I’m constantly asking you to take referral sources to lunch. Some of you aren’t going to do it, no matter how many times I say it and no matter how nicely I ask.

You aren’t going to any freaking lunches, period. I hear you; I understand.

Okay, okay, I give.

You can still build a thriving practice. You can still generate business. You can do it while sitting alone at your desk, and you can even wear your pajamas.

How? One word: write.

Write articles, blog posts, e-mails, letters to the editor, comments on blogs, books, e-books, and anything else you can think of.

Writing can be a huge component of a successful marketing plan. You can do very well if you’ll write. Getting published generates referrals all by itself. You don’t have to go to lunch if that’s not something you want to do.

Your writing will be well received by a variety of publications. You can submit to national and local magazines and newspapers. At one time, I had a family law column published twice a week in 35 North Carolina newspapers. All I had to do was ask. I’ve had articles published in all the local business and family publications in my markets. Again, I just asked. I’ve had articles published in national magazines and on websites. I just wrote the pieces and submitted them. They didn’t always use what I submitted, but more often than not, they did.

You can easily get published in bar association newsletters and magazines. Many publications are desperate for material. Shoot an e-mail to the editor and ask for the submission guidelines. Don’t be surprised if the editor asks you to have something ready quickly.

Of course, you can put together a blog, or you can simply add articles to your website. You can write an e-book and put it on your site. Just start writing. Even letters to the editor and comments on blog posts will increase your visibility. I can’t count the number of times I’ve referred business to the people who comment here on my blog. I start to feel like I know those people, and I come to like them and trust them.

Writing is different from taking a referral source to lunch. It won’t have the immediate impact of a lunch. However, it will advance you down the path of being known, liked, and trusted. It works, and you won’t have to worry about which fork to use.

Photo credit : Pedrosimoes