Continuing from Legal Marketing Tips: How to Cultivate Viable Referrals (Part 1), here are some additional tips on how to increase the number of referrals that are generated for your law firm. It’s important to note that cultivating referrals should be an ongoing effort for your firm if you are truly committed to growing your practice.
- Make connections with fellow attorneys: Industry research shows that about 1 in 4 referrals to law firms comes from other attorneys. Therefore, whether you are at networking events, are attending law school reunions, are working on a case, etc., be sure to meet and make connections with fellow lawyers. While it’s a good goal to try to meet about 5 new lawyers per year in order to build your potential referral base, as with clients, be sure to keep in touch with the lawyers you meet (maybe email or call them quarterly) so that you are at the forefront of their minds when they meet a potential client that may be well suited to your practice.
- Send out monthly newsletters: Having a monthly newsletter is a great way to stay in contact with both colleagues and former clients. While your law firm’s monthly newsletter can be sent out via mail or email, it should include information such as recent case results, new additions to your firm, new practice areas your firm has picked up, relevant/interesting industry news, etc. This newsletter can also include a standing blurb or section about looking for referrals, how to refer potential new clients and/or referral incentives your firm may offer.
