How to Grow More Law Firm Referrals: Marketing and Networking Tips

Interested in boosting your firm's new business pipeline quickly without overspending on ads? Referral marketing is the answer. A healthy flow of referred leads can put more cash in your pocket and create a solid foundation for law firm growth. 

According to legal marketing firm Spotlight Branding, 35% of lawyers get less than half of their new business from referrals. Another 18% aren't sure how much of their sales come from referrals. The remaining 53% regularly receive and convert law firm referrals into new clients. 

With a little know-how, you can join the community of law firms maximizing referrals from clients and other professionals. Read on to learn key referral marketing strategies, including campaign ideas to increase your firm's lead flow and tips for managing lawyer referrals effectively. 

How Can I Increase My Law Firm's Referrals? 

In law, a referral is a law firm or lawyer recommendation made by a client or another professional. Current and former clients can refer friends and family to your firm if they've had a good experience. Other lawyers may refer cases if your practice area is suitable, and they respect your work. 

There is a commonality across client and professional referral sources. The person making the recommendation must believe in your expertise and client service excellence. Therefore, a large part of lawyer referral marketing involves developing a positive reputation in these areas. How you do that can vary based on your firm's size and resource availability. 

Tips When Working in a Small Firm or as a Solo Practitioner 

Your small firm or solo practice may not have the resources—or the need—for a seasoned marketing professional on staff or an agency to support reputation-building. More appropriate strategies include prioritizing client personalization, securing administrative support for the firm, and networking via community events. 

1. Client personalization. Bigger law firms have many clients and cases. For efficiency's sake, they often follow routines and established practices, leaving little room for personalized service. 

You can differentiate your small firm by catering to each client's needs. Take the time to learn about your clients' lives beyond the case. In meetings and case update conversations, ask about their family members and significant life events. Build those relationships—clients will appreciate and remember your efforts.

2. Administrative support. Your firm may not need a chief marketing officer, but hiring an eager administrative assistant could be a wise investment. The assistant can handle routine office tasks, so you and other lawyers on your team have the capacity to give clients their full attention. An assistant can also send personalized thank-you notes to clients and help manage your social media channels.  

3. Networking via community events. You can quickly grow a lawyer referral network and build your reputation by participating in community events. Introduce yourself to other professionals at chamber of commerce meetings and networking groups. Meet community members at nonprofit fundraisers and community center activities. You could also speak at career events, participate in mentoring programs, and volunteer with local organizations. 

Tips When Working in a Mid-Size or Large Firm 

Big law firms must ask for referrals just as small firms do. One difference is that big law firms have a larger base of former clients and contacts supporting their reputation-building efforts. As a result, the firm's reputation can grow quickly—for better or worse. To ensure positive reputation development, optimize your client experience, hire a marketing firm, and leverage positive relationships. 

1. Optimize the client experience. Client-centered lawyering is an effective referral marketing strategy. Look for ways to enhance the client experience without increasing your firm's administrative burden. Technology can help—consider legal software that enables frictionless payments or client portals that consolidate case information for easy client access. 

2. Hire a marketing firm. If your firm has the resources, outsourcing referral marketing activities can help keep lawyers focused on servicing their clients effectively. 

3. Leverage positive relationships. Your firm has already built strong relationships. You can stoke your pipeline of attorney referrals by keeping those connections active. Encourage your team to check in regularly with colleagues and former clients who've had good experiences with your firm. 

Refining your law firm's reputation is the start of a strong lawyer referral marketing program. As a next step, nurture relationships with colleagues and former clients so they remember to send law firm referrals your way.  

Marketing Strategies to Build New Leads From Your Referral Network 

There is a concept in marketing called top-of-mind awareness (TOMA). When your firm has TOMA, it is the first name people think of when asked about legal services in your practice area. Strengthening your firm's TOMA will generate more law firm client referrals over time.

