Not so far back, people who needed attorneys would ask their friends, families, or relatives about their family attorney and operations. After multiple recommendations, then the person would proceed to hire the attorney.
Fast forward to 2021, an ultra-modern and digitalized world—from what we can see so far—where people do not want to engage in unnecessary activities or even leave their homes. So what happens when people need an attorney? What do they do?
The answer is relatively short and straightforward: phones and online reviews. More than 75% of Americans own a smartphone; they can easily go online, search for law firms and companies, and compare services. The one thing people look out for when comparing services are online reviews.
Online reviews are essential components of a company; they define what a company is all about and paint a picture of your services to the public. This is why, even as a lawyer, it is crucial to building an online review reputation.
According to one study, 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. This emphasizes the importance of reviews to a business. As an attorney, gaining your clients’ trust is equally as vital as having reviews.
Reviews can be either positive or negative. Getting good and positive reviews will undoubtedly attract more customers and get you more clients. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict or control all reviews. Plus, getting a negative review can sometimes be inevitable.
However, you can strive hard to get positive reviews by delivering quality services. This way, you are guaranteed positive reviews. On the contrary, getting negative reviews or no reviews will result in potential clients choosing another law firm.
Another reason why reviews are critical is this: 84% of people say they trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation or referral. Simply put, people will visit your law firm based on the opinion of others.
Additionally, 75% of the individuals who were looking for an attorney to help with their legal cases within the last 12 months have used online resources to contact a lawyer while seeking representation.
These stats show how often people rely on online reviews when searching for an attorney or seeking representation in legal matters. Therefore, you cannot afford to ignore the benefits and consequences of online reviews.
Now that you understand the value of reviews and their impact, let’s discuss ways to get more reviews for your law practice.
Create Profiles on Important Review Sites
As an attorney, you must create profiles on major review sites; this is the way your presence will be felt and how your clients can leave a review about your law firm. By doing this, you will be able to reach as many people as possible.
While there are several websites you can have your review on, you must have them on top review sites. That way, other people can know about your services much faster, plus these sites and search engines are more credible than thousands of websites.
Google Review
Google is the number one search engine globally; it’s where people go if they need anything. It is also the fastest-growing reviews platform. By getting positive reviews on google reviews, your law practice will be perceived as more trustworthy, and your client base will grow at a skyrocketing pace.
You should have an online presence on Facebook too. Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, with billions of users. Indeed, people will go on this platform to seek legal aid when they require it.
Yelp
Although Yelp Reviews is centered on restaurants, it is also an effective review platform for law practices. The site offers advanced advertising options for local businesses. But you can create a free listing for your organization.
Avvo
Avvo is another marketing place for law firms and organizations. The platform is centered strictly on lawyers and helps attorneys to build their client base. The app is attorney-tailored, and the ratings are based on client satisfaction.
Final thoughts: It’s advisable to set up profiles on different legitimate review sites. It helps you to build your client base, and most importantly, potential clients get inclined to visit your law practice.
Ask Your Clients to Leave a Review
Did you know that 76% of consumers that are asked to leave a review go on to write one? Often, people forget to tell their clients to leave reviews. This is because they either forget or don’t know how to.
Lawyers who understand the value of reviews are always eager to get an assessment and five-star rating. Unfortunately, these attorneys can cross ethical and professional territories in a bid to get reviews.
So how do you ask a client to leave a review? You can follow this procedure:
- Ask for feedback after all legal dealings. You can go on to ask if they were satisfied with how you handled the case.
- Ask if they would recommend you to others if they could.
- If their feedback is positive, ask politely if they don’t mind leaving a review.
Note: Ensure you don’t ask for reviews while the case is still active; your objective at this point is winning the case. Furthermore, access the client’s case before asking for a review; if it’s an emotional case such as domestic abuse, you shouldn’t ask.
You can ask for reviews by sending clients reminders via SMS, email, over the phone, or in person.
Use Special Tools That Can Help You Drive Reviews
Asides from the regular review sites and platform, you can use other review tools dedicated to garnering reviews. You can take advantage of these tools and use them to build a substantial client base over time for your law practice.
Some of these tools include LocalClarity, BirdEye, Qualaroo, GetFeedback, HubSpot, Survey Monkey, and many more.
Generally, you will get more reviews only if your services are professional and of high-quality. Your law practice must possess the skills, personality, and commitment to attract clients. Finally, you must always strive to meet your clients’ satisfaction. By doing this, you are guaranteed to get more reviews.