In one week’s time, it will be Thanksgiving in the United States. And, you will probably be feasting with friends and family, watching football games (and probably arguing with them). I believe that many of us have forgotten that Thanksgiving is a time when we are supposed to be grateful for all that we have received during the past year.
Google the “benefits of gratitude” and millions of articles pop up with the research to back it up – for example here are three worth reading:
- Harvard Medical School posts Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier
- Courtney Ackerman, MSc writes on positivepsychology.com the 28 Benefits of Gratitude & Most Significant Research Findings, and
- Julia Guerra summarizes the 16 Benefits of Gratitude, According to Science and Mental Health Experts.
In addition to all of the physical and psychological benefits extolled in these articles, there is one more that can specifically help you grow your book of business. Being grateful and expressing your gratitude to your clients for trusting you with their legal matters will create more business.
You must understand it’s not about you. While you did the legal work and had gotten them an exceptional result, it’s still not about you. It’s about them. Your clients want to know that they are not just a dollar sign, but that they matter to you more than the check.
If you take the time (not just during holiday season but this is a great time to start) to contact each and every one of your clients and referral, beginning with the ones you have most recently worked with and going back to your past clients to the very first one and thank them for their business something amazing will happen. You will renew a relationship that may have stagnated.
This is not the time to ask them for business; it is only the time to say “thanks.” And it is also the time to catch up with them. Find out what is going on in their lives, their businesses, etc. Maybe they will need your help; maybe they will need a referral to someone you know who can help them with a non-legal problem, or maybe you just get a chance to find out how they are.
Not only will they feel good, but you will feel good as well. And, many of those clients with whom you probably haven’t spoken in years will now have you on your radar and could begin referring new clients to you or they may have a matter with which you can help.
While holiday cards (and e-cards) are nice, your card will get lost in the stack of cards that they receive. Instead, connect with them personally. Pick up a phone, send a handwritten note, write a personal email or connect with them via social media direct messages. The point is to connect with these people one-on-one.
Because Rainmaking is about relationships and reconnecting with those whom you have lost touch will pay off.
And by the way, just so you know, I am grateful to all of the subscribers who have been reading this blog for almost a decade. I cannot thank you enough for the trust you have put in me to help you with your business development activities. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
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