Search results for: ask for referrals

I’m not. However, I realize that many lawyers are uncomfortable – actually many people are – asking for referrals.

It gets worse when one suggests that lawyers should ask for testimonials. Both are important for business development however. It’s instant credibility. If a client or former client or even just a contact suggests that someone hire you as their lawyer, it’s like gold in the bank. It means that the person is endorsing your legal abilities, and putting their reputation on the line.

Eric Dewey has written an article on soliciting testimonials. It’s lengthy compared to a post, but you might find it helpful if you have been thinking about asking for testimonials. (Don’t forget to check your bar rules regarding using testimonials.) He covers:

  • the reasons people don’t write testimonials;
  • make your request personal in nature;
  • remind them of the reasons they should;
  • remind them also that testimonials can help others in need;
  • include suggestions to make it easy; and
  • provide a sample of a testimonial (of course, keep it simple and not too verbose).

Back to referrals.  The majority of new business comes from referrals, whether they are from satisfied clients or other contacts.  In excess of 70% of lawyers business comes that way, if not more.  It’s simple really why would a stranger hire someone whom s/he neither knows, likes or trusts.  Whether corporate or personal clients, when all else is considered, will ASK someone who they should hire.

So, why not ask your clients, friends and other people who know you, to recommend you.  For some of my posts on referrals – check out this compilation for tips on when and how to ask for them.  Oh, and don’t forget to ask for testimonials too.

 

Building a network of referral sources isn’t easy. In fact it’s harder than passing the bar. Why would I say that? Because I see it every day… lawyers, bright and knowledgeable in their practice areas, that have few relationships that send them work. So the logical conclusion… it must be harder than passing the bar! Wouldn’t you agree? Well, maybe it doesn’t have to be so hard. Maybe it’s just your point of view, your attitude and your perspective that are holding you back.

Referral sources… who are they? They are your colleagues, your co-workers, your friends, your fans and sometimes even your opposition.

Where do referrals come from? From human contact. From the art of asking. And most importantly trust… trust that it is the human condition to want to help one another.

Watch this TED Talk by the performing artist Amanda Palmer and think about how this could apply to building your network of legal referral sources. (Okay… autographs may not be appropriate in your legal practice!)

In my early lawyering days as an assistant attorney general in North Carolina, I had the privilege of having one of the best, most efficient secretaries possible. (I even tried to get her fiancée a job in town, so they wouldn’t move out of state after the wedding. He “suggested” nicely that I mind my own business.) I had one problem with her, however. Whenever I would use the word “we”, she would kid me by saying something like “what do you mean we kimosabe? It’s your job, and I’m just here to do your typing” (on a real typewriter, if anyone remembers what they looked like).

I got that flashback when I saw the article over on Automatic Referrals suggesting the use of “we” over “I” when seeking referrals. Man, did old Silver rein in on that one.

The point is a good one, however, especially when I think about lawyers I know who are shy, and would hesitate to do anything so bold as to ask someone to refer work to them. The article states that a lot of professionals don’t ask for referrals because they don’t want to appear desperate for work, or unsuccessful, or needy.

So, the article suggests using “us”, “our” and “we” (as in your law firm can do or offer…) in ways that “takes the emphasis of the conversation off of you…”

But, “we” need to keep this to ourselves. I’d hate for my former secretary to think I didn’t learn my lesson after all these years.

I was talking to a lawyer who wanted to send out an email newsletter to all of his firm’s existing contacts, but he wasn’t sure whether or not he should give them the opportunity to first opt into the emails before he sent the newsletter. In other words, he wanted to send his list an email asking permission to email them. He was leaning toward taking this extra step, but I discouraged it.

Here was my thought process: Your contact list is full of connections you’ve already made. By giving you their email addresses and/or phone numbers, these people have agreed to a blanket opt-in. You can reach out to them without asking first because they’ve in effect already given you permission. All you need to do is provide a clear way for people to unsubscribe. There’s no need for a double opt-in.

BuT wHaT aBoUt ThE cAn–SpAm Act?

YEAH – that’s kind of the point of CAN–SPAM. If you provide a clear and easy way for people to unsubscribe, you’re in the clear.

Your contact list is one of your firm’s biggest assets. Buried in it are all kinds of hidden gems like repeat business, referrals, strategic relationships, and future introductions to important clients and partners. By tapping into the goldmine of your contact list, you can make your firm a lot of money; but all too often, law firm owners let this opportunity pass them by.

