A 29-year-old family law practitioner wrote to me the other day. She said:

“While I am lucky enough to have a job in one of the worst markets for new attorneys ever, it is difficult being 29 years old and trying to get new clients to my firm. All of my friends are getting married now, and it is uncomfortable even talking with them about divorce. Any suggestions?”

Why yes, I do have suggestions. I have something to say about nearly everything. The good news is that my wife does too, so we’re able to tolerate one another quite nicely.

Getting Started With Referrals

You’re right, talking to your 29-year-old friends may not generate much business. Sure, it’s good for them to know what you do. Many of them will be asked to make referrals either now or down the road, so it’s important to stay in touch. However, they’re not going to keep you booked up with initial consultations—yet.

For now, you need to select high-value targets. I talk about developing a list of targets in Networking 101. You’ll take the slow road if you only approach the people you know. The key is to approach people you’d like to know.

There are key people for every practice area in every community. For instance, in my family law practice, it’s important to get to know other lawyers, mental health professionals, and certain financial professionals. These folks have the connections providing them the opportunity to refer.

Choosing the Right Targets

Let’s use lawyers to continue my example. I practice in North Carolina. In Raleigh, one of the cities in which we have an office, there are more than 3,000 lawyers. We can’t get to know all of them. It’s important to focus on a limited number.

All lawyers are not created equal. Some lawyers have high-end clients; some don’t. Some see many clients; some see few. A good networking target for us is a lawyer with high-end clients and many of them. Certain estate planning attorneys are a good example.

It’s not difficult to identify these few attorneys (we ask around) handling a large number of high-net-worth individuals and approach them to build relationships. These lawyers are a good target for building a family law practice.

You’ll need to get to know them. It’s going to take time. Don’t expect a busload of clients overnight. You’ll need to give before you get and find ways to help your targets (not necessarily in the form of referrals). You’ll also need to commit to building a friendship for the long term. The results will come faster than you think but slower than you’d like.

Being 29 years old isn’t an impediment to building a practice. You’ve got boundless energy and unlimited enthusiasm. The key is focusing that energy and enthusiasm like a laser beam. With that kind of focus, you’ll see the results you need.