Law is a competitive industry. A firm that is not able to acquire clients will struggle to thrive. The reality is that with many core legal practice areas—personal injury, criminal defense, family law, etc.—potential clients typically only need a lawyer on a short-term basis. Of course, your current clients can help you obtain new clients—positive reviews and testimonials make a big difference.
This raises an important question: How does a law firm get positive client reviews? It always starts with providing high-quality legal services—but that is not enough. You also need to have a well-developed system in place to facilitate reviews and testimonials. Here, our digital strategy consultants provide an overview of how your law firm obtains more positive reviews from clients.
Why it Matters: Client Reviews Help to Establish Professional Authority
Client reviews and testimonials are crucial for establishing professional authority in the legal industry. As noted by Forbes Magazine, “reviews are essential” for companies in the modern economy. A professional services business like a law firm is no exception to the rule. Indeed, more and more people are referring to client reviews and testimonials before making hiring decisions. A review from a former client provides potential clients with valuable insight into the services and experience of a law firm. Further, they can help to build trust and credibility for a law firm. Put this together, and this means that positive reviews and testimonials can serve as powerful marketing tools for law firms. Notably, the inverse is also true: A lack of reviews or negative reviews can harm a law firm’s reputation and actually make it more difficult to attract new clients.
Five Steps to Help Your Law Firm Obtain More Client Reviews and Testimonials
Understanding that positive client reviews are essential, you may be wondering: How do you get reviews from your clients? It is more complicated than it might seem. Indeed, many law firms that have successfully represented many clients lack reviews on their websites and other legal review sites. It is crucial that you and your firm have the right system in place. Here are five steps to help your law firm obtain more positive client reviews and testimonials:
- Provide High-Quality Legal Representation: First and foremost, the most important step in obtaining more client reviews and testimonials is to provide high-quality legal representation. A client who is not satisfied with their service not only will not leave a positive review, they may go out of their way to leave a negative (damaging) one, even if that review is unfair. Clients are more likely to leave a positive review or testimonial if they have had a positive experience with your firm. By providing excellent service, you increase the likelihood of clients leaving positive feedback.
- Be Sure Lawyer/Law Firm Profiles are Set Up on Top Review Sites: In order for clients to leave a review, they need to know where to go. Make sure your firm has profiles set up on the top review sites, such as Google, Avvo, and Yelp. Some people prefer to leave reviews on these types of websites. Along the same lines, many potential clients refer to these sites. If you have a well-structured profile on top review sites, your firm will be better positioned to obtain reviews.
- Ask (Many Clients Would Love to Provide a Positive Review!): Do not be afraid to ask clients for a review. Of course, there are American Bar Association (ABA) ethical rules in place, so it is important to be professional while doing so. Still, many clients would be happy to provide a positive review, but they may not think to do so unless prompted. Encourage clients to leave a review by providing them with a link to your review page or by asking them if they would be willing to leave a review at the end of a meeting or phone call.
- Make it as Easy as Possible to Provide a Review: Make it easy for clients to leave a review by providing them with a direct link to your review page or by including a review request in an email or letter. The easier it is for a client to leave a review, the more likely they will do so. For example, you may even want to prompt the client to leave a review by sending them a link or a form with some basic information on it.
- Follow-Up With a Personalized Email: After a client has left a review, it is best practice to follow up with a personalized email. Thank them for their review, and let them know that you appreciate their feedback. Doing so will help to build a strong relationship with your clients. It could even result in a personal reference for your law firm from that client to one of their family members or friends in the future.
Presentation Matters: Make Sure Potential Clients Can Easily Access Positive Reviews
Getting more positive reviews and testimonials from clients is a major step in the right direction. Once you and your law firm obtain more positive reviews, you will want to make sure that you are using those reviews most effectively—particularly when it comes to your website. The design of a legal website can have a significant impact on the ability of potential clients to easily access positive reviews. A well-designed website not only makes it easy for potential clients to find the information they need, but it also helps to establish trust and credibility for the law firm.
We are the Leaders in Digital Marketing for Law Firms
At SunRize Marketing, we are proud to be leaders in digital marketing for law firms. If you have any questions or concerns about getting more positive reviews from clients, we are more than ready to help you put the right structure in place. Contact us today to find out more about our services. Our team works with lawyers and law firms nationwide.