Lawyers know that referrals are a great source of business, however many lawyers do not go to the extra effort to maximize referrals and leave money on the table by doing so. In order to optimally generate referrals, two goals must be accomplished. First, you have to make sure that your name and business are on the top of your referral source’s mind. This ensures that when they encounter a potential client, your referral source will think of you first. Next, you must demonstrate your competence as an attorney. This ensures that once your referral sources think of you, they can confidently recommend you to their associates, friends, and family members. To effectively achieve both of these goals and increase your referrals, follow these three steps:
1. CHOOSE YOUR CONTACT METHOD. While website articles and blogs are great for generating content enticing to search engines, they are poor for making referral sources remember you. A printed letter, newsletter, client advisory, or news flash is a great way to provide material that literally falls into a referral source’s lap. However, for a large distribution list hard copies can be expensive. Email distribution is virtually costless, but open rates and general effectiveness can be low. Combining print material for high-value referrers and email to others can be a good compromise. You should send your newsletter every 1-3 months, depending on your budget and available writing time. If you are unsure, an every-other-month newsletter is a good place to begin.
2. CHOOSE YOUR CONTENT. Educational content is a way to demonstrate your expertise. It is also more likely to be read by prospective clients who are eager to learn about the legal issues they currently face. Topics such as how-to’s, answers to common questions, explanations of the legal process, what makes a good case, and providing example case studies with commonly encountered fact-patterns are all great sources of newsletter material.
3. CHOOSE YOUR AUDIENCE. It is important to stay in contact with the right audience to maximize your referrals. You should make an effort to regularly contact the following people:
a. Your current clients.
b. Your former clients.
c. Anybody who has previously requested information from you.
d. Business associates: accountant, banker, commercial realtor, office neighbors, etc.
e. Personal service providers: barber/hairstylist, dentist, doctor, residential realtor, etc.
f. Referral sources: anyone who has provided a referral or is likely to give you a referral.
g. Local media: bloggers, broadcasters, magazines, and newspapers.
With these three steps you can be sure that you are putting the right content in front of the right people. By keeping in contact with your referral sources you give yourself the best chance to bring in new business. Many lawyers see referrals as an added bonus that comes from providing great legal services, but when you make newsletters, news updates, or some form of contact a dedicated part of your legal marketing efforts, you are making a wise investment that will maximize your referrals.
