[Fredslist] Need advice on joint marketing efforts

[Jane Beddall]

Hello, Gotham -

I am hoping for your sage advice and wise counsel!

I have been approached about joining three fellow ADR (alternative dispute resolution) professionals to create a "group", with the primary purpose of marketing. I believe that, currently, our practices overlap very little. (None of us has ever practiced divorce mediation and none intends to - there is much more to mediation and ADR than divorcing couples!)

I agreed to meet for lunch next week. At this point, I don't know too much, except that the impetus may be an interest in moving into new areas of ADR. Creating a website was mentioned.

What thoughts can you share? Pros? Cons? Pitfalls? Does this kind of thing tend to pay off, generally? Only in certain circumstances (which ones?) How long a commitment to the plan makes sense when starting out? What questions should I be raising with these folks?

Thank you in advance.

(Gotham New  Haven: Thank you again for your insights involving a situation with another mediator altogether, where the "please help me out" referral morphed into referral with "administrative fee" and seemed to be moving toward my work as a subcontractor of some sort before I bowed out. Somewhat gracefully. Definitely firmly.)

Warm regards,

Jane

Jane Beddall, M.A., J.D.
Dovetail Resolutions, LLC
203.887.1160
33 Dixwell Ave. #214
New Haven, CT 06511
jb at dovetailresolutions.com<mailto:jb at dovetailresolutions.com>
www.dovetailresolutions.com<http://www.dovetailresolutions.com>
www.linkedin.com/in/janebeddall<http://www.linkedin.com/in/janebeddall>
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