There are many ways to build your law practice. Playing golf, for example, is a perfectly legitimate way to build relationships with potential clients and referral sources….Unless you don’t like golf. In which case it is a terrible way to market.

Spending time on an activity that is not authentically you is pretty much a waste of time. I would argue that it’s actually counterproductive. No one wants to be around someone who is having a miserable time (see picture of Eeyore above). And if you choose activities that you are not drawn to, chances are you’ll keep avoiding them.

Personally, I like having coffee with people, taking walks (a pandemic thing), and interviewing people for my podcast. In fact a big reason I do a podcast is to cultivate my relationship with the professionals that I choose to interview. To read more about that see my article in a recent issue of the ABA’s GPSolo eReport.

I have clients who enjoy taking their clients and referral sources to sporting events. But this is definitely not my go to activity. In fact I can’t think of anyone I would want to sit next to for three hours in a baseball stadium (including friends and family). But I really enjoy talking to people who are very interested in sports. I wrote about that a while back on this blog (If You Don’t Like Sports, Try Becoming a Sports Fan FAN).

So what are the activities that you enjoy that will give you the chance to highlight your expertise and build the business relationships you want to build?

If you enjoy two activities, choose the one that puts you in front of the audience you want to meet. (“If You Like Dancing and You Want to Marry Someone Jewish, Don’t Hang Out at Catholic Singles Dances”–a blog post I haven’t written yet but probably will some day.)

So what’s on your list? Do you have any hobbies, interests, volunteer activities, professional involvement (e.g. trade associations), that have been particularly good ways for you to build your network? I’d love to hear!

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