Rainmaking Recommendation #137: It’s Up To You

I want to kick you in the proverbial butt.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/photostock

For far too long, you have been wanting, wishing, hoping to grow your book of business.  You have attended seminars, read books, watched webinars, read blog post after blog post.  You have looked for the silver bullet, the newest thing.  You have been promised that if you just sign up for this SEO system, pay for this new website, buy this email program, create videos, put up billboards, use advertising, the clients would come flooding through your doors.  You’ve spent countless amounts of dollars and yet you are not seeing the results you want, the types of clients you would like and the money you want to make.

Want to know why?

Because no one can do it for you!!

The legal industry is still a profession that is built on relationships.  While price may be important to some potential clients, they still want to know, like and trust you as their attorney.  You must be willing to build the relationships you need to get new clients and to cultivate new and current referral sources.

Again, the method to do this is:

• Determine your ideal clients,
• Figure out who does business with these ideal clients and cultivate referral relationships with them – these are the Strategic Referral Partners – other professionals and vendors,
• Ascertain where your ideal clients hang out – both on and off line, and
• Establish relationships with both the referral sources and ideal clients.

This means that you have to meet people.  Whether it is on-line or in networking situations, you have to meet as many people as possible and create rapport.

You cannot meet people if you are not willing to do so.  And just connecting with them on social media does not count as creating a relationship.  And just collecting a business card at a networking event does not constitute creating a relationship.

You have to actually get to know the people you meet.  This means uncovering their needs and finding a way to satisfy those needs.  Pick at least one person per day – start with those you may know and create or deepen the relationship.

Rainmaking is a contact sport….. so contact the people you are meeting and create relationships!