Flying Solo: Network and Get Your Name Out There

When you work for a law firm, you may or may not be given some clients and you may or may not be expected to bring in some clients of your own.  When you go out on your own, you will absolutely NOT be given clients and you absolutely WILL have to bring in all of your clients yourself.  The importance of letting everyone know what you do cannot be overstated. 

Get your name out there.  Call your family, friends, acquaintances, teachers and anyone else you know.  Let them know what your doing and how you can help them and their family and friends.  Make it a personal conversation and have this conversation often.  How many times have you been in a situation where a friend needed a referral and you knew you knew someone who could help them but couldn't remember who it was off the top of your head?  Everyone has a lot going on in life and needs to be reminded of what exactly it is that you do. 

Network.  Network over the Internet (Google+, LinkedIn, etc.).  Network in person.  Just do it.  Meet as many people as you can and be prepared to explain briefly and in layman's terms what it is you do.  Networking goes both ways so be sure to have a sincere interest in what it is that person does as well.  You can do this informally through acquaintances or you may choose to join a formal networking group.  Depending on where you practice and the type of law you practice, you may choose different forms of networking.

Your phone simply won't ring if people don't know how you can help them.  Push back the initial reaction to be shy about it and be proud of what you do and how you help people. Form long lasting relationships and show an honest sincere interest in other people. 

Finally, never stop networking.  It's easy to push networking on the back burner when you get busy but don't do it.  You constantly need to have new clients coming in and networking is one way to continue to spread the word about what you do and the types of people you can help.  Schedule time in your week/month to devote to networking and stick to your networking plan.

If you are a solo practitioner or are thinking about "flying solo" and would like to discuss the process, please contact me at (804) 447-0146 or clbaudean@baudeanlaw.com.