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The important thing is not just meeting referral partners - it's staying top of mind!!!
Cultivating professional relationships with others who work with seniors is a smart practice-development move.
On a regular basis, VSA acts as an addition to our Elder Law Attorneys' practices to identify the right partners and set appointments for our attorneys to meet potential referral sources.
Here's something we've noticed, and it's critical for developing lasting referral relationships.
Our attorney clients who meet with new referral partners AND ALSO do follow-up work with their new associates are those who win the "hearts and minds" of these partners and create lasting referral relationships.
Our attorney clients who meet potential partners, say "thank you" at the end of their meetings, and never follow-up are soon forgotten. Therefore, the effort and investment spent to create the meeting in the first place was almost worthless.
So, what can you do to establish lasting relationships? Here are three practices we've seen our most successful attorney clients implement:
- Send a note of thanks immediately after the meeting, expressing our appreciation of the potential partner's time and attention. Stress your desire to stay in touch.
- Include referral partners in your regular newsletter distribution. The newsletter should be mailed at least quarterly and should be 100% designed to establish credibility and keep your name top of mind.
- Refer clients to your professional partners whenever possible. This will reinforce that you hold them in high esteem and want to help them -- and ideally result in reciprocal referrals. BUT, be sure you truly feel confident about their abilities before making endorsements. Obviously, your clients come first.
These are only three practices that have proven successful. Of course, any and everything you can do to stay in close contact with the new referral partners will serve your practice well in the long run. Don't forget, if you do not stay top of mind, the next Elder Law Attorney in the door is likely to get the referrals.
VSA is proud to be a NEALA Discount Member Partner. |
VSA brings you Referral Connections, specifically designed for Elder Law Attorneys. We are tremendous believers in building strong referral partnerships because we know that the number one factor cited by clients when selecting an Elder Law Attorney is that the attorney was recommended by a trusted source.