Zen & The Art of Legal Networking : Lawyers & Attorneys in an International Legal Network for Relationships & Referrals

Tonight, we kicked off the ILN's 25th Anniversary Annual Meeting with our welcome reception and dinner! We've been busily preparing for the conference, so today, I've got a great rainmaking recommendation from expert, Jaimie Field!

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The part of Rainmaking that I try to pound into my client’s heads is “follow up, follow up, follow up.”

But how many times should you try to get in touch with someone before you become a pest?

There is no magic number. While some may say 3 times, others say 6 times and some say more. But if you think about what you do for a living, being an attorney, you need to realize that many people may not need your service at the exact moment you meet them.

Rainmaking = Relationships

It is your job, as a rainmaker, to keep your name and services (and the services of your firm) top of mind at all times so that when a potential client, current client or even a potential referral, has a need your name comes up first in their heads.

For example: if you are a real estate attorney, a person you meet may not be buying a house or leasing a business space at that time. However, when they do (and statistics prove that at some time they will), you want to be the one they call. However, if you aren’t the first person they think of, they will go to someone else.

There are so many ways to keep in touch without bombarding them with “sales calls” or non-stop emails about your work.

• Send emails with information that is germane to their businesses or lives – it may have absolutely nothing to do with what you do. It’s about what’s of interest to them.
• Call to find out how they are doing – just a friendly “what’s going on with you” call
• Send newsletters about your work
• ·Invite them to a seminar or event – even if you are not the one giving the event or presenting at the event, it
• should be of interest to them. You can go with them and continue to build that relationship.
• · Take them to a fun event – does your potential client like golf? Invite them to a golf outing that benefits another
• group or charity.

What other ways can you think of to keep in touch without “selling” your services?

Rainmaking, as I reiterate over and over again, is about creating relationships. Each time you “touch” a client, in many different ways, you have the opportunity to create and deepen a relationship.

Please forward this information to a colleague who you think would benefit; It must be forwarded it in its entirety. All information is the copyright of Marketing Field, LLC © 2013

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog. 

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Jaimie Field is back on this cloudy Monday afternoon with another rainmaking recommendation which may seem like common sense to most of us, but she's absolutely right in pointing it out - manners matter. 

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Lately, I have noticed a horrific lack of manners (even more so than usual):

• Not saying “excuse me” when you have to interrupt someone;
• Not saying: “thank you” for being helped;
• Not apologizing for making a mistake or offending someone inadvertently;
• Looking at your smart phone at inappropriate times (like when you have a client or colleague sitting in front of you);
• Eating like a slob/pig or reaching across a table;
• Taking phone calls when someone is in your office or worse using phones in inappropriate locations (like when you are with a cashier or in a restaurant or in the bathroom);
• Being at a networking event and barging into a group without introducing yourself or asking to be introduced;
• Walking through a door without holding for the person behind you (it doesn’t matter whether you are a man or a woman);
• The lack of the word “Please”;
• Interrupting someone who is talking and
• Rudeness;

And so many more examples.

We have become a society which expects to get and get quickly without the traditional niceties with which some of us, or our parents, or our grandparents, have grown up. However, manners matter.

Remember, people do business with people they know, like and trust and one of the ways to get people to like us to have common courtesy.

Excellent manners can only help you to have better relationships with people you know, and help to create relationships with those you will meet.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY. ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2013

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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With a hectic day all around me today as we put the final touches on next month's 25th Anniversary conference, I'm glad to have some excellent advice from rainmaking expert, Jaimie Field, to fall back on for a blog post. Jaimie talks about how taking one small step in your rainmaking efforts still brings you closer to your goals. 

***

In order to get into the habit of Rainmaking on a regular basis, I have been asking my clients to send me an email at the end of each week to let me know what Rainmaking activities they have performed during the week. They are to write down, each day, the step they have taken to move their Rainmaking forward. Even if they did nothing, they are to note that too.

Recently, a new client sent me her list. Each day she noted what she did – from sending an email to an old client to reconnect, to writing a blog post, to answering a question on AVVO, to calling a potential referral source to meet for lunch. She did something every single day. At the end of the list, she wrote that she felt like these were only small things she was doing and apologized for that.

During our coaching call, the next week, I reminded her that Rainmaking, like creating any relationship, is not about the big grand gesture, but that each small step brings you closer to achieving your goals. Each small step you take – like publishing your blog post – will get you known, each networking event you go to and follow up with those you meet we begin to get you more well known, and each time you present a seminar your name gets out there.

