Archive for the ‘Strategies that Work’ Category
How Important are Client Testimonials?
A solid client base is the foundation of a successful law firm. The more legal services you offer, the more clients you obtain, the more business you bring to your firm. Bottom line. By keeping a steady list of loyal clients, the chances of referrals increases which – once again – brings more business to your firm.
Like all businesses, clients – or customers – develop an opinion about the services they receive. Clients’ judgments about the lawyers or firm that has helped them can make or break a firm’s reputation.
For example, if a divorce attorney overcharges, is consistently late for meetings or is constantly hard to reach, his or her client will not want to work with that attorney again and will express a bad opinion of him or her to anyone they talk to about the situation. As a result, all of those people that hear those bad things about the firm – that can also been seen as potential clients – will have no desire to seek legal help from that firm and will ultimately hire other competing lawyers.
Thus, clients’ positive testimonials and personal stories are an extremely important aspect to successfully market your law firm. As part of a good marketing strategy, all law firms should make sure to have a page of their websites dedicated only to successful client stories. This will show potential clients that they will be pleased with the service they receive and will ultimately boost the chances of more clients wanting to work with your attorneys.
Do you have the best marketing strategy for your law firm?
Perhaps the best existing marketing strategy for law firms is one that is most obvious and extremely easy to understand. However, it seems to be overlooked by many attorneys and legal firms.
Like any business, individuality is the most important aspect for any law firm to have. Some people may feel that is stating the obvious, but this notion is often ignored.
Most firms discuss their areas of practice, their experience and their successes regarding case settlements and verdicts. What about what sets them apart from the thousands of other lawyers out there with the same credentials?
Most personal injury and accident lawyers state in their website that they will get clients the compensation they need and deserve, but doesn’t every personal injury attorney do that? Isn’t that their purpose?
Divorce lawyers say that they’ll help clients with child custody matters and spousal support, but what makes them different than other family law attorneys?
To establish a well-marketed firm, it is important for lawyers to recognize the need to advertise their uniqueness and what makes them better than the rest. It’s important not to fall within the traditional legal wording expressed on most law firm websites and get your name out there and all over the web for more unique reasons.
For example, these creative ideas can set your law firm apart from others:
- A divorce law firm which offers community resources for the emotional and financial needs of children of separating couples
- Personal injury lawyers who offer to meet with the client in their home or hospital
- Real estate attorneys willing to close property transactions on a Saturday
- Lawyers who have late hours so clients do not have to lose work time
- The use of inventive technology in criminal law cases
Any press is good press. Conversation monitoring tools such as Social Mention (www.socialmention.com) are useful tools to help lawyers track how often they are mentioned – in whatever context – on the web. After all, all publicity and online mentions are good.
How can you make your office unique? We’d like to hear!
Common Legal Marketing Mistakes – Part II
6. Don’t assume your clients know about all of the legal services your firm offers. Oftentimes if prospective clients are unsure what services a firm offers, they reach out to other lawyers who outline their services more clearly. That’s an easy and avoidable way to lose business. Make sure your website outlines in detail all of your firm’s areas of practice and all legal services that you offer.
7. Don’t assume potential clients and your current clients will contact you if they have questions. People sometimes hesitate to call, especially if you haven’t developed any sort of relationship with them. In an effort to get more business, take it upon yourself to reach out to your clients and any prospective clients who may need your services.
8. Don’t use vocabulary that the average person wouldn’t understand. It’s important that clients can depend on visiting your website and get most – if not all – of their questions answered. If there are terms and legal phrases that are confusing to the average person dispersed throughout your site, clients are going to want to find a lawyer who outlines their legal services and practices using layman’s terms.
9. Don’t leave your picture off your site. It may seem like a simple thing, but having your face on your website could make the world of a difference. When a new client visits your website to see what services you offer, they get a chance to see your face and see you on a more personal level. It will give them a closer look into who you are before even speaking with you. If you look personable and inviting, chances are you’ll be contacted.
10. Don’t assume everyone understands your busy schedule. Everyone knows attorneys have hectic schedules. One major complaint among clients is that their lawyer doesn’t return any phone calls or emails and they are hard to reach. Use that notion to your advantage. Get back to your clients in a timely manner. It will increase your credibility more than you realize.
Common Legal Marketing Mistakes
Many attorneys tend to make a number of marketing mistakes and it’s important for all law firms to try to be aware of them and avoid.
1. Don’t focus marketing only on current clients and not potential new ones. A lawyer’s existing clients are of course important, but referrals and new clients are equally or more important.
2. Try not to push any marketing effort to the side when you get too busy. Attorneys are always busy – that’s a fact – but it’s no reason for them to abandon any marketing effort to boost their firm’s reputation and get more clients.
3. Don’t ignore social media. As all social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked In are becoming more and more popular and a part of almost every business’s marketing strategy, it’s important law firms take advantage of such tools as well.
4. Don’t have an unplanned unorganized marketing plan. As far as successful marketing goes, it’s always important for every type of business to develop a strategic and carefully thought out marketing plan. The more time and effort put into a marketing plan, the better chances of gaining more clients and making your firm more well-known.
5. Make sure your marketing strategy is focused on your firm’s uniqueness and what sets you apart from the rest of the attorneys out there. Stay away from the typical legal jargon posted all over lawyers’ websites and get clients to want to know more about your practice.
To be continued.