Legal Marketing Articles

Posts Tagged ‘Reputation Management’

Online Reputation:the New Word of Mouth

Friday, August 20th, 2010

There is a lot of buzz around the term reputation management online in this age when consumers can easily go online to review items or services and compare and contrast the options available to them.  But it was when reading an interview between small business consultant Matt McGee and national reputation management expert, Andy Beal that it hit home as to why this is an important area for lawyers particularly to pay attention to. In the interview Beal discusses how when speaking with his clients he refers to “reputation management” as “referral management.” This clarification is an important one, especially when it comes to marketing legal services.  Historically attorneys have depended largely on word of mouth referrals to obtain clients. Now, many people turn to online resources such as reviews and social media to try to get background on a business or service provider. So in a sense, online reputation  is the new word of mouth.

Within a few keystrokes, someone searching online for a “Los Angeles criminal defense attorney” is given a list of potential attorneys to consider. The first step is of course to make sure your firm is returned for that search through search engine optimization.  However you also want to make sure that what potential clients find there and in subsequent searches presents your firm in a positive light.

With natural search and online reviews you of course cannot have the same level of control as with other types of marketing where you are paying for advertisements that you have created and approved. On the other hand, this often gives online reviews more sway as they are not viewed as paid advertising by those seeing them.  With reputation management you need to be cautious, especially as an attorney that you are acting ethically and staying within your state bar regulations for online marketing. Obviously you want to avoid practices such as  impersonating clients to either promote your services or criticize your competitors.

With this in mind, whether you are small lawyer practicing locally such as an attorney in Fort Wayne or a trademark lawyer who is handling cases nationally, there are steps you can take to be pro-active about how your firm is coming across online. You can take these steps yourself, or hire a consultant such as Beal, to help you.

Where do I start?

Monitor your presence online. The first step to managing your reputation online is knowing what that reputation is. Search for your firm name and attorney names online and see what is returned. Check out what is being said about your firm on local directory sites that include reviews such as Yelp and see if there are any reviews attached to your Google local listing. You can also set up Google Alerts for your firm name and check out other reputation management tools.

What should I do about a negative review?

Answer them. Post a response to their review as way of explanation or to ameliorate if it is legitimate complaint. By responding, you are showing others who could read this review that you are actively engaged in working through their concerns rather than ignoring them completely.

Learn from them. An important lesson: learn and utilize those negative reviews to see what it is specifically that a client did not like about your business.  What was it about your service that they were unhappy with?  Was it too much time in between communication?  Was there a verdict or settlement that left the client unhappy?  Take these reviews and try to make sure that your new clients do not have the same experience.

Be Pro-active.Encourage satisfied clients to post reviews online about their experience working with the firm, and be proactive about soliciting testimonials for posting on your own websites’  testimonials page.

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Reputation Management

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
black and white portrait of a business executives working on a laptop

Managing your Law Firm’s Online Reputation

One of the greatest things about Web 2.0 technology is its accessibility – the ease with which someone with little technical knowledge can set up a social networking profile or blog and start sharing information and interacting with a worldwide or local community, depending on their preference. With this ease comes a problem, though, which is why it’s important to preserve your professional integrity with online reputation management.

What is Reputation Management?

Online reputation management, or ORM, is the practice of monitoring your online presence. There are many avenues that anonymous and identified users can utilize to provide information about you and your firm, or you on a personal basis, to the internet community.

Websites that review businesses and rank individuals are one area you should keep an eye on. Although everyone is entitled to have an opinion about you or your work, someone posting untrue or slanderous comments online can have a negative impact on your status. You may also be able to gain valuable insight into what your clients are happy or unhappy about regarding the services your practice is providing via review-style sites.

Guarding Against Social Media Identity Theft

As mentioned in the first paragraph of this blog, it’s easy to set up a social media persona. It’s also easy to impersonate someone else if you are so inclined; and many social media sites do not check the identity of their users or regulate this aspect of their communities. Basically, users are on the honor system as far as their identity is concerned, and you are at the mercy of the site administrators if someone happens to steal your good name.

Luckily, there are a few great services out there that your marketing guru can utilize to safeguard your reputation online. One site charges a one-off fee to register your chosen name on over 120 popular social media sites. Whether or not you choose to make use of the accounts is up to you, but you’ve taken a great step towards preventing others from impersonating you online and damaging your status.

There are many other services available to help protect you and your firm’s interests in the world of Web 2.0 and social media. Some offer to establish one login ID for all of your accounts and others offer identity verification for your logins. You can also be proactive on the review/ranking front and sign up for a site that allows you to invite clients to provide reviews and feedback about your firm.

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Blogging

Friday, June 26th, 2009
Man speaking with his hand

The Power of a Blog

It’s no secret that blogs are getting more and more play in the internet world, and if you take a look at some popular law firms’ online presence, you’ll notice countless professional attorneys are picking up on the trend and using it to their advantage. There are so many rewards for lawyers who get on-board with this cost effective marketing tool, which this post will explore in more detail.

You Don’t Have to Be a Writer

First and foremost, don’t be put off by blogging if you’re not the novelist type. You probably know your field of law like the back of your hand and understand very well the needs of your clients as far as the information they require and the concerns they have about your area(s) of practice. Understanding your audience and what they’re looking for is half the battle; the other half is being able to provide the information they require in an accurate and consistent way.

If you want your blog to have that special touch and really draw in readership, consider hiring a professional marketing firm who will have writers at their disposal who are experienced in your area available to produce blog posts that read well and provide precise information. These writers will not only be able to produce great copy on the subjects you want, but your entire marketing efforts will be tied in and promoted with your blog.

Reputation Management – Online and Offline

Having a blog associated with your firm puts the management of your online and offline reputation in your hands and allows you the opportunity to personally establish yourself as a resource and authority on your area of law. You can build a virtual rapport with your potential clients via this simple web tool.

Things to Know Before You Commit to Blogging

To have a really effective blog and ensure you reach the maximum target audience, there are some other techniques that are employed as standard by marketing professionals who utilize blogs, such as search engine optimization and link exchanges. This can be time consuming and may be best left up to internet marketing professionals who can devote all of their time to establishing and promoting your online persona.

If you keep up a good level of informative, helpful and new content, you will gain loyal readers and law clients. Applying other promotional techniques to your blog and tying it all in with your firm’s marketing efforts will ensure success and a wider reach for your practice.

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