Building Connections with General Counsel Contacts

I landed back in Los Angeles after a 4-day legal convention in Vegas and realized something: People are great at networking in the moment, but struggle to follow-up and keep relationships after an event like a major convention. To make sure all of the connections you made are sustained long-term, here's a step-by-step guide to effectively follow up post-convention: 📝 Personalized Note Writing: Always begin with a personalized note. Thank your new contacts for their time and highlight specific topics or moments you shared. A handwritten note can make a deep impression in today's digital world, signaling thoughtfulness and genuine interest. 📲 Organize Contact Details: Compile a database of the addresses, emails, and other contact details you've gathered. Tools like Microsoft Excel or CRM platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot can be great for this. This not only helps with immediate follow-up but aids in long-term relationship management. 🤳🏻 Engage on Social Media:   Connect with your new contacts on platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, IG, Facebook and TikTok. Engage with their posts to foster online rapport, but ensure your interactions are meaningful. 📩 Newsletters:   If you have a newsletter, consider adding your new contacts to the mailing list (with their consent). This keeps them updated on your activities, insights, and the latest happenings in the legal field. 🔄 Share Your Work: If you've written books, articles, or other publications, share them. It not only positions you as an expert but provides value to your contacts. ✅ Regular Check-ins:   Set reminders to touch base periodically. You could share relevant articles, wish them on holidays, or update them about significant milestones in your career. 👏🏼 Tips and Insights: Offer helpful tips or insights from the convention or from your experience. It’s a non-invasive way to remind them of the value you bring to the table. 🤝 Long-Term Relationship Building Relationships are not about transactions but genuine connections. Ensure your interactions are not always business-focused. Learn about their interests, congratulate them on personal achievements, and be there during challenging times. 📚 Recommend Books: If you've come across insightful books (including ones you've written), recommend them. It's a subtle way to showcase your expertise and share knowledge. 🎉 Events and Reunions: Consider organizing or attending reunion events for convention attendees. It's a way to rekindle connections and stay updated on each other’s progress. Remember: post-convention networking is an art. It requires genuine interest, persistence, and patience. By investing time and effort into nurturing these relationships, you'll not only grow your network but also enrich your professional journey. Remember, it's not about how many contacts you have, but the depth and quality of those connections. #networking #lawyer #success #relationshipbuilding

Email is efficient. It’s convenient, easy to track, and often the default for client communication. But in my experience, it’s rarely the best form of communication to build trust and generate new work. Live conversation—conversation beyond the scope of an active matter—is far better. When lawyers pick up the phone—even just a short, unscripted check-in—good things tend to happen. Clients share more. The context of their business challenges becomes clearer. A small issue on their to-do list they hadn’t prioritized is surfaced. And often, that quick call leads a new matter or a bigger discussion. It’s easy to chalk that up to luck. But it’s not luck. It’s being present when the client is ready to talk about something that isn’t fully formed yet—the kind of thing that doesn’t make it into an email but shows up in conversation. Of course, in-person meetings are ideal. But they’re not always feasible. And email absolutely has its place. But if your only non-billable touchpoints with clients are asynchronous, you’re missing important opportunities to deepen the relationship. Live conversations create space for curiosity and connection. They allow you to share your unique vantage point, which clients appreciate. After all, your clients want you to be their trusted advisor. They also demonstrate that you're thinking about the client beyond the billable hour. And that builds more trust. If you haven’t had a casual conversation with a key client in a while, set aside 15 minutes next week (or this afternoon). Make one unscheduled call. You may be surprised by what comes out of it.

A question I often get from attorneys I coach: "How can I stay in touch with contacts in a way that feels natural, not forced?" The key is to be intentional and thoughtful. Here are a few simple ways to reach out without overthinking it: 🔹 Use upcoming events as an excuse to connect. If you’re attending a conference, send a quick message: “Will you be there?” It’s an easy way to start a conversation and stay on their radar. 🔹 Share something valuable. If you see an article—whether from your firm or in the news—that’s relevant to them, send it their way. It’s a small gesture that keeps you in their inbox for the right reasons. 🔹 Extend a personal invite. If your firm is hosting a webinar or event, let them know. Even if they can’t make it, they’ll appreciate the thought. 🔹 Just check in. A simple “It’s been a while—how have you been?” is perfectly fine. Chances are, they’ll be glad you reached out. At the end of the day, business development is about relationships. And relationships grow when we take the time to connect—genuinely, consistently, and with a human touch. What are your go-to ways to stay in touch? Drop them in the comments! #BusinessDevelopment #LegalMarketing #Marketing #BizDevCoach *********************** Let's Talk: rebecca@lotusbizgrowth.com You can also message me here on LinkedIn