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Are you living the lie? Struggling to get mediation clients?
10 November 2006In a provocatively titled article,
“Stop Living the Lie! You Can Earn a Living as a Professional Mediator, Even Where the Courts Offer Mediation for Free,” Philip Mulford, a Virginia mediator challenges mediators to stop ”making” the judiciary/court system “responsible for our livelihood” and “stop blaming it for our lack of standing as a profession.”
He challenges mediators to make the commitment to become “professional mediators.”
In true mediator fashion, he asks “what if” questions to expand our minds, imagination and the realm of what is possible:
”What would happen if we stopped making the legal/judicial system responsible for our livelihood and stopped blaming it for mediation’s lack of standing as a profession? What if we decided that professional mediators should attract clients before those clients resort to the legal/judicial system?”
He then goes on to say what these choices would require of us:
“That would require independent, professional marketing and advertising efforts to educate the market. It would entail the risk of private sector entrepreneurship. It would require developing a professional reputation so you would be seen as an appropriate alternative to the other professionals, such as attorneys, that the public now views as its only option. Creating a professional reputation will require educating the public through public speaking, writing articles, and offering seminars. It would require developing a professional reputation so you would be seen as an appropriate alternative to the other professionals, such as attorneys, that the public now views as its only option.
He goes on to say how many referral sources for mediation think they know when a case is “appropriate” for mediation and when it is not. Mr. Milford educates lawyers, judges and therapists to think more broadly about the applicability of mediation to their cases.
Bravo! Indeed, I agree wholeheartedly with many of Philip Mulford’s comments. Here are some of my thoughts:
1) It is possible for you to make a substantial living helping people resolve conflict. You must believe this and operate from this empowered mindset not the disempowered “victim” mindset that “no one can make mediation their day job.” We must apply our mediation skills to our own lives and businesses!
2) In order to do so you must treat your practice as a business.
3) The most important aspect of your business is your marketing and business development efforts (yeah, technical mastery is necessary too, but you can be a great mediator and still be starving for clients!). No clients = no business.
4) Many mediators think that they are doing everything “right.” They write articles for mediate.com, they network, they give a talk here and there, yet they are still starving for clients. Listen, marketing is a process and it needs to be approached in a strategic, systematic fashion. Random marketing acts aimed at the sky are not going to land you new business.
5) Marketing of your mediation services does not involve selling. Providing value and educating your prospects with useful information and resources is the way to go.
6) The need to market never goes away — even the best, most successful mediators in the country have to spend time marketing themselves and their practices.
7) You can do this if you really want to. It will take time, money, effort and a powerful commitment but if you want to build your dream mediation/ADR practice and are willing to do what it takes, you can make it happen.
If you are serious about making mediation or conflict management your day job do what Philip Mulford suggests: take responsibility and ownership for making it happen in your life. Spend the time and money learning how to professionally market. You won’t regret it.
As Michael Gerber taught in E-Myth, you must work “on your business” not “in it.” If you make your marketing congruent with your mediation skills you may just find that marketing your practice is just as fun as working in it.
NEVER GIVE UP!
Your partner in peace,
Kristina Haymes
p.s. if you are serious about building your dream practice, go to www.mediationmarketingsecrets.com and learn the marketing secrets of world class mediators.
Also, coming soon: Mediation Success Coaching Groups, stay tuned.
Posted in Keys to Inner Mastery, Marketing Strategies, Practice Building Advice
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