Client Acquisition Strategy: I Get Referrals Because of My Socks

By Joshua Bonnici

Joshua Bonnici is the managing attorney for Bonnici Law Group, APC, located in downtown San Diego, where he focuses primarily on personal injury cases and appealing state and federal disability denials. His accomplishments include winning SD Metro’s "40 Under 40" award, San Diego’s Best Litigation Firm by the San Diego UT, and was recently selected as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers. You can learn more about Josh and his practice at www.bonnicilawgroup.com.

Yes. You read that correctly. I have and continue to receive case referrals (for cases I have retained, worked, and settled) because of my socks. Am I a fashion lawyer? Agent for a famous shoe manufacture? Nope. I run the day-to-day activities for Bonnici Law Group, APC, an injury and disability firm in San Diego. Just one of the hundreds of injury attorneys in a large, metropolitan city.

When I started my firm in 2012, I had no money for traditional legal advertising. Pay-per-click ads were over $100.00 per click and SEO charges seemed in another universe. So, I put my feet to the pavement and met with anyone who would listen to my pitch. While I had my pitch down pat, I realized that the hardest part was having my coffee date remember who I was and what I did a few days after our coffee meeting. In a city flooded with young, hungry, and talented lawyers, I needed to figure out how to stay top-of-mind with all the contacts I met.