Another thing I hear from lawyers is that they aren’t leveraging their list because they don’t have one. This also isn’t true! If you have an email address, a CRM system, or even a drawer full of business cards, you have a contact list. Heck, if you have friends and family, then you have a contact list! Just start where you’re at.

Most CRMs and email platforms like Outlook and Gmail have the option to export your contact list, and often they can even sync with email marketing services like Mailchimp. With just a few clicks, BAM — you have a contact list ready for mass emails!

If you collect all of these names and addresses but never reach out to them, you might as well be throwing the business cards from your networking events directly into the trash can. Believe us, your contact list is a bigger asset than you realize. That doesn’t mean you should treat your friends, family, clients, and referral partners as dollar signs, but you should definitely keep them in the loop of what’s happening in your firm and take advantage of their interest and support.

One of the best ways to stay in touch with your list is by sending a weekly or monthly email newsletter. You can pack this email with firm updates; links to new blog posts, podcasts, and video content; and other reminders of what you do. This will keep your firm top of mind, and ensure that when the time comes where your skills would be handy, your contacts will think of you first.

If you’re not already sending out a monthly email newsletter, right now is the perfect time to start. The holidays are just around the corner, so reach out to your contacts to check in and wish them well. From there, you can build a monthly ritual and watch your income climb.

Lobbying is a term we normally associate with politics. According to dictionary.com, lobbying is an activity where you seek to influence someone on an issue. However, I believe there is a better way to go about lobbying for business than what we see in the political arena. 

As a business owner and marketer, you should always be lobbying others to do business with you. This should be one of the KPIs you keep a close eye on as you review your Business Growth Dashboard.

As an author, you have one of the most powerful lobbying tools known to man; your book. One referral strategy we teach our clients is to use their book to lobby for referrals. The process is very simple. 

Identify a few centers of influence: other professionals who are in positions to recommend that their clients use your firm. Most of these professionals have lobbies where their clients wait to meet with them. You should arrange to have your book prominently displayed in their lobby so their client can read your book while they are waiting to meet with them. I’m sure what you write will be more interesting than what they’ll read in the magazines that are normally beckoning their attention. 

And to make sure that your book remains present in that lobby, you should have extra copies behind the front desk. That way, when someone asks if they can have a copy of your book, the answer is “Absolutely!” Then your book is replaced in the lobby by the receptionist and we’re back to lobbying. 

Additionally, your center of influence friend should have multiple copies in their office. This way, when they come to the point in the conversation to recommend you and your service, they don’t simply hand a business card to their client. They actually get up, walk to their bookshelf, pull off a copy of your book, and physically hand it to their client.  This is a much more powerful way to gain referrals from your centers of influence than simply giving them a stack of your business cards.

Lobbying for referrals is a fantastic way to grow your business for pennies on the dollar. And since your book is in the lobby and should be taken home occasionally from those prospects, this gives you a reason to stop by and visit with your center of influence on a regular basis. 

Always remember that the relationship you have with your center of influence is the primary driver of referrals. Don’t be lazy and simply drop off your book. Be proactive and cultivate the relationship so that you can benefit from multiple referrals over time as you implement this strategy to lobby for referrals. 

There are dozens of ways to use your book to gain more clients and increase the number of referrals you receive every month. Lobbying for referrals is simply one of the strategies we teach our clients. You should track the number of lobbies your book is in as part of your KPI Dashboard. You’ll be amazed at the correlations you see between Leading and Lagging Indicators when you track this metric properly. 

If you are looking for a way to make a greater impact in your community, expand the number of referrals you receive every month, and create a marketing asset that will last the rest of your career, let’s have a conversation about how we can help you create your book without writing a word so that you can use your book to gain more clients.

A robust referral network is a lawyer’s best friend. Instead of spending a lot of time and money on generating new leads, clients are coming to YOU instead.

It’s an absolute dream of an arrangement, but it doesn’t happen without laying the right groundwork. While participating in local networking events and keeping your information current in industry journals are all good starting points, we live in a digital world which means you need to think about your online efforts. In this article, we show you how to build your referral network in ways that pay off.

Ask Clients for Reviews

In today’s digital age, online reviews have become an important part of the decision-making process for consumers, including those seeking legal services. Reviews can provide valuable social proof to potential clients, giving them confidence that they are making the right choice when selecting you.

