In this week’s edition of Young, Hungry & Committed, solo lawyer Liz Johnson gives us insight into her unique and creative new legal networking experiment.
A funny thing happened the other day.
As I was minding my own business, catching up on general estates and trusts statutes – it’s a good read – my mom texted me, asking if I would sign up for a ballet class, and tap class.
I thought to myself, why would I sign up for a couple of random dance classes when she knows I’ve got a business to run? I already have enough on my plate to begin with!
As the text continued, she explained that our friend, a dance instructor and manager of the dance program, was going to lose these classes if she couldn’t get any more people to sign up. So I’m thinking, it’s an hour during lunch time, could be fun. That, and I now can get free advertising in the theater event pamphlets.
A Good Marketing Opportunity
Then I kept thinking, who comes to community college theater events in the first place? Family members.
I’ve been an usher many times at this particular theater, and this scenario is ripe with potential. So as the wheels started turning in my head, I determined this class could become a good marketing opportunity.
So naturally, I signed up. And It’s actually not that bad. The thing about my local community college is that it’s made of so much more than just high school students. One classmate is a restaurant manager, and another owns his own company. Additionally, there were others in the class who were older with their careers in full-swing.
Moreover, unlike me, many of these people have big families. All I need to do is get to know them better, and they’ll remember me the next time someone talks about needing a will or other estate planning documents.
My Own Marketing Adventure
I’m going to keep auditing these classes and see how it goes. This has now become an intriguing networking experiment.
Some might say I’m wasting my time, and this is nuts. Not so. I still remember numerous stories from other attorneys talking about their adventures in networking. One such attorney talked about how they were in the barber shop one day, talking to their barber, and that same barber ended up referring clients to them. You really never know where clients will come from.
I’ve been reading a lot of books about networking and mingling. One of them talks about doing new things and meeting new people. Hence, the random dance classes.
But I also attend free events in the local area, like a charity chili cook-off near my home. I think when we’re in law school and even when we’re talking to other attorneys about how they network, it’s not a one-glove-fits-all type of thing, and I think the assumption is we’re hanging out with other members of the legal community.
While I do enjoy soaking in the collective knowledge of more experienced attorneys and judges all around, I’ve found it actually more beneficial in finding potential clients, by attending random free events – did I mention free?
I’ll keep you posted as to whether I garner up any business from this ongoing experiment of mine. Wish me luck!