In addition, I reminded her that if each of these activities took her 15 minutes per day, at the end of the week she has more than 1.25 hours of rainmaking each week and more than 5 hours per month. That’s more than most attorneys will take the time to do.

As you have always heard me say – people do business with people they know, like and trust. Each step brings you closer to that goal.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY. ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2013

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving  the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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I've been traveling on an 11-day trip around the world, currently in the Philippines for our 2013 Asia Pacific Regional Meeting. So I'm glad to be able to share Jaimie Field's recommendation this week while I'm on the road! 

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It’s not what you know.

It’s not who you know.

It’s about who knows what you know.

How are you making sure that the public knows about what you know?

You have to proactively tell the public what you know. Not by shouting from the rooftops but by intelligently, systematically and consistently showing others how you can solve their legal problems.

There are so many marketing tactics which you can use to showcase your knowledge. For example:

• Networking
• Social Media
• Blogging
• Public Relations
• Seminars
• Social Events hosted by your firm
• Writing Articles

And this is only a partial list of how you can showcase your knowledge and expertise as an attorney.

But if all you are doing is grinding out work from behind a computer, you are an anonymous figure and no one will really know what you do. (In fact, others may take credit for your work.)

So carve out some time from your week, EVERY WEEK, to do something that will get your name and your knowledge out in the public eye.

Please forward this information to a colleague who you think would benefit; It must be forwarded it in its entirety. All information is the copyright of Marketing Field, LLC © 2013

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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This morning, I'm bringing you another great recommendation from rainmaking expert, Jaimie Field, Esq!

***

There truly is a difference between “doing your job” and “going the extra mile”. It is this difference that will skyrocket your rainmaking efforts as people begin to talk about the fact that you are no ordinary attorney.

How do you “go the extra mile”?

It’s not that difficult. It is truly the little things that count. For example you can:

• Return a call or email within 24 hours (or have your assistant return the call and schedule time to speak with them);
   
• Find out, prior to a meeting, what they like to eat or drink and make sure it is available to them at the time they come to visit;
   
• Listen to them carefully for moments you can help them with something that has nothing to do with practicing law. For example, if their back is bothering them, refer them to a chiropractor. If a birthday is coming up, recommend a great restaurant. If they need a contractor to renovate their home, refer a reputable one.
  
• Admit when something goes wrong and make sure to find a way to rectify it. Too often we try to sweep mistakes under a rug as we don’t want to be perceived as infallible as attorneys.
  
• Don’t make promises you cannot or will not keep. You cannot win every case, and you don’t know the outcome. You can only rely on past experience.
  
• Be genuinely thankful for the opportunity to work with them.

With almost 1.5 million attorneys practicing in the U.S. there are few things you need to remember:

1. The number one reason people leave their attorney is “attorney indifference.” They can, and will, go elsewhere if they don’t feel like you are taking care of them;
2. While statistics vary considerably, more people will talk about a bad experience than a good one.  And this is exponentially multiplied when you factor in the internet as a way to spread the news.  This can be a great way to make sure clients never come to your office again; and
3. When you go that extra mile and you now have the ability to legitimately ask your clients for referrals.

How are you going to “go the extra mile?”

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY.
ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2013

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that
when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving
the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous
Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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Jaimie Field brings us another excellent rainmaking recommendation today, following her birthday on Monday (and yes, I was one of the five people who called her!). 

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Monday, February 4th was my birthday. I’m not saying this to get more birthday wishes.

In fact, I received:

• 183 wishes on Facebook - to which I responded individually to each person with a thank you,
• 5 birthday phone calls - 4 of them from my family members,
• 3 physical birthday cards (I remember when I used to get dozens) – one from my parents, one from a company I frequent with a discount to use, and one from a rainmaking coaching client with whom I work
• And one birthday text.

However, the one that made the most impact was the physical card I received from my client.   Someone who didn’t have to remember my birthday made it a point in her schedule to send me a card which made me smile; just receiving it in the mail made me happy.

It’s not that difficult to make an impact on your clients which can lead to more good will. Since you don’t have to remember their important days, just doing this will make them feel good. Good will leads to referrals.

And now there are companies out there who will do all of the work for you. You literally create a calendar of birthdays and anniversaries. They will give you choices of cards to send, allow you a space to write a personal greeting, and even send an email a few days in advance to remind you when to send out the cards. Then they send the physical cards out to your list.

Take the time to send a birthday card or an anniversary card. If you work with corporate clients, find out the month they started their business and send out a card on that anniversary. You will be surprised at the response you will get both in terms of their gratitude and in terms of referrals.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY. ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2013

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving  the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.
 