Reviews can also help you with your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts without paying hundreds or thousands of dollars in dedicated SEO work. Positive reviews can improve your online visibility, making it more likely that you will appear when potential clients search for legal services in their area.

Be Active on Social Media

Social media isn’t meant to be a passive endeavor. If you use LinkedIn, Facebook, or any other platform, do what it was designed for: interact with others.

Use social media to showcase your expertise, personality, and values to a wider audience. By sharing insights, opinions, and updates on industry issues, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your field and differentiate yourself from competitors. This may inspire other business owners in your area to refer work to you.

Social media also allows you to connect with potential clients and build relationships with them in a more casual and approachable manner. By engaging with followers, responding to comments and questions, and sharing valuable content, you can create a sense of trust and familiarity that translates into new opportunities.

Keep Your Website Current

First impressions matter. Your firm’s website is often the first point of contact a potential client has with you. Therefore, it’s essential that your site is professional, easy to navigate, and up-to-date. 

Over time, your services and offerings may change. It’s important that your website reflects these changes accurately. An outdated website that does not accurately reflect what you do can lead to confusion and missed opportunities.

Consistently Put Out Content

Consistently publishing content can establish you as an expert in your field. When you share your knowledge and insights on the issues that your audience is concerned about, you can build a reputation as a thought leader and go-to resource for your area of practice. Not only does this help build credibility and trust with potential clients, but it can also lead to networking opportunities and collaborations with other business owners who may refer work to you. 

Conclusion

When you want to build and grow your practice, referral networks are essential. Whether through personal connections, networking events, or online platforms, you should prioritize building and maintaining referral networks as a key aspect of your business strategy. By doing so, you can continue to thrive in an increasingly competitive industry.

Increasing referrals is one of the fastest ways to grow your revenue. One metric on your dashboard should be: “# of Referrals this month.” But asking for referrals can feel awkward if not done properly. Here’s a way to make asking for, and receiving, referrals easier for everyone. 

Having a book is one of the most versatile marketing assets you will ever create. It’s a powerful lead generation magnet as well as a tremendous tool for multiplying referrals. We teach our clients many referral marketing strategies; here are two of the most powerful ways to use your book to gain more referrals.

  1. Client Scripting

Asking for referrals should be an integral part of your marketing strategy (and a KPI). As you work with a client through the process of solving their legal issues, when have you decided to ask for referrals? The other question you must ask is, how specifically do you ask your clients for referrals? Unfortunately, many lawyers feel strange asking for referrals from their clients. It can be awkward to get into this conversation with your client, and it can feel “forced” for them to bring up this conversation with their friends. Learning how to script your client referral conversation makes this so much easier.

When you are working with a client, and they are happy with you and your service simply ask, “Would you do me a favor?” 

Since they are happy with you, they will respond with “Yes.” Then you say, “As you are talking with your friends and coworkers about how we are helping you, would you do me a favor and give them a copy of my book and say, (now hand them a copy of your book and say), “This is the person whose helping me with my legal issue. They’ve been very good to work with. You should read their book.” That’s it. 

Now what just happened? 

First, you made certain they were happy with you. Next, you asked them a simple question. Third, you put into context when you would want them to share a copy your book and with whom. And forth, you gave them a very simple script that they can use.

This simple approach removes all the negatives of asking clients for referrals. It is a proven, powerful, and very productive strategy that you can use to gain referrals using your book.

  1. Professional Peers

Another referral strategy is to work with professional peers in your community. These are people who can refer their clients to you when they need your service. The script for your professional peer is similar to the script you will use with your clients. Just make minor adjustments for their situation. 

Your professional peers should have copies of your book in their lobby, as well as behind the front desk and in their office. Instead of them handing out your business card when they need to refer a client to you, give them a script and have them hand their client a copy of your book. 

By following these two very simple strategies, you will increase the number of referrals you receive from both your clients and your professional peers. Imagine if every client you work with referred just one person to you. And what if you had a network of a dozen professional peers who each referred 3 to 4 clients every year to you. What would that do for your business?

Creating a referral strategy is one of the most strategic, and profitable, ways to grow your business by using your book. Use the script above and make it yours. Then use it with your next client and share it with your professional peers. The next time you look at your Dashboard you’ll see your referrals – and your revenue – both increasing. 

