10 Tips to Network Successfully for Lawyers and Other Professionals

Networking is the art of conversing with people reciprocally, where a conversation is an exchange of ideas, leads, and/or suggestions that support the professional and personal lives of both parties.

1. The best networkers do not attend networking events with a “What’s in it for me (WIFM)?” mentality. Rather, they approach networking with a “What’s in it for them (WIFT)?” mentality, i.e., focusing on how they can be helpful and/or useful to other people.
2. They focus on treating other attendees as people, not as contacts who can do something for them.
3. They focus on being sincerely interested in other people.
4. Before attending, they have a plan and approach for capture any new business contacts and important conversations by inputting that information into their automated contact systems and/or connecting to those contacts on LinkedIn and other relevant social media.
5. When attending events and conferences, they plan ahead to mingle and circulate.
6. They are friendly and open, focusing on listening to people, one on one, and with sincere interest.
7. They pay attention by listening to understand another’s perspective. They listen with their eyes and ears, and remember and/or take note of what they discussed, heard about, and learned. They listen for commonalities and mutual interests, and expand upon them.
8. They are open to serendipity, things that happen coincidentally, or what they hear/learn about unexpectedly.
9. They are disciplined with initiating follow-up and following through.
10. They thank and/or acknowledge everyone who has given them their time, ideas, leads, resources, referrals, word of mouth, etc., and stay in touch.

Two Best Ways for Lawyers and Law Firms to Generate New Business

 1. Generate “leads” from marketing activities such as seminars, newsletters, and websites. What is a “lead”? It is a client or prospective client who demonstrates interest in a legal subject. Often, leads come in the form of questions, such as: “Does your firm have a written employment policy for family leave?” There is a reason the clients/prospects asked this question – they usually have a need.

This “lead” is the beginning of a ball of string; what is yet to be determined is how big that ball of string is. The only way to determine how big the need is (or how big the whole ball of string is) is to make appropriate inquiries. Show concern and interest in why the question was asked. Adopt an “I want to be helpful” attitude. Skilled rainmakers – ones who have a natural gift of building relationships quickly, establishing trust and confidence – often consistently convert leads into new revenues. Conversion is the process of taking a “lead” and changing it into a retainer and/or opening of a new matter memo.

2.  Follow up using direct communications with existing clients or prospects. These are communications that come in only four main forms – in person, by telephone, in writing, and by computer/email. A prospective client may attend a law firm’s seminar on “Protecting Intellectual Property Assets.” But someone from the firm must subsequently take the time to talk with the prospective client, establish a relationship, and develop a level of trust and confidence. Then, as appropriate, learn about the business method patents the prospect’s company may have; there is very little chance the prospective client will hire the law firm after simply attending the seminar alone. It is critical to initiate staying in touch over time using a variety of communication methods.

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