Search results for: referrals

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.

A few months ago, a Spotlight Branding client told us a story that is every lawyer’s worst nightmare. It all started when our client (we’ll call him Justin) got a phone call.

“Hello!” said the person on the other end of the line. “I’m looking for a lawyer who can help me with a family law issue.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Justin told the caller. “Family law isn’t my specialty. But I know another lawyer who is excellent at it. Let me give you her name.”

When Justin passed on the name of the other attorney, his caller gasped.

“Oh my gosh, I actually worked with her three months ago,” they said. “I was very happy with her work and wanted to get in touch with her again, but I couldn’t remember her name or figure out how to find her. So, I went online and found you instead!”

Justin’s heart sank. He was thrilled that the caller had found him online and was inspired by the content we’d helped him create, but he also felt awful for his friend. This client, with their thousands of dollars of repeat business and potential referrals, had almost gotten away.

It’s chilling to think you could be that family law attorney, losing clients without even knowing it, despite being excellent at your job. Maybe you are that lawyer, and you just don’t realize it! How would you know?

Fortunately, you can prevent this from happening to your firm. To ensure you aren’t forgettable, you need to do what the family law attorney didn’t do: Bring every new client and contact into your firm’s Content Loop™.

The Content Loop™ is Spotlight Branding’s tried-and-true method of keeping your firm top of mind. (Find out more about it at SpotlightBranding.com/NL.) To leverage its power, invite your new contacts to join your mailing list or social media pages, then put out consistent content like a monthly newsletter, social media post, blogs, and videos. This will keep your name fresh in your network’s heads and ensure you capture their repeat business and referrals.

With the Content Loop™ in your back pocket, you’ll never find yourself forgotten like that family law attorney. Your name will always be in your client’s inbox or newsfeed, just a click away.

Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering.”
—Theodore Roosevelt

The more often you remind your network of who you are and what you do, the more likely they are to think of your firm when the opportunity for a referral comes up. As it is right now, 83% of people are willing to make referrals to their lawyers but only 29% actually do it. Why? Because the law firm they worked with isn’t doing the legwork to stay top of mind — even though it’s easy. That doesn’t have to be you. Here are just a few of the endless ways you can keep in touch:

  • Weekly emails
  • An email newsletter
  • A print newsletter
  • Social media posts
  • Regular blog posts
  • Consistent videos
  • Podcast episodes
  • Holiday cards
  • Birthday cards
  • Personal phone calls

That last one might seem a bit intimidating, but it’s actually an excellent way to keep your firm top of mind and show that you truly care about your clients. The best way to do it is by establishing a system. Keep a running list of the people in your network — it can be 100 people or 1,000 — and go through it systematically, calling or emailing 10% of the list each month.

These strategies work. Consider this newsletter that you’re reading right now. For the last few minutes, you’ve been enjoying Spotlight Branding content. Now, imagine that tomorrow, another lawyer you know mentions that they’re having a marketing issue — who do you think is going to pop right into your mind? That’s right, we are! Staying in touch works, and you can use it to your advantage.

The options we outlined above are easy to do on your own, but if you want the referrals without spending the time, we can help you implement them. Contact us today to learn more.

 

 

Are you missing out on easy money? We recently wrote an article about why you shouldn’t “stop feeding the beast.” As a quick recap, our point was that in today’s fast-paced digital world, people are consuming content faster than you can possibly produce it, so you should put as many articles, videos, and social media posts out there as you can. In this post, we’re going to tackle an aspect of content that we think a lot of lawyers don’t recognize: its power to generate referrals.

Referrals are the bread and butter of the legal field, and we’re sure you get a bunch of them, but you’re probably missing out on more than you realize. We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: According to a study conducted by Texas Tech University, law firms are only getting about one-third of the referrals they should be. The study found that, on average, 83% of satisfied clients are willing to make referrals, but of those, only 29% actually do it. That means that out of all of the clients who are willing to refer you, only 1 in 3 actually takes the leap.