If you need help crafting your script or creating your book, find a time for us to have a conversation at SpeakWithMichael.com.

Seventy to 90% of lawyers’ business comes because of referrals from clients and other contacts in your network.  You are more likely to get more, if you concentrate on enhancing your network.

Mary Taylor Lokensgard has a post on Attorney at Work that provides good ideas on getting referrals.  She suggests 3 steps:

1.    Ask for them.

  • From people who know, like and trust you, and vica versa. They will come, if you develop meaningful relationships with people who are likely to be in a position to refer the clients you want;
  • Make sure your contacts know what you do, not just that you are a lawyer;
  • Work up an elevator speech (or two or three) that lets them know that kinds of law you practice and HOW you can help people;
  • Let clients know that you can always handle work from other great clients like them.

2.  Build up your network of contacts who could be referral sources, including:

  • Lawyers who don’t do what you do; or
  • Ones who do not want to represent the clients you do; and
  • Other professionals, such as financial advisors, bankers, real estate agents/brokers, insurance agents, estate planners, etc.

Keep in touch with potential referral sources at least quarterly by telephone, email, lunch and so forth.

3.  How to ask.

  • Build relationships first.  One way to enhance relationships quickly is “giving to get.” Actively think of, and work at, making referrals to contacts in your network;
  • Don’t be bashful, but avoid appearing desperate.  Remember you know your contacts and you’re not asking strangers; and
  • Remember the line about your welcoming the opportunity to service other good clients like them.

Remember to show appreciation for all referrals with a handwritten note – yes, even in these days of easy emails – even if they do not work out.  If they do, then consider sending a small token of your appreciation, such as a bottle of wine, or whatever.  Remember the ethical rules against sharing fees with non-lawyers.

Developing a referral network isn’t easy or a short term project.  It is a never-ending and critical to the success of your law firm.

P.S. Here’s a link to numerous additional posts of mine about referrals over the past 10 years.

 

Well, that might be an overstatement; but a three-part series by Mary Lokensgard on Attorney at Work presents a good outline of an effective referral system to follow.  If you do so there is a good chance that you will be guaranteed referrals. They are not automatic and they require work, but if you’re serious about getting new business remember that one of the best sources his referrals (either from clients or other friends and contacts).

In a nutshell the suggestions by Lokensgard cover three aspects:

1. Who is likely to refer to and how to ask.

  • Make a list of lawyers who do not do what you do, as well as a list of those who do and are likely to refer to you (and you to them) when there is a conflict or other reason;
  • List other non-lawyer professionals likely to have clients that could use your services (and vice versa);
  • Let your clients know that you welcome referrals to serve “other great clients like them”; and
  • Inform all appropriate contacts of your willingness to refer clients to them.

2. Rules when getting and giving referrals.

  • Suggest to referral source that the potential client, for ethical reasons, make the first contact. Subtly remind referrer if you don’t hear from the person;
  • With the new client’s permission, let the referral source know the referral succeeded;
  • Thank the referral source for the business repeatedly – by email AND handwritten note, and consider a token gift as a thank you; and
  • Let the referral source know how things are going with the matter ONLY with the client’s knowledge and consent.

3. Care and maintenance of your referral network.

  • Continue to broaden referral network by raising profile by educational and nonprofit activities;
  • Stay in constant contact with existing referral sources;
  • Look for opportunities to make referrals;
  • Show appreciation by entertaining referral sources.

Building a referral network takes work, but can pay big dividends if done efficiently and effectively. Check out Lokensgard’s three-part series for more details.

 

 

The vast majority of new legal work for lawyers comes from referrals, whether they be from clients, former clients, or other people who, know like and trust you. Often called word-of-mouth marketing, primarily new work comes because of what other people say about you. (One exception obviously is plaintiff’s work, which is basically garnered through advertising).

I have written many posts over this blog’s 10 years on the subject of referrals. And I have included links to 10 below, and invite you to breeze through them for tidbits you might find helpful.

But today I will list, with no further explanation needed IMHO, seven tips I am convinced will guarantee you referrals. So here goes:

  1. Do excellent legal work
  2. Dress professionally
  3. Beat deadlines
  4. Respect clients
  5. Never (unfavorably) surprise a client about anything
  6. Charge reasonable fees
  7. Be a nice person

That’s all folks.

….

Except for other of my posts on referrals (I apologize in advance for broken links, as some no longer are available):