Holiday Networking Tips
Many lawyers think of December as a time when people are harder to reach, decisions get postponed and less work gets done. That may be true for some, but it’s also a time filled with opportunities for marketing your practice, looking for new career opportunities, and deepening or expanding your network of useful resources.
No, I am not suggesting that you hawk your wares or pass out your resume at holiday parties. I am suggesting that you take full advantage of this opportunity to meet and reconnect with people who you may not have access to the rest of the year.
Whether you just love socializing or avoid big gatherings whenever possible, here are some tips that can make your holiday networking more productive:
1. Plan ahead. To optimize these opportunities, think now about how you might answer some of the typical questions, such as “What do you do?” Re-read my article Get Remembered published in The Practice Manager in June 2007 so you won’t give a dull and forgettable response. Don’t lead with “I’m a lawyer.” People tend to stop listening after that because they’ve filed you in a category in their brain. Lead with who you help and how. Have one or two very brief (two sentence) success stories in mind that you can use to illustrate how you do that.
2. Dress well. If you want to court business and instill confidence in your abilities, look successful and even festive, but not flashy. Don’t wear a slinky, low cut dress if you want people to pay attention to what you have to say. Wear something with pockets, if possible. Store your business cards in one pocket and stash cards you receive in the other.
3. Ask thoughtful questions. People who dread large parties and networking events usually fear awkward or shallow conversations. You can avoid that by thinking ahead about a few questions you can ask to stimulate a more interesting and in-depth conversation. You might ask a variation of one of these:
1) Hurricane Ike;
2) the economy;
3) fluctuating gas prices;
4) the recent election;
5) the holidays: or
6) other current events?
Notice that questions about work or business may lead to information indicating how you can be of service.
4. Have the intent to help someone. You’ll feel more at ease and have more fun if your focus is on being helpful, rather than on how you look to others. You can make introductions, point out the bar or the tastiest hors d’oeuvres, or share information about useful resources when needs surface in a conversation. You can start a conversation with someone standing alone. Imagine that you are the host to get in the right frame of mind for being helpful and at ease.
5. Take notes and follow-up. If someone gives you a business card, discreetly write on the back of it. Occasionally step around the corner or into the restroom if necessary. Write the date and occasion where you met and reminders of interesting conversation. Have your assistant record that information when adding them to your contact database. Hopefully you will be able to follow-up within the next week with an article, a website link or some other useful information relating to your conversation. Then you can include an invitation for lunch or coffee to continue the conversation.
6. Ask for introductions if necessary. If you see someone you want to know, and don’t have an easy way to get into conversation with them, ask a friend to introduce you. You may need to give them some information to share in the introduction that will facilitate the conversation.
7. Scope out future activities. If you are considering getting involved with an organization for business connections, the holiday party can give you a good view of who is connected to that organization. You can ask people about the organization’s culture and their activities. You can ask them what they like most about being involved.
8. Invite clients and prospects to your home. An intimate dinner for six to ten people in your home can really deepen your connection with them. If you just can’t stomach big parties, this is an excellent alternative for getting involved in the holiday. Cook it, cater it, or serve take-out from your favorite restaurant in your own dishware. Just make sure you have plenty of time for sharing conversation with your guests.
9. Don’t conduct business at holiday functions. Don’t spoil the holiday sentiments by selling yourself. Just mention that you have enjoyed the conversation and would like to follow-up for more discussion in the new year.
10. Personalize your holiday greetings. Even if you get sick and miss all the parties, you can still send out New Year’s cards. Be sure to include something more personal than a signature. For ideas, check out my December 2007 article called Send Holiday Greetings That Really Connect.
Don’t miss the chance to connect during the holidays. Accept as many invitations as you can. People are open and receptive at this time of year. May you have some fun, make new friends and renew your relationships with old ones this year!
This article was recently published in The Practice Manager.
Post Date: December 9, 2008
Building and Enhancing Client Relationships (May 08, 2009)
Debra L. Bruce will be speaking:
Houston Bar Association – Continuing Legal Education
1019 Congress Plaza
Harris County Jury Assembly Room
Houston, TX 77002
Friday, May 08, 2009 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
For more information, go to www.hba.org.
Post Date: December 1, 2008
Send Holiday Greetings That Really Connect
The holidays and year end present many opportunities for enhancing existing client relationships and developing new prospects. Many attorneys don’t take full advantage of the opportunities, however, because they fail to invest a little forethought. Here are some ideas to consider if you engage in the venerable tradition of sending out holiday greetings.
