While holiday dinners with politics-obsessed relatives and being seated in the last row of a cross-country flight immediately spring to mind, what these local attorneys near me are talking about is apparently even worse.

Attending large networking events.

You already know that networking is one of the very best ways to develop relationships that will drive business development. No matter how skilled a lawyer you are, no matter how good your work is, you are not likely to bring in clients without getting to know prospective clients, referral sources, and others in the legal industry and beyond.

But for many lawyers, no matter how friendly, there’s just something awkward and uncomfortable about walking into a room full of people you don’t know and trying to make small talk.

Who do you talk to, especially if everyone is already deep in conversation?

How do you gracefully enter and exit conversations?

What do you talk about once you get past the weather and the horrible commute?

If you’re one of those people who is less than enthusiastic walking into a room full of strangers, you are not alone! There are many things you can do to make networking events less unappealing but, for now, let’s focus on ways to strengthen your network without concentrating your efforts on large, impersonal networking events.

Implement one or more of the following 3 strategies to grow and nurture your network without ever setting foot in a large ballroom…

One of the best ways I have found to meet people and grow my own network is to volunteer for committees and projects of non-profits such as bar associations, trade groups, and alumni organizations.

When you get involved in a project or initiative for an organization, you are immediately exposed to the inside crowd or the “movers and shakers.” You will get to know these leaders almost effortlessly because you are thrown together to work on a matter of importance to the group.