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Time for another great recommendation from rainmaking expert & coach, Jaimie Field!

***

Rainmaking does not have to cost a lot of money.

Many attorneys are spending tens of thousands of dollars on websites, SEO tactics, listing services which promise 30 clients in 30 days, buying books on Rainmaking that they don’t actually implement (or worse – don’t read), and this is just a short list. In fact, think about all of the money you spent in 2012 to get new clients. You need to figure out what is actually worth spending money upon.

However, there are a ton of low cost and no cost Rainmaking Tactics which you can implement in your practice. But the key is to actually use them – consistently and constantly.

Here are a quick 5:

• Create a monthly newsletter;
• Have a memorable business card;
• Blog;
• Offer to speak at a seminar;
• Use Social Media to meet potential clients;

And finally,

For the price of a cup of coffee, you can meet with a referral source at a diner and connect with them.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY.
ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2013

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

If you have received this email from a colleague or friend and want to receive Rainmaking Recommendations to your email, sign up at www.marketingfield.com

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN SCHEDULE AN IN-HOUSE, CUSTOMIZED RAINMAKING TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR YOUR LAW FIRM? BEGIN TELEPHONE OR SKYPE INDIVIDUAL RAINMAKING TRAINING FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD WITH JAIMIE? CALL OR EMAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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What better way to kick off the new year here at Zen than a rainmaking recommendation from expert Jaimie Field? 

***

Shhhh… don’t tell anyone – particularly the other Rainmaking Trainers and Legal Marketing “experts” out there.

There is no one way to become a rainmaker.

If you have been trying to fit yourself into a mold of what a rainmaker looks like  or does and it hasn’t been working, the reason is that you are not being authentic to yourself.

There are literally hundreds of different Rainmaking Tactics and Techniques that you can use*, but if you are using one because you heard it was “more effective” than others and it is still not bringing you in clients, then you are not using the right tactic or technique for you.

Not everyone should blog nor should everyone should give public seminars. The fact is that each lawyer and law practice is different and using a technique or tactic which you are not comfortable doing will only cause you to stop taking action. And it is action that will make you a rainmaker.

The key thing is that Rainmaking is about creating relationships. Find the one or two or three Rainmaking techniques that allow you to create relationships with others and perform those consistently.

*A blog will be posted on Friday, January 5, 2013 on JaimieField.com with a list of Rainmaking and Legal Marketing Activities which you can consider using to grow your books of business.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY. ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2012

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving  the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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Today's recommendation from Jaimie Field comes at the perfect time, just as we're all assessing our year and putting together our goals and plans for 2013. 

***

In Rainmaking Recommendation #67 – Conduct your own Attorney Review you were asked to look back at where you have been.

In Rainmaking Recommendation #69 – Dream Big you were asked to determine where you want to go.

Rainmaking Recommendation #70 is about how to get there.

And this means creating your Rainmaking Plans.

A good rainmaking plan takes into account the where you were, the where you want to go and puts it together with the steps you need to get there.

Many, many, many articles and blog posts have been written about how to set goals.
The acronym S.M.A.R.T. is frequently used to explain how to do this.

(A quick review of this acronym):

S - Specific – do you have a specific goal?
M - measurable – can you measure your progress?
A - Actionable – can you take action on this goal
R- Realistic - Is it a Realistic Goal?
T – is it Time-bound – does it have a deadline?

And of course, if you have read other blogs on www.jaimiefield.com you will know that I talk about SMART-Y goals with a Y – which stands for “You”; is it your goal?

One of the most important parts of this acronym to focus on is the “A” or the action steps you are going to take to reach these goals. What specific actions are you going to take to make your Rainmaking dreams reality? What rainmaking tasks will help you achieve your goals?

You would never try to drive somewhere you’ve never been without directions (including a GPS). Give your Rainmaking Plan a chance to succeed by taking the time to list all of the actions you want to take this year which will help move you toward your goals. Each step you take towards an objective, the closer you will get to achieve your goals. 

Oh, and if you are lost – ask for directions (please feel free to email any questions at all).

ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2012

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog. 

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Happy Thursday all, and welcome to another one of Jaimie Field's excellent rainmaking recommendations - keep these in mind as you start to make your plans for 2013!

***

In Rainmaking Recommendation #67 – Conduct your Own Attorney Review, we discussed Performing your own Attorney Review by determining:

• what you did this year that worked to bring in new clients;
• what didn’t work ; or most importantly,
• If you did ANY of the work necessary to build your book of business.

