1. Best Practices in Building Your Professional Network - for Associates & Senior Associates Best Practices in Building Your Professional Network - for Associates & Senior Associates September 28th, 2005 SAGE Professional Development Institute

2. SAGE PDI 630.942.0977 Lbodine@LawMarketing.com 630.572.4798 MCummings@sageprofessional.com Today’s Speakers

3. SAGE Professional Basis For The Lessons That You Will Learn Today 15+ Years Of Training Professionals To Market, Sell and Manage Relationships Marketing Consulting With Many Of The Top Firms In The Legal Profession Coaching Work With Top Rainmakers Work With Younger, More Junior Professionals Experience As Line Professionals And Inside Marketing Experts

4. SAGE Professional Congratulations! To You To be promoted to partner, associates must demonstrate business development potential: –65% of respondents said that their firm's current partners consider the business development capability of an associate as an extremely important or very important factor when considering the promotion of an associate to partner To Your Firm Asked "does your firm offer business development training to your junior and senior associates (10 or more hours a year)?" the responses were: –Only 43% said yes. –29% answered "No, but planning to this year.“ –A shocking 28% answered "No and not planning to."

5. SAGE Professional Today’s Program Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network HOW To Do It Effectively How To Make Network Building A Daily Habit

6. SAGE Professional Why Is Network Building Essential To Your Legal Career Data Source: Methodology & Comments: Name & Notes: For complex or confidential slides insert a comment with the following information Source (with page #’s) Methodology and comments Name of creator Note if slide is confidential Your Own Personal Marketing & Sales Force Source Of Your Professional Reputation Allies In Growing Your Practice Eyes and Ears In The Market

7. SAGE Professional Clients Look For Referrals When Buying Legal Services Your Ideal Client’s Network Of Trusted Business Relationships Your Network Of Professional Business Relationships Clients ask people they know and trust for introductions to legal advisors People buy “people” not firms Your network “pre-sells” you to your ideal clients

8. SAGE Professional What Is Network Building? A Daily Sorting Process To Cultivate Mutually Beneficial Business Relationships By Making Contact and “Interviewing” People To See If They Are Qualified To Help You Grow Your Practice To See If They Are Qualified To Help You Grow Your Practice – Able: Can Introduce You To Ideal Prospective Clients – Willing: Open/Committed To Helping You (May Take Time)

9. SAGE Professional What Is Network Building? Establish A Mutually Beneficial Business Relationship Able To Introduce You To Ideal Clients Willing To Help You Focus On Business Relationships With People Willing & Able To Help You Know Who You Are & What You Do

10. SAGE Professional What Is Network Building? Establish A Mutually Beneficial Business Relationship Able To Introduce You To Ideal Clients Willing To Help You Focus On Business Relationships With People Willing & Able To Help You Know Who You Are & What You Do Make Contact Interview Activate

11. SAGE Professional Why Start Now? You are already network building today Have your network in place before you need it Skill that you can build now and leverage throughout your career Your network is valuable beyond just business development Demonstrate partnership potential Other associates/sr. associates are successfully doing it

12. SAGE Professional Business Development Is A Skill Rule: You don’t need to change WHO you are to get good at business development “ Professional Skills” “ Business Development Skills” Good listener Analytic Skilled Questioner Organized Hard-Working

13. SAGE Professional Today’s Program Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network HOW To Do It Effectively How To Make Network Building A Daily Habit

14. SAGE Professional The Relationship Hierarchy Your Client’s And Contact’s Point Of View Personal Chemistry Trusted Business Advisor/Ally Referral Source Contact The Best Business Generators Reach The Top Of This Pyramid With Their Network!

15. SAGE Professional 6 Steps To Mastering Cross Marketing & Selling 1. Focus On Your Ideal Clients 2. Market To Your Existing Clients 3. Turn Your Clients Into Your Sales Force 4. Co-market With Professional Allies (Both Inside & Outside Of Your Own Firm) 5. Cultivate Your Network Of Business Relationships 6. Build Your Professional Reputation 7. Create Your Personal Direct Marketing (and E- marketing) Engine

16. SAGE Professional What You Must Do To Get Started Prioritize Your Existing Contacts Inventory Your Existing Contacts Identify The Types Of People Who Can Help You Pick Your Niche Rule 1: Be focused/Know the end goal Rule 2: You already have a network Rule 3: Treat relationships like financial assets – because they are Rule 4: Get into action immediately Rule 5: Easier to start with people you know rather than networking with total strangers

17. SAGE Professional Step 1: Pick Your Niche Your Ideal Clients The Business Problem That You Solve Industry/type of business Nature of the company Executives/people Functions “Clones” of the best clients in your practice group “Pain” the problem causes the company & executives Business result that clients desire

18. SAGE Professional Step 2: Brainstorm On The Types Of People You Need In Your Network Your Peers at Clients People Who Work At Your Ideal Clients (Not just attorneys) Allies/Colleagues Inside Your Firm Professionals In Related Fields Who work With The Same Clients Alumni/Friends From Law School Associations/Organizations Mavens/Golden Rolodexes

19. SAGE Professional Step 3: Take Inventory Of Your Existing Contacts Write names of people on a line below (don’t stop until you have at least 20 names listed ). Rate your relationship with them on a scale of 1-5 (5 = strong personal chemistry) and rate their influence with target clients in your niche on a scale of 1-5 (5= very influential) Name Influence (Hi, Med, Low) Willingness/Relation- ship Level (Hi, Med, Low) How You Will Improve/ What Can You Do For Them

20. SAGE Professional Step 4: Prioritize Your Existing Contacts For Activation NoMaybeYes No Yes Ignore Ignore Routine Marketing Routine Marketing Improve The Relationship … Or Qualify Them Out Improve The Relationship … Or Qualify Them Out Maintain The Relationship Maintain The Relationship Treat Like A Client Treat Like A Client

