Know Your Product &
Promote It
by Rose M.P. Carter
PP, RP
Marketing Director
How well do we know about the services provided by NALS? If
your answer is “not much or nothing,” then this article
will help point us in the right direction as well as refresh
our memories.
When we share with others about NALS, in essence we are
“Marketing.” It’s similar to when we speak of a hit
song from our favorite artist or the delicious food we
consumed at our favorite restaurant, the clothes that we
wear and the list goes on. Marketing simply means
the promotion of products or services. For NALS,
our product is the service that we provide to members or
potential members.
Marketing is a social process which satisfies consumers'
wants, or in our case what members or potential members
want. Good marketing is derived from knowledge of
what our members or potential members need or want.
In marketing, there are 4Ps to consider which are: Product,
Price, Place and Promotion. For the purposes of this
article, we will focus only on “Product and Promotion.” [See, http://nalsmarketing.blogspot.com --
NALS Marketing Blog for more information about Marketing
and to subscribe to be notified when updates are made.]
NALS has a strategic committee to handle the inbound strategizing
and marketing, including conducting research of what the
members and potential members want as well as to determine
a target market, competitors, new opportunities and programs
for the growth of the association. The other functional
committees such as Marketing, Education, Certification
and Membership exist to help facilitate the programs that
are currently in place and for future programs.
So, how do we market NALS? The best and most powerful
resource is the NALS website at www.NALS.org. In
this day and age, technology is vast and unlimited. The
NALS website has everything one needs to know about NALS
and what it provides. We do not need to travel far
to obtain continuing legal education. NALS has free
online education. The networking is convenient and
instantaneous with technology. Have you ever tried
the online community? (http://nals.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php) Of
course, there is no comparison to actually attending an
educational or professional development conference. Participating
and attending the NALS’ conferences are still the best
way to achieve your goals and return to work with valuable
information for you and your employer. The experience
is priceless and one that cannot be expressed or shared
with others if one has not attended a NALS conference,
participated in an online educational session or taken
one of the three NALS Certification exams. NALS also
has a Marketing Tool Kit as a resource for marketing your
association. It comes complete with form letters
and helpful tips. Most importantly, it is very simple
to download from the website. These are only a few
of the services that NALS provides. Take the time
to peruse the website and you will be amazed!
The best “marketing” is personally experiencing or gaining
knowledge of our association and enthusiastically sharing
it with others. “Word of mouth” is the best advertising
and marketing for any product or service. Your experiences
are what matters to others. For instance, how did
it affect you and what impact it had on your job and with
your employer. When we have mastered our product
(NALS services), gained knowledge, believe and have used
the services that NALS provides, then and only then can
we truly promote NALS.
In summary, the NALS Mission Statement emphasizes its
product (services) and our members promote it. NALS
has dedicated many years to its members in providing the
best products (services) and will continue to do so. However,
like any other product, it is only helpful if it is used
and used properly.
NALS is dedicated to enhancing the competencies and contributions
of members in the legal services profession. NALS accomplishes
its mission and supports the public interest through:
- Continuing legal education and resource materials;
- Networking opportunities at the local, state, regional,
and national levels;
- Commitment to a Code of Ethics and professional standards;
Professional certification programs and designations.
