Get Out and Mingle!

​Pandemic?! What pandemic?!

This was the overwhelming sentiment at the ABA White Collar conference held in San Francisco last week. Hundreds of people packed into relatively small restaurants shoulder to shoulder in back-to-back networking events each night. The turnout at these events was impressive. This was a pleasant surprise in today’s hybrid work environment where professionals are settling into the comforts of their home office and are less inclined to get out and connect with others.

Although attending networking events is still viewed by many as a dreaded part of the job, people seemed to enjoy themselves at this one. I, for one, enjoyed it despite how exhausting it was. Perhaps it was a welcome change to the past few years where most people were concerned about the ongoing spread of Covid. Although Covid is still out there, most everyone seemed to have put that worry aside for the sake of getting back out and connecting with their network.

​Staying in contact with your network virtually or via email is important, yet there is no better way to meet new contacts and strengthening existing relationships than by doing it in person. The 1-on-1 interaction will not only uncover immediate opportunities, but it also paves the way for a more trusting relationship that is critical in building long-term relationships. Having said that, it takes time, energy, and effort to book the in-person meetings and attend networking events like the ABA WCC conference. It is often the extra effort you put into the events that will pay dividends in return.

Case in point, a friend of mine, Jim, who runs a crisis communication firm, is often the last one to leave a networking event. He believes that many opportunities will present themselves late in the game. When he attended the ABA conference last week, he uncovered a potentially huge opportunity after midnight before they shut down the event. It was the last conversation in the night that ended up being one of his best conversations in the 3-day event. Jim could have easily left hours earlier when he was tired, but his philosophy is that if you are going to commit to a networking event, commit 100%. You never know what might happen in the 11th hour.

It was refreshing for me to mingle with the crowds, meet many of the clients that I have coached or am current coaching, and meet with new potential clients. It was an important reminder that this type of networking is hard work but so important in maintaining and growing a practice. It also reminded me that you do not have to be an extrovert to excel at these events. I ran into several introverts who were engaging with others despite their inherent discomfort in doing so.

It really comes down to how much you want to grow your business. You can either sit by the phone and wait for it to ring, or you can crawl out of the “cave” and find the business on your own. In today’s competitive market, it is safe to say that choosing the former is usually a long shot.