• by Laura Lee

Speaking somewhere that you can’t collect leads? Try this approach…

Attorneys often tell us they feel frustrated when invited to speak at events where they can’t directly promote their services. It’s a tough spot – you want to respect the rules, but you also need to see a return on your time investment.

So, how do you generate leads and build your network without being salesy?

Here’s my go-to strategy (and it works like a charm):

1. Before the event, pinpoint a specific pain point for your audience and create a knockout resource to address it. Think ebooks, checklists, you name it! If you need help with this, a good marketing team (hint, hint) can take the work off your plate.

2. Deliver a fantastic presentation, packed with value. Strive to keep them engaged to the end and use your Q & A time to lightly “seed” the various ways that a firm like yours can help solve their problems.

3. Afterward, say something like, “We’ve dug into a lot of information today, and your questions have been really thoughtful. I have an additional resource that will help you continue your educational journey. If you’d like a free copy, just leave me your email on this sheet I’ll pass around, or your mailing address if you don’t have an email, and I’ll drop you a copy in the mail.”

See what I did there? You’re getting contact info, building trust, and attendees feel appreciated. I’ve never had a client run into trouble using this approach!

Even if you can’t get contact information for every attendee, it’s far better than leaving empty-handed.

Let me know if you try this out – I’d love to hear how it goes.