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Dear ,
Years ago, my wife and I used to live on Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Right across from us was a FedEx store (now it's called FedEx/Kinko's). I used to stop in at least two or three times a week just because. (Don't ask me why, but I'd love to go there and just browse: check out the machines, peruse the items on sale, etc. That probably explains why I love going to Office Depot so much! I can spend hours in there.)
Anyway, as a result of my frequent visits, I got to know the employees and managers. They liked me and I liked them.
Eventually, they asked me what I did, to which I replied, I'm a business law attorney -- I handle most legal matters related to small business.
Their Eyes Opened Wide
"We get tons of people in here asking us if we know a good business lawyer," the assistant manager chimed in. "Do you have a card?"
Well, it only took about a couple of days before I had started getting calls from complete strangers asking me if I could help them with legal work.
"How did you find out about me?" I would always ask. "Kinko's" they'd reply. "They said you'd take good care of me."
And I sure did.
The Kinko's staff told me although they weren't technically supposed to make referrals to lawyers, they wanted their customers to be happy. Plus, they trusted me because they saw me so often.
For several years, the Kinko's referrals made up a big chunk of my business. That was until we moved the office to Boca. But even after we moved, I had employees from the Florida Division of Corporations, as well as the Broward County Clerk of Court, referring clients to me.
What's My Point?
This isn't about me bragging about getting referrals, this is about how YOU can apply this same approach to your business.
Here are the steps:
1. Let everyone -- absolutely EVERYONE -- know the type of business you're in. You never know when someone is looking for you.
2. Always carry business cards with you.
3. Follow the formula I used to get the Kinko's referrals:
A. Find out where your target market meets or is present in large numbers
B. Get to know the leaders and influencers within that group
C. Offer to solve their problems and lessen their burdens using your skill set
It's simple really. You're essentially showing up at the right place to be a problem solver. You might have to be a bit creative in getting to the influencers, but if they're convinced you can help them relieve them of their burdens (and do it competently), you'll be amazed at how well this system works.
BTW, I rarely handle legal matters nowadays because I enjoy the marketing aspect and running the Coptic Chamber abundantly more.
P.S. One day, while at that Fort Laduerdale Kinko's, I struck up a conversation with a distinguished gray-haired man who turned out to host two local business television shows. He invited me to appear on both shows which lead to a lot of exposure and several phone calls. This was in the late 90's -- explains why I look so young in the TV screenshots above.
