Building trust with clients online can seem like a daunting task at first but take heart, it is easier than it sounds. All you need is social proof, testimonials or positive online reviews. There is a growing trend among potential clients to research other people’s options before making a decision on who to work with. Read on to find out more about how to encourage those positive online reviews that will benefit your law firm.
Lift your brand with positive Law Firm Reviews
Few things have more impact for defining a brand than personal reviews. Let’s face it: reviews, whether positive or negative, speak volumes. Good reviews help drive consumer confidence and automatically lift your brand while boosting the perception of your services. It makes sense to say “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. Your task is to make sure that your clients will want to share only positive feedback online. Be mindful that one of the most important factors for many clients looking to hire a lawyer is trust in your business.
Tips for getting positive online law firm reviews:
1.Create Profiles on Popular Review Websites:
One of the best ways of getting positive reviews is to aim at having your presence felt on major review sites. This is quite easy to do. Below are some reputable law firm websites you might consider looking into:
- Avvo
With an excess of 10 million highly targeted visits monthly, Avvo is a highly popular legal services website. By signing up to Avvo you are paving the way to easily jump-starting the process of building your online law firm reviews. In fact, if you are on the State Bar Directory you might be surprised to discover you already have an Avvo profile even though you may not have physically signed up for it. If not, setting up an Avvo profile is quite an easy process. And it is free-of-charge.
Google is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways at improving your local SEO while attracting potential clients. Let’s face it, the most popular place to search for online lawyers would be on Google. Google’s My Business product is a joint effort which offers a variety of tools for helping small and medium businesses “get ahead”. My Business allows you to create a business listing at no charge; you furnish it with your contact details, content, offers, address and reviews. Remember that building up reviews on your Google listing will not only help your law firm rank higher in search results but will also reinforce your credibility and trustworthiness when people find you.
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Facebook
Facebook is one of the largest and most reputable channels for online marketing. Although Facebook is not necessarily the first place people might look when searching for a lawyer, most lawyers have their own Facebook pages. Obviously, these pages have reviews. Displaying your most positive reviews from past clients is a must. However, as with Avvo, you will need to make sure your law firm’s Facebook page not only looks professional, but show-cases your reliablity and trustworthiness.
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Yelp
Yelp is one of the best tools for discovering local online businesses. Although Yelp does not necessarily target lawyers or law firms, it has useful features that can be used in marketing your product online. All you need to do to make Yelp work for you is to add your profile with suitable images. Remember, the more exposure you get online, the better.
2. Make it easy for clients to Review you:
The average client probably won’t go out of their way to leave you a review, unless they have had a negative experience. To combat this, you need to make it as easy as possible to leave a positive review. A good way to do so is to add links to your review profiles like:
- Your email signature
- Your email newsletter
- Your website
Include some text that will encourage clients to give feedback. Make sure they understand how much you value their input; that reviews are crucial to upping your game.
3. Deliver the best service experience to your Clients:
Clients who have received the best possible service will give positive reviews; the two work hand-in-hand.
A few steps to improve your law firm customer services:
- Use a virtual receptionist to answer every call
Nobody likes hearing an automated recording or voicemail on the other end of the line. A virtual receptionist will help you provide a more personal touch, while saving you time and the cost of hiring a full-time receptionist. - Be a better Listener
Clients want you to listen to them. Listening builds trust. Although you might feel as if you are wasting your time by listening, giving your clients the attention they feel they deserve can go a long way towards earning their trust and building a strong relationship. Leaving a glowing review is the least they can do for you in return. - Use technology to make processes effortless
Clients need to fill in forms, sign documents, make payments and send you some files. Offering online intake forms, e-signatures and online payment processing is a great idea for today’s tech-savvy clients who expect everything to be quick and easy. - Do not charge for every call or email
Lawyers often get paid per hour; this is technically billable time. Do not bill your clients for every call or email they send.
4. Ask for Reviews in the right way and at the right time:
If you want to get more online law firm reviews you need to ask for them. Make sure you do it the right way and at the right time.
Tips for asking your clients to review directly online:
- Make Reviews Part of Your Process
Implement a process for asking for reviews. An example could be by sending a thank you email once you have finished working on a case, requesting the client’s honest feedback. You need to provide top-notch service if your reviews are to remain positive! You might also want to ensure your staff members understand the importance of getting positive reviews by encouraging them to look for opportunities for encouraging reviews during their dealings with clients. - Look for Cues of Satisfaction
The best time to ask someone for a review is when they are clearly satisfied with your service. Keep an eye open for these opportunities, and seize them when they arise. When a client sends you a thank you email or shows appreciation in any way, use this as the perfect opportunity to nudge them toward giving you a positive review. - Offer A Small Incentive
You might consider offering a small incentive to clients who give you a review, to make it worth their while. For example, a monthly draw where clients could win a prize once they have reviewed your product and services. This is a small price to pay for an online marketing asset which will probably last a lifetime.
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