For the Defense - Vol. 8, Issue 1 - 19

make a move. The truth is, you can't possibly know whether it's
the right time for you to make a move or the right opportunity,
unless you gather all the necessary information. You need to
get engaged with your community's employment marketplace
where you will learn about new opportunities. Commit to making
the time to take a first interview, no matter how inconvenient or
how bad the timing is. Then be planful about the questions you
ask; your goal is to gather as much information as possible so
you can evaluate the opportunity. If you don't know about the
opportunity and understand the details, you will never have the
option of deciding whether to take the next step.
Self-Promotion Is Necessary To Build And Grow Your Practice
Again, you are the only person who will care enough about
your career success to make it a reality, so you must be prepared
to promote yourself and your skills when the opportunity arises.
Prospective clients want to feel confident in your capabilities and
the way you will represent their interests. Current clients like to
be reminded that you are in control of their case and moving
it forward in the right direction. This is critically important
because clients talk. They talk with each other. They may even
talk to other lawyers recommended by their friends without
feeling as if they have betrayed your loyalty. And, if that lawyer
makes them feel more in control of their case and its potential
outcome, you may lose them as a client.
Self-Promotion Includes Networking
In both the employment and business development contexts,
promoting yourself includes networking with peers and others
in the community. If you are not doing this, you are missing a
huge referral source.
And, just to be clear, I'm not talking about becoming some
obnoxious, annoying version of yourself in which you are
constantly singing your own praises. You absolutely can promote
yourself in a confident, self-assured, successful manner, without
overdoing it.
Every person you meet is a potential referral source. This
means the more people you meet, the more organizations you
get involved in, and the more events you attend, the wider your
referral network grows. We must constantly be nurturing and
growing our network.
It's Our Duty To Self-Promote
When you think about it, it is our duty to self-promote. In
the context of gaining and retaining clients, bear in mind that
most clients do not know us or how to find us. Their need for an
attorney often comes as both a surprise and an emergency. For
those clients with no experience in the criminal justice system,
they don't even know where to begin to look to find an attorney,
let alone how to determine if the attorney they have found is
competent. Often, the first thing they will do is to reach out to
trusted sources in their community for a referral. Simultaneously,
they often conduct a Google or other web-based search for the
" best " attorneys in their area.
To be found by prospective clients, we need to be findable.
One method is to get on the radar of other attorneys so they can
make referrals. And I mean ANY other attorneys, any location,
any practice area. Your next potential client is just as likely to
reach out to a civil or real estate lawyer as they are their nonattorney
cousin in Idaho for a referral to a criminal defense
lawyer in Pennsylvania. And don't forget to refer business out
where appropriate. This will enable you to make deposits in the
favor bank while staying on your network's radar.
Be aware of your web presence. Where do you fall in search
results, i.e., are you buried beyond the first page? Does your
web presence sing your praises, or do negative news articles or
reviews show up in search results?
Be available! As we have probably all experienced, even if a
prospective client finds you, if they can't reach you immediately,
they will move on to the next lawyer on their list. On that note,
answer your phone and return calls quickly. No matter how
busy you are, you must make time to return a call to a client,
prospective client, referral source, or networking colleague. If
you don't have time for a conversation, send them a quick text
or email and follow up by phone when you catch your breath;
but don't stay silent.
How To Promote Yourself
Remember that you are unique. No one else can bring that
special blend of skills, personality, and experience that you have.
That's your special sauce, and it is yours alone.
Be prepared. Practice your elevator pitch until you can say it
without having to think about it. An elevator pitch is a short
description of yourself and your services that is interesting,
memorable, and, most importantly, succinct. It explains what
makes you unique in such a way that any listener can understand
quickly. An elevator pitch should last no longer than a short
elevator ride, about 20 to 30 seconds, hence the name.
Be approachable. You might think it's more impressive to
be aloof, and maybe that's true. But if you are looking for
engagement with your audience, you must be approachable.
My favorite networking trick, especially when I am walking
into a room full of people I don't know, is to stand somewhere
towards the middle of the crowd and just smile at anyone whose
eye I catch. Nine times out of ten, it encourages someone to
come over and say hello. The next thing you know, you have
a new contact in the community. Approachability translates to
the client experience. Does your client feel like they can talk to
you, and that you will listen? Can they call you with questions?
Have you taken the time to get to know them? Do they have
confidence in you?
Be ready with talking points to ensure that you make a great
first impression with your audience. Remember, they either do
not know you, or do not know much about you. An employer
might have read your resume, or a client might have glanced
through your website, so they might have some impression of
you, but beyond that, they will only know what you tell them.
And they might not have the first clue as to which questions
to ask. Put yourself in their position-what would you want to
know? Then, be prepared to share specific details with them.
When networking, it is important to be engaged; really listen
to what the other person is trying to tell you. This is probably a
good time to address our egos. We all have one, and in our line
of business, we likely have a healthy one. But to be successful,
you need to keep your ego in check. Let it drive you to present
yourself in a positive light, but don't let it overshadow the
conversation. The other person involved in your conversation no
doubt wishes to promote themselves and have an active role in
the discussion as well. Remember: nobody likes a braggart.
Vol. 8, Issue 1 l For The Defense 19
For the Defense - Vol. 8, Issue 1

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