In this week’s edition of Young, Hungry & Committed, Maryland solo virtual office lawyer Liz Johnson shares how her simple trip to the salon had a surprising impact on her firm.
You never know where you might find a great networking connection. I’m going to start this story by saying I’m not someone who ever felt the need to go to a salon. I was perfectly content to let my mom help me even out my hair after I cut it. Myself. Some might cringe at that thought, but it’s worked for me for 33 years. That being said, I decided one day that, the first and last time I did go to a salon, I got caramel highlights.
At the time I thought it was neat, but didn’t think much of it. It didn’t take long for people I knew to comment on how good it looked, and we struck up a whole conversation. I didn’t get the highlights for attention or anyone, it was just something fanciful I decided to try. But I was thrown through a loop by the amount of attention it garnered. Like I said, didn’t do it for anyone so I let it go and eventually got my dark brown hair all back with no highlights to be seen.
Getting the Same Attention for my Practice
Fast forward to earlier this week when I decided to try an interesting experiment. I was curious if highlights could get me that added attention again and garner some business out of it.
Perhaps a stupid theory, but I thought I’d give it a try. So I did a search on Nextdoor, an online community that I’m a member of. I look under the recommendations section and find this small little salon not two miles from my house, that just opened up shop a few years ago. The comments were really good, I decided to give it a try. Social networks and good word-of-mouth comments definitely work for those of us who are indecisive. Plus, seeing that type of response to a business on an online community made me think that I might be able to do the same for my firm.
Two hours later, my hair looks great, the lady who did my hair was very nice. We had a 30-minute conversation on all the different things she could do with my hair as I had no idea. But more importantly, I made a connection with someone that almost everyone trusts. Since we now know each other, she can listen to all her clients and then refer new business to me should any of them mention the need for a Trust and Estates lawyer.
Also, my amazing new networking contact pointed me in the direction of someone who might be able to help guide my firm. She introduced me to one of her peers who is the heart and soul of an organization that helps new professional businesses take-off.
Between gathering potential new clients and the amount of experience and knowledge I’ve gathered at this point from working pro bono cases, I’m not feeling too shabby this week.
on said:
Great article and points out a natural flow of how networking should be done.
I think the problem with most is they go out trying to network, trying to sell rather than being themselves with no hidden agenda and when they connect openly and genuinely they are perceived as a more trusting new friend.