Building an ADR Practice

Lou ChangLou Chang

Mediator. Arbitrator. Neutral ServicesMediator. Arbitrator. Neutral Services

Recommendations for developing a practice

• Master your craft. Constantly seek to Master your craft. Constantly seek to strengthen & improve skills. strengthen & improve skills.

• Be passionate about your craftBe passionate about your craft• Strive for excellenceStrive for excellence• Nurture and protect your reputationNurture and protect your reputation• Be accessible, give it away to build Be accessible, give it away to build

experience, portfolio and contactsexperience, portfolio and contacts• Adopt a multiple irons in the fire strategyAdopt a multiple irons in the fire strategy

Recommendations-2

• Become the go-to person in the field. Write, Become the go-to person in the field. Write, network, teach, speak, promote.network, teach, speak, promote.

• Target desired market and niches and Target desired market and niches and develop conscious strategy to develop that develop conscious strategy to develop that direction.direction.

• Write down personal short, mid and long term Write down personal short, mid and long term goals/objectives. Review annually.goals/objectives. Review annually.

• Serve before you sellServe before you sell

Envision & Build Reputation

• Identify desired components of Identify desired components of reputation. Design your first impression.reputation. Design your first impression.

• Ethics. Guard your reputation.Ethics. Guard your reputation.

• QualityQuality

• Dependability, speed of service.Dependability, speed of service.

• AccessibilityAccessibility

• TenacityTenacity

Image & Appearance

• FF & E. Tools that enhance your imageFF & E. Tools that enhance your image

• Dress to deliver desired imageDress to deliver desired image

• AccessoriesAccessories

• OfficeOffice

Marketing Services

• Nike sells association with a sports star and Nike sells association with a sports star and technology more than a shoe.technology more than a shoe.

• FedEx sells confidence, not just delivery.FedEx sells confidence, not just delivery.• A care home sells peace of mind for the A care home sells peace of mind for the

family. family. ““Angels with heart.Angels with heart.””• What does a mediator/facilitator sell or What does a mediator/facilitator sell or

provide?provide?

Competition

• Be clear who your competition is. In its Be clear who your competition is. In its infancy, Southwest Airlines viewed long infancy, Southwest Airlines viewed long haul bus lines as its competition, not haul bus lines as its competition, not major air carriers.major air carriers.

• Who are the competitors of a Who are the competitors of a mediator/facilitator?mediator/facilitator?

• Be superior, not just good.Be superior, not just good.

Identify Niches

Identify target markets Identify target markets with specific need with specific need for your servicesfor your services

Be clear as to why Be clear as to why they will need and they will need and want your serviceswant your services

• SpecializeSpecialize• Focus on select Focus on select

fields where you can fields where you can excel and succeedexcel and succeed

Network

• Leverage your Leverage your network. Friends, network. Friends, family, associates, family, associates, professional professional colleagues, colleagues, organizations.organizations.

• Identify boosters, Identify boosters, mentors and build mentors and build from there.from there.

• Develop multiple Develop multiple sources.sources.

• Nurture your best Nurture your best referral sources.referral sources.

• Focus on opinion Focus on opinion makers, decision makers, decision makers and gate makers and gate keepers. Counselors, keepers. Counselors, therapists, clergy, therapists, clergy, lawyerslawyers……

Marketing: plan & execute - 1

Website, links & Website, links & internet internet prominenceprominence

Write articlesWrite articles Develop your Develop your unique brandunique brand

Blogs, chats, list Blogs, chats, list servesserves

Speaking Speaking engagementsengagements

Targeted ads. Targeted ads. Consistent with Consistent with brand. Linked to brand. Linked to website.website.

Email network. Be a Email network. Be a resource. Email resource. Email signature/website signature/website

Provide TrainingProvide Training Create buzzCreate buzz

Marketing: plan & execute- 2Logo, Letterhead Logo, Letterhead & card. & card. Professional Professional designdesign

Marketing Packet for Marketing Packet for website and website and physical copyphysical copy

Strategic Strategic Advertising Advertising specialtiesspecialties

One minute adOne minute ad Professional and Professional and civic organizations. civic organizations. Join, work, present, Join, work, present, network.network.

Panels, Referral Panels, Referral lists. Add new ones lists. Add new ones yearly.yearly.

One paragraph One paragraph bio or statementbio or statement

ResumeResume Adopt a marketing Adopt a marketing contact goal such contact goal such as 6 in 12as 6 in 12

Marketing: plan & execute -3

Maintain your Maintain your core referral core referral listlist

Keep in Keep in contact with contact with family, friends, family, friends, happy clientshappy clients

Develop Develop feedback feedback mechanismsmechanisms

Endorsements Endorsements & testimonials& testimonials

It can be It can be overdoneoverdone