We spoke at a recent Sidebar event on the topic of every lawyer’s favorite activity – networking. Here’s a recap of a few hacks we shared with recent law school graduates on how to make lawyer events worthwhile.
Before the event
Do your due diligence. Review and research the speaker list. Pick two people that you want to meet with and make an effort to connect with them during the event. An easy way to do this is to approach the speaker after their presentation, introduce yourself and ask them a few questions about their topic. Sometimes you may also have access to the attendee list through a conference app. If this is the case, review the list to see who else you would like to meet and check LinkedIn to see if you have any mutual connections who may be able to make an introduction.
Pack your business cards. This sounds obvious, but it’s so easy to forget them, and you don’t want to get caught at an event without business cards. We ask Alexa to set a reminder for us about an hour before we leave the office.
Check the dress code. If it’s not available on the invitation or the registration page, it’s completely appropriate to contact conference organizers to find out what the attire is.
Most importantly
Always go in with the intention of building meaningful relationships.
Above all, be genuine and be yourself. Business and clients ultimately come from relationships and those take time to build. So, while being prepared will help you feel more comfortable, building meaningful connections should be your ultimate goal.
Be curious and ask questions. When you ask a question, actually listen to the answer. If you are always thinking about the next thing you’re going to say, you aren’t really listening to the person. When you practice active listening, your conversation will flow more naturally, and you’ll begin to form genuine connections.
At the event
Arrive on time. When you first get to an event, there will be fewer people there, and it will be easier to start making conversation. It can be overwhelming to walk into a room once it has filled up, especially at events with hundreds of people.
Even if you don’t drink alcohol, keep a beverage in your hand – frankly you will look less awkward. Once you get a drink from the bar, wrap it in a napkin, and hold it in your left hand. No one wants to shake a wet, cold hand.
Eat before you get to the event. It never fails that as soon as you take a bite, someone wants to say hello to you. We say skip the messy finger food.
What not to do
Talking negatively. It can be easy to bond with someone over your mutual frustration with another individual. Even if you both previously worked for the same condescending partner, remember that nothing good can come to your reputation from criticizing other people.
Drinking. We aren’t here to lecture you on alcohol consumption, but every person has an alcohol limit. Make sure you know yours and adhere to it.
Bragging. You may be the best of the best, but telling someone about a specific matter you helped with and providing examples will go a lot further than an outright brag.
Legal advice. It can be easy to get carried away in the conversation, but don’t give legal advice before you know all the facts and have been engaged to advise the client.
Sales talk. Don’t try to make an outright sales pitch – form the genuine connections and the sales will follow.
Post-event
Your work doesn’t end when the event does. In the Uber ride home, jot down notes on who you met. Don’t rely on your memory. Whatever your system is for tracking contacts, record it there. This way you can set goals and make sure you are on track to meet them.
Want to be a strategic networker, but don’t have time to create an event plan? Send us a note, and we can help!
