Networking – The FAB Strategy



Networking is a task all professionals should practise daily, within and outside of the work environment, to build and maintain a strong and loyal client base. The proven three-part FAB strategy discussed in this article, delivers practical ideas and techniques for lawyers at all levels of private practice or in-house.

FAB:                 Focused – planning to establish, value and build relationships

                          Approachable – valuing what you do and enjoying great conversations

                          Believable – earning trust through proving trustworthiness

Networking is serious business. Fierce competition across the business sector in Singapore and around the globe is forcing many professionals out of the office to interact face-to-face with clients and potential clients.

Lawyers at all levels of Singapore law firms are accountable to varying degrees for building the client base, achieving budget, billing set hours, servicing both internal and external clients, building strong working relationships and presenting the ‘face’ of the business. To varying degrees, similar expectations are placed on lawyers working in-house.

All lawyers must complement their technical expertise with strong networking skills.

Networking is about building relationships and assisting people to get ‘what they want’ while getting you ‘what you want’. It is a fact that ‘givers gain’. Networking is not about acquiring as many business cards as you can, adding the contact details to your database and then bombarding contacts with information.

Networking links directly with marketing and image presentation. When you are networking you are in effect marketing your business. Presenting yourself well and selling the expertise of your business, establishes credibility, distinction and recognition – earning ‘fame’.

‘Be FABulously famous - Networking’ is a Priority One Training programme with a  proven three-part networking strategy in which lawyers learn to seriously network the FAB way -  Focused, Approachable and Believable.

Focused

To be ‘Focused’ is to understand why you are networking and to know with whom you need to network. Be clear about the benefits to the business and what specifically you need to achieve, targeting the ‘right’ people and the ‘right’ organisations. Having decided on the why, who and what, then plan when, where and how you will network.

Consider the number of networking opportunities in Singapore, inside and outside of your business. Attend organised business functions that fit within your focus. Seek out associations, chambers of commerce and professional gatherings where people come together specifically for networking and to do business.

Don’t forget to identify and use your existing networks. Do your extended family and friends fully understand what you do, know your client profile and what it is you need to achieve? They can refer you to potential clients should an opportunity arise within their professional and personal networks. This is very much like providing a recommendation for others to access the services of any professional, hire a home helper or get the best travel deal. We all give and receive referrals in every day life.

In my experience, lawyers often do not take advantage of socialising with other lawyers in different practice areas of their law firm. Valuable networks can be developed to create win-win situations.

Growing your network is about branching out from the people you know to the people they know, to the people you meet and the people they know. Building relationships brings ‘fame’ – people who are ‘FABulously famous’ have many others working to refer them.

Serious networking is most definitely based on establishing, valuing and building relationships, and what better way is there than assisting others to achieve their goals? Give people who you know and meet, access to your network. Understanding what they do is the first step, just as you need them to understand what you do. 

Planning is critical to being ‘Focused’. The adage ‘if you fail to plan you plan to fail’ is very relevant to networking. Set SMARTA goals that are Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Timeframed and Aligned. You are then able to evaluate whether you achieved what you set out to achieve and if not, why not?

The planning process must address how you will network to project your image and that of your business. 

Developing a concise and clearly understood message projects a professional image and ‘sells’ the benefits that your clients derive from using the services of your firm or business. Sometimes referred to as ‘an elevator statement’, the statement must be aligned with the values and marketing strategies of your firm or business and information contained within promotional materials, including the website.

A well-structured elevator statement must be presented professionally. How you are perceived by others is inextricably linked to how you see yourself and the self-confidence with which you approach others.

Approachable

‘Approachable’ is part two of the FAB networking strategy. It is a fact that you need to like yourself and value what you do, in the way that you do it, to successfully network. This is not ego tripping; it is essential to presenting a professional, confident and relaxed image. It is also a fact that you need to develop a positive attitude to network well. Negative thoughts and feelings result in negative behaviours.

Participants in our networking programmes often cite fear as a factor when they first walk into a room and are confronted with a large group of strangers. Fear can be relieved if you adopt a positive attitude, and this translates into the way you walk, talk and the manner in which you approach people and introduce yourself.

Walking directly up to someone and initiating a conversation is the way to bypass a sudden surge of nerves – people rarely ignore you and are only too happy to chat. In fact, I have often been thanked for making the initial approach.

In my experience, confidence not only comes from believing in yourself, but in having the skills to present. It is worthwhile considering enrolling in a presentation skills training programme to learn to communicate more confidently in a one-to-one or small group situation and to gain public speaking skills. Accepting speaking engagements allows you to leverage the opportunity to network with a group of people all at the same time.

When people are aware that you make yourself available for speaking engagements, they tell others, and so you are able to further expand your network.

Keep in mind that when you are presenting, you are networking and marketing. You build ‘fame’ - your credibility and that of your firm or business.

Confidence and a professional image are further enhanced by how you feel about your appearance. Be aware of the image you want to project. Look and behave as a professional and you will be treated as a professional.