This “looking back” will you help you to look forward to create your rainmaking plan. Now that you know where you have been, you need to determine where you want to go.

There is an oft repeated proverb that says: “He who fails to plan, plans to fail”. But before you begin to plan, you have to determine what you want to achieve.

So take the time to start writing down what it is you want this year. How many clients do you want? How much money do you want to earn? Do you want to write a novel? Run a marathon?

Don’t worry about how you are going to get right this second, (we will discuss the how in the next Rainmaking Recommendation). Just write down what YOU want.

The key here is that it has to be what YOU want to accomplish. If it’s not your goal, it will never be accomplished because you will have no desire to the work necessary to achieve it.

Just remember what Ben Stein (yes, I am quoting Ferris Bueller’s Teacher, but if you didn’t know he was also President Ford’s and President Nixon’s speech writer) said: "The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want."

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY. ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2012

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving  the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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I may still be out of the office on vacation, but here's a great recommendation from expert Jaimie Field! 

***

Want to hear a scary fact? There are only 54 days left to this year.

We are coming down to the end of 2012. What did you do this year to grow your book of business?

You need to conduct your own review of your activities.

If you work in a firm, you may be required to have an “Attorney Review” to determine what you accomplished in 2012. If you are a solo practitioner, you should consider doing this exercise on your own.

Performing your own Attorney Review will help you determine:

• what you did this year that worked to bring in new clients;
• what didn’t work ; or most importantly,
• If you did ANY of the work necessary to build your book of business.

Most attorneys have a tendency to get caught up in the day-to –day practice of law: Writing briefs or contract, researching the law, litigating cases, etc.

This means they do not take the time to do the activities: blogging, social media, networking, public speaking, writing articles, meeting with referral sources, etc., that will lead to more business.

You need to be honest with yourself. Do not make judgments; just determine whether you actually did the tasks you would need to do to build a book of business on a consistent basis. Just blogging occasionally, or going to a networking event but not following up with the people you met, or using Social Media to meet the people you want to meet on a consistent basis, will not help you grow your client base. (Think of it this way: most people do not wake up good at a particular hobby - like golf, or playing an instrument. You have to practice consistently, possibly take lessons, and learn from your mistakes, in order to get better.)

Once you have figured out whether you did (or didn’t) do the work necessary and what worked (or didn’t) you can begin to plan for next year.

And the first part of your plan just may be committing to do the things you need to do.

Please forward this information to a colleague who you think would benefit; It must be forwarded it in its entirety. All information is the copyright of Marketing Field, LLC © 2012

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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Here's our latest recommendation from expert Jaimie Field! 

***

Last night was the 2nd Presidential Debate. Did you watch?

Were you struck with the same question I was during the entire event?

“How?”

Each of the candidates outlined their goals for the country but neither one explained how they were going to do it.

What does this have to do with Rainmaking? We all have the goal of getting new clients and more client matters from the clients we already have. The question is how are you going to get there.

Now more than ever, it is important for you to begin planning those “how’s”. We are in the last quarter of the year. Now is the time to think about the past year and begin thinking about next. Did you achieve the goals you wanted to this year?

More importantly, did you have a plan to achieve those goals?

Now is the time to write down your goals for next year and then determine what networking, marketing, social media and other Rainmaking tasks you are going to do to get the goals accomplished. There are so many sources you can use to get ideas on techniques and tasks that will help you achieve them.

Goals are great. But if you do not have the plan to achieve them they are really only wishes.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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On this foggy Wednesday morning, I bring you another great rainmaking recommendation from expert, Jaimie Field! 

***

When you go to a networking event, what’s the inevitable first question that you get asked or that you ask another?

“What do you do?”

The fact is that this question implies that you are only interested in what they do for business 
and what they can do for you, not who they are as a person. And vice versa.

Networking is about creating relationships which can lead to business. Sales is about closing the  deal and no one likes to be sold. So instead of inquiring about “what do they do”, start with questions which really ask them “Who are you?”

The questions can run the gamut from asking about family, hobbies, and their favorite sports teams (please stay away from the controversial three topics – politics, religion and sex). You can ask questions about what brought them to the event in the first place. Compliment them on their shoes, ties, clothing and style. Ask where they bought those items.

When you show interest in the person, rather than their business or what they can do for you, then
people will begin to show interest in you.

Inevitably you will get to the question: “What do you do?” But it doesn’t have to be the first one. 

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog. 

