That way, I can 'see myself and my problem' and select you because you've demonstrated via your content that you can offer my desired outcome or solution.

Laurie Israel of Mediationtostaymarried.com

Laurie, a dear friend and colleague of mine, is a real-life example of a mediator who not only has a unqiue niche but does a great job of letting potential clients know who exactly will benefit from working with her. Her website is a primer on how to articulate your mission and solution to consumers.

Here's why it works so well

1. A warm, inviting picture that suggests Laurie will be good to work with
   
   
2. Her mission statement tells me who she works with- couples who want to work on their marriage- and why
   
   
3. Subheadings offer clarity- Legal Help for Married Couples
   
   
4. Bullet points and case studies add more detail on what problems she solves, i.e. differing spending patterns or challenges in second marriages

Talk with Laurie

Visit her site to see exactly what I mean. Better yet, Laurie has agreed to be my guest during an interview on Thursday, April 23, 2007 at 1 p.m. EDT
She'll share her thoughts on this particular niche and how she built it.

Family or divorce mediators, this interactive interview offers marketing insights you so register early!

Try. Fail. Learn. Grow!

Dina

The Hidden Gems of Pricing Mediation Services

It's ok to have a low fee, according to my guest, Rafi Mohammed, author of The Art of Pricing, so long as it's the bottom of your pricing range. That's one of the gems we learned during the Art of Pricing Call last month.

Setting fees remains a challenge for most mediators including me. Our group wrestled with tricky issues like how to explain differing fees for the same services to clients, and how to articulate the value you bring to distinguish your mediation practice from others.

Rafi also showed us some techniques to avoiding jumping into a pricing conversation with potential clients too soon. (Ask clarifying questions and for time before setting a price) It was a rich conversation, and honestly, I'd count Rafi as one of us. He's a marvelous listener and knows his stuff (he's been an expert on pricing for 17 years and his website, PricingForProfit.com has loads of useful information).

Because we just scratched the surface, I'm hosting another call, The Art of Pricing, Pt2 this Monday, April 9 at 1 p.m. EST.

As a group, we'll review the three concepts of versioning, unbundling and segment-based pricing and spend time talking about retainer and fixed price fees. And, because having 'can do' confidence is key, I'll reveal the formula I use to make the overwhelming seem absolutely doable. The real benefit,of course, is being able to talk about this sticky subject with other mediators which rarely happens.

Haven't read the book? No worries. Pick up The Art of Pricing at Amazon and register anyway.

Try. Fail. Learn. Prosper!

Dina

Become an Ombuds

Ombuds are everywhere, and making news!

Recently, Senator Grassley requested a briefing from the Ombuds at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The external consulting firm that provides the services to CDSP, which has experienced low morale and turnovers, declined the invitation. The contest of wills that's developing will impact the way Ombuds interact and practice for years to come. You can read the Atlantic Journal story here.

More about the lives of Ombuds

Curious about what Ombuds do when they're not fending off challenges to confidentiality? On March 29th I'll have the distinct honor of interviewing two highly skilled Ombuds who will discuss their career paths and the future of the profession. (Unfortunately, our third guest isn't able to join us)

Toni Robinson has had several interesting turns as she journeyed from external Ombuds consultant for a large corporate client to being an academic Ombuds at MIT.

Jane Bermont holds a unique position as external Ombuds for a law firm and has experienced the challenges and joys of being an Ombuds during a merger.


If you've ever considered becoming an Ombuds, don't miss your chance to talk to two fine practitioners on Thursday, March 29 from 11-12 noon EST! Sign up here!

And, definitely start reading Tom Kosakowski's blog that covers all things Ombuds.

Try. Fail. Learn. Grow!

Dina

Thanks-3 Keys to Making Money as a Mediator

Remember how I said I wanted this year to be about surrendipity and intention? Thanks for giving me a great big surprise, one I could never have predicted.

Tomorrow I'm hosting my teleseminar, 3 Keys for Making Money as a Mediator (otherwise known as 3 Keys for Unlocking Mediator Income) in conjunction with Julie Denny, who is president of the Greater New York Chapter of ACR. Julie and I expected about 30 or so of her folks to join us to talk about the three marketing actions that can support and grow a mediation practice.

Well, that's where intention and the universe took over...

There are over 350 registrants and the list continues to grow. Amazing.

Colleagues ask me how I did that. Sure, I can take some of the credit. This topic really resonates with mediators and other ADR types. I generally practice what I preach so I used the techniques I know to attract my niche. And, the price is right.

But, the real credit goes to friends and colleagues who reached out with help and encouragement, who spread the word, who registered! Thanks to everyone.

What does this mean to you? Put your intentions into the universe. Say, think, dream about how you want to live your life and then everyday take some step-small or large- to manifest it into reality. You'll get back everything you put in and a whole lot more!

By the way, you're welcome to join us Tuesday at 9 a.m. I plan to send out my last batch of instructions today at 3 p.m. so you have until then to register by email.

Try. Fail. Learn. Be Astonished

Dina