Networking & Business Development

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A lot of people I know were happy to see the backside of 2022 (this gal included). But even with the enthusiasm for a new year in our pockets, it can be hard to find the motivation to kickstart our plans and projects as we head back to work and find ourselves facing the same day-to-day grind as before the holidays, as well as a backlog of vacation work and emails to catch up on.

I’ve heard more than one person say that the new year doesn’t really start until February, and with February just around the corner, that feels more true this year than ever – though does anyone else feel like January gets longer every single year?

Continue Reading New Year…Same You? 3 Tips to Make the Most of 2023 BD Efforts

We’ve now returned from our winter break and I have some news – my family has grown by four paws: the adorable Belgian Malinois mix, Nikko.

Who can resist this face?

Rescuing an older dog with almost no recorded history has its challenges – all I know about Nikko is that his previous owner died tragically and he was found at 52 pounds in a field in Roswell, New Mexico (yes, that Roswell – his paperwork even has a spaceship on it). I’m not a new dog owner – I’ve had dogs growing up, and have been a basset hound owner for 14 years. I definitely don’t recommend getting a Mal if you’re new to dogs, and I’m lucky to have worked with a truly GREAT rescue throughout this entire process.

Continue Reading BD Lessons from Rescuing a Dog

It’s December and we’re in the home stretch of the year. Everyone I talk to is burned the eff out and we’re all just trying to make it to whatever break we’re taking – amiright?

So I’m guessing you DO NOT want to read another cheery post about how to finish the year out strong and nail those BD goals.

But what if you could fake until you make it?

Listen, if you want to do absolutely nothing until next year, I’m not going to tell anyone. That’s fine and totally on you.

But if you want to get a couple of things done between now and the new year, which may help just tide you over until you get some mojo back, then this is the post for you!!
Continue Reading 4 Easy Ways to Fake Business Development When You Don’t Feel Like It

This Friday, I have the pleasure of joining some fantastic legal industry colleagues on a panel at the Legal Marketing Association’s Northeast Regional Conference. We’ll be addressing the topic: “The Best Influencer is a Good Story” and you’d better believe it’s one of my favorites. I’m tickled to be speaking with one of my favorite people, Adrian Lurssen, Co-founder, VP Strategic Development, JD Supra, and joined by the brilliant Paula Zirinsky, Co-Founder & Chief Strategist, Structura Strategy Group LLP who is moderating the panel and Steve Cohen, Partner at Pollock Cohen LLP, who is delightful and will tell us all about how he ended up going to law school at 58. …
Continue Reading The Best Influencer is a Good Story

Have you ever heard the saying “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?”

Well, the counter-argument could be made that to get new results, you need to build new habits. It has been said that you need 21 days of doing something to make it a habit – so if you start now, by the end of October, you’ll have some new habits built into your routine!

What do I mean by that? …
Continue Reading Build New Habits to Get New Results

It’s almost the final quarter of the year and everyone I know has been swamped with work – which means you’re probably not thinking too much about where your next matter or case is coming from. We all know that’s the PERFECT time to be thinking about networking and business development!

Sorry, folks, I know it’s the last thing on your mind.

But, consider these four tips to shake things up and see what falls out of your networking tree – apologies, it’s fall and I can’t resist a good metaphor. …
Continue Reading Lawyers: Shake up Your Networking with these Four Tips

I know, it’s summer and we’re trying to relax.

But just in case you find yourself at a networking event in the next few weeks (or plan to be at one this fall), there are a few key ways you can add value to your attendance in addition to your presence at the event. Of course, when you choose the right one, the networking alone provides a return on your investment.

But we’re often so eager for our actual attendance to equal business that we forget that as with any business development opportunity, it’s not one-and-done. In the dating game, while it might be possible for you to meet someone and marry them the same night, and find lasting happiness, it’s much more likely that you spend time getting to know each other before making a commitment. Your business relationships are much the same.
Continue Reading 3 Tips to Translate Networking into Business Opportunities

Summer is often a time that we naturally slow down – the weather is warmer, we feel lazier, more people are out on vacation and we may be out ourselves.

You may be expecting me to suggest a litany of ways you can supercharge the time you have in the office or on your vacation to make the most of it, but I’m not going to do either of those things. First, I’m going to tell you – if you’re taking time away from the office this summer, take it. Delegate your workload as best as you can except for TRUE EMERGENCIES (and be honest with yourself about what those are) and don’t check your emails. Try turning your work email off your phone for the period that you’ll be out of the office. It sounds anxiety-producing, but I promise you that once you do it, it’s really quite freeing. If it feels like you’re neglecting your work, the truth is that we’re all better humans AND better at our jobs when we take a genuine break from our work and come back to it refreshed. Your clients want that for you too. …
Continue Reading Five Tips to Turn Hot Summer Days into Hot Fall Ideas

Raise your hand if you hate the word “authenticity.”

It’s right up there with some of the other most hated buzzwords and phrases – “at the end of the day,” “thinking outside of the box,” “synergy,” “value add,” “circle back,” “bandwidth.”

Are you cringing yet?

But even though the word “authenticity” might make your skin crawl, it’s actually a pretty important concept – it’s a buzzword for a reason. And actually, I don’t hate it, but I know a lot of people who do! 

One of the most often shared tips for networking is that being authentic is key – whether you’re networking in person or virtually.
Continue Reading Authenticity: It’s a Buzzword, but Also the Key to Successful Networking

Since 2019, I have had the pleasure of being involved in the Empowered Women’s Event series as a committee member, with our organization as an in-kind sponsor. The event focuses on storytelling and according to event founder and host, Susan Freeman,

Stories have a transformative power to allow us to see the world in a different way than we do if we just encounter it on our own. Stories are an entry point to understanding a different experience of the world. Storytelling, presenting a different perspective of the world, is important when it comes to connecting with each other. It gives us an opportunity to learn from another person’s experience and it can shape, strengthen, or challenge our opinions and values. When a story catches our attention and engages us, we are more likely to absorb the message and meaning within it than if the same message was presented simply in facts and figures. When someone tells their own personal story, we catch a glimpse of a view of the world that may be slightly or radically different from our own. When we see the world as they see it, or walk in their shoes, the experience can inspire empathy.”

…
Continue Reading Why Attend an Event Solely for Women?