Referrals aren’t limited to someone (a client, colleague, friend) telling someone else about you and encouraging them to call you about their situation or question. Referrals also occur when someone tells someone about something you did or said.

Something interesting, noteworthy, or helpful. 

Because when people share that, it is a referral by another name. 

When a client tells a friend about the case you are handling for them, about your upcoming event, or even about a humorous situation you told them about, it might prompt the people they tell to realize they need to talk to you about a legal situation. 

That’s a referral. 

When people hear your story, example, how-to, or interesting nugget of information, they often pass it along to others. 

And while this can and does happen organically, you can make it more likely to be passed along by putting your story or nugget in writing and sending it to your clients and contacts.

Some lawyers call this a newsletter. But it can also be delivered via a blog, a handout or mailer, or in a presentation. 

Start by collecting things you do throughout the day, or things you hear or read that might have some interest to or benefit for your clients and contacts or the people they know. Be especially alert for things that are remarkable, timely, humorous, or contrary to conventional wisdom. 

Anything surprising is a good bet.

Make it easy for them to share by summarizing it in sound bites or bullet points. Tell them what it means and who might want to see or hear it. Give them lists, flyers, or reprints, and make sure everything includes your website and contact information.

You don’t have to do anything more than share your story or nugget. If it’s interesting enough, the people you share it with will do the rest. 

How to get more referrals from your clients

In the corporate and legal worlds, employees and pre-qualified before they are hired. Prospective clients and customers are similarly screened, to determine their needs and wants and ability to pay. 

In the network marketing world, however, prospective distributors aren’t pre-screened or pre-qualified because it is a waste of time. 

You never know whether a prospective distributor will sign up in your business, or if they do, if they will get to work. 

And it doesn’t matter because it’s not about them, it’s about who they know and can lead you to.

Your friend might have no interest in becoming a distributor, but might know people who are very interested. You talk to your friend and find out who they know.

Because duds lead you to studs. 

Yes, we’re talking about referrals. 

Lawyers should pre-qualify prospective employees and prospective clients, but not prospective referral sources or business contacts, because it’s not about them, it’s about who they know.

You might meet a business owner who doesn’t need your services, but they can lead you to people who do. Or to people who know people who do. 

Guess what? The same is true of your clients. They might not be able to send you referrals, but might know people who can. 

When you embrace this idea, you understand that it’s not about anyone you know or meet, it’s about who they know.

Your job is to find out who they know.

How to get more referrals from your clients

Every other marketing method requires your time, your money, or both. They also require time (and money) learning how to implement, maintain, and scale that method. 

Networking, advertising, blogging, social media, speaking, writing articles or books–you name it– all require you to do something and/or spend something. 

There’s only one method that doesn’t. 

You know its name. You hear me speak it enough. You know I built my practice primarily with this method. 

Yes, I’m talking about referrals. 

Getting referrals doesn’t require you to write anything, say anything, or do anything other than your job. 

Do your work, do it well, and your clients will refer other clients. So will your professional contacts.

Just do your work and your practice will grow. 

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do anything to make referrals more likely. There are a lot of things you can write or say or do, and you should consider them, but you don’t have to do them if you don’t want to. 

Give your clients some extra business cards, or don’t. Tell your clients about your other practice areas or services they may not be aware of that their friends might need, or don’t.

Do your work, do it well, you’ll get referrals and your practice will grow.

But referrals don’t scale like an ad campaign or go viral like social media, you say?

Au contraire. 

Referrals beget referrals. Referred clients are themselves more likely to provide referrals, so, as your practice grows, that growth compounds. 

You might get more leads and prospective clients via advertising or other methods, but at what cost?

I’m not saying you should rely solely on referrals. Just that you could if you want to. 

How to get more referrals from your client (if you want to)