Becoming a rainmaker isn’t just about being the best lawyer, although that is highly important—it’s about knowing the right people. Knowing people who need your legal services, people who refer your services out and people who speak highly of your work product.

            But going from knowing the right people to getting work is easier said than done. At a recent Legal Marketing Association Southeast Chapter meeting, Deb Knupp from Akina Business Consulting offered some insight into the rainmaking process, developing contacts into business and how to effectively network.

            One of the biggest suggestions offered was to develop a list of your top 20 contacts—then rank them in three categories. A’s would be the ones that require constant contact and have the greatest chance to convert into business, B’s would be the ones in the middle that you have decide whether to put the effort required to boost them to A’s or move them down to C’s, which are the ones that need occasional contact and are least likely to translate into business, but are good people to know. Once you finish this exercise, you should have a clear idea of who you need to focus on to develop your practice.

            Once you develop your top 20 contacts, and with any new contact you meet, be authentic. Care about what they have to say, remember what matters to them and use this information to build the relationship. Have a genuine reason to contact them with an “in”—an invitation, information or to offer an introduction to another person they might find beneficial. For example, contacting someone to inform them about new law being passed that could affect their business would be a great way to touch them, and a genuine reason. When you are authentic in your outreach, it will show and ultimately benefit the rainmaking process.

            There are many ways to go about developing business, but the common thread is that it starts by cultivating relationships with key people. Prospective clients, those who can connect you to potential clients and those you can ally with to enhance your legal practice are all people you need to focus on knowing.