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Today, we have another fabulous recommendation from Jaimie Field. Tomorrow, I'm heading to Madrid for our 2012 ILN European Regional Meeting, so you'll be seeing some posts coming up from our sessions there, and in the meantime, enjoy reading Jaimie's recommendation! 

***

Rainmaking Recommendation #64: You Never Know Where You Will Meet Your Next Client

(There will be a reader who will see themselves in this Rainmaking Recommendation because he was one of its stars.)

Last week I was working at a client’s law office. I went outside on this absolutely gorgeous day to
take a break and saw a gentleman in the parking lot that had a flat tire. While I personally could not
help him change a tire (that’s what AAA if for), we began speaking and in the course of a five minute
conversation learned that he may have a legal issue with which one of the attorneys in the firm
may be able to assist him. So while he continued to change the tire, I ran back inside to grab the
attorney and personally introduce him to the gentleman outside.

I also tell this story about a client of mine who was divorced with kids who was talking to another
divorced father on a line in Burger King. Within minutes they were all having lunch together and
my client had found the owner of one of the biggest companies in the area who just happened
to be looking for a new attorney. This business owner introduced my client to more and more of
his friends who also owned businesses and the referrals have still not stopped.

The point is this: You never know where you are going to meet your next client. You have to learn to
begin talking to anyone and everyone and learn about them.

Networking does not have to be in large groups. Networking is truly done one on one. That next
person you are speaking with may turn out to change your entire law practice.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog
 

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We're bringing you some more great advice today from rainmaking expert, Jaimie Field: 

***

Look at your calendar.

If you are like me, your September is always filled with networking events – traditionally this is the time that associations get back to business and lots and lots of activity.

Time is a precious commodity. You do not have all the time in the world to be involved with every organization.

Maybe now is the time to evaluate the groups with which you are involved. Ask yourself the following four questions:

1. How long have you been in that group?
2. Do you like the people in the group?
3. Have you received any business from that organization or association?
4. Are you learning anything being a part of this group that will help you in your career?

If the answer to these questions is NO, then it’s time to rethink your membership with the following caveats:

• If you haven’t been in the group that long, you need to give it a true shot, unless. . .
• You really dislike the members of the group. Then it’s just time to get out.
• If you haven’t given any business to any others, no one is going to give business to you.

Join the associations and create relationships with people who will either provide information that will help you learn more or who will help you grow your business. You do not have enough time to join every organization out there.

One last thing: Just because you leave an association doesn’t mean that you cannot keep in touch and continue to grow relationships with the people you like who you met in that group.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving  the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog

Important Note: Before you implement any advice, please make sure that these recommendations do not violate the ethical rules of the associations governing attorneys/solicitors/barristers in your country. Marketing Field, LLC and Jaimie B. Field, Esq. does not take responsibility for the implementation of any advice which is not permitted by the ethics rules of the various authorities governing attorneys in your country.
 

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Here's a perfect recommendation from Jaimie Field as we head towards the end of August and into September, which is traditionally a very busy month after all the summer holidays! 

***

Have you ever used the excuse: “I’m too busy.”

Really?

How busy are you? Have you ever tried to figure out where you are spending your time?
Are you really so busy that you cannot find 15 to 30 minutes in your day to do one activity
that could build your book of business?

One of the exercises I ask my Rainmaking clients who claim they are “too busy” to undertake
is to spend three days capturing every single moment of their day from the time they wake up
to the time they go to bed. They are to write down every single thing they do and the amount
of time it took. No judgments are made about how they spend the time.

What is an inevitable is the wake-up call to the amount of time that is spent on activities which
are truly a waste of time.

Now, I am not saying you cannot take breaks, watch TV or have time for fun, family or friends.
In fact, I encourage it. But with 24 hours in a day, you should be able to find 15-30 minutes to
do one rainmaking activity that could lead to growing your book of business.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO A COLLEAGUE WHO YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT; IT MUST BE FORWARDED IT IN ITS ENTIRETY. ALL INFORMATION IS THE COPYRIGHT OF MARKETING FIELD, LLC © 2012

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN SCHEDULE AN IN-HOUSE, CUSTOMIZED RAINMAKING TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR YOUR LAW FIRM? BEGIN TELEPHONE OR SKYPE INDIVIDUAL RAINMAKING TRAINING FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD WITH JAIMIE? CALL OR EMAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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We've got another great rainmaking recommendation from expert Jaimie Field!

***

Q:  Why do have to go to bed at night?

A:  Because the bed won’t come to you!

