Intake

Where a lot of law firms fail in their marketing is in creating credibility with its clients. Law firms can lose credibility very easily and it can be done in a multitude of ways. The problem with losing credibility is that once it is gone, you will be hard pressed to ever get it back. So it is important to make sure your law firm is taking a proactive approach in maintaining and building its credibility with its current and potential clients.

What, were you talking to me?

Many law firms don't realize that their policies and attitude could be misconstrued as indifference. One form of indifference that most law firms are guilty of is not returning correspondence in a timely manner. This is especially true when it comes to returning phone calls. It is common in the business world that phone calls aren't returned for days at a time. In the world of law, this is unacceptable. When people are injured, they don't have time to wait days for a phone call from their law firm. Your clients, frankly, don't care how busy you are or how important your other clients' issues are. They need answers and a resolution to their case immediately. Instituting a policy where all phone calls are returned the same or by the next morning in the event of an after hours call would minimize the indifference some may feel from your law firm. This will keep your law firm in your clients' good graces and will show that your firm cares, which builds credibility.

Transparency = credibility

While transparency has turned into a buzz word due to social media, that shouldn't diminish its importance to your business. Being 100% honest with your clients about the status of their case and the expected outcome is crucial. If your law firm does a poor job of managing expectations, your law firm will lose all credibility when the client doesn't receive the outcome they expected with their case. Thus, it is important to always be honest with the client about their case even if it isn't something they want to hear. This means you should tell them that you haven't had time to look at their case if they call and ask if there is anything new to report on their case. People appreciate honesty. But this honesty needs to start well in advance to actually obtaining cases.

Transparency during intake

Your intake specialists need to be well versed in the types of cases your firm does and does not handle. They should also know who to refer cases too in the event that your firm doesn't handle specific types of cases. Being able to answer someone's questions and do the right thing builds credibility for your law firm. If you were to take a case that your firm doesn't specialize in and botch it, your firm loses all credibility. If your firm just ignores people who have cases your firm doesn't handle, you are missing out on an opportunity to build credibility. This is very basic but many law firms don't use intake as an opportunity to build credibility and build their law firm's brand.

Transparency should be a cornerstone of your law firm's brand. People can see right through brands that aren't being genuine and will call these firms out in public. With the proliferation of social media, this is more true than ever and it stays online forever. Make sure your firm is building a credible brand. People like talking about good experiences with brands and your law firm could be the beneficiary of this positive word of mouth by remembering to build credibility every step of the way during a client's life cycle. Contact Network Affiliates today to learn about more ways to build a credible brand.

The answer to the question in the title of the e-mail may be obvious, but it seems like few businesses think about that question consistently. You get one chance at a first impression. It is important you make the most of it.

When a potential client first visits your firm or calls your firm on the phone, many subtle and not so subtle factors contribute to forming their first impression. Everything from how the receptionist answers the phone to how well your office is taken care of contributes to this lasting first impression. Often times, a person's first impression is formed well before they have even spoken to a lawyer. How does that make you feel?

In fact, the first impression usually starts from your advertising or presence in the community. People will see your ads on TV, your booth at the local fair or your website on the Internet and begin to put your firm into a category. The category your firm is put in is reliant on the quality of your message and the quality they perceive in every one of those mediums.

So, it is important that you view your firm from the perspective of your client at all times. How would you feel walking into your office for the first time? Is it a welcoming atmosphere or does it intimidate people who might be hurt and have never had to hire a lawyer before? Is your receptionist courteous? Would you feel safe and comforted by working with these lawyers?

These are the sorts of questions that are asked consciously and subconsciously by your clients everyday. If you can put yourself into their shoes and know the answers to some of those questions, you can begin to change your firm and make it better at creating a positive first impression. A positive first impression is worth its weight in gold. A positive first impression can mean the difference between winning a case right off the bat and losing it to a competitor. Sadly, most people don't have enough knowledge of the legal industry to differentiate a good lawyer from a bad lawyer. They only know what they feel. If they feel good at your law firm, you will more than likely get that person's case. If not, you will have an incredibly difficult time winning them as a client. In fact, if the first impression is negative, how can you count on winning that client?

First impressions are everything. What is the first impression that people have of your firm? Are you making the most out of your first impressions? Contact Network Affiliates today if you are looking to improve your first impression with your potential clients.

In an earlier post I suggested that you change your law firm receptionist’s title to Ambassador of First Impressions. That may sound like a silly title, but many companies have made the change from receptionist to ambassador, or director, of first impressions because it works. It is a constant reminder of the receptionist’s important role in client relations.

Receptionists are referred to as gatekeepers because clients have to get past them to get to you. You have probably been on the other end of this yourself more than a few times. If your receptionist believes that her top priority is to be an obstacle that keeps clients and potential clients away from you, well, that is exactly what she will do.

If your attorney marketing is great and you are getting lots of calls, but they are not converting into clients, you need to look into the impression your receptionist is making when she takes those calls.

The last thing a person seeking a personal injury attorney needs is another obstacle, another problem, another battle to fight in order to get help. Initiating a lawsuit is scary. Your potential clients are seeking an ally that will make the process easier.

If your law firm’s receptionist is warm and helpful, starting with that very first phone call, it indicates that you welcome new clients. It implies that you and everyone else in your firm will be helpful, too.

On the other hand, if your receptionist gives potential clients the impression that you do not have time for them, they will assume that you do not need or want their business. They will move on to a firm that does want to help them and is easier to do business with.

With over 25 years of experience in attorney advertising, the marketing experts at Network Affiliates have learned the value of client relations. We can help you with more than your advertising campaign. We can teach you and your staff how to convert those prospects into clients. Please, contact us today to learn more.