Want to meet some new people (prospective clients, professionals, influencers. . .) without leaving your home or office? Want to do it by investing just a few minutes a day?
Okay, listen up. Here’s what to do:
Step one: Choose a category
What type of contacts would you like to add to your list? If you want to “meet” other lawyers, which practice areas? If you want to meet business owners, executives, or prospective clients, which type of business or industry?
Step two: Make a list
Find a directory, list, or some websites comprised of the kinds of people in your chosen categories. Note their contact information.
Step three: Create an “excuse” to contact them
It could be to invite them to an event you’re hosting or promoting (e.g., a meetup, golf tourney, charitable event, membership drive, restaurant opening for one of your clients or friends, etc.)
It could be to invite them to speak at your event, post an article on your blog, let you interview them for your video channel, or fill out a survey you’ve posted.
It could be to meet you for coffee because you have something in common (target market, client, neighborhood, practice area) and you want to see how you might work together.
It could be because a mutual client, business contact, or friend said something nice about them and you wanted to “meet” them.
Step four: Call
Yes, call. It’s much more effective than email or a letter for a first contact. You want them to see you as a real person, not a faceless collection of electrons spamming their inbox. You want them to hear your voice and you want to hear theirs.
And hey, if a conversation ensues, that’s a good thing.
Introduce yourself, tell them where you got their name, say something nice about them (e.g., you like their website, you heard nice things about them), and invite them to speak, meet, write, etc.
If they’re not in, leave a message. Circle back to them at another time.
Told you it was simple.
How to get more referrals from lawyers and other professionals
