In this week’s edition of Things I Wish I Knew, New York solo lawyer Joleena Louis shares how she got three new clients almost instantly.
Don’t reinvent the wheel…Sometimes we get so wrapped up in more elaborate marketing plans and ideas that we forget the simple things. A good marketing technique doesn’t necessarily have to be complex or costly.
But the other day I was reminded of just how effective a simple ask can be.
Just the other day I shared a post on Instagram that simply asked for referrals and within hours I had three new consultations scheduled.
Don’t be afraid to ASK for referrals. I used to worry about being too pushy or figured that people would send people to me on their own, but sometimes that reminder really helps.
I used to think that asking for referrals felt a lot like asking someone for a favor. Because by asking, you’re letting them know you need new business for your firm and a referral is what will help your practice succeed. Without referrals, your law practice is guaranteed to suffer financially.
For many, asking for favors is difficult because they don’t want to seem needy and they fear rejection. Personally, my biggest fears about asking for referrals were that it would come off as too salesy or too desperate.
But I have come over that fear and here are some simple ways that you can remind your network to send those beautiful referrals:
Social Media Post
I’ll do a post like the one above every couple of months and usually get a great response from it. You can literally use the same post (that’s what I do!), just make sure to space them far enough apart that it doesn’t feel redundant.
When you do good work, people will send a friend to you when asked if they know an attorney. But if you ask for a referral, they will sometimes take the extra step of reaching out to people who may not have asked. That’s why it’s like asking for a favor, which was the subject of this email: “Can you do me a favor…?”
Now, about twice a year I send out an email to my entire contact list asking for referrals and I get a big boost in business. I wrote about how effective this was, and how you can use the same process for your firm last year.
Ask Happy Clients
Every time one of my clients compliment me, I ask for a referral. If I win a motion or get any good result during a case, I will ask my client to refer me to any friends I can help. You don’t have to wait until the representation is over- do it anytime they are happy!
Just straight up asking for referrals is probably one of the simplest things that has made the biggest difference in my practice. Give it a try for yourself and watch your practice grow!