Okay, I know it’s a really bad kindergarten joke (I hope you are smiling), but the point is that clients won’t always just come to you.  You have to “go” to them. 

Where do you find clients?  Are you meeting enough people both on-line and in person?

On-line:

What social networks are you using?  Do your ideal clients use that social network or are you just wasting time posting there?   Many attorneys I know do not know how to use social media for business development and are just posting glorified advertisements about themselves on-line.  Social Media is about being “social”.  Start a conversation, ask a question and answer a question, comment on what other people post.  Start “listening” to what your ideal clients have to say.  You may just find that you have the right answer. 

In Person:

Are you wasting time going to networking events that just don’t have the people you want to work with attending them?  Stop going to those events and find one where your ideal clients congregate.   Worse than that – are you not even attending events where you can meet potential clients? 

Start “going” where your clients are – like the bed – it’s not going to come to you.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.  If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog

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Today, rainmaking expert Jaimie Field is using one of my all time favorite quotes for her rainmaking recommendation!

***

Rainmaking Recommendation # 59: “If you always do what you’ve always done. . .”

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got." Henry Ford (1863-1947), American founder of the Ford Motor Company

The above quote is in response to a question I received from a new client who has been practicing law for more than 15 years who, in our first coaching session, asked: “Why am I not getting new clients?”

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Today, I'm traveling to Washington, DC in preparation for our 24th Annual Meeting, which starts tomorrow! You'll see some posts from Washington in the next few days, but today, I have Jaimie Field's latest rainmaking recommendation for you! 

***

Look on the corner of your desk or open that top drawer – is there a stack of business cards you’ve collected during networking events?

Pull the cards out and start going through them. Do you remember who any of these people are?

First, cull through the list of cards and throw out any card of any individual you truly cannot remember.

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Thanks to Jaimie Field for another fabulous rainmaking recommendation: 

What type of law do you practice? What industry do you target?

In each area of practice there is a list of people who work in the same in industry who do not practice law. People like accountants, psychologists/therapists, and other vendors who concentrate on the same group of people/businesses you are trying to reach who will not step on your legal toes.

Create your own ad-hoc networking group. Gather these people together to meet at least  once a month, whether in person, via Skype or conference call, and create relationships with  them. Make sure that each person’s business compliments but does not compete with the other. Each of these people and businesses has the ability to refer more business to you without feeling like they are competing with others who do the same thing that they do for a living. In addition to referrals, this group can also provide competitive intelligence about the industry you wish to target.

Where do you find this group with which to network?

Search the industry with which you want to work. Find the publications, magazines, websites that people read to keep up with the industry and see who is writing the articles and advertising in 
these publications. Contact them and ask if they would like to be a part of this group to help grow all of your respective businesses.

What’s the worst thing that can happen? They say “no?” If this happens, there is more than one person who can take their place.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog

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Here's the latest rainmaking recommendation from expert Jaimie Field!

--

Everyone knows The Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.”

It is oft repeated; it is said in many ways in every religious belief. It is taught to us by our parents when we are children even if we are not brought up with a religious background (“Treat others the way you want to be treated”).

Yet, as attorneys, we have a tendency to forget this rule.

This is not because we are bad or immoral people. The nature of the legal field is adversarial. It is almost always one party against another. We are trying to win for our clients. So by hook or by crook, as long as it is ethical, we will treat our opposition the way we need in order to achieve our clients’ goals.

However, for Rainmaking purposes, not following the Golden Rule is going to cost you clients, potential clients and referral sources. If you come across as aggressive and antagonistic to everyone, you will not win.

Think about how you like to be treated: with kindness, respect, empathy and value. Now treat everyone you know and meet like this, regardless of who they are and what they do. You never know from where your next client or referral will come.

Rainmaking is about creating relationships. For those who read these Rainmaking Recommendations and the blogs have seen me write, over and over again, “People do business with people they know, like, and trust. “ No one will like or trust someone who always comes across as belligerent, forceful or uncompromising.

Being adversarial in the court room is warranted; being adversarial in life will cost you clients,  referral sources and friends.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving  the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog.

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Once again, we have an excellent rainmaking recommendation from expert Jaimie Field! 

So you went to a networking event. You met some really wonderful people. You got their business cards.

You think there is some way that you can potentially do business. You left the event after having a great time.

You went home. And then… you did nothing!

You didn’t write a “Nice to Meet You Note”

You didn’t send an email.

You didn’t call to make a coffee date.

You didn’t connect with them on social media sites.

