When you sign up a new client or meet with a prospective new client, there are lots of things you want to know. About their legal situation, what they need or want, and so much more. But there’s one question you should ask that’s more important than any other.
“Where did you hear about us?”
Most lawyers ask a variation of this question, but it is often perfunctory rather than strategic. You shouldn’t ask merely out of curiosity but because the answer is valuable.
You want to know if the client saw your ad, read your article, found you through search or through referral. This information can dramatically improve your marketing.
First, it tells you what you’re doing right, so you can do more of it. Write more articles on the subject, in the same or similar publications, use the same keywords on your website, continue running the ads that are making your phone ring, and so on.
Second, it tells you what you’re doing wrong.
If new clients don’t mention having discovered you through things you’re currently doing, you know you should probably stop doing them. If no one identifies the ads you’re currently running or events you’re promoting, you know you need to change something.
The third reason for asking how the client found you is that if they were a referral, you can ask what the referring party told them about you. What clients and business contacts say about you tells you how effective you are at serving clients and building your reputation. Valuable information, to say the least.
Finally, if they were a referral, you want to know who referred them so you know who to thank.
And thank them you should.
Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because the referring party will appreciate it and make it more likely that they will do it again.
I was reminded about the importance of thanking people who refer clients by my friend and fellow attorney Barak Lurie, who told me about an effusive thank-you message he recently received from a real estate agent he had thanked for referring a client to him.
When you get a thank you for a thank you, you know you’re doing something right.
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