“How do I get more clients?” and “How do I get more client referrals?” These are two questions that every accountant, lawyer, and consultant have asked themselves at some point in their career.
The answer, however, isn’t quite as simple as they’d like. To win more clients and client referrals, you need to focus on building, maintaining, and strengthening connections, and one of the ways to do this is to make sure that you stand out and broadcast your talents. The tricky part is how to do this without coming across as a show-off.
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How to get more client referrals: Sometimes you have to blow your own trumpet
Being able to sell yourself is one of the most crucial skills if you want to grow your own practice and make partner. Think about it, how else will you get new business? How else will you sell a service? How else will clients seek you out for that particular service if you don’t position yourself as the expert? Blowing your own trumpet is necessary for recognition and to instil confidence in existing and potential clients, you just have to do it in such a way that you don’t come across as arrogant.
4 ways to blow your own trumpet without showing off
If you’re wondering how to get more client referrals or you often find yourself asking “how do I get more clients?” here are 4 ways where you can really sell yourself.
Be passionate Have you ever listened to someone talk about a topic that they were passionate about and you couldn’t help but listen? When you have an eagerness and passion for whatever you do, people will listen and be inspired by it. It’s quite infectious and hard to ignore so try and be passionate whether you’re talking to colleagues, partners, or existing or potential clients.
Give credit where credit is due One of the best ways to blow your own trumpet is to do it indirectly. Were you lead on a particular project or piece of work that was delivered successfully? When you receive positive praise on a job well done, make sure to always mention the staff that did the work. You will still get the credit because you are the leader, but this will show a lot about your character. (Discover the 5 roles a team leader must play)
Actions speak louder than words When you go the extra mile in your work, your deliveries will do the talking for you. It’s a very indirect way to blow your own trumpet but it does it nonetheless. If you’re always adding value through your work, people will notice and recognise your strengths.
Get someone else to do it for you One of the best ways to blow your own trumpet without showing off is to get others to do it for you. Often, this comes about when you do great work when you show a passion for what you do, and when you value your team and staff; partners and clients will be pleased with you, so pleased that they will spread the word. Words that lead to more work, more referrals, and often, more clients.
Start working on your own career progression sign up to receive my How to Make Partner weekly tips here and you’ll find out what you need to be working on in your career development, building your client portfolio and your business case to progress your career all the way to partner in your firm.
Blow your own trumpet AND toot your own horn!
It’s essential that you showcase your strengths and exude confidence, you just have to do it in the right way. If you apply these 4 tips to your everyday work life, you can blow your trumpet and even toot your own horn quietly and with purpose. Never again will you have to worry about how to get more client referrals or try to come up with a new answer to “how do I get more clients?” again.
I’m Heather Townsend, author of Poised for Partnership and co-author of How to Make Partner & Still Have a Life. I’m the leading global expert in what it takes to move from senior fee earner to partner – and when you get there, stay there (5 ways to work with me)
Start working on your own career progression sign up to receive my How to Make Partner weekly tips here and you’ll find out what you need to be working on in your career development, building your client portfolio and your business case to progress your career all the way to partner in your firm.
