10.28.08
Posted in networking at 8:52 am by Marianne Trost
One of the simplest but most often overlooked marketing tips is making sure you tell everyone, including casual acquaintances and non-work related contacts, what you do. I know, telling everyone sounds “boastful”, but it’s not. First, people want to know. That’s usually one of the first questions people ask, “What does s/he do?” . Here are three easy steps to follow…
The first step is to get comfortable telling people that you are a lawyer. Yes, sometimes you’ll get a bad lawyer joke in response, but most of the time, people will find it interesting to know that you are a lawyer. When someone tells you that they are a doctor or an accountant or a teacher, do you get offended or “put off”? Most likely not. People are usually curious to know.
The second step is to get comfortable telling people what type of lawyer you are. Are you a litigator, a real estate lawyer, an estate planner? Most people want to know that part too. When you hear that someone is a doctor, wouldn’t you find it of interest to know that they are a cardiologist, a pediatrician, a naturopath, or a dermatologist?
When describing the type of law you do, try to use the word “help”, so that people can connect what you do with how you might help them. For example, “I am a litigation attorney. I help people and companies resolve disputes when they are sued or want to consider suing.” (Note: Don’t assume that everyone you talk with knows what a litigator is. I’ve run into people who don’t know.) “I am a real estate attorney. I help guide people through the process of buying and selling or leasing commercial property.” “I am an estate planning lawyer. I help people structure their assets so they can protect them and minimize tax implications on their estate.”
The third step is to remember that people are interconnected. You’re not bragging about what you do. Rather, you are getting the word out so that you can help people. You never know who might know whom. The person you are talking with might have a spouse who owns a small business, a colleague who needs a lawyer, or a best friend who is the CFO at a company. It is estimated that each of us knows an average of 150 people well enough that we would pass along the name of someone we met if we felt it would be helpful.
If the listener seems interested, there is one final step i.e. add one sentence that will stick in their mind longer than your practice area will (see my column on “Stating Accomplishments” explaining why people remember this sentence more than the others.) Continue by saying a sentence such as, “For example, I just finished closing a real estate deal for the new owner of the Northgate Shopping Mall.” “For example, I just finished litigating a case involving a small business that sued its general contractor.” “For example, I just finished an estate plan for a family that wanted to leave its assets to its grandchildren in a trust.”
The next time you have the opportunity to tell someone what you do, go for it! You may find that it will lead you to an unexpected contact, an unexpected referral, or even an unexpected piece of new business. You can do it!
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10.03.08
Posted in part-time at 6:52 am by Marianne Trost
One of the common challenges faced by lawyers who elect to be part-time is that they are often overlooked when it comes time to pitch a major client outside of work hours or even meet with a client in an informal setting after work.
There is often an assumption by the other lawyers in the firm that part-time lawyers don’t want to participate in activities that extend beyond their usual working hours. To complicate matters, many full time lawyers hesitate to even mention such opportunities to part-time lawyers because they think that doing so is disrespectful of their colleagues’ part-time arrangments. The result can be the unintentional marginalization of part-time lawyers.
To make certain you are not left on the perifery of client development and client relations, be proactive. Educate the people you work with about your definition of part-time. If you want to be included in outside activities, let your collegaues know that you are more than willing to arrange your schedule to participate in after-hours events if given advanced notice. Don’t assume that because you are part of the team or because you service a client regularly, that you will be invited or even informed of after-hour activities.
In an ideal world, inclusion would be a fair assumption. But in a world where our industry is still trying to figure out how part-time works (many firms don’t even have written part-time policies), you have to take the lead to educate those around you. Let your colleagues, your practice group, your marketing director, and your staff know what your preferences are. If you hear of an opportunity that passed you by, talk with those who were involved and mention that, yes, you are part-time, but you would still like to be kept in the loop so that you have the option of participating. Remember — you are not being pushy or critical. Rather, you are helping others navigage the “part-time” waters in a way that is respectful of your wishes. Some may even thank you for taking the time to clarify and for removing the awkwardness caused by their assumptions.
