by Andi Groomes

With Memorial Day behind us and the Fourth of July right around the corner, the summer holiday season is already in full swing. This is the time of year when you find your weekends filled with events like graduations, weddings, barbecues and family reunions. Summer is the perfect time to deepen your relationships and expand your network while adding fun to your business development efforts. Every event offers the opportunity to meet new people, extend a helping hand and share resources.

The key to successfully mining an event for new relationships lies within your ability to effectively generate a conversation. Since you can’t avoid talking to people at social events, you might as well take advantage of the opportunity.

Below are some tips that can help you maximize the impact you can have with new connections at summer social events. When you apply intentional effort, good communication skills and spirit to your game, you will expand your network of connectors before Labor Day.

1. Play a game with yourself or with a business development buddy this summer. How many new connections can you make at the social events you attend? A little friendly competition is a nice motivator for many lawyers, who are known to get a charge out of winning! If you choose to challenge yourself, set a goal for the number of new relationships you would like to initiate at summer gatherings. You can even grade yourself after each event. This is a new way to be an “A” student.A little accountability goes a long way. If you really want to energize your results, tell a family member about your summer game. If you have kids, they may be excited to help hold you accountable by asking you “How are you doing this week?” You’ll get better results and they will enjoy flipping the accountability script. Including your spouse in the game might help generate results too. I once had my husband share what I do as a coach with an HR manager he met at a birthday party. He brought me to this person, we made an appointment to follow up and I eventually got some business from the connection. The bottom line is that you should be creative, hold your intention and maintain the spirit of summer fun.

    

2. Prepare some open-ended questions that will be your standard conversation starters. Choose a subject that you enjoy too, then you can rotate these questions with each new introduction. Here are a few conversation starters:
   • “What summer activity are you most looking forward to?”
   • “What’s your dream summer weekend getaway location?”
   • “How does your family typically enjoy summer activities, what makes them special for you?”
   • “Do you have a favorite Friday afternoon getaway activity that you enjoy, if so what is it?”
   • “If you found a free summer weekend, how would you make the most of it?”
   • “What’s your favorite summer movie, book or song? What’s memorable about it to you?”

   The key to effective conversation starters is that you use open-ended questions that invite the person you meet to share a story or personal interest, beyond simply responding with a yes or no. The best questions start with “what” or “how” and occasionally “why.” Your goal is to spend 5-10 minutes getting to know a little bit about the person. Make a note of something you learned about the person so you remember it for the next time you two connect. This offers you the opportunity to follow up with them about the interest they find relevant and start a “next” conversation with ease. The more people you know and sustain connections with, the broader your network extends to accommodate new resources, introductions or business.

 

3. Prepare how you will introduce yourself at events ahead of time. The tried and true “I’m a lawyer” or “I’m a complex litigator” often do not achieve the impact you desire. In this day and age, unfortunately, self-identification as a lawyer may foster a less-than-favorable response.More importantly, people have short attention spans, especially at summer social events. Therefore, your first 5 words are critical in securing their attention and gaining a more desirable opening for new introductions. Statements such as:
   • “I help software companies protect their new ideas.”
   • “I support emerging companies in getting the funding to expand.”
   • “I advise developers on how to protect their assets.”
   • “I help individuals transfer their wealth and secure their legacy.”

   You get the picture. The first words you utter should express excitement and passion about how you help your clients fulfill their needs. Each and every person you meet has an inner Rolodex of contacts. Your goal is to get them focused on who in their Rolodex would be most beneficial for you to meet.

These three steps will launch your summer business development season and position you to have fun, expand your network and generate a productive quarter. Take this information and place it somewhere visible at work and at home, as a reminder of how to energize events that sometimes become dull, duty-bound or routine. Having a goal and clear intention contributes to your success and fun. Happy summer!