Creating Buzz: A Brief Sidetrip

I ran across a post by Julie Fleming-Brown (a professional and personal coach for lawyers) at her blog, Life at the Bar entitled, "How Can Your Practice Become Known?" Her key points are:

• Blog,
• create a unique experience for your clients,
  
• be active and visible in the community, and,
  
• be clear about what makes you different

Her thoughts behind each bullet are well worth reading. You will find the post here.

Creating Buzz Tip #3: Ask Questions

People remember and talk about people they respect. To earn their respect demonstrate yours (respect) for them. In business, people like to acknowledged for their skills and expertise, and they definitely remember the people that have turned to them for advise.

Every day you are faced with choices -- in the process of deciding which choice to make you sometimes need another opinion. Typically you turn to people inside your firm. Why not call one of the ‘buzz leaders’ in your targeted community and ask them? That one call accomplishes two important things:

• You demonstrate your respect for the person you called and,
• You will be warmly remembered for acknowledging their acumen

Make enough calls over time and there is a lot of warmth and good will floating around with your name attached. Creating personal buzz does not have to be a giant production that consumes your life -- just a bunch of little steps that demonstrate how you are different and worth knowing.

Creating Buzz Tip #2: Moderate

Whenever possible be the moderator in a panel discussion, not the panelist. The moderator is perceived as:

• The most connected (most broadly known)
  
• The professional with the broadest understanding of the issues
• A friend to the audience
• The most approachable

I have gotten the most buzz mileage from moderating panels and I recommend it for building your personal brand.

Creating Buzz Tip #1

Every business community is ‘buzzing’ about something all the time! The "community" may be defined by geography, industry, profession, or cause. What we would like to be able to do is influence the ‘Buzz’ and get people to talk about us. Easy to say – tough to do. Here is the first tip in a series about getting people to talk (positively) about you or your firm.

Buzz Tip #1: Show up and be seen -- "Buzz" needs a starting point.

The old adage; “Out of sight, out of mind” is absolutely true, especially in professional services. Make it your goal to be seen consistently and often within the community of people you’d like to be buzzing about you (or your firm). It is not nearly enough to lend your name to committees, causes, events, etc. Until your audience sees you, in person, constantly, they have no reason to talk about you. And more importantly, they need to feel that you are neck-deep in the things they care about. People like to talk about good things. You need to be a ‘good thing’.

The Smartest People are Not the Best Panelists

I attended a conference in Napa the last few days and one comment about the conference came through time and again -- the speakers kept losing their audiences over and over. To the credit of the committee (of attorneys) that organized the panels, they had recruited the most successful attorneys (in particular areas of law) to appear on stage. Yet, the smartest person at doing a thing is not always the best person to teach or talk about it. I am always amazed that when individuals become part of an event committee they forget everything they've muttered when they to were participating from the audience. Anyway -- here's three things that this conference might have done differently:

• Pick speakers who have been seen on-stage. Can they teach? Can they engage an audience or will the audience get lost or bored? A disinterested audience will leave early and think twice about returning the following year.
• Look first to the needs of the audience. No matter the conference or event people want to spend time talking, be entertained, and learn something -- in that order!
• Hire professional event producers. This conference I attended used an excellent event planner, so definitely no problem there. But, an event production company takes on most of what an organizing committee does. A production company not only plans an event, they find the right speakers and emcees, they orchestrate every moment and create highs and lows to suit an audience -- they create an experience!

It is said often that lawyers are (generally) not the right experts to create marketing materials. The same can be said of events. I have often stated that lawyers SHOULD get involved in committees as an excellent business networking tactic. That remains true. But, to be on a committee carries the responsibility of making sound choices for the organization, and their events....

Extending the Value of Your Business Relationship Network

The value in your network of business relationships can be extended far beyond the one-to-one benefits you already enjoy. Your network could be the goldmine that others wish they had, and quite frankly, if you share your wealth (of relationships) it will return tenfold.

Case in point: A few years back I dipped into my Rolodex to help a friend make connections for her new business (a marcomm agency). After reviewing the strengths of her business I was able to make some strategic introductions for her. From those relationships her business has flourished through direct and referral opportunities.

I know most of my readers would say they are already doing that, but there's one more step to really make your generosity pay off.

That last step is letting go. Once you have made the introduction, stay out, completely out, of their budding relationship. If something goes terribly wrong, you'll hear about it from one of them. If it goes wonderfully right, then you'll hear about that too. Instinctively you may want to 'care-take' a relationship you initiated along the line of, "But what about my reputation? How can I protect my reputation if I don't make sure it works out?" Let me answer that with a couple of thoughts.

One, you can't make anyone feel anything. Both people introduced are going to make up their own mind no matter what you do. More importantly, the more you stick your nose into what goes on between them the more YOU WILL be held responsible if it goes wrong. By staying out of the way your reputation can continue to be measured solely on your willingness to help and your personal interactions with each contact. It's OK to let them be responsible for what goes on between them.

Second, if you are concerned your contact will not get along with the person you referred, then shame on you for making the referral in the first place. If you are too insecure not to meddle in the affairs of others then don't make referrals.

Matchmaking is a good thing. Do it as often as you can. Micromanaging is a bad thing. Do it not at all.

What is a "Marketing Catalyst" at a Law Firm

I used to have "Catalyst" as the title listed under my name on business cards. It was always a great conversation starter to anyone that saw it for the first time. "What is a "Catalyst?"", they would ask. Mostly I would respond that, "I make good things happen for people at my firm." More often though I receive emails and questions about "how" to be a catalyst. It's Sunday evening, I have a few minutes, so let me try and answer that question (at least for myself).

• Everything I see looks too routine -- too normal. If it has been done once by someone else it does not need repeating. There MUST be a different way to accomplish it! Like scaling Mt. Everest -- many wish to reach the top, but is there a route no one else has attempted?
• People want to be connected to other people. It is a natural state of things. What can I do to make that happen? Whom needs more friends? What two people can I put together to equal a great (business) relationship? It is a never-ending task of which I never tire.
• Never settle for logical when "gut" is speaking louder. Instinct comes naturally and is key to being a catalyst. Logic is simply a way of explaining why we ignored our instinct. Think less--feel more.
• Challenge anyone that wants to limit the range of your influence. This amounts to "being controlled", which is another way of saying, "I want you to only work towards my goals." This is a bad thing. Period.
• Be honest. Maybe brutally so. Being a catalyst requires that everyone around you is always quite clear on whom you are, what you want, what you are going to do, and why you are going to do it. It is amazing how quickly "truth" opens the door to opportunity.
• Trust everyone else at least once. Again -- period.
• Think like an eight year old. Now that I am over 50 it has become a more and more difficult task, but I do remember it vaguely. And I can see it whenever I'm around children of that age. That year (or thereabouts) a child's curiousity and their understanding of what might be possible reach a peak. Nothing seems impossible and everything is within reach. Is that cool or what!?

That's my first take. I know there is more but here is where I will start. Maybe you can tell me more about what makes you a "catalyst".