Staying active in relationships with colleagues and clients stokes TOMA. Some high-value referral sources may demand an occasional phone call or lunch date, but that is the exception. Often, it is enough to keep conversations going indirectly via social media, email campaigns, promotions and surveys, and structured outreach programs through your CRM.  

Utilize Social Media

An active social media presence keeps your firm in contact with its followers. If you encourage social media follows—say, by printing social handles on your business cards—your firm's community should include potential sources for attorney referrals. 

Plan social media content that reinforces your firm's reputation. Share useful legal information, client testimonials, and information about local events and organizations the firm supports. 

Build Email Campaigns 

You can engage former clients with email campaigns that share valuable information. Ideally, you would plan the content to align with the client's situation. Consider what questions clients may have after their case has been resolved, or what decisions they may need to make. You can even create separate email campaigns for the different types of clients you serve. 

The more relevant content you provide, the more new law firm client referrals you should see. 

Consider Promotions and Satisfaction Surveys 

Alongside relevant content, your email campaigns can also include promotions and satisfaction surveys. Promotions create news that former clients can share with friends and family. Satisfaction surveys engage former clients while collecting valuable feedback on: 

• What your firm is doing well 

• Areas where improvement is necessary 

• How former clients perceive your firm's brand 

You can use this feedback to refine your marketing messaging and develop a deeper understanding of your clients’ needs.

Adopt a CRM System to Track Referral Progress

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems are applications that collect, manage, and track leads, including referred leads. By using a CRM, you can automate lead follow-ups for higher conversions. As a part of a client intake strategy, you can also monitor which referral sources are most productive by case volume and client value. 

4 Tips for Inspiring Attorney Referrals  

You have built your law firm's reputation and worked to maintain relationships with potential sources for lawyer referrals. There is one more step to a solid referral marketing plan: inspiring colleagues and clients to share your firm's name with potential clients. 

Giving is the key to creating that inspiration that gets you more business—give referrals to your colleagues, give great service to your clients, and give gratitude for every lead you receive. You can incorporate giving into your practice with the following four strategies. 

1. Give referrals. Build a lawyer referral network of attorneys in related practice areas. When you pass along law firm referrals to colleagues, they will return the favor.

2. Give your contact information freely. Make it easy for clients to refer you by sharing your contact information in digital and physical formats. Consider using a digital, QR-code-based business card in your emails, and always carry extra printed business cards.  

3. Give clients superior service. Nurturing the attorney-client relationship supports your referral marketing efforts in multiple ways. A personalized and thoughtful client experience establishes your reputation and inspires clients to recommend you. 

4. Give gratitude. Positive reinforcement is powerful. Recognize and thank anyone who shares a referral, publishes a positive review, or mentions your firm on social media.  

Enhance Attorney Referral Opportunities With LawPay

Referral marketing can be a low-cost growth engine for your law firm. To enhance your firm's referral business pipeline, build a solid reputation, maintain relationships with colleagues and former clients, and inspire your network to recommend your services. 

The success of these efforts hinges on your firm's client experience. A superior client experience can be the best law firm marketing initiative because it fuels referral momentum. 

Legal practice management software like LawPay can enhance your firm's client experience cost-effectively for a more robust referral pipeline. LawPay's invoicing, payment, reporting, and security features are trusted by clients and attorneys alike. 

• Billing and invoicing: LawPay centralizes time and expense tracking, billing, and invoicing into one convenient, comprehensive package. You save time, and your clients receive accurate, detailed payment requests, account statements, and payment reminders. 

• Online payment options: LawPay provides convenient and secure online payment options while maintaining IOLTA compliance. 

• Reporting and reconciliation: Real-time financial, trust, and productivity reporting supports better decision-making. Monitor progress on the productivity initiatives that give lawyers more time to serve their clients. 

• Trusted cybersecurity features: LawPay safeguards sensitive client data with military-grade 256-bit AES encryption. 

Book a demo to see how LawPay can elevate your client experience and strengthen your lawyer referral marketing initiatives. 

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