August
2004 ********************************************
IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
Article: 10 Steps to Getting Work From Referral Sources
News and Announcements
Contact Information
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WELCOME
Summer is waning and it’s time to send the kids back to
school, get into work mode, and dust off your business development
skills. This month’s
article explores getting work from referral sources.
Most of my clients say they love it when they receive referrals
from clients and other contacts. When I ask them what they do
to cultivate referrals, the response is usually that they do nothing,
that they never thought of referrals as anything more than a happy,
random occurrence. The fact is, there is much you can do to encourage
referrals. Read the article below to find out more.
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10 STEPS TO GETTING WORK FROM REFERRAL
SOURCES
1. Provide superior service to your clients.
People refer business to those they are confident will do an exemplary
job.
2. Ask clients and other contacts for referrals.
Most people are more than happy to send business your way once
they know that you want it.
3. Identify and share your ideal client profile with
prospective referral sources. This makes it easier for
them to recognize a potential client for you.
4. Give background materials to clients and other referral
sources. Include your biography, your firm’s brochure
and web site address. People are more likely to refer business
to you if they feel they know you and your work.
5. Enlist your referral source’s aid when a referral
is made. See if the person giving the referral will arrange
a three-way meeting and handle the intro-ductions. Or ask the
person to call the prospect and suggest the person meet with you.
Both increase the chance of an actual face-to-face meeting with
the prospect.
6. Ask your referral source for permission to use his
name when calling a referral when the source would rather
not participate proactively.
7. Find out as much as you can from the referral source
about a lead’s need before moving forward. It may
not be worth pursuing if the person knows very little about the
specific problem.
8. Be vigilant about following up on a lead.
As with most business development activities, follow-up is critical
to success.
9. Thank people who refer you business. This
could be through a telephone call, a note of thanks or a small
gift.
10. Reciprocate whenever possible by referring business
to those who send business to you. Following this golden
rule of referrals can help bring clients for years to come.
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NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Recent Media.
I’m very proud to share with you that I was very privileged
recently to be interviewed and profiled in an article published
in the San Diego Business
Journal. The article, entitled “Meaningful Marketing”
discussed the growing trend of lawyers working with professional
coaches to grow their practices.
If you are interested in a copy of this article, just drop me
a line and I’ll be happy to send it to you :o)
Upcoming Speaking Engagements.
On September 30, I’ll be speaking on how to build relationships
that turn into business at the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s
Career Development Conference. The conference will be held at
the Los
Angeles Marriott (333 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles) from 5:00
– 9:00 p.m. The event is open to LACBA members and the entire
legal community. Find out more at http://lacba.expertprosearch.com/lacbacareerfair.
Booklet Details.
To purchase your copy of my booklet, Business Development: 97
Quick & Easy Tips For Lawyers, go to my web site at www.rainmaker-strategies.com
or send me an email at Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com
and I’ll be happy to process your order. Cost is $5.00 for
a single copy (plus tax where applicable and shipping).
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Barbara Nichols Mencer
Rainmaker Strategies
Barbara@Rainmaker-Strategies.com
www.rainmaker-strategies.com
If you’ve enjoyed this article and learned a valuable
business-building tip, please feel free to forward
this newsletter to your friends and colleagues.
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Copyright 2003, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
