A few years ago, I got asked, “What’s relationship marketing, and how do you start growing your practice?” Now, in today’s world, we’re all about building connections and client growth, so let’s dive into relationship marketing and how to make it work for you.

Relationship marketing is like using your superpowers to build a community, grow your practice, and create lasting connections that enhance your expertise. Think of it as a more sophisticated way of doing that trusty “word-of-mouth” reputation building. You know, doing excellent work and hoping your clients spread the good word to their colleagues and friends. That strategy is solid, but why not level it up to ensure you’re consistently generating new business?

Why should you, as a modern professional, care about relationship marketing?

Two big reasons: Firstly, it helps you spot trends and insights with your current clients to serve them even better and retain their loyalty. Secondly, it’s the secret sauce to winning over potential clients.

To kickstart your journey, start by honing your listening skills. There are tons of tools at your disposal, both social and otherwise. Assuming you’ve already identified your target audience, find out where they hang out and start tuning in. Here are some options (but not an exhaustive list):

  • Industry publications
  • Business journals
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Podcasts
  • Virtual and in-person conferences
  • Unbilled client visits

You don’t need to use every tool on the list to succeed. The key to strategic relationship marketing is understanding who your primary audience is and where they dwell. These are the places you want to be present, not only to interact but also to listen and learn what they’re passionate about, their concerns, trends, influential figures, and more.

Once you’ve done your homework, it’s time to engage. I’m a fan of content marketing and curation, but you can adapt it to your style. For instance, you could nurture a community by writing a blog and sharing your posts online. Encourage discussions by posing questions to your audience. Perhaps you’d like to connect with key figures in your industry; in that case, start a podcast and invite them as guests, potentially turning online connections into offline relationships. Share valuable content from various sources, not just your own, and be sure to engage with those who respond, as well as other industry peers.

By strategically developing and refining your word-of-mouth reputation in today’s fast-paced world, you’ll excel at retaining your current clients and landing more work from them while also attracting new clients.

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Photo of Lindsay Griffiths Lindsay Griffiths

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the…

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the goals of a global professional services network. She manages all major aspects of the Network, including recruitment, member retention, and providing exceptional client service to an international membership base.

In her role as Executive Director, Griffiths manages a mix of international programs, engages a diverse global community, and develops an international membership base. She leads the development and successful implementation of major organizational initiatives, manages interpersonal relationships, and possesses executive presence with audiences of internal and external stakeholders. Griffiths excels at project management, organization, and planning, writes and speaks with influence and authority, and works independently while demonstrating flexibility in thinking, especially in challenging situations. She also adapts to diverse and dynamic environments with constant assessment and recalibration.

JD Supra Readers Choice Top Author 2019

In 2021, the ILN was honored as Global Law Firm Network of the Year by The Lawyer European Awards, and in 2016, 2017, and 2022, they were shortlisted as Global Law Firm Network of the Year. Since 2011, the Network has been listed as a Chambers & Partners Leading Law Firm Network, recently increasing this ranking to be included in the top two percent of law firm networks globally, as well as adding two regional rankings. She was awarded “Thought Leader of the Year” by the Legal Marketing Association’s New York chapter in 2014 for her substantive contributions to the industry and was included in Clio’s list of “34 People in Legal You Should Follow on Twitter.” She was also chosen for the American Bar Association Journal’s inaugural Web 100‘s Best Law Blogs, where judge Ivy Grey said “This blog is outstanding, thoughtful, and useful.” Ms. Griffiths was chosen as a Top Author by JD Supra in their 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, for the level of engagement and visibility she attained with readers on the topic of marketing & business development. She has been the author of Zen & the Art of Legal Networking since February 2009.