Three Ways to Reconnect (from Home) with a Key Contact

Even as some law firms are beginning to return to the office for important meetings and court proceedings that must be conducted in person, many attorneys and the corporate clients they serve are continuing to work remotely. Certainly we are many months away from a time where it would feel appropriate to invite a client or prospect to lunch.

Attorneys who have always conducted most of their networking through social activities may be feeling a bit lost as to how to stay connected to key sources of referrals and prospects with whom they have worked to establish a rapport. Sure, they can update their LinkedIn profile, but just because they build it, how can they be sure anyone will come?

The key to fostering connection in the age of quarantine is to first make yourself accessible by building that online presence. Then you must take a next step to initiate or continue contact with the people who can help you build your business in the long term. Here are three ways you can bring your name to the front burner for them without making an “ask” or trying to sell your business.

1. If you see a contact share a link to a good article on LinkedIn, send them a quick message to say thanks for the information and ask how they are.

2. Send a contact an actual analog card — with a message written in pen, if you can remember how to do that — to congratulate them on a recent win, promotion, office move or simply to say hello and ask how they are doing in these strange times.

3. Spend some time reading through a publication relevant to that contact’s industry or job responsibilities and reach out with a link to an especially helpful article or upcoming webinar you want to make sure is on their radar.

These gestures take minutes, and they won’t necessarily lead to immediate new business. But investing time in generous and genuine human connection is good for you and your network right now, and it may very well pay off for your business in the long run.