When to Send Out Greetings
Although the number of holiday cards sent out has declined over the last decade, it is still difficult to stand out in the flurry of holiday communication. Some lawyers have migrated to sending Thanksgiving cards. What an excellent opportunity to express gratitude for your clients’ trust and confidence in you, as demonstrated by their business. Alternatively, you might choose to adopt the French tradition of sending New Year’s cards. Either way, at least your card won’t be buried in a stack of other cards. If you want to showcase your firm’s experience in representing clients who do business in China, perhaps you should consider sending out Chinese New Year cards.
Personalize Your Greetings
I urge my clients to find a way to include a personal message in each card, especially if the card is signed with the law firm name. Without a personal touch, the card does not have optimal impact. You risk disappointing the client who had a strong relationship with you, when you obviously treat them like one of the masses. Clients suspect that a staff member prepared the cards from a mailing list, without actual lawyer involvement. Even individually signed cards can conjure up an image of an assembly line signing process.
Personalizing a Mass Mailing
If you have extensive contacts, how can you personalize all those cards? You really may not be able to invest the time and imagination required to add a meaningful note to each card. You can still support the bond with your contacts by inserting an enclosure with something personal about yourself, even though it is mass produced. When you give your clients, prospects and referral sources a personal glimpse of you, they feel like they know you, and it fosters loyalty. Oprah Winfrey is a master of revealing just enough about herself to give millions of strangers the feeling that they are in relationship with her, and her impact is legendary.
Here are a few examples of how to add a personal touch to your holiday greetings:
1. Write up a paragraph or two that describes something about your family. You might describe a holiday tradition in your home and tell a funny or touching anecdote about your kids now, or your childhood in relation to that tradition. Alternatively, the anecdotes can be about people or activities in your office or practice group. Tie it to wishes for the recipient like “may your holidays be filled with laughter and memories in the making.”
2. Enclose a copy of a favorite poem or the lyrics to a favorite song related to the season, and tell why it’s meaningful to you.
3. Describe one of the highlights of your year and share something from it. For example, you might have traveled to Italy, and you can enclose a recipe for a delicious marinara sauce translated from an Italian cookbook you purchased there, as a little gift.
4. Enclose a picture of you and your staff or your family, especially in holiday attire or doing something related to the holiday. You might have a photo of you and staff or family wrapping presents for an adopted family, carting donations to a food bank, decorating the office, or sledding in the snow. Of course, you’ll include a brief explanation of what you were doing, and tie it to your wishes for the recipient. You could say something like “may the season fill your heart with the joy of giving and receiving,” or “may the holidays awaken the kid in you again!”
5. Write a holiday newsletter. Yes, some people complain or make fun about those, but they are usually referring to the letters that sound like brag sheets. Instead of reciting honors and accolades, tell stories and anecdotes that give your reader the flavor of your year or important events that transpired. Don’t be afraid to include personal disappointment or loss. It makes you human and approachable. I wouldn’t suggest mentioning that big trial you lost, however, unless it was plastered all over the newspapers and television screens. In that case I would simply mention my disappointment about the outcome.
External Resources
If you like the idea of sending out more personalized greetings, but need help with simplifying such an overwhelming project, check out some of the services available at www.SendOutCards.com, and www.LongTermClients.com. They have some nice cards to choose from, and many suggestions about personalizing content. You upload the mailing list, and they’ll send the cards out for you. Or they’ll send you the fully addressed and stamped cards just waiting for you to sign them and put them in the mail.
Email Greetings
Finally, you may be wondering about whether it’s ok to send out email greetings instead of cards. I would say “That depends.” How traditional is your audience? You might just come across as cheap. If you have the tradition of sending a newsletter, I think email works well for that. Just be aware that your communication risks getting lost in an even bigger flurry of unread email.
With regard to those online greeting cards: they may not be opened or received. Many IT departments block executable files from delivery to protect against viruses. Many individuals don’t click on the link to electronic cards to avoid cookies and other spyware.
Some people receive hundreds of legitimate emails per day, and get annoyed at anything that further clogs their mailbox. Others tend to be more responsive to email, and might actually engage in a conversation with you as a result. Know your audience.
My Holiday Greeting to You
Please consider these ideas as a little holiday gift from me in appreciation for being a reader who makes this column successful. I would love for you to share your holiday greetings with me. May these ideas cause you to relive some happy memories and come a little closer to your friends and clients during the holidays.
This article was originally published in The Practice Manager in December 2007.
Post Date: December 1, 2008