You didn’t let them know you were interested in getting to know more about them or their business.

You’ve broken the chain.

Think of Rainmaking as a “Relationship Chain” - a chain of links which ends in business. Sometimes these chains are short just a few links long and you get business almost instantaneously. But sometimes these chains stretch for long lengths.

Just because you have met someone, or connected with them on a social media site (Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest) doesn’t mean you have a relationship chain. Chains are built one link at a time and you need to continually build this chain until it is strong enough to create a relationship which results in business.

If at any point you break this chain, you break the ability to further this relationship and it is relationships which bring in new clients and referrals.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog

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It has been an unusually busy month of travel for me here at the ILN - I did the calculation the other day and realized that by next Tuesday, I will have flown 32,346 miles in 34 days. 

Whew.

So I'm gratefully bringing you another excellent rainmaking recommendation from expert Jaimie Field while I'm circling the globe again - and Jaimie's writing on something that's near and dear to my heart: getting a person's name right. I can't tell you the number of times I've been addressed as "Lindsey" by someone looking to do business with me, when the correct spelling is part of my email address. And don't get me started on people who think my name is Wendy! 

But without further ado... 

“Remember that a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” – Dale Carnegie

Rarely do people spell my name correctly. Even more aggravating to me is that I am constantly getting correspondence addressed to Mr. Jamie Field (note incorrect gender AND incorrect spelling).

While I no longer get bothered by either of these issues, if you are trying to sell me something, I am less likely to be interested in what it is since you have not taken the time to address me properly.
However, I will say that I am always pleasantly surprised when I receive an email or letter from someone who has spelled my name correctly. The fact is that I have many friends who, for decades, who still don’t spell my name right.

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Today, we have another great recommendation from rainmaking expert, Jaimie Field: What you don't say can speak volumes. Her advice reminds me of my all-time favorite quote - "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." - Anais Nin

After an extremely long day with clients, I stopped by my local book store – it’s one of the ways I like to relax.   Yes, while I have eBook readers, and the ability to download books onto every device in the world, I am a bit old fashioned.  I love the feel of books, of turning pages, the actual smell.  I even have a public library card that I still use. 

After perusing the store, I found what I was looking for and walked up to the counter to pay.  There was a line – albeit a short line.  While waiting for my turn to pay, the entire day just seemed to overtake me and I just felt how tired I was; so I expelled a huge, involuntary, exhausted sigh.

The woman in front of me paying and the cashier both looked at me a bit crossly – I realized that that particular sigh may have come across not as an exhausted sound, but an impatient one.  When I walked up to the cashier I apologized and explained that it wasn’t about impatience but how tired I was. 

The cashier was appreciative of my apology and totally understood.

The point of this is that what you don’t say can speak just as loud as what you do when people look through the lenses of their own experiences.  This cashier was used to people being impatient; particularly when there was a line of people waiting.   

What are you saying to a client when you answer the phone with a curt or impatient attitude? Put yourself in their shoes.  While you may have just had a bad conversation with another client, the current client you are speaking with may think you are angry or annoyed with them.   Rolling your eyes, sighs, snorts, all of this can be as misconstrued as actual language. 

Non-verbal communication can scream just as loud as a voice – and even more so when the interpretation is supplied by the person in front of you.  

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.  If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog

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Following up on our last Rainmaking Recommendation from expert Jaimie Field addressing the issues of why clients don't come back, we have the next in the series - "Acknowledge me! "

Reason #2 Why Client’s Don’t Come Back: You’re Unresponsive

In a continuation of the series on “Why Client’s don’t come back”, this Rainmaking Recommendation will address the number one reason why clients’ don’t come back - because you don’t respond to them.  

In this day and age of immediate communication – Wi-Fi, 24 hour internet access, smartphones, emails, and social media – clients almost demand that you respond on instantaneous basis.  It used to be that 24 hours was an acceptable amount of time to get back.  Now, people want a response yesterday.

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Today, I'm bringing you another excellent rainmaking recommendation from expert Jaimie Field - "I didn't know you did that."

“Why don’t clients come back?”

Recently, I received an email from a litigation attorney from Connecticut who asked the question above. It seems that some clients of the firm who seemed happy with the work the  attorneys of the firm were doing were going elsewhere for subsequent representation. 

So I dedicate this and the next few Rainmaking Recommendations to this attorney with thanks.

