Saying Thanks For The Referral

I make referrals to other lawyers.  I make those referrals so that the client can be introduced to a qualified attorney.  I also make them so that the attorney can land a new, paying client.  When I make a referral I go out of my way pair the two people, and to pass on to the potential client the contact information for the potential lawyer.  I also let the lawyer know that he or she can expect a contact.  I don't expect a return contact from the attorney, but it is nice when I get one; and I pay more attention to those who do respond to my referrals.

When I receive a referral from another lawyer (or from anyone else for that matter) I go out of my way to say thanks.  At the very least I send a handwritten note to the referring attorney.  Not an email, not an e-card, but an actual note written in ink on paper, that is then mailed to the lawyer.  I also make a thank you phone call.  If I get a series of referrals from someone I will typically send a gift (a nice bottle of wine, a hosted lunch, or a copy of a popular book are examples).

I am sure there are many of you out there asking "why go to the trouble?"  I know you are asking that because I know you are not thanking me when I send referrals to you.  You aren't doing it, but you should be doing it.  Referrals are the life blood of every practice.  If I want you to keep sending me more referrals, I need to keep my name fresh in your mental rolodex. Taking the time to send a note of thanks demonstrates how much I appreciate the thought and effort that goes in to a referral.  You appreciate my return effort, you make a mental note of it, and my name magically moves to the top of your mental referral list.

If you are like me, and you don't get that acknowledgment, you move that attorney to the bottom of your referral list, or you scratch him or her from the list altogether.  Some lawyers can afford to lose that $10,000, $20,000 a year in referred income.   Good for them.  Other cannot afford that loss. Those are the lawyers that need to stay on top of their referral thank yous.

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The Phablet

What is bigger than a smart phone, smaller than a tablet, and does the work of both?  It is the "phablet."  The first combination oversized smartphone/undersized tablet was the Samsung Galaxy Note.  Most pundits (myself included) laughed off this new profile as too much smartphone and too little tablet.  The pundits were wrong.  The Galaxy Note sold like hotcakes. 5,000,0000 units sold in half a year.

In a report published by ABI Research:  “One of the chief drivers for phablets is the amount of time people use their smartphones for web browsing, reading articles and newspapers on the go, or simply navigating their journeys . . . The larger screen sizes make a significant difference to the user’s experience when compared to conventional-sized touchscreens between 3.5 to 4 inches.”

Other manufacturers are getting on board.  LG has introduced its Optimus Vu.  Other brands are sure to follow.

LG Optimus Vu

It would appear that bigger is getting better in the mobile device world.

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Box as an alternative to Dropbox

Dropbox has taken the legal world by storm as the default cloud storage service.  I use the free service, and I love it.  Now Dropbox has some competition, and that competition is specifically targeting us lawyers.

box.com is another cloud storage service.  It is gaining users, and it is gaining fans in its competition with Dropbox. At his LawSites blog legal technology and marketing expert Robert Ambrogi compares the two products, and casts his vote in favor of box.  Robert's post is filled with comparisons, and reasons why he thinks box is better.  Check it out by clicking here.

Please visit hardinglaw.com for more information about Harding & Associates Family Law 

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