digital marketing for attorneys nurturing an effective referral network

Referral Marketing for Attorneys

Generate more client, network, and employee referrals online

Agenda

● Thinking about where referrals come from● Creating systems to develop referrals● Designing online referral capture systems● Building referral nurturing programs

Questions? Don’t wait to the end.

Bill Rice734-775-4487bill.rice@kaleidico.comTwitter: @billriceGet new marketing ideas weekly:http://kaleidico.com/newsletter

Let’s talk referral marketing

How do referrals happen?

Referrals are generally triggered through a very messy and unpredictable series of social interactions and follow-up research.

The best we can do is to encourage the discussion about our brand and develop a very wide and efficient capture system.

Who are we targeting?

● People that have a high probability of ending up in referral rich conversations

● Funneling in the type of people that are most likely to get these referrals

Referrals are not linear activities

Example: Referral Ecosystem

Business law attorney● Have high net

worth clients● Have a lot to lose● Are savvy and

sophisticated

Large divorce case● Significant assets● Business minded● Will do their

homework on you

Example: Referral Ecosystem

Healthcare Provider● Family or

professional● Compassion for the

injured● Trust and empathy

Advocate or injured● Family or

professional● Looking for same

level of advocacy● Emotional, anxious

Creating referral systems

Referral education channels

● Website/blog● Facebook● Email marketing● Client surveys● Traditional mail● Personal pitch

Online Capture Systems

Your website

Centerpoint for referral education and client acquisition content.● Provide easy to distribute education● Answer critical client questions● Establish trust and credibility

Your Facebook page

Facebook is the modern Yellow Pages and one heck of a referral engine.● Everyone asks their Facebook friends for

recommendations!● Facebook advertising automatically include

implied endorsements

Your email marketing

Aggressively capture and retain client and referral partner email addresses.● Develop processes to capture client emails● Design website capture campaigns● Create incentives to subscribe to client and

professional focused newsletters

Your client surveys

Make client communication and feedback a focal point of your file handling process.● Design touchpoints before, during, and after

the clients’ case management process● Surveys are a simple, low friction way to

keep your firm top-of-mind with clients

Your mailings

Don’t discount the ongoing power of the traditional mailbox. It still works.● Create variety● Don’t be cliche● Personal touch is always best (and not as

hard as you think)

Your personal “elevator pitch”

Your best referral engine is yourself. Learn to sell yourself in simple, quick interactions.● Practice your “elevator pitch”● Create a mental rolodex of quick referrals● Be known as the one that knows everyone

and is willing to make an unsolicited introduction

Referral nurturing programs

Your website

Generate a consistent flow of educational content that gives you reasons to reach out to clients, attorneys, and other referral partners.● Source of content for outreach and top-of-

mind efforts● Source of new referral partners that are

looking for authoritative information

Your Facebook page

Facebook is the new Yellow Pages. It’s a social ecosystem built for referrals and testimonials.● Your Facebook Page may be nearly as

important as your website for some practices● A great place to provide referral education--

how you can and have helped ● Prime the referral engine with Facebook Ads

Your email marketing

Email marketing is a referral marketing dream. Create good opt-in list building strategies for clients and referral partners.● Capture via website/blog and intake process● Segment into relevant groups● Educate and deliver value (trust & credibility)● Be consistent and frequent

What should you be doing?

❏ Blogging❏ Client Surveys❏ Content Distribution❏ 3 to 1 (if possible) Offsite Blogging❏ Email Capture & Marketing!

Questions?

Bill Rice734-775-4487bill.rice@kaleidico.comTwitter: @billriceGet new marketing ideas weekly:http://kaleidico.com/newsletter