A great content strategy can help you solve that problem! By putting out the right content and leveraging it correctly, I’ve seen law firms increase and even double their referrals. Here’s why it works:

CONSISTENT CONTENT KEEPS YOUR FIRM TOP OF MIND
One of the biggest reasons lawyers miss out on referrals is that they aren’t consistently staying in touch with their past clients and referral partners. Your method of reaching out doesn’t necessarily need to be a newsletter. Social media, for example, was designed specifically for this purpose! Sure, you can use it to reach out to new people, but first and foremost, you should use it to keep in touch with your existing network. Every piece of content you share via social media, email, or print is a touchpoint that reminds your clients who you are and what you do, making them more likely to think of you when it’s referral time.

EDUCATIONAL CONTENT POSITIONS YOU AS AN EXPERT AND THE GO-TO LAWYER IN YOUR FIELD
To really maximize your referrals, you need to focus not only on whom your content is for, but what it’s saying about you. The content you put out should be focused specifically on the type of work you do and aim to answer common questions your clients have. In this case, being entertaining isn’t nearly as important as being informative. You can share information on cases you’ve won, for example, or updates on changes to the law in your practice areas. You can provide commentary, insights, and practical guidance in a variety of ways in your area of law, and you should take advantage of all of them!

If your content is relevant to your services, even a quick title scan should remind readers of what to refer you for. Your old clients are a lot more likely to remember that you do estate planning if they see an email about it in their inbox, and that will make it easier for the lightbulb to go off in their head when a family member, friend, or colleague needs help with it. On top of reminding readers what you do so that they know whom to point your way, educational content positions you as the expert in your field. If you’re sharing knowledge, people will perceive you as knowledgeable, and every social media post, website blog, and email newsletter will remind them of it.

That’s it! Increasing your referrals really is that simple. If you need help, get in touch with us today.

Referrals are the number one source of business for most solo and small law practices. But according to a Texas Tech survey, the average law firm is only receiving about 1/3 of the referrals they could be receiving from past clients.

This might sounds like bad news. But what it really means is that there’s a huge opportunity to grow your law practice simply by doing a better job of cultivating your referral network.

The really good news is that you can leverage the internet to make this happen, without a significant increase in the time and effort on your end. There are two key goals that you need to focus on in order to drive referrals: Top-of-mind awareness and education.

Top-of-mind awareness. For a referral to happen, your contact needs to recognize the opportunity when it presents itself. If a friend is looking for bankruptcy help, there’s a limited time window for your referral source to make the referral happen. That’s why top-of-mind awareness matters. You need your referral network to immediately think of you when the opportunity arises. Not hours later, certainly not days later. Right away. It takes an ongoing strategy to make this happen – to claim and defend valuable “real estate” in the minds of your referral sources.

Education. Second, your network needs to know what you do and who you can help. This sounds obvious, but many lawyers struggle to communicate this information to their network. If you have a single area of practice, it’s easier and more memorable. Your goal should be to educate network on what a good referral looks like. What types of clients do you serve, and what challenges do you help them overcome. Think of your referral network as an army out there working for you – it’s your job to give them clear and memorable marching orders.

Now, here are two great ways to use the internet to accomplish these goals:

Your Email Newsletter. This is your secret weapon. Every single lawyer should have an email newsletter that goes out to their entire network, once per month at minimum. It’s shocking to me how many lawyers don’t do this. This strategy guarantees that everyone in your network will hear from you once per month, at least. Previously, I wrote an in-depth blog entry covering the ingredients of an effective email newsletter, so if you’d like some practical tips to help you get started, I recommend that you check it out. For our purposes today, it’s important that you understand the strategic guiding principle: Your newsletter isn’t about you – it’s about your readers. Build a resource that your subscribers will look forward to receiving each month. Provide value. Educate them. This is how you keep them engaged.

Social Media. While your email newsletter is ideal for a few significant “touch-points” each month, social media can create multiple quick touch-points every single day. An active presence on the major social media networks – particularly Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn – gives you the ability to quickly and easily connect with your network, remind them that you’re still out there doing great work, and remind them exactly what it is that you do. Encourage your network to “Like” your Facebook Business Page, follow you on Twitter, and connect on LinkedIn. For more details on how to create a successful social media marketing strategy, check out this blog entry.

I hope this is getting your wheels turning. There’s a huge opportunity here! There are more referrals out there to be had for your law practice, and you can use the internet to cash them in.

If you’d like some more information about how to use the internet to grow your law practice, click here to request our complimentary Special Report. You’ll find practical tips that you can apply immediately!

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.

 

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.