Do Something! Stay in Contact

Lawyers often ask what they can do quickly and easily to increase their business. The best marketing and business development efforts are part of an overall plan that is carefully crafted to get and keep you in front of your best prospects and referral sources.

That being said, there is a relatively inexpensive way to stay in front of your contacts even when you don't have a comprehensive plan in place, and it takes hardly any time at all: write a note.

Every week, choose a few contacts, whether they're current clients, former clients, potential clients, referral sources or others within your network and write them a quick note. You can do them all at once or do one a day.

The note doesn't have to be long or complicated. If you can include a clipping, an article or something else of interest to that person, so much the better, but it isn't a requirement. But do make the note personal in some way, by referencing when or where you last spoke, etc.

I've had clients tell me over and over that they got business when they ran into someone that they hadn't seen in a while and that person remembered a potential client or contact that might be helpful. The same thing happens any time those contacts are reminded of you, whether you see them in person or not.

A quick personal note reminds your contacts that you're out there, and once you're top of mind, chances are much better that business will come your way. And a personal, hand-written (or at least hand-signed) note that comes in the mail as opposed to email makes an even more of an impact.