Tip of the day: Educate those you work with on how you define part-time and the extent to which you want to be kept in the loop on after-hour activities. Tell them what you want and what you expect. Don’t let assumptions about “part-time” get in the way of business development and client relations opportunities.
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10.02.08
Posted in confidence at 9:49 am by Marianne Trost
One of the obstacles that frequently pops up when coaching career transition clients is confidence. The questions, “What if I don’t know how to do it?” or “What if I don’t know everything?” can often appear as a roadblock to considering new opportunities. That’s the irony, though. In seeking “new” career opportunities, isn’t it important NOT to know it all?
I would go so far as to say that if you are confident that you know everything you will need to know, or even almost everything you will need to know when taking on a “new” opportunity, then you likely aren’t challenging yourself enough.
To overcome the block of “not knowing it all” I’d suggest taking a different perspective. Ask yourself, “If I don’t know everything, do I know enough to find a way to figure it out?” “Am I a resourceful solution finder?” “Am I willing to seek guidance or advice, if I can’t figure it out myself?”
If the answers to these questions are “yes”, then set the “what if” fears aside and proceed with the confidence that IF you end up in a situation where you don’t know something (and remember that 90% of what we worry about never actually turns out that way), you will figure something out. You can do it!
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09.30.08
Posted in networking, relationships, staying in touch, women venues at 10:30 am by Marianne Trost
I was reminded again this past weekend of the value of getting together. A female colleague, whom I had not been in touch with for several months, sent around an e-mail to her contacts inviting us to join her at her house after work to “meet other fun and interesting women”. (What a great idea, by the way!)
When I arrived I was amazed to see 40 or so women, from all different backgrounds, mingling in her home getting to know one another. It wasn’t awkward because we were all there for the same reason i.e. to meet each other and get to know new people.
It turns out that I knew three people, one of whom was a client, one of whom mentioned she had been meaning to pass my information along to a potential client, and one of whom gave me a reason to e-mail a past work colleague that I have not had a legitimate reason to be in touch with for a while. Just that in and of itself was worth the time from a professional standpoint (that’s not to mention the value that comes from being energized and inspired by other talented women.)
Over the course of the two hours I met at least another twenty interesting and diverse women, several of whom I would like to stay in touch with for professional and non-professional reasons. We came together in a very natural way and had a great time making new acquaintances. As I was leaving I heard others say that we should do this again some time. I agree!
Tip of the Day: The next time you are looking for a new “venue” on an individual level (I would not recommend it for a firm event — you need an “extra draw” to get people to come to something like that), consider something that is simple and natural. Invite a group of fun and interesting women to mingle in an informal way. It’s amazing how easy it is for women to spend a few hours interconnecting, finding common interests, sharing experiences, providing encouragement/support, offering to make introductions, etc. There was no speaker to line up, no sporting event in the background, no planned agenda, no preparation — just women getting together with women. And yet, new relationships were made, new connections were discovered, new opportunities were unearthed, and everyone walked away with some good food for the soul.
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09.18.08
Posted in golf, status of women at 10:11 am by Marianne Trost
Improving the status of women in the profession is at the core of my passion. A colleague and friend of mine (I won’t post her name here, but I will say that she is a highly accomplished golf course transaction lawyer. If you ever need an outstanding referral in this niche area, just let me know and I’ll pass along her contact information) forwarded me a link to Dean Kagan’s (Harvard Law School Dean) recent remarks on the status of women in law.
In addition to being very articulate and on point, I found Dean Kagan’s facts, figures, interpretation of trends, and perspective of interest. If you want to check it out, here’s the link. http://www.law.harvard.edu/about/dean/women-in-law.html
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09.17.08
Posted in staying in touch at 7:54 pm by Marianne Trost
I was reminded today of the value of staying in touch. Even the simplest of e-mail messages can yield the most unexpected responses. Last week I sent an e-mail to my contact list about a book that my sister wrote, On that Day Everybody Ate: One Woman’s Story of Hope and Inspiration. (It’s a fantastic book of inspiration and personal journey, by the way, and I’m not just saying that because the author is my sister. You can check it out at: htpp://www.onthatdayeverybodyate.org).
