Networking and business development are different things – you shouldn’t sell someone as soon as you meet them. That’s what I recently discussed with Steve Fretzin, who coaches and trains lawyers in modern-day business development skills, providing precise tips, fresh ideas, and actionable tasks that drive tangible results. Steve is also a three-time author, monthly contributor to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and has his own podcast BE THAT LAWYER.

Steve defines networking as the act of developing relationships and strategic partnerships. He defines business development as the next stage where you take strategic partnerships and relationships and identify needs to solve problems and create the opportunity for a sale as a result. The new way to do business development is to ask questions, listen and walk someone through the process of making a buying decision based on the need to solve a problem vs. the old school sales method of trying to convince someone to do something.

Selling During The First Meeting?

Steve doesn’t recommend trying to sell somebody something during your first meeting. Consider your first meeting with someone an opportunity to learn about them. This means you make the first meeting all about them – not trying to sell yourself and your product or service. If you discover that you can’t solve their problem or give them what they need then try to refer them to someone else. It’s better to make a referral than to make an unqualified sale. If you discover that you can help them set up another meeting and present solutions that they can decide to buy or not to buy.

A Common Networking Mistake

One big mistake is networking for the sake of networking. You might be joining multiple groups and, without realizing it, be meeting with the wrong people for the wrong reasons. Rather than doing that you should define who you’re targeting as a potential client and who you’re targeting as a potential referral source. Then answer the question “Where are they?” Once you answer that question go to where they are instead of just randomly going to networking events.

Listen In!

In this episode we also talk about:

How to create a profile for your ideal clients and referral sources.
How to successfully network during the pandemic.
The positive side of networking during the pandemic.
How to have successful virtual sales meetings.
…And other golden nuggets of wisdom!

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About The Guest

 

The host of the BE THAT LAWYER podcast, Steve has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Crain’s, and Entrepreneur.com and has appeared on NBC News and WGN Radio. He has written three books on legal business development, is a regular contributor to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and has published articles in Attorney at Law magazine, the National Law Review, the American Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.