Over the next few emails we will cover  the reasons why clients don’t come back and how to ensure they do:

Rainmaking Recommendation # 51:  “I didn’t know you did that”

Reason #1  Why Client’s don’t Come Back:  “I didn’t know you did that”

One of the most frequently heard reason that clients don’t come back is that they don’t know all of your (and your firms) legal capabilities.  If you have ever heard a client subsequently say:  “I didn’t know your firm did that,” you have experienced this problem.

However, one of the objections that I hear is that from the attorney  is that they told them in the initial consultation that they (or their firm) could represent the client in many different matters. 

You need to understand, when a client comes in to your office, they are usually focused on one issue; the one problem they are currently experiencing.   This causes them to truly not hear anything else but what applies to this situation.  I mean literally.   The only thing they want to hear is how you can help them with this problem; what is going to stop their pain.  Anything else you tell them will go in one ear and out the other. 

Then you, the attorney, become “tunnel-visioned” - busy schedules, other matters and clients, court, briefs, yada yada yada -  which causes you to neglect to remind them of all of your other abilities. 

This is why you need to consistently and constantly tell them over the course of the representation all of your (and your firm’s) capabilities.  After you have met them, during the course of your representation, and following the conclusion of your matter, you need to keep reminding them how you can assist them with the other matters that may come up in their lives in the future. 

Use newsletters, connect with them on Social Media sites, send personal messages, ask for feedback.   Each time you contact a current client using Rainmaking and Marketing tactics to remind them of  all that you can help them with to make their lives better, you ensure that if something comes up with which you can assist, they will remember to contact you. 

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.  If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog

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Today, I'm bringing you another excellent rainmaking recommendation from expert Jaimie Field - put the social in social media.

Are you using Twitter? Facebook? Linked In? Google +? Or any of the hundreds of websites that are considered “social media?”

Great!

If you haven’t gotten on board yet with Social Media sites, understand this – Social media is not a fad. It is not going away. It continues to evolve as a method of meeting new people whom you may have never gotten a chance to meet any other way. I have personally become friendly with people from all over the world because of social media. I have also gotten new clients because of this medium.

Social Media can be very only useful when you learn these two basic rules first:

1. People do business with people they know like and trust: This means that you must be authentic and real even when you are behind a computer screen.
   
2. You must learn to interact with people while on Social Media: it’s not about just
   pushing your agenda and information out for the masses. That is called advertising.
   Use social media to engage with the people whom you follow/friend/”link-in”. You
   have the opportunity to get advice, information and leads from people who may
   know more than you. Additionally, you have the chance to show what you know.

Finally, getting “social on social media” also means taking it offline. Believe it or not, a lot of people pretend to be something they are not online (please read that last line with heavy sarcasm). Once you think you have a connection with someone online ask them to meet
for a cup of coffee (if they are local) or call them on the phone to hear their voice. Use social
media to invite others to events to meet you. Only then will you have the opportunity to
turn these people into prospects, referral sources or clients because only then you will
have the opportunity to find out if they really are who they say they are.

While there is much more to using social media effectively to obtain new clients, referral
sources or prospects, following these first two rules will help you get started with using social media
as a Rainmaking Method.

__________

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month. They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you have missed any of the previous Rainmaking Recommendations you can find them at www.jaimiefield.com The Enlightened Rainmaker Blog

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WIth the end of the year wrap-up, and still recovering from the stitches in my finger, I'm sharing another post from my friend and rainmaking expert, Jaimie Field, esq.  In 2009, she published this post, "What Santa Claus Can Teach You About Being a Great Rainmaker." 

So without further ado...

That jolly ol’ white-bearded, chubby guy in the red velvet suit with the fur trim is a better Rainmaker than you.  While his clients, children, may not be your target market, if you acquire his characteristics and take some on his abilities to bring in new clients and make them advocates for life, you can become the Rainmaker he is.

Santa Claus is everywhere:

Turn around after Thanksgiving and you cannot help but run into Santa or his image.  He is on street corners, in malls, on TV; you just can’t help seeing the guy everywhere you go.   Everyone knows who Santa is when they see or hear about him.  

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Never fear, Zen readers, I have not forgotten about our Twitter tutorials! However, I had a minor mishap with an exacto knife and Christmas gifts the other night, which has left me with five stitches in my left index finger, making it rather painful to type long posts! So between all of my recent travel and my latest clumsiness, you'll have to wait just a bit longer for the latest installment.

In the meantime, I'd like to bring you another tip from my friend and Rainmaking expert, Jaimie Field of Marketing Field. You can see her previous rainmaking recommendations here or you can sign up to receive them right in your email inbox on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. I highly recommend doing that - they're always excellent!

On to her recommendation! 

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