Headed to a conference? Get your game face on

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By Lisa Ramsey Woodford
Dolan Media Newswires

In many ways, lawyers are like professional athletes: competitive, performance-driven and motivated by achievement.

In other words, lawyers like to win.

Perhaps that’s why they take such a dim view on conference networking, approaching it like a Hail Mary pass, perceiving that the outcome is dictated by chance rather than ability.

As any winning sports franchise will tell you, success depends on strategy. With this in mind, here are five ways lawyers should use social media to develop a successful networking strategy.

1) Get your game face on

Before you even register for your next conference, make sure that your LinkedIn profile is not only complete, but compelling. This is your home court advantage; a well-constructed LinkedIn profile can set you apart from other conference attendees. So “suit up” your LinkedIn profile by remembering:

• Your LinkedIn profile is like an online handshake: It should be confident, but also warm and engaging. Try writing your profile in the first person.
• Use the “Summary” section to provide a detailed description of your areas of expertise in the industries where you want to develop business.
• Customize your URL and make sure it includes your name.
• Join LinkedIn Groups that reflect your interests and industry focus.
• Check out LinkedIn apps that provide platforms for thought leadership such as JD Supra and SlideShare, then populate them with content.

2) Pre-conference tailgate party

Social media is to conferences what tailgating is to football. Following online conversations gives you information that you can use to develop a conference strategy with traction. Twitter and LinkedIn are excellent tools to help you research, listen and expand your existing network.

• Use Twitter and LinkedIn to follow conference updates and listen in on the digital conversation.
• In the weeks leading up to the conference, post regular status updates that let people know you’ll be attending.
• Search and save conference-specific hashtags into a stream so you don’t miss any posts.
• Identify the decision-makers whom you consider high-value targets. Review their social media profiles and corporate websites and use that information to engage online and at the conference.
• Notice which topics and comments are generating the most buzz — it’s a good barometer to gauge which sessions your high-value targets will likely attend.

3) First-round draft picks

Think of high-value targets as teams on which you want to play. Like any draft process, you need to prove that your skills and abilities add value to the roster. Use the following strategies to become a first-round draft pick:

• Let them know you’re a contender. Create a personal message for your high-value targets and let them know you’ll be at the conference and would like to connect.
• Make your social media profile a resource destination by regularly sharing information about the conference that adds value and momentum.
• Practice, practice, practice: Allocate short periods of time every day to expand your network within this online community by engaging in conversations.
• Play it safe; do not offer legal advice online. Familiarize yourself with ethics rules and follow your firm’s social media policy. As a best practice, consider adding a disclaimer to your profile.

4) The big game

The goal is to move the ball forward. So how do you prevent lost yardage while you are actually attending the conference?

• Keep your head in the game. Update your profile regularly throughout the conference with status updates about speakers, sessions and any new information that is being discussed.
• If someone asks a great question, post it (remember to give credit), then get the answer and post that as well.
• If a session isn’t meeting your expectations, monitor the digital conversation to find one that does — then move!
• Use Twitter to search for “meet-ups” at the conference. These face-to-face huddles yield conversations that are deeper, more productive and more enjoyable because you’ve already spent time getting to “know” each other online.

5) Post-game victory

Celebrate your win by showing appreciation to the fans and reliving the details of the game with your network. Here’s how to keep the dream alive:

• Develop a post-conference summary, including conference materials if possible.
• Share a list of the “Best Conference Questions and Answers.”
• Share your curated content with others in the industry who were not in attendance.
• Take the game to them. The goal of online relationship development is real-life business. Keep moving your relationships forward by staying in touch, both on and offline.

Remember, not every connection you make will be a touchdown, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important to your business development goals. Everyone you meet is a potential referral source, so make them your biggest fan.

Lisa Ramsey Woodford is the marketing director at Cooley, Manion, Jones in Boston. She can be contacted at [email protected].