Anyway, in response to my e-mail I got 100+ e-mails back from my professional and personal contacts. Among them were invitations to lunch, news of changed contact information, and even a referral to a new client. Soliciting that information was definitely not my intent when I sent the e-mail asking people to spread the news about the book.
However, it just goes to show you, that even a simple e-mail on a non-work related subject of interest to the recipient, can spark work related opportunities.
Tip of the Day: When you see an article, an e-mail, info on a webinar of interest, etc. that makes you think of someone, take the extra few seconds to forward it to them with a personal note. You never know what may come of it!
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09.05.08
Posted in networking, relationships at 2:39 pm by Marianne Trost
One of my favorite networking tips is to keep the names of 4-5 people you would like to get to know better, near your phone. One quick glance at the names, and you’ll be able to turn an invitation into an opportunity to develop or grow a professional relationship. Here’s how…
Take a few minutes to think of 4-5 people you would like to get to know better. The 4-5 people could include a client, a potential client, someone you met at a volunteer event, someone you met at a conference, someone you met at a networking event, someone who serves on a committee with you, etc.
Write the 4-5 names on a post-it note including the phone numbers and keep the list near your phone. (Yes, you’ll be reminded of those names each time you look at your phone.)
The next time you get an invitation to attend a CLE program, run down the list to see if anyone on the list would enjoy going with you. The next time you get an invitation to attend a charity event, consider inviting one of the people on your mini-list. The next time you hear of a complimentary seminar being offered by your firm, scan the list to see if anyone on the list would appreciate an invitation to attend with you. The next time you are invited to a luncheon event, check to see if anyone on your list would enjoy going with you. The next time someone asks you if you want to use the tickets they can’t use, see if anyone on the list would enjoy using the tickets with you.
The hard part about utilizing invitations is that the invitations usually come during busy moments when it is difficult to run through a list of all of your contacts and figure out whom you would like to invite. However, if you have a list of 4-5 names already by your phone, it only takes a few seconds to see if any of them are a fit for the invitation, and only a few more seconds to pick up the phone and call them. Chances are you’ll find opportunities that are a fit for the 4-5 people on your list in no time.
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09.03.08
Posted in planning at 11:47 am by Marianne Trost
Two clients mentioned to me last week on two separate occasions how lucky they were to get a new opportunity. Both had actually done their homework, visualized the outcome in advance, and put themselves out there for the new opportunity. Then this morning my daughter told me how lucky I was to get a new opportunity (which we’ll talk about later so this e-mail is not self serving). Yes, I do feel lucky, but in retrospect, I did exactly what my clients did i.e. I did my homework, created a few action steps, visualized the outcome, and put myself out there.
Is it really luck? Or is it something else? Someone once said (and I wish I could remember whom, so I could give her/him credit!) that luck is “preparedness meeting opportunity.” There is something to that.
When we think through the opportunities we want in advance, do our homework and create and act on a roadmap for getting them, then… when opportunities presents themselves… we either see the opening we otherwise would not have seen, or we are ready to go after the opportunity in a way that we would not have done had we not been prepared.
How does this relate to business development? I have rarely seen anyone get just plain “lucky” (but it does happen, or is it that the “lucky” person was open and prepared for that possibility too??). There is typically a story behind every new client and every new opportunity. And, that story usually involves some form of action i.e. preparedness meeting opportunity.
So, if you have the chance today, visualize one opportunity you would like to create, think of one or two things you can proactively do to create that opportunity, commit to doing those things, and keep holding the positive outcome in your mind. That way, when the opportunity presents itself, or the next step to creating the opportunity comes in view, you’ll be prepared to go after it. You just might find that you’ll be “lucky” too!
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09.01.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:07 pm by Marianne Trost
This blog is being created with the intent to provide a forum for women lawyers to share their experiences, tips, support, and wisdom for the benefit of other women lawyers and those committed to change in the legal industry. The goal is to empower, to encourage, to share, and to inspire. There is nothing, in my opinion, more powerful than a group of women aligned to create positive change. Please join us in a healthy dialogue on real issues, real suggestions, and real solutions to the many challenges faced by today’s (and tomorrow’s) women lawyers. Let the blogging begin…
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