One of the questions I ask lawyers who take my Law Practice Assessment is:
"Do you have a system for getting client referrals?"
Of the over 200 respondents so far, it appears that only 29.9% have a system for getting referrals.
Of those that DO have a system, only 27% send email newsletters.
This means that even many lawyers with a referral-getting system are not using the BEST method.
The best method uses email
What makes email the best way to get referrals?
Well, for starters, it's easy to send emails. You do this right now if you want to send just a few at a time.
If you are sending to large numbers of people at once, you'll need a tool like ConvertKit (which I use).
But ConvertKit is free to use if you have less than 1,000 names. Other services offer similar free options.
So, email newsletters are free to start with and inexpensive when you grow your subscriber count to the point of needing to pay.
Contrast this with the cost of building a website or using Facebook and Google ads.
Email is way more effective than other methods
Sending people emails is more effective than posting things to a website or interrupting them with ads.
The people on your email list are folks who presumably know you, like you, and trust you.
But just because people like you and trust you doesn't mean they'll remember you when someone asks them for a referral.
Or when they need a lawyer themselves.
They may not know you handle a certain type of matter when they need help from a lawyer.
If you were educating them via regular emails, they'd know and remember.
Sending emails regularly is the key
If you want to stay top of mind with prospective referral sources, you need to stay in touch.
And it's best to do that regularly.
Hence, the use of an "email newsletter."
Don't overthink this
Most lawyers think an "email newsletter" means it has to have fancy graphics, a fancy header with a logo, and so forth.
That's not true.
This email you're reading now is an "email newsletter."
The fact that it doesn't have fancy graphics or a logo doesn't diminish its effectiveness.
If anything, it's better not to have all the fanciness. It's better to send emails that look plain and simple.
The words are what matter most
Just send emails that resemble what you send to people individually.
Write the way you write when you send those regular emails.
Don't overdo things. Don't make things harder and less effective.
That's the good advice I received from Dean Jackson, one of the supreme masters of email marketing.
If you read the emails Dean sends, you'd see exactly what I mean.
In fact, here's the most recent one I received from Dean. Notice how he writes.
Plain, simple, and completely down-to-earth.
That's the key to effective email marketing.
;-)
Ernie
P.S. Here are some helpful resources to take advantage of if you want.
My Law Practice Assessment (discover the best opportunities to improve your practice)
A 15-minute strategy call (if you want to chat by phone)