One of the things that I think frequently holds young lawyers back when it comes to their marketing and networking endeavours is a concern that they are not able to do something big enough, important enough, significant enough or of substantial financial impact.
The result of this, however, is a form of paralysis that prevents young lawyers from doing anything at all. They think that, because they are not able to secure the massive client, the huge account, the most impressive speaking engagements, that they are wasting their time if they are doing things on a smaller scale, to a lesser effect.
That could not be more far from the truth.
There is nothing wrong with dreaming big – unless those dreams prevent you from acting.
Although it is clearly true that you do not want to waste time, either yours or your firms, by spending time and money on worthless activities, similarly it is a fundamental mathematical truth that one is greater then zero.
If a consequence of your desire to do big things is that you in fact do nothing, then what are you really achieving? Â Instead of capturing your energy in doing, you are wasting it in dreaming.
What you need to realise is that, almost without exception, doing something is going to achieve more than doing nothing. Sometimes, of course, what doing something will achieve is a lesson for you about what you should not be doing. But that, in itself, is a worthwhile undertaking.
So while it’s important to engage in a certain amount of wise decision making when it comes to your networking and marketing endeavours, trying to find “the next big thing” will have you putting the brakes on every time – it will never be big enough, good enough, important enough. As a young lawyer, if you are finding yourself paralysed by the fear that you can’t do something of sufficient significance, then in reality you are achieving nothing.
You need to get over the fear of doing something too small.
You need to get over the fear of not doing something well enough.
You need to stop waiting for someone to spoon feed you the next step that you should take, and you simply need to start taking steps.
Before you can capture the big client, why not try to capture 1000 small clients. Coffee with an old friend, an article published on a new platform, and update to your LinkedIn profile, a short U-tube video, a comment on an article of interest, engagement with the potential audience on Twitter. Every moment of every day is an opportunity for you to be building a profile, developing relationships with new people, extending relationships with existing people, and ultimately increasing your influence.
Could I do this better? Absolutely.  Can you do it better?  Of course.  So let’s go.
One is greater then zero. Watch this video by Gary Vaynerchuk who articulates the principle better than I ever could. Then go and start.
Happy Lawyering!