Every month we get a free home improvement magazine mailed to our home. Actually, it’s not a magazine, it’s a collection of advertisements by home improvement companies–landscaping, custom closets, window treatments, patio furniture, kictchen cabinets–you get the idea–bound into a 24 page publication and mailed to “the top 250,000 homes in [our County]”. The masthead says their mission is “to provide our readers with a trusted guide to the best and most reputatable professionals.”
The publisher uses the inside front page of the magazine to write about success and personal development. He shares his thoughts, interesting stories, and quotes from famous notables or business people he knows. If you’re not currently in the market for a home improvement product or service, you have something worthwhile to read.
The publisher takes pride in his advertisers. In fact, not only does he screen every one of them, he stands behind them. He a offers a “$1000 service warranty”: “We are so confident in the reputation and quality of our advertisers. . .in the unlikely event you have a bad experience, we [will] contribute up to $1,000 to make it right.”
When you’re ready to fix up your home and you want someone you can trust, I’m sure his advertisers will be on your short list.
Now, you don’t publish a magazine but if you represent business clients, why not feature them on your blog or in your newsletter? Post their ad. Do a feature story about their business. Publish an article with helpful tips they provide. Or simply add their names and a link to their web site on your “recommended resources” page. Your clients will be thrilled with the additional exposure, especially since it is imbued with your tacit or explicit endorsement.
And, when the business world knows that you promote the businesses of your clients, do you think more business clients might be interested in hiring you?
If you don’t represent business clients, you can do the same thing for either (a) your referral sources–their practices and businesses, or (b) your consumer clients’ charitable and community causes and groups.
Growing a law practice means adding value to your relationships with your clients and referral sources. Featuring them in your blog or newsletter is a simple and effective way to do that. Growing a practice also means adding value to the lives of your prospects. Providing them with content from, and recommendations to, trustworthy professionals and businesses is a great way do just that.
An extra benefit to doing this is you’ll never run out of content for your blog or newsletter. Your clients and referral sources will supply you with articles, tips, guest posts, interviews, and other ideas.
You don’t have to offer a warranty like the publisher of the home magazine does. But if your clients are in an industry where there are many abuses and broken promises, as there are with home improvement, this could be the “big idea” that really makes you stand out.
Promoting your clients and referral sources this way will not only ensure their loyalty to you, it will undoubtedly lead to more referrals from them. After all, how many other lawyers promote their business?
