Mother in Law: Meeting targets when you don't have enough work

So you’ve read my columns on meeting your fees target, time recording, and all the rest of it, but you’ve just been offered a job in an expanding team and you can’t meet any targets because you don’t have enough work. What should you do? Depending on the structure of your firm these are things you can do in collaboration with your line manager, or your marketing team, or on your own. 

Networking

By this I specifically mean 'going to a networking event'. For the avoidance of doubt, I have never met a person who thinks networking events are fun. Everyone would prefer to be reading a book in an armchair or catching up with an old friend or, actually, ANYTHING ELSE. For me, the worst part is knowing how to naturally move on from the person you are talking to in order to talk to someone else. Hopefully knowing that no one else finds this easy or enjoyable helps. But these events have their place and can be useful for building connections.

Networking involving an activity

Have you noticed how couples don’t just go for a drink and chat any more? That’s why there are so many indoor golf/axe throwing/pottery centres. This is probably why politics is the way it is; the art of conversation, and debate, and pondering the nuances of someone else’s point of view have all died. Anyway, this comes in handy for networking. I would much prefer to sit and make awkward chit chat if I can simultaneously be making a Christmas wreath. 

As well as these events there will be the straight sporting events that you can do wearing your firm’s T shirt. If you like running, or football, or obviously padel because everyone plays padel suddenly, then this is an easy way to 'do your bit'. Ideally, you won’t just rock up to a 10k race and go home again not having spoken to anyone. You should post about it on social media beforehand, find out if any of your prospective connections are also taking part and use it as an opportunity to build your relationships with them, and post about it again after. But, you know, running through your local area wearing your firm’s T shirt is still better than nothing.

If you don’t see an event for the sport you like, why not run the event yourself?

Free conferences

There seems to be a growing trend, at least in my area of law, of conferences becoming more like networking events than straight CPD courses. Lots of barristers’ chambers run them. Again, less awkward and scary than a pure networking event.

Online blogs and newspaper articles

However young and newly qualified you are, you undoubtedly know enough about an area of law to write about it in a way that lay people can understand. I don’t know enough about SEO, and the newer version to optimise results from AI assistants, but I guess the gist is that the wording of the article should reflect the wording of the likely search term, for example, 'divorce, long marriage, big pension'. If you know the right people (or are willing to get in touch with them) you can get these articles into local papers and business magazines.

LinkedIn posts

LinkedIn makes me want to vomit on a daily basis, but it does give individuals an instant platform to make connections. Do think about whether you are connecting with the people you need to connect with though. For example, if you are a conveyancer, you are unlikely to connect with many future clients on LinkedIn but maybe you can connect with estate agents? Remember you don’t have to be cringey. I quite like it when lawyers simply explain a recent case. That doesn’t make me want to vomit.

Targeting particular groups

As I say, I do think a lot of people post things on LinkedIn expecting their post to reach prospective clients, without realising their clients aren’t on LinkedIn. It is much better (for example) to do a talk at a U3A group about wills and LPAs, even if it is a small group, so that you know you are talking to actual consumers rather than typing something online and hoping the message magically reaches them.

Joining sector-specific groups and taking additional qualifications

Not only do you stand out if you are a member of STEP, or Resolution, but being a member also brings new marketing opportunities, and new connections with the possibility of cross-referrals.

Directories

Are you doing decent, thorough, applications to the Legal 500 et al? Works for some; I’m on the fence.

One to one meetings

I think it is much better to spend an hour having lunch with one contact than moving round a room having a number of 30 second chats.

Internal networking

As long as your firm isn’t tiny, it is really important to network internally, because lawyers are really bad at cross-referring between departments. Make it easy by always being visible. 

Hopefully you feel that there are a few things here that you can do and aren’t feeling queasy from the number of times I have referred to human beings as 'connections'. They all involve putting yourself out there, which I know can make you feel both uncool and vulnerable, but I encourage you to feel the fear and do it anyway - what is the worst that can happen?