Compiled by Leslie Valenza, vice president of content client services at Poston Communications
Q: What professional goal do you most want to accomplish in 2022?
Rebeca Ervin, director of brand and content marketing at Covington & Burling
The pandemic has really underscored the importance of maintaining a sense of community with those around us. As I look forward to 2022, my goal is to be a more active member of LMA as a way to expand my industry network, connect with other professionals of color and continue evolving as a legal marketer.
Heather Reid, chief business development and marketing officer at Miles & Stockbridge
My professional New Year’s Resolution is to focus on incremental daily progress because that is actually what causes transformation. Showing up, every single day, doing what you say you are going to do, listening for feedback on how to do it differently tomorrow, building the personal connections, laying the groundwork – this understated, and oftentimes unglamorous work, is how your life (and your career) changes. Focus on the small changes – they add up to big happiness.
Rachel Shields Williams, director of knowledge management technology at Sidley Austin
My biggest professional goal for 2022 is to continue to change the way law firms share and structure data. That in turn will allow us as an industry to grow our analytics from descriptive analysis to more predictive analysis.
Q: What marketing / communications / BD tool or resource are you most interested in using for the first time in 2022?
Ashley (Poindexter) Elliott, business and competitive intelligence manager at Troutman Pepper
In 2022, I look forward to testing new tools and resources (like Thomson Reuters Market Insights and ALM's Firm Performance reports) to analyze firm performance and trends across key markets. Providing executive-level insights and advisory content in support of firm strategy at the department level is a top priority for our competitive intelligence and strategic marketing efforts.
Trina Schultz Vogel, senior digital technology analyst at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
I’m interested in exploring and using more of the capabilities of our new CRM. There are several integrations that are new to our team, and I’m excited to leverage new technology to the benefit of our team and firm.
Q: What existing marketing initiative would you like to “take to the next level” next year?
Andrew Brennan, senior manager of business development at McGuireWoods
Two years ago, after recognizing that experience is one of the best tools for predicting fees, McGuireWoods professionals collaborated to develop an innovative deal pricing matrix. By tracking particular deal points for each transaction completed by the firm, this continually updated, custom database allows the firm to provide greater fee predictability for clients and garner new work by analyzing comparable transactions. Today, the database includes nearly 1,000 deals thereby narrowing fee ranges and increasing confidence in estimates. In the next year, I would like to further leverage the deal pricing matrix when estimating fees for transactions and analyze the data to identify ways to more efficiently staff deal teams.
Kathryn Santerre, senior manager of client and industry teams at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton
We are excited to launch an expanded client experience initiative in 2022. The program will elevate our client experience across the full spectrum of touchpoints, from the initial RFP and pitch process to client communications with lawyers and staff, and even billing. We are working to enhance the client experience beyond our substantive legal work and throughout the entire client journey.