Giving referrals is one of the best ways to get referrals. It is human nature to want to reciprocate. If you send business to one of your referral sources, you increase the chances that they will send work back to you.
Of course it is important to choose your referral sources strategically (see “Want to Generate More Referrals? Connect with C.H.I.L.L. Referral Partners!”
Giving referrals is also a great way to build your relationships with your clients and with other people in your network. It shows that you are a resourceful person who can be helpful in many ways beyond your own area of expertise.
The lawyer Yana Feldman has a great system for increasing the number of referrals that she is able to give.
Yana is a trusts and estates lawyer in New York who tries to “quarterback” all of her clients’ legal needs (i.e. even if they go far beyond her area of competence.) She makes a point of telling her clients about her large network and encourages her clients to think of her not just as a T&E lawyer but also as a well connected lawyer who knows a lot of other professionals and can make introductions.
I met Yana through my business networking group ProVisors and I have to agree with her. Those of us who are part of the ProVisors network have access to several thousand lawyers and other professionals who we can introduce.
If your existing clients continue to see you as a resource when a matter is finished, they are more likely to reach out to you in the future.
To sum it all up, be like Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad (or Better Call Saul). He brands himself as a well connected attorney who can make many introductions that his clients need.
If you know the show Breaking Bad, you know that there are a lot of ways you should NOT emulate Saul Goodman (unless you want to end up in jail). But demonstrating that you are a resourceful attorney will go a long way in helping you build your practice
