“Be intentional” to meet business
development goals
As part of a targeted Law Marketing Day, the Law Practice Management Section sponsored “Define Your Event Strategy: Maximize Your Business Development Dollars” on Feb. 9 at the Midyear Meeting in Miami.
Speakers John Bowers of Philadelphia, Elise Martin of Wilmington, Del., and Carly Sproul of Chicago shared their hints on maximizing business development opportunities through participation in various events such as conferences, CLEs, receptions and even webinars.
 Each of the panelists offered tips for making the most of one's time and money, and walked attendees through pre-event, during the event and post-event actions. The recurring theme throughout was to have a well-defined strategy and “be intentional.”
Pre-event activities for someone planning to attend a tradeshow or conference should include reviewing a list of past and current attendees, said Sproul. Call clients and prospects to arrange meetings or dinner. Research and write up talking points on key attendees.
If several lawyers from a firm are attending one large conference, said Sproul, divvy up responsibilities. When you arrive at the site, convene for a strategy meeting to ensure that everyone is on the same page and understands their duties. If several lawyers are attending as exhibitors, Bowers said, the same applies: Have a strategy meeting early to ensure that there is buy-in from all attendees, everyone understands event logistics and, if applicable, a presenter is prepared for his or her speech.
In deciding whether to sponsor an event, Bowers stressed not to continue to host an event because "we've always done it." Make sure that there is a champion within the organization for a particular event.
Martin offered tips on attending a reception or dinner. "Draw upon your strengths and push past at least one of your weaknesses." If you know that you're not the best schmoozer in the world, she said, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't go a reception; it means that you should prepare yourself mentally and be aware of that.
"Preserve your memories," was another tip Martin offered. When you leave an event, jot down things on the back of a person's business card that will help jog your memory of the conversation that you had with the prospect. Finally, Martin emphasized, write down your plan and follow up after the event with writing down how you fared in your goal.
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