Attorneys are always thinking about how they can increase their referrals. Why? Because having a steady stream of referrals can accelerate the growth of your firm, bring in new revenue, and set your mind at ease about getting new clients.
If you want to grow your practice, don’t ignore the importance of referral marketing. And, when it comes to getting referrals, what better group of people to draw on than the ones that have already had a positive experience with your firm: your current clients as well as past clients.
According to a 2015 survey conducted by Nielson, the most credible advertising comes directly from people that we know and trust. 83% of people surveyed responded that they completely or somewhat trust the recommendations of friends and family. Trust is a huge factor when an individual is looking to hire an attorney.
If you’re not trying to acquire referrals from clients, you’re overlooking one of the best and easiest sources of leads that you can get.
Of course, the best referrals are going to be those you get from satisfied clients. Therefore, the best time to get a referral is at the end of a case that had a successful outcome. It’s also the best time to have a discussion with your client about establishing a retainer agreement with your firm, another potential source of revenue.
Influencing past clients to refer new business
What are some tips that can help attorneys to get referrals from past clients? Many attorneys create and maintain a contact list that includes new and past clients and stay in touch via occasional phone calls or texts.
You can also create an email campaign asking your clients to refer a friend or family member, or send out a monthly newsletter with useful content or updates about your firm and as a way to remind them about your relationship. Sending holiday cards is a great way to reconnect with your clients. Take a few minutes to write a friendly note to each recipient.
Some people are hesitant or uncomfortable when it comes to referring someone for legal services. In these situations you could ask clients to share a testimonial on your website or write a review of your services on Google or Facebook.
Bringing former clients back for additional services
Regularly send review requests or “post-matter” surveys to past clients, and include a personalized note thanking them for choosing you to represent their interests, adding that it would be a privilege to provide valuable legal representation to them in the future as well as to their family and friends. In addition, offer your services as a trusted legal source when it comes to complementing practice areas.
While most law firms still rely heavily on referrals to acquire new clients, most successful law firms also use specific digital marketing as another way to generate new clientele, including law firm websites, PPC for attorneys, and attorney SEO. Contact Caroff Communications, experts in website marketing firm for law firms, to learn about these powerful online marketing tools.
