Your mother always told you not to talk to strangers- but it’s one of the best ways to get over any hesitations about networking. Practicing is easiest when the stakes are low- hence the idea of “anonymous networking.” Make a point to talk to strangers every day. Could be your dry cleaner, someone in a waiting room, someone at the coffee shop. Introduce yourself, ask how they are, talk about the weather. Start conversations, people welcome the attention.
To prepare, try practicing your introduction in the car. It worked for me. I’d be heading down the NJ Turnpike, experimenting with phrases; ”I work with solo and small-firm lawyers who are ready to stop struggling and create a terrific personal and professional life…” or some other version du jour.
Once you have something to practice, try it out on everyone. Ask a lot of people what they do; they’ll ask you in return. Get over being self-conscious and aim for that one experience every day. The more practice you get, the better skills your skills will be and the more fun you’ll have.
Expanding your network is critical to everyone who is building a business. Practice makes perfect. Make a commitment to introduce yourself to someone new at least once a day and you’ll become more confident and comfortable when you have opportunities to network with potential clients and referral sources.
Bottom line: networking is necessary, not evil. Don’t make it difficult for the people who need your unique skills and experience to find you. Start where you’re comfortable, practice, and be out there in the world as a terrific lawyer, ready to solve your clients’ problems.
