How do clients find your law firm?

Understanding how potential clients discover your services is critical to a law firm’s success. However, the idea lingers that it takes up a lot of time – time busy legal professionals don’t always have.
 

How do customers find professional services?

No matter what type of product or service someone wants, there are two main ways they’ll find your business online.
  • When they search for firms like yours
  • When you attract their attention

In fact, it’s no different from how customers and companies have always found each other. Whether it’s a Yellow Pages listing or an unmissable A-frame, they either know what they want or like what they see.

The only difference is intent: are potential customers actively or passively interested in what your practice can do for them?
 

How do you discover where customers found you?

  • Just ask

Sometimes, the simplest methods are the best. Ask your clients how they found you (if you have an especially good relationship, you might even venture to ask them why they chose you).

It’s a standard question these days, especially when signing people up to mailing lists. Any information of this kind can be used to make data-driven business decisions or to alter campaigns to hit objectives. It also offers your firm a better understanding of what’s helping you stand out from the crowd.

So, if you’ve received a potential client from The Law Superstore, for instance, you might consider making it one of ‘the 4 questions to ask every lead you generate’ that helps maintain quality and efficiency, while furnishing you with business-critical information.
 
  • Online tracking

Track everything. The internet is built on data, and using sites such as Google Analytics gives you a serious advantage. Digital tracking tools like this will show you where people first found, what they did when they ‘met’ you, and where they went afterwards.

Include UTM tracking codes on every email you send, every online ad you set like, every call-to-action in a blog. If you’re launching a digital marketing campaign, add them to your site and your content. Essentially, the more data the better you’ll understand how clients are finding you.



 

How can you improve your chances of being found?

  • SEO

Like most law firms, you’re undoubtedly switched on to the powers of SEO, keeping it at the core of your digital marketing. It ensures your online presence visible and relevant.

Adding localised options should be your priority.

A lot of people tend to search by area, especially when looking for professional services like law. They’re likely to search, for example, ‘solicitors in Swindon’, not ‘solicitors’ (66 million Google results) or even ‘solicitors UK’ (21.3 million).

Although Covid and the shift online has seen us embrace a more national outlook, especially for legal services that don’t demand face-time, ‘going local’ still holds considerable sway. It also acts as a handy filter for customers.

In ‘Legal sector marketing challenges (and how to overcome them)’, we recommended using hyper-local microsite, backed by highly specific localised paid ads. Bolster this with a platform like The Law Superstore, which lets you set your own coverage area to attract clients across England and Wales.
 
  • Business pages

Google My Business and Bing Places for Business are key drivers in client acquisition. They’ll appear whenever someone searches your business or business in your area – and display your website, opening times, reviews, and contact details, often marked on a map.

Users love this. It’s quick and efficient. With one glance, they can see the information they need and act. It’s also another filter, helping customers who don’t know what they’re looking for in a legal provider. 

If you don’t have time to manage both, set-up Google My Business. It’s still the world’s most popular search engine. And anyway, you can easily import this information direct to Bing Places.
 
  • Content

As you know, content plays a big part in your SEO success. You’ve likely got webpages and blogs on your site answering the questions that people search, showing your law firm’s human side and absolute expertise. You may even have a few whitepapers and deep-dives, too.

But this style of content, while intensely useful, largely attracts those looking for it.

Instead, try capturing a broader market through targeted ad campaigns on Google, Bing, and relevant social media sites – Facebook and LinkedIn are the best places to start.

Here, you can continue localising and targeting specific demographics and areas using eye-catching content as a ‘hook’ to reel in customers.

People like to receive things, they like exclusivity, or getting a good deal. They like to feel like an interaction holds value. This is an excellent use of your content.

Look to YouTube as part of your content output. Few legal providers take advantage of the platform, but as it’s owned by Google, videos appear in search results.
 
  • Digital tools

The industry already knows ‘how technology is forcing the legal sector to evolve’. When it comes to digital transformation, law firms have been hesitant (even resistant) to the change.

Despite this, there are a wealth of digital tools and platforms out there to help boost your online visibility. So many that there’s likely a tool to meet every business objective – from more efficient caseload management to increasing your client-base and productivity.

The Law Superstore is a tool that connects you with the clients who need you. It’s another string to your digital marketing bow, whatever the size and type of practice you’re in.

Clients use the comparison site to find legal providers offering specific services in a specific area, answer a few questions to make sure they’re a genuine, quality lead, and receive details of up to four legal professionals who fit the bill.

It helps you get in front of a lot more potential clients even when your SEO game isn’t as strong as it could be. All without a minimum-term contract or pricey on-going subscriptions.

As always, when it comes to introducing any new tech into the business, even a tool as simple as The Law Superstore, do your research first. Demo your options. Make sure it meets your goals.

See how The Law Superstore can boost your lead generation – start your free trial today and get 40 free leads.