“I would like to thank Ed Poll for his recommendations in the Secrets of the Business Law and The Profitable Law Office Handbook. I had already implemented several of the recommendations suggested in his Secrets of the Business Law even before reading your book and it was nice to know that I have been doing some things correctly. I intend to implement many of the other recommendations he has made, and I am recommending his books to several of my colleagues.”
– John C. Mullin, Jr.
PART I: Preparing to Create Your Business Plan
1. Understand the Basics of Business Planning
2. Anticipate How to Overcome Resistance
3. Identify Who Needs to Create the Plan
4. Plot Out Planning Meeting Logistics in Advance
5. Gather Relevant Information to Guide the Planning Group
Form I.A. Law Firm Economic Survey
PART II: Setting Goals for Your Practice
II.1. Understand the Goal-Setting Process
II.2. Have the Participants Complete Questionnaires About Personal and Firm Goals
II.3. Use the Law Firm Questionnaires to Build an Action Plan at the First Meeting
Form II.A Personal/Professional Goals Questionnaire
Form II.B Law Firm Goals Questionnaire
PART III: Creating the Marketing Plan
III.1. Understand the Marketing Planning Process
III.2. Gather Information About the Firm’s Current Situation and the Legal Market
III.3. Identify Your Target Clients and What You Must Provide to Them
III.4. Identify Methods You Might Use to Reach Your Targets
III.5. Produce the Marketing Plan
III.6. Implement the Marketing Plan and Evaluate Results
Form III.A Marketing Situation Questionnaire
Form III.B Marketing Activity Checklist
Form III.C Marketing Strategy Grid
Form III.D Marketing Action Plan
PART IV: Creating the Cash Flow Statement
IV.1. Understand the Cash Flow Statement
IV.2. Create the Collected Revenue Cash Flow Form
IV.3. Create the Paid Expenses Cash Flow Form
IV.4. Create the Summary Cash Flow Form
IV.5. Review Cash Flow Forms and Adjust Where Necessary
Form IV.A Cash Flow Projection: Collected Revenue
Form IV.B Cash Flow Projection: Paid Expenses
Form IV.C Cash Flow Projection Summary
PART V: After Creating the Business Plan
V.1. Evaluate the Plan on an Ongoing Basis
V.2. Modify the Plan As Circumstances Change
V.3. Determine If the Plan Is Working Overall
V.4. Continue to Evaluate, Adjust and Revise
Form V.A Collected Revenue Variance Report
Form V.B Paid Expenses Variance Report
Appendices
Appendix A. Commonly Used Accounting Terms
Appendix B. Additional Resources