Attorneys often ask me, “How do I get more referrals from other professionals?”

Their clients may be willing to refer but not know many people who need their services. Their professional contacts, on the other hand, know lots of prospective clients but may not (yet) be willing to refer.

Here’s what I suggest.

Make a list of every professional you know who has referred at least one client to you in the last three years or has said they are willing to do so.

Let’s say you’ve got 30 names on the first list. Nine professionals sent you one or two clients. One sent you eight clients.

You know from yesterday’s post about how to get more referrals that one of the keys to getting more referrals is to give first. Give them referrals or find other ways to help them. But you have only so many referrals to give and only so much time you can spend helping others.

What do you do?

Do you focus on the 20 who said they would send business but haven’t? If you can get each one to send you just one client, that would be a nice bump.

Do you focus on the nine who sent you one or two clients, to see if you can encourage them to send you more?

What about the one professional who sent you eight referrals? It seems like they don’t need much encouragement. They are a proven source of business and you should probably spend your time finding more like them, right?

The answer is to spend MOST of your time with (and send most of your referrals to) the professional who sent you eight referrals.

When you find a spark, pour gasoline on it and build it into a raging bonfire. Pay attention to this individual. Give them your time and attention. Give them every referral you can.

When someone has demonstrated their willingness and ability to send you business, that’s who you want to focus on. You want to keep their referrals flowing. You want them to introduce you to their counterparts. You want them to promote your seminars and send traffic to your website.

Build your practice by helping them build theirs.

Next, turn your attention to the nine who sent you one or two clients. They have also proven their willingness to refer. Give them some love and see if you can increase their numbers.

How about the 20 who didn’t send you any? Well, don’t ignore them. Stay in touch with them. See what you can do to help them. They may waiting to see if you are serious about helping them before they “spend” their referrals on you. A referral or two from you may turn on the spigot.

Many professionals are able to refer but don’t because they already have another lawyer they are committed to. Others don’t because you have not yet earned their trust. But over time, things change. Nurture this crop of potential referral sources. One day, they may bear fruit.

Allocate your time as follows:

Spend 80% of your time with the professionals who have already sent you business, and twenty percent of your time with the ones who have not. Spend 80% of that 80% on the professional who sent you eight referrals, and twenty percent on the other nine.

If you want to get more referrals, give first. Give more to the ones who give back.

Ask me how I can help you get more referrals.