A Brief Note on Personal Referrals

As an attorney, I receive promotional calls, emails, and snail mail from people and organizations on almost a daily basis. Typically these offer services for use in my practice, but sometimes offer products or services for my personal life. Almost every single one of these goes into my trash can, my spam folder, or my voicemail to be deleted. My time, or more accurately my billable time, is money. If evaluating an offer takes away from what I can accomplish in a day, it's often not worth the initial review. I feel that I need someone else to evaluate a product or service provider’s value before it crosses my desk. Thus, in my experience most connections, including new clients, are made by referrals. Referrals are a valuable resource that can be overlooked.

The personal referral is the most effective way to expand your network, and can be a great resource for obtaining new clients and business. For attorneys, if I am introduced a personal referral, then there is already a level of respect and trust present. In other words, someone else has made the initial review of what the skills I am providing and has approved those skills by referring me to prospective client.

In addition to the introduction, the personal referral helps build my reputation. Even though it jump starts building a reputation with a new contact; it is important to remember to continue to nurture and build your reputation in the new relationship.

A professional network is like a garden, you have to water it from time to time in order for it to grow (Credit for this metaphor is being given here, but I'm not sure to who. I first heard this from a speaker at a networking event, who also gave credit. I can't recall either name). Maintaining your network does several things; it keeps current contacts or clients happy, continues to build your reputation, and allows for further expansion of your network. A new relationship does not end at the close of a deal.

While a personal referral can be the key to the first step of building a professional relationship, maintaining the relationship requires many different tools and resources. The use of emails, letters, and online social networking platforms can be used as a great supplemental tool to maintain your existing target network.