HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL
“Business-ing = The process of turning every job into a business, every worker into a
businessperson, a business unit of one.”
—Tom Peters, CIRCLE OF INNOVATIONDeveloping a marketing plan for your internal professional services group needs the involve-
ment and support of all members in the group. If you don’t provide enough structure, people
will feel there is no mechanism or process through which they can contribute to developing
the marketing plan. On the other hand, if you provide too much detail and structure, people
will think “It’s a done deal” and their contribution is not required. We suggest this minimal
level of structure for preparing a marketing plan. (Some of these steps will need adjustment
depending on the size of your professional services group.)
WEB WORKSHEET
- Present the benefits for preparing a marketing plan. [☛9.7 Selling Wheel]
- As the group’s leader, define your givens—your overall goals for having a marketing
plan, the minimum specifications of the marketing plan (e.g., “We must continue to
service the Northern Operations Business Unit”), and elements of the process that must
be used in developing the marketing plan (e.g., “We will need to involve all senior ser-
vice professionals in our group; our clients need to be consulted”). [☛2.3 Directional
Statements, 2.7 Goal Statements] - Explain and discuss your thinking with members of your internal services group. Ask
key members (or all members) to challenge and refine your givens, and to add their
own ideas. - Prepare a first draft of the marketing plan (either alone or with the help of others).
- Next, have the group come together as a whole to review drafts of the marketing plan,
test assumptions, develop refinements, and seek synergies. [☛10.7 Getting Participa-
tion] - Depending on the size of your group, you may wish to form a task force representing
all stakeholders inside your group, to work on further developing the marketing plan. - The task force can then prepare a final draft. However, this draft should have full group
support. - Finally, you or your task force need to go out and talk with your clients and further
refine your plan.
SECTION 3 TOOLS FORSTRATEGICTHINKING 97
Integrate
this strategy
into a
marketing
plan.➟
✔ What are the long-term marketing goals for your internal professional service group?
✔ What are the short-term marketing goals for your group?
✔ What is your plan for marketing your group’s professional services?
✔ How will you communicate with your clients in a way that supports their acceptance?
✔ How will you get feedback in order to take corrective action on the inevitable problems
that will crop up as you implement your new marketing plan?