How to Get Divorce Attorneys to Refer

Welcome to Day 13 of our Referral Clinic and Blog-a-thon.  We asked advisors to send us their toughest referral challenges. Now we're featuring the 20 best, along with solutions from top referral experts and veteran financial advisors. 

Today's winning question comes from Joel H., an independent advisor from Chicago, Illinois.  Congrats, Joel!

Ginita Wall will be responding to Joel's question. A CPA, CFP® and CDFA practicing in San Diego, California, Ginita is co-founder of the non-profit Women's Institute for Financial Education and author of eight books, including The ABCs of Divorce for Women.

Question: "I am targeting divorce attorneys in the Chicagoland area since I have divorce financial planning accreditation. I am finding it difficult to get referrals from the existing divorce attorneys I know, to give me other divorce attorney referrals. Any suggestions?"

Ginita Wall's answer: Getting referrals is always a dilemma. Here are the top five reasons that attorneys don't refer:

5. Don't want to be responsible for referral if it doesn't work out

4. Don't understand how you would benefit the case

3. Don't think of you when facing an issue

2. Don't understand your areas of expertise

1. Don't know you want referrals!

Number 1 is a biggie. Do you ever ask for referrals? I don't mean in the hemming, hawing, hinting sort of way—I mean straight out: "I like working with you, and I'd appreciate you letting any colleagues you know about me and what we are able to accomplish together on cases."  Or "I'm wanting to meet some new attorneys—why don't you invite a colleague to come to lunch with us, my treat."

At the other end of the list, Number 5, some people simply don't feel comfortable with making referrals, but fortunately there aren't a lot of those overly-cautious people around. Most people are comfortable referring you to others if they know you, trust you, and understand how you can help. So get to know the attorneys well, keep in touch on a regular basis, and let them know how you can help. And remember, the more you refer to them, the more they will feel obligated to refer back again.

And that leaves Numbers 2, 3 and 4, which are all related. Here are some suggestions to improve your odds in these areas:

• Crow about your successes. Make it a practice to describe situations in which you were helpful, and how your talents contributed to a successful outcome (or mitigated the problems, if the outcome wasn't so successful as you might have liked.)
• Tell the attorneys something they don't know. Give them a financial tip they can pass onto their clients, talk up something in the financial news and how it applies to them, anything to bring your world of finances to their world of law and clients.
• Create a newsletter that you send to attorneys, in email or printed form. Tips, success stories, whatever you believe is of interest.
• Create a financial seminar to which attorneys can invite their clients.  Or even better, create regular program on divorce for your community. 

Years ago I started a divorce program in San Diego called "Second Saturday: What Women Need to Know About Divorce," and in June we begin our eighteenth year.  The workshop takes place once a month at a local community college, and we have a rotating roster of speakers that includes attorneys, therapists, mediators and myself. 

More than 7,000 people have gone through the program, and we have raised over $65,000 for the scholarship program at the college.  And to top it off, the seminar has been a pivotal resource in my success in the field of divorce.

You are welcome to adapt the format for your use. Visit www.SecondSaturday.com for more information).

Got questions or thoughts about today's challenge or Ginita's response? Post a comment.

Comments

[john doe]

How about the divorce atty is referring to someone else who they like better - so ask if they are using someone else and why they like them...

also if you think the divorce atty doesnt trust you - and just about everything else has failed - you need to ask for the business - which in this case might be - why havent you used me? (perhaps the reply will be because you use funds, or the attys clients dont meet your minimum) - hopefully you get an answer you can counter.