The holiday season is finally upon us! While many firms and businesses experience a seasonal slump during the holidays, this time of the year may be a perfect time to create a referral channel. Referrals are some of the most profitable cases for attorneys, as they don’t cost any marketing dollars. If you want to receive a couple of referral cases over the next month, here are a couple of actions your firm can consider taking to make yourself a known name in your community.

Option #1: Donate your time to an organization relevant to your area of law.

The holidays are all about giving. One of the best things you and your colleagues could do is volunteer with an organization or cause that relates to your area of law. For example, a Social Security disability firm could spend a day volunteering with a cancer foundation, or helping people with learning disabilities in an independent living center. There are countless opportunities for you and your firm to do a little good this year, and nonprofits are always looking for more hands on deck.

How could this help your firm? If you become known by a large nonprofit in your area, you’ll be the first firm it sends its community members to when they need legal services. These referrals not only keep your firm in business, but your services are invaluable to people in need. It’s a win-win situation.

Some national organizations that serve people with disabilities include the Epilepsy Foundation and the National Federation of the Blind.

Option #2: Donate your money to a relevant cause.

Not every area of law will be able to find a perfect nonprofit to partner with for a day of volunteering. If this is the case for your firm, you can always find a good organization to financially partner with.

Consider personal injury attorneys and bicycling clubs. Most bicycle clubs are managed on a volunteer-only basis, so they’re often strapped for funds. Cyclists are also often seriously injured when involved in a crash with a car, so there’s a good chance at least one person in a local cycling club will need legal help at some point. If you sponsor a bicycling club, you will not only promote a healthy and green form of transportation, but also give any potential claimants a connection for any future legal help.

After volunteering, keep an eye on your website.

It’s possible that once you’re known locally, your online conversions may increase. While you cannot know how claimants heard about your firm without asking them, you may receive “assisted conversions” from your local efforts. This means that someone heard about your firm from a friend or after you volunteer your time or money, and later choose to contact your firm subsequently.

Need help boosting your case load?

Even if you place a lot of effort in receiving referrals from your neighborhood, you may still find that the holiday season is a slow time of the year. If you’d like to quickly increase your caseload to get your firm through the seasonal slump, consider purchasing legal case leads. Lead generation is an affordable alternative to investing in your own marketing campaigns, and can be used to supplement your own efforts. To speak with a member of our team about lead availability in your area, give us a call today at 617.800.0089.