To be approachable you need to be aware of the impact of perception – yours and others. Our perceptions become our reality and can influence the manner in which we behave. Your perception will influence what you see, hear and feel and can create a barrier to opening constructive communication. The solution is to keep an open mind, demonstrate open body talk, reserve judgment and get to know people.

In attending network functions, I am often puzzled to see three or four people from the same organisation enjoying their own conversation rather then splitting up and working the room. Not only do they fail to network but they give themselves and their organisation a less than professional image.

‘Working the room’ is not an arduous task; I guarantee you’ll meet some very interesting people. Serious networking will see you going from one person or group of people to another – stopping and starting conversations. A serious networker focuses on who they need to meet and achieves what they set out to achieve, all the while building meaningful relationships through great conversations that can translate into business opportunities.

Enjoy great conversations by actively listening to what others say and questioning to find out more. Actively listening is using attentive body talk, mirroring appropriately, demonstrating empathy, reflecting back feelings, reinforcing the listening with a smile and a nod. It is certainly not looking 
over the speaker’s shoulder and casting your eyes around to ascertain who you will speak to next. This demonstrates 
total lack of interest in what is being said. If you find someone showing disinterest in what you are saying, either move on or if you need to develop the 
conversation, find your way to another topic.

Questioning is often one of the most underrated communication skills. You can build a conversation easily when you continue to ask open questions. Open questions begin with what, how, when, where and why. Without doubt, people enjoy talking about themselves, so to start the conversation, ask an open question. From their responses, you gain an insight into the person and their interests which allows you to engage in a two-way conversation. 

Closed questions which solicit a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer are valuable in guiding the conversation towards your interests and needs. Closed questions will also enable you to bring a conversation to an amicable close.

Believable

‘Believable’ is part three of the FAB strategy and is best practised by being famous in words and actions.

Words supported by actions send clear messages. Your elevator statement, no matter how well structured, will not be convincing unless it is delivered with expressive body talk. The tone of your voice, gesturing and the use of the pause will bring the statement to life. Passion and enthusiasm cultivate interest and excite others in what you are saying. 

Conversations are enhanced when what you are saying is supported by a relaxed natural style, gesturing and the use of eye contact. Eye contact engages others, builds trust and is a source of feedback, alerting you to how others are responding to what you are saying. Be conscious of mirroring gestures, voice tone, speed and volume, facial expressions (same culture) and posture to strengthen 
the connection.

Building relationships will be demonstrated not only through what you ‘say’ but through the behaviours you demonstrate. This can simply mean taking the lead in introducing people to one another, even if you have just met them. This is a valuable technique to being an active participant rather than a passive bystander. In taking the lead in introducing people to one another you are being proactive in fostering relationships and your profile is raised. 

A question that is often asked is ‘when do I hand out my business card?’ The answer is simply ‘when it is appropriate’. In other words it very much depends on the situation. Believability is about being true to ‘what I say that I am’ and in networking to build relationships the business card is a part of the process, not the process.

I recently attended a networking function in Singapore. I approached a gentleman who was standing alone with a glass of wine in one hand, clutching a large number of his business cards in the other. As I introduced myself he immediately handed me a card and told me his name – not the action of a believable networker. 

At the same function I developed a conversation with a woman executive who I discovered shared my interest in running as a leisure activity. The conversation was motivating. It wasn’t until we began to talk about our professional lives that I asked for her business card, giving me the opportunity to respond with my card. The exchange of cards was linked to the conversation that was taking place at that time – it 
felt right!

Actions also translate into following up the initial contact by sending an e-mail or making a telephone call. Include reference to your previous conversation and personal facts and ideas that you shared. A standard one size fits all e-mail approach is not the way to build a 
lasting relationship. 

Be highly responsive to the needs of others if you expect them to respond and act on your needs. If you offered to assist them in some way, then do it! If they offered to assist you, it is acceptable to make contact, thank them for the offer and state that you are looking forward to hearing from them. Remember, people sometimes genuinely forget, so keep up the contact.

Being believable is to communicate openly and freely. The more people disclose about themselves, the stronger the relationship, and the more people know about what you do, the more they can assist you. Find opportunities to communicate. Offer to introduce them to people in your network, perhaps offer some professional advice, send an article of common interest or simply suggest you meet for a coffee and chat.

Don’t fail to respond to messages you receive. Most important, is the word ‘thanks’. We all like to be thanked for what we do. So if someone does something for you, no matter how small, say ‘thanks’ – a little word that brings huge opportunities.

Trust is critical to building strong relationships. You earn trust through demonstrating empathy (understanding how others think and feel) and 
through integrity. 

Several years ago I met an accountant at a networking function who has a very successful accountancy practice in Asia. She is known by many as the consummate networker – FABulously famous – Focused, Approachable, Believable. Not only has she built up the clientele of her practice but she has freely assisted many other businesses to build their client base. Our company has benefited from being introduced to her network and this has resulted in many training opportunities. Her trustworthiness translates into professional creditability and this grows her business.

You too can be FABulously famous as a networker - Be Focused, Approachable, Believable.

Ian Newgreen

Priority One Training

E-mail: ian_n@priorityonetraining.com.au