AEIOU: A Framework for Business Plans That Attorneys Will Actually Use

Most attorney business plans fail before they’re written. They fail in the design of the exercise: a blank template, a submission deadline, and an instruction to describe goals for the coming year. Nine months later, the plan is a forgotten file on a shared drive, and marketing is drafting the same template for next year’s cycle. AEIOU (Audit, Embed Experience, Act Intentionally, Originate, Utilize) is a five-part alternative built around that sequencing. It replaces the blank page with five decisions an attorney can make in a single working session.

8 minute read July 31, 2026 at 11:11 PM
By
Mike Mellor
AEIOU: A Framework for Business Plans That Attorneys Will Actually Use

Most attorney business plans fail before they’re written. They fail in the design of the exercise: a blank template, a submission deadline, and an instruction to describe goals for the coming year.

This premium content is locked for Marketing the Law Firm subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN Marketing the Law Firm

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Agentic AI introduces risks that are novel and complex, but the most effective response is a familiar one. Zero Trust answers the problem of when an AI agent misfires on its own by constraining what an agent can do rather than betting on how it will behave.

July 31, 2026

The outsourcing of office and administrative services is expected to grow 50%-60% in the next five years. Contrary to what decision-makers think, and what the service providers hope you think, the biggest risk in outsourcing isn't choosing the wrong provider. It's outsourcing the wrong process, under the wrong model, with the wrong performance measures and contract terms.

July 31, 2026