The time has come to start thinking about creating your 2010 marketing and business development plan. Didn’t have one in 2009 (or in 2008 for that matter!)? It doesn’t matter. 2010 is the year to start.

The world has changed and it is essential to figure out where you’re going and what you need to do to get there. To operate in this new environment you need to be strategic… business isn’t going to simply fall from the sky. Consider this: According to a 2006 Managing Partner Forum audience survey, 82% of law firms with a plan reported a direct correlation between planning and profitability. And while the survey may apply to law firms as a whole, those plans began with lawyers, were carried out by the lawyers and were measured on lawyer results. So, whether firm-wide or individual, the lesson here is: You. Need. A. Plan.

So, I will write a SPECIAL SERIES… devoting the next few weeks of In Black & White to the questions and strategies that encompass writing an effective marketing and business development plan. Subscribe today and have my bi-weekly commentary delivered directly to your inbox!

To begin with, let’s see how many of you have been writing individual marketing and business development plans…

Where do you stand when it comes to your marketing and business development strategy?(opinion)