The key to identifying your best client referral sources is simple: listen! When you listen to your clients, you learn what they want. Delivering what they want makes for more referrals and better client retention.

Sounds simple, yet so many professionals are poor listeners. Whether you’re too busy to listen or think you already know all the answers, the truth is that listening to clients will not only increase your referrals, it will also improve your law firm.

Here are some important methods you can use to actively listen to clients:

Open Feedback. Always offer clients a way to provide feedback, through your website, an online survey and in your e-newsletter campaign. Simply asking for their thoughts is often enough to garner some important insights.

Transactional Feedback. If you’re a regular Starbucks customer, you have undoubtedly received a free survey with your receipt. You provide them with some feedback online and you get a free drink for your efforts. This demonstrates the importance of asking clients for their thoughts about their experience with your firm. Keep your finger on the pulse of how satisfied they’re with how your firm is treating them, and you’ll have a satisfied client who is more likely to refer you to others.

Social Media Interaction. Monitor your social media channels to see what people are saying about you. You can search for your firm name on Twitter and Facebook, and you should be regularly monitoring Avvo, LinkedIn groups, Yelp! and Google for other comments about your firm.

Client Satisfaction Surveys. Using formal client satisfaction surveys gauges client experiences with your firm. Send one out after each engagement is closed and respond immediately and personally to any negative feedback.

Listening is all part of micromanaging the client experience – if you take the time to really know your clients and their problems, you greatly increase your chances for repeat business.