Legal Marketing & Consulting
How Lawyers Can Overcome Insecurities to Market Themselves
Posted Jul 29, 2009, 07:56 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Many lawyers avoid networking and business development opportunities because of insecurities and a lack of self-confidence.
Part of the problem, according to Nadine Slavitt, a lawyer and professional coach, is that many lawyers tell themselves they just are no good at marketing themselves. They say things such as “They’ll think I’m pushy,” or, “I’ll look stupid,” Slavitt writes in the Legal Intelligencer.
Lawyers need to realize that these ideas are just thoughts—and they need to quit listening to them, Slavitt says.
Slavitt believes self-confidence can be developed “by being engaged in the world—by actually getting out there and doing things, one small step at a time.” She suggests lawyers should start with easy steps, such as connecting on an online networking site or having lunch with a law school classmate.
“Start wherever you are—just start,” she says. “For each contact that you make and each experience you have, you will start to feel more comfortable. Then stay in action. Like an automatic feedback loop, the energy and experience you gain from your first contacts will help fuel the energy for your future experiences.”
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