21. SAGE Professional Improve Relationships By Solving Trauma What Is Trauma? To Improve Your Relationship With Your Contacts, Find Ways To Help Alleviate or Avoid Their Personal Or Business Trauma/Pain To Improve Your Relationship With Your Contacts, Find Ways To Help Alleviate or Avoid Their Personal Or Business Trauma/Pain Look To Give Help As Well As To Receive It What Is In It For The Contact To Know You

22. SAGE Professional Improve Relationships By Staying In Touch (Must Be Personalized) Personal Hand-written note Brief e-mail Periodic Call/V-mail Lunch/Breakfast Send An Article/Link Send A Book/Magazine Offer To Make An Introduction For The Client Invite To Events/Programs Etc.

23. SAGE Professional Step 5: Expanding Your Contact Base Beyond Your Current Contacts Ask for Introductions From Your Current Contacts Continue To Build/Maintain Ongoing Relationships With Clients (new ones, maintain contact after the work is over Join 1-2/Become Visible Organizations That Are Replete With Ideal Clients Start to Co-market With Professional Allies Begin To Speak/Write Articles Selectively Go To Networking Opportunities

24. SAGE Professional Introductions vs. Referrals Introduction Referral Warm Hand Off Comfortable Process Think about a Picnic Impersonal May or may not be real lead with right target market Can be uncom- fortable for all parties

25. SAGE Professional Conducting A Network Building Meeting Set The Appointment Be open as to why you want to meet –Share what you do / who looking to meet –Understand more about what they are doing –Get their advice and counsel Tell them why session will be valuable to them –Make introductions –Be a resource Ask them to bring rolodex / database Set expectations on timing

26. SAGE Professional Conducting The Network Building Interview Before The Meeting: –Remember People Like Helping Other People –Review Results From Previous Meetings –Think Of Ways You Can Help Them –Be Prepared To Takes Notes/Bring Calendar & Contacts At The Meeting: –Set The Agenda –I Would Like To Ask Your Advice And Help In Growing My Practice –Be Specific About Your Ideal Client –Do You Know? – Either Potential Client Or Somebody That Works A Lot With These Clients –I Would Appreciate Your Help –Close For The Next Step After The Meeting: –Follow up –Reciprocate –Update Your Contact Management System

27. SAGE Professional Networking Is Not Being pushy Being selfish Taking advantage of your friends Glad handing and passing out business cards Making small talk (or talking much at all) Rushing around to meet as many people as possible Going to “events” with strangers

28. SAGE Professional Networking with a Purpose Internal & external Seek to meet 1-3 people Ask to be introduced to specific people Listen Look to “give” Sit by strangers

29. SAGE Professional 30-Second Commercials Short capsule so others will want to know more Answers the question “What’s In It For Your Client?” Clear & concise No jargon or lingo

30. SAGE Professional Developing a 30-second commercial I am______________________ I work with:_______________ –Describe the “people” you work with at the client and ideal clients in very specific industry or business To solve:_________________ –Describe the pivotal “trauma” you solve –Describe the business goals you help clients to achieve – Use business terms rather than jargon I am a partner in the intellectual property group of a leading US law firm. I work with senior executives and R&D directors of large pharma-ceutical companies and leading edge bio- technology ventures To make sure that their new products receive FDA approval on time, on budget and without unexpected surprises To protect their new product and innovations from being hijacked by competitors or employees

31. SAGE Professional Today’s Program Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network HOW To Do It Effectively How To Make Network Building A Daily Habit

32. SAGE Professional Making Network Building A Daily Habit Your Personal Marketing Plan Is Your To Do List Set Minimum Weekly/Daily Action Requirements Use Breakfast And Lunch To Market & Sell Use “Downtime” For Marketing Set “Give up” Goals Schedule Network Building Meetings In Advance (Treat like a client appointment Be Accountable To A Coach/Mentor Automate/routinize Follow-up Post Activity and Results Each Week/Month

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34. Review Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Is Network Building Vital To Your Legal Career Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now Why Do You Need To Start Network Building Now WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network WHAT To Do To Build Your Professional Network HOW To Do It Effectively How To Make Network Building A Daily Habit

35. SAGE Professional Congratulations! To You To be promoted to partner, associates must demonstrate business development potential: –65% of respondents said that their firm's current partners consider the business development capability of an associate as an extremely important or very important factor when considering the promotion of an associate to partner To Your Firm Asked "does your firm offer business development training to your junior and senior associates (10 or more hours a year)?" the responses were: –Only 43% said yes. –29% answered "No, but planning to this year.“ –A shocking 28% answered "No and not planning to."

36. SAGE Professional Thank You The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena …because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

37. SAGE Professional Our Next Web Seminar In The Associate Marketing Mentor Series Seeing The World Through The Eyes Of The Clients Understanding The Client’s Grading System For Satisfaction and Loyalty Lessons From The Client Relationship Masters The Client Relationship Hierarchy Mistakes That Most Professional Make In Client Relationships Auditing The Quality Of Your Working Relationship With Clients Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Business Relationship With Your Client What You Should Know About Your Client’s Business Becoming A Trusted Business Advisor Diagnosing Your Client’s Trauma Like A Business Doctor Listening For Potential Service Opportunities Marketing To Your “Crown Jewel Clients” The Best Practices Of Building Client Relationships www.sagelawmarketing.com/WebseminarAssociatesA2 October 28th, 2005

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39. SAGE PDI 630.942.0977 Lbodine@LawMarketing.com 630.572.4798 MikeSage@sbcglobal.net Today’s Speakers