It’s human nature to appreciate receiving thanks for something you’ve done for someone. A referral source who sends you a desirable client, of course, should be thanked immediately. But, whether or not you thanked them at the time, a surprise thank you long after the good deed can have an even greater impact on the person being thanked.
By adding this simple legal marketing strategy to your overall client development routine, you’ll build trust and increase the TOMA you hold in the recipient’s mind (Top of Mind Awareness). Identify someone who referred you important work in the last two to three years, but with whom you haven’t connected in at least six months. It might be an attorney in a different city who sent you a career-changing litigation client, a past client who sent you her cousin’s startup company, an accountant who introduced you to his banker.
Think back to turning points in your career. Who helped you? Who are your longest-standing and most important clients or colleagues? Who made those introductions? Once you’ve identified that person, write them a note, send them an email, or pick up the phone to thank them.
Here’s the action challenge: Calendar it in to do one surprise thank you each week for the next 8 weeks.