Most people need lawyers at some point in their lives, often multiple times. There is also a general shortage of attorneys due to factors such as the retirement of Baby Boomer lawyers and demographic changes. However, new lawyers find that getting clients can be harder than they expected. Here are some ways that lawyers get more clients.
Submit Information to Legal Directories
This approach is simple, easy, and effective. A legal directory helps people who want lawyers find them. Potential clients search by ZIP code, city, state, the field of law, and/or other attributes, depending on the directory.
It does not take long to enter the information, and it can result in many clients finding your practice for years to come. Do ensure all of the information you enter matches, and update data if any details change.
Another advantage of legal directories is that they generate backlinks to your website. The links can increase your firm’s Google ranking.
Thank Clients
Send clients thank you notes and/or small tokens of your appreciation after a case concludes. Show the clients you are grateful they asked you to represent them. Do this even if the case did not end favorably. Remaining on a positive note makes clients more likely to refer you to other people who are looking for lawyers.
Seek Professional Marketing Help
If you’ve been handling your own SEO, blog, and website design, that may be a mistake. Even one seemingly small misstep could be keeping a lot of potential clients from contacting you. For instance, maybe your blog posts have too much jargon and not enough white space or are too text-heavy without pictures. Maybe you don’t use keywords at all or do not know what your competitors are doing.
If you lack even a blog or an online marketing strategy, now is the time to start. You can find marketing agencies to work with at an affordable cost. Don’t try to do it yourself especially if you have little knowledge in the field. Keep your work directly focused on what you do best: your legal specialty.
Track Your Marketing Efforts
One reason it’s often not the best idea for lawyers to do their own online marketing: They forget to track their efforts and are not sure what works and what does not. Tracking metrics is essential in understanding your audience and the content that resonates most with folks.
It’s critical that you know about what percentage of clients find you through, say, Facebook, Twitter, your website, a TV commercial, or other means. If you are working with a marketing agency, it probably is doing this for you. Otherwise, you can upgrade your package.
Zoom In on Your Niche and Geographical Region
Chances are, you have a niche or two (or three). Some lawyers operate under the misconception that they should present themselves as generally as possible to get the most clients. That is wrong. Legal cases are very specific, and even everyday folks seeking legal advice know this.
When you write blog posts and use keywords from Google Analytics and other sources, get specific. For example, if your work relates to PTSD, run plenty of content discussing what you can do for clients who struggle with it.
The same idea applies to your geographical region. In your online content, use the names of nearby cities, towns, villages, neighborhoods, and even streets. Local SEO (search engine optimization) and specificity go a long way.
Your potential clients probably are searching for, “medical malpractice lawyer + city” rather than a generic, “medical malpractice lawyer.” Write about events and trends and how they could affect people in your field of law.
Boost Your Credibility and Visibility
Answer questions related to your field on your firm’s website and websites such as Quora. On your website, you could explain common misconceptions in your area of the law or explain the steps a case might take.
Guest blog on widely read sites and submit articles and other content to publications. For example, say you specialize in personal injury law. You could search for questions on Quora about the dangers of swimming pools or trampolines, or write an article for a local hospital’s email newsletter on how parents can minimize the risk of common childhood injuries.
As your name appears in more places, you build more credibility and visibility. You build your reputation as an authority.
Humanize Yourself
Lawyers are not robots. It is OK to show personality. If you love dogs and have a gaggle of pets, letting that humanity show through on your website can do wonders. It is a balancing act, though, because you do need to remain professional. Marketing agencies know what is appropriate and what is not.
In these modern times, getting more clients for your law practice is mostly about smart online marketing through local directories and SEO. You do want to stick with tried-and-true practices such as the personal touch of a thank-you letter, though.