“I can never be successful at rainmaking because I’m an introvert.”
Does this sound like you? I have one word in response to this common refrain from lawyers: Bulls***.
Quite frankly, this is a myth that provides an easy excuse to avoid doing what all attorneys know they need to do: get out of the office to create and develop relationships with potential client and referral sources.
So, simply put, you can be successful at rainmaking even if you’re an introvert. Here’s how.
How to Be a Successful Rainmaker
As an attorney coach and a practicing lawyer for more than 35 years, I’ve met my share of share of successful rainmakers. Do they all have a “life of the party” personality? While some certainly do, just as many are quiet and unassuming. The majority are somewhere in between.
In other words, on the spectrum of introvert to extrovert, rainmakers are all over the place. All of them have somethings in common, however. I call them the three “Ps:”
Successful rainmakers prioritize and are persistent with their marketing efforts and are patient when waiting for the results of those efforts.
Let’s talk about each of the three “P’s.”
1. Make it a Priority
Successful rainmakers never say to themselves, “I need to cancel tomorrow’s lunch. Gotta get that brief out on time.” Instead, they say to themselves, “How am I going to still do lunch and get the brief out timely. Looks like I may have to work late a couple of nights this week.”
In short, lunch is just as important as completing the brief. It remains a priority. Successful rainmakers figure out a way to do both.
2. Be Persistent
Great rainmakers don’t give up. They know that rainmaking is a numbers game. They know the more they shoot, the more likely they’ll land that big deal or piece of litigation. They don’t take rejection personally. Instead, they realize there are plenty of fish in the sea and move on. They realize that, at times, all efforts will be for naught. But they also realize there will come a time when they will land a huge deal from a client who was three degrees of separation from them and that it all evens out.
3. Be Patient
Finally, successful rainmakers are patient. Just because a lunch with a potential client goes great does not mean that the phone will ring tomorrow. It may not ring for a few years. When you plant a garden, it takes time for the seeds to germinate and for the flowers to grow. Making rain is the same.
Think You’re No Good at Rainmaking? Look in the Mirror.
Take a step back and reevaluate your rainmaking activities. Face the facts. The reason your book of business is minimal is not because you are an introvert. It’s because you are not willing to stick with the program, i.e., the three “P’s.” Try on Priority, Persistence and Patience for a while. You’ll find that it works.
