Face-to-face marketing is, and always will be, the best form of referral-based marketing for lawyers. When you speak to a group of lawyers, you are perceived as an authority and an expert by your peers. Lawyers can develop national reputations among their peers solely through speaking engagements (or at least a rock-star reputation in your town or county).
But how do you get speaking engagements? You schedule one—that’s right, don’t ask for anyone’s permission, JUST DO IT. You pick a date, time and place and offer the free event to the county bar association. Call the Executive Director of your county bar association to offer a great, free event and 95% of the time they accept your offer.
“Don’t think of it as public speaking—think of it as sharing your authority with a whole host of prospects in person.”
–John Jantsch, Duct Tape Selling
The County Bar Association will promote your event at no cost and you receive their stamp of approval with their members. Ask one of your vendors, i.e., videographer or stenographer, to provide their services for free in exchange for an endorsement at the event, and VOILA! You’ve got a free event in front of your ideal referral partners.
Educate Like Crazy!
Don’t be afraid to give away your best marketing and management tips in your speech. Give away specific tips, how-to’s and examples, i.e., your Rules of Communication with clients. Don’t sell anything—just give all of your secrets away for free and your peers and prospective referral partners will love you for it.
When you’re done, get the contact information from the attendees and follow up with them with handwritten thank-you notes, print and email newsletters and an email drip campaign. You’re expanding your universe of fans and nurturing and cultivating your fan base…and just maybe you will get a new referral or two.
Want More Tips for Getting Speaking Gigs?
Send an email to our Happiness Creator and Problem Solver, Alyssa Marcello at receptionist@fishermalpracticelaw.com and she will send you an email with the video of the webinar, “The Secrets of Lawyer-to-Lawyer Referral Based Marketing”.
photo credit: Curt Goering, executive director via photopin (license)
