Exhibit 4 Five Tips for Turning Introductions Into Opportunities

• Library: Building Rainmakers: The Definitive Guide to Business Development for Lawyers (ABA) (2016 Ed.)

Exhibit 4 Five Tips for Turning Introductions into Opportunities

By Deborah Shames & Jonathan R. Fitzgarrald

It is 7:45 a.m. Cup of coffee in hand, you find a seat and wait for the networking meeting to begin—you are visiting for the first time. The meeting facilitator welcomes everyone and says, "With so many new faces today, I thought it would be a good idea to go around the room and have everyone take a few moments to introduce themselves and what they do."

"Oh great, here comes a glorified roll call," you think. Short of watching paint dry, nothing is as mind numbing as listening to a group of professionals introduce themselves through cliches, generalities, and generic value statements.

Elevator speeches, 15-second pitches, brief introductions—whatever you call them—are attempts to connect and stir the interest of a prospect or referral source in a short amount of time. With forethought and preparation, introductions can be an effective way of building your book of business and even of starting a process that may lead to a strategic alliance.

FIRST, consider your intention. Intention is the driving force behind every successful presentation (and yes, an introduction should be considered a presentation). It is the singular message or impression you want to leave with your audience. Pick one intention and make it active. Want more of a particular type...