Play the Long Game

You may be surprised who hears you--and when they make that known.

About two years ago I spoke on a panel at a regional conference. Nothing ever came of it.*

Until this week, when I met a prospective client referred by a mutual friend. One of the first things she said on the call? "I've seen you speak."

Did the speaking engagement lead her to me? Clearly not. But it sure made it easier to connect, since she recalled the panel favorably.

Marketing and BD activities seldom pay out immediately. Instead, they accrue over months and years, until you've built a deep store of goodwill that works for you when you are least aware.

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*This is intentionally provocative. "Nothing ever came of it" is the kind of thing I hear regularly from lawyers who aren't convinced of their own BD efforts--often within just a couple months of taking those steps.

If that's you, I'm here to say keep going. Put in the reps, do your follow up (and follow up, and follow up, and follow up . . . ) and play the long game.