What do you do when a referral source isn’t referring?
The wrong thing to do, of course, is to push them. Point out that they haven’t referred much lately or that their numbers have fallen off. Or that they “owe” you.
That’s probably not going to work. In fact, it could easily backfire by alienating them and causing them to do even less.
No, the best way to get a referral source to refer more is to assume (until you learn otherwise) that he is doing all that he can and then help him to be able to do more.
In other words, help his business or practice grow so he will have more customers or clients to refer.
You can do that by introducing him to some of your business contacts who might be able to send him business, make introductions, or open doors to speaking or networking opportunities.
You can feature his business or practice or his products or services on your website and in your newsletter.
You can recommend marketing experts or vendors, or share information you’ve found (books, courses, blogs) that could help him get more clients or bigger clients.
And you can send him some referrals of your own. No, he won’t be able to refer those clients back to you but those clients might refer other clients to him, which he can refer to you. Also, the cash flow your referrals generate might allow him to expand his business in other areas.
But here’s the thing. Even just offering to help him could make a difference. How many other lawyers do that?
Show him you’re trying to help him and when he’s able to refer more, you can bet that you’ll be number one on his list.
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