How can I get more clients? Attorneys who run their own law firms ask themselves this daily. The answer to this has changed over the years. Phonebooks are no longer an effective method of attracting new business.
Law firms need to harness the Internet and referrals to grow their practice.
Internet Searches on the Rise
Over the past decade, use of the Internet to find an attorney has increased by over 31%. With the rise of computer and cell phone use, the internet has quickly become an easy, on-demand source of information.
- More than three quarters of adults seek legal counsel online
- Nearly 80% of all people referred to a business will search them online prior to making any contact
- Yelp and Google are the most popular starting points for online searches
Potential clients search for legal counsel using search engines, but your firm may be buried in an endless list of Google results. Maximize your search engine optimization by building out a strong website. Write original content, create value for prospective clients, and use key search words. Consider the following:
- Is it easy for potential clients to contact me?
- Does my website represent my law firm well?
- Is my website’s domain easily searchable?
Technology changes quickly, so make sure you update your website often to stay relevant. Clients are more likely to trust a modern-looking website than one that looks like it was last updated in 2007.
The Power of the Referral
Clients are your marketing team’s greatest asset. Happy current and former clients want to share their good experience with loved ones. Word of mouth campaigns are highly effective, with 84% of people strongly trusting endorsements by friends or family.
Your firm should consider implementing a client referral strategy if it doesn’t already.
- Referrals are mostly from people both familiar to and trusted by the client
- Online reviews are also a very effective form of referral
- In-person recommendations are truthful – past clients won’t hesitate to give a poor recommendation
Every law firm should regularly asses its client services. Unhappy clients can affect your business in years to come. Manage expectations, communicate, show respect, and be honest. The most successful law firms talk often to their staff about customer service goals, and have working referral strategies.
Today, the Internet and word of mouth are the most prevalent ways clients find lawyers. Is your law firm’s marketing plan designed accordingly? How often do you check in to see what’s working – and what’s not? Are you spending money on things you shouldn’t? Check out next week’s post on how to track your marketing campaigns effectively.
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