Walker Clark
Worldview Archives
What is the one thing that your firm must get right next year?
As Walker Clark clients approach the end of 2016, which for most of them also is the end of their fiscal year, we have noticed a wide range of questions and discussions about the issues that they will face in 2017. Most of their concerns -—and most of the requests for our services — at this time of the year cluster around seven common themes.
In many cases, our clients express these issues in terms such as "We have to decide what to do about this before we move into 2017." This is especially important for small and midsize firms, which typically have less tolerance for management and business development vulnerabilities than do larger firms.
Looking Back to Look Forward
As law firms begin a new fiscal year, whether in January or at some other point in the calendar, most of them overlook one of their most powerful and reliable planning resources, last year's performance. Year-end financial data and the collective experiences of a firm's partners can help detect the probable causes of serious, often chronic, strategic, financial, and operational issues.
Three Suggestions for Planning for the New Year
For law firms about to begin their 2015 fiscal year, this is when they should be putting the finishing touches on their business plans and marketing plans for the new year.
This post offers a few suggestions on business planning and marketing planning. If you adopt even one of these ideas, you will significantly improve the probability of successful results.
