A non-lawyer referral network can help your firm scale

Consider all the needs your client might have outside of legal services and then build a professional network to meet those needs. This non-lawyer referral network can help your law firm scale and elevate client service.

Considering Client Needs

As this Forbes contributor notes:

“No matter what field of law you practice, it is imperative to remember you are a service business. And most clients who find themselves in the uncharted waters of a legal crisis do not have the time or bandwidth to put together a team of people who can address their varied needs.”

She goes on to illustrate how a family law client might need:

  • Therapists
  • A career coach
  • A financial planner
  • Real estate attorney
  • Estate planning
  • An accountant

In this example, considering how a divorce impacts a client’s entire lifestyle will help you uncover additional needs.

A personal injury client might need referrals to trusted medical professionals, patient advocates or non-profit organizations with resources that support physical and financial recovery. A real estate law client might need construction contractors, inspectors, title examiners and government officials.

Building a Referral Network

Build relationships with professionals who can ease your clients’ stress. One phone call can help you answer a client’s most pressing questions, and your clients will begin to view you as a problem-solver as well as a trusted legal advisor.

You can begin by:

  • Asking your existing network for introductions to complementary professionals
  • Attending general business networking events
  • Joining local business organizations that serve a variety of industries
  • Researching industry associations and their members
  • Attending general or industry-specific conferences

In addition, you can use virtual platforms, such as LinkedIn or online networking groups, to make new connections. You can also participate in online forums and discussions to stay top-of-mind among key target groups.

Going Deeper

Remember that creating a referral network requires more than blast marketing. The best connections will be professionals who know you on a deeper level and who trust you to deliver quality service to their clients. The relationship goes both ways.

Ideally, you want a small group of quality professionals you can call at a moment’s notice to answer a client’s question, and they should be able to rely on you for the same. As appropriate, these courtesy calls will naturally create a stream of two-way referrals when client’s need more than a quick answer to one question.

As this writer notes, referral partnership:

“…tend to bring in higher quality leads, who are likely to remain your customers for longer periods of time. This results in improved customer retention and a higher average customer lifetime value.  Even though the lead pool that referral partners draw from is noticeably smaller (since they’re only recommending you to people they know), the quality of leads and the trust factor make up for this.”

As with any relationship, regular and genuine communication will help strengthen the bond. As this Business2Community writer points out:

“The key to building a referral network that lasts is finding ways to serve your referrers, keeping in regular contact with them, and going out of your way to build genuine rapport. Refer them to possible clients and other key referrers. Reach out to them on their birthdays or holidays. Send them articles and posts that you think would interest them. Invite them to dinners and sporting events.

Think of it like building a friendship: Contacting someone just once or twice doesn’t create a lasting bond. Ongoing shared experiences are necessary to forge deep and nurturing relationships.” 

So, who in your network can you contact today?

Learn more about our shared office solutions for lawyers in Denver and Las Vegas.