The PM Forum is a 5,000 strong regionally-based members' association, formed in 1996, dedicated to raising the standards of professional services marketing and to enhancing the credibility of marketers working in professional service firms worldwide.

Committee members

Regional Director: Hilary Campton,
V Formation

Regional Chair: Simon McNidder,
Pinsent Masons

Perry Buck,
HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP

Diane Wood,
Diane Wood PR

Yvonne Allen,
Knights Solicitors LLP

Katie Rice,
M Consulting

Client research

Thursday 17 September 2009 - Lunch

Change is a continual theme in the current climate and clients are very much at the heart of firm focus and activity. As business priorities change, so too do client needs and firms must be well positioned to adapt offerings and service delivery to meet them.

Procurement functions are becoming more regularly involved in firm selection and strategies are changing in how external advisors are managed. Panel reviews and pitches are a common occurrence, competition is fierce and price/value an area everyone is looking closely at.

Effective client research requires skill and in this workshop we will be looking at:

• How to maximise your client interactions and extract deep insight
• Topical client questioning themes
• Transaction versus relationship research
• Setting and tracking KPI's and advanced analysis techniques
• The importance of research follow up and conversion into fees

Jo Summers is a director at Acritas, professional and financial services market research specialists. She has eight year's experience of running ongoing strategic client feedback programmes on behalf of professional services firms internationally. She has personally interviewed over 300 key clients, extracting actionable insight to direct future improvements. Jo is Market Research Society trained.

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For more information download a booking form

Key Account Management

Thursday 25 November 2009 - Lunch

Nurturing Key Accounts provides a chance for strong marketers to shine.Yet, within professional firms a number of obstacles can be thrown in your path.

This practical session will dissect case studies to highlight a number of Key Account ideas - and why some initiatives fly, while others die. It will provide tips and insight on how to look after your crown jewels, even when colleagues are being ineffective or even obstructive.

Delegates are invited to bring along any scenarios that are taxing their minds so that they can be analysed during interactive sessions.They will also be provided with templates for team meetings, account plans and relationship maps which they can take with them.

Topics covered include:

• Higher intelligence and Trojan horses - rare research tools that work
• The jewellery box - how to select and arrange your most precious clients
• Quick wins for shining on Key Accounts - organise for results without the grunt work
• Growing from a transactional supplier to a partnership of equals
• Teenage years and account management - from self-obsession to committed relationships
• Psychological pitfalls and how to avoid them
• Choosing account plans, relationship maps and communication tools that work

Peter Kane is the founder of The BD Consultancy, www.thebdconsultancy.com, a firm that provides training and advice for Professionals. He previously ran Key Account programmes for Deloitte where he drove accounts ranging from mid-market prospects to FTSE 100 clients. A qualified lawyer and chartered marketer, Peter enjoys planning elaborate strategies, but prefers helping firms to execute simple ideas well.

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For more information download a booking form