How Women in Professional Services Build Strong Networks
Business development often gets a bad reputation. It can stir up a mix of feelings, like pressure, discomfort, even dread.
The most effective business development has nothing to do with selling. It’s about nurturing real relationships.
What does that mean?
It means checking in with care, showing up consistently and, staying curious about the people in your network.
Reframing Business Development
The first step is a mindset shift. Once you stop thinking of business development as pitching or chasing clients, it becomes easier to think about being thoughtful.
Instead, focus on cultivating relationships. Strong, authentic relationships create trust, keep you top-of-mind, and lead to opportunities over time. The goal isn’t to check a box. It’s to build a network that is engaged, supportive, and genuinely helpful to each other.
Relationship Development Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
Everyone has different strengths, comfort zones, and preferences. Some people love hosting dinners. Some are great at connecting on LinkedIn. Others shine through thoughtful one-on-one gestures.
All of these approaches can work.
You have to find the version that works for you and the season of life you are in.
Intentional Outreach
Each action should have a purpose:
Strengthen a connection
Spark a conversation
Provide value
Even if you only have a few minutes each day, you can make micro moves that add up and lead to macro results.
Examples include:
Checking in with a client or colleague via email or LinkedIn to show them you’re thinking of them.
Sharing a relevant article, podcast, or event that aligns with their interests. Drop a line or two that states why you are sharing it.
Introducing two people together that you think could benefit from knowing each other.
Asking a thoughtful question about their work, industry trends, or challenges they’re facing.
Acknowledging and celebrating their milestones, such as promotions, recent awards, or company wins.
Done consistently, these actions compound. In the professional services world, relationships are the currency, and micro moves are how you invest.
Micro Moves in Practice
To make intentional relationship development actionable, lay out a 30-day calendar of business development activities.
This approach encourages small, purposeful actions every day that help you build or strengthen relationships without overloading your schedule.
A sample 30-day cycle of business development for limited time might include:
Day 1: Send a quick note or text to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while
Day 5: Share an article or resource relevant to a client’s business
Day 10: Congratulate someone on a recent achievement or milestone
Day 20: Follow up on a prior conversation to see how things are progressing
Day 30: Share an insight, idea, or tip that could benefit someone in your network
The idea isn’t to follow this rigidly. The goal is to make intentional outreach a habit that fits your style and schedule.
Consistency and Thoughtfulness
A common misconception about relationship development is that it’s about volume: more contacts, more emails, more events. In reality, consistency and thoughtfulness matter far more.
Start Small, Think Big
You don’t need to overhaul your schedule or attend every networking event.
You don’t need a massive database of contacts or a perfect outreach script.
Start small by identifying a handful of key relationships.
Pick a few micro moves that feel comfortable and commit to doing them consistently, even if that’s only five minutes every day.
Start small, act intentionally, and let the power of micro moves work for you. Focus on relationships first and the business will follow.
Jennifer Ramsey and Megan Senese are the co-founders and principles of Stage, a legal marketing and business development boutique focused on relationships and revenue for law firms and lawyers.
They are also the co-hosts of “So Much to Say: A Legal Podcast for People” a podcast that focuses on the human side of law.
