The Customer Journey For Your Law Firm
This article throws light on the customer journey to find a lawyer and how as a law firm you can be prepared. No one can say when a person needs a lawyer. Life happens and suddenly they find themselves looking for a lawyer. When such a time comes, the first thing most people do is search online for the best lawyers. It is in their quest that they SHOULD find your law firm. How does that happen? What is the customer journey? Is there a pattern – a behavioral pattern – that determines a customer’s journey to finding a lawyer? And when they do look for you, can your law firm be prepared to answer their questions? Can you be prepared to serve the prospective clients? You must understand a customer’s journey so that you are well prepared for them. Once you understand customers, you can serve them better.
In this blog, we shall attempt to understand the customer journey. When do people start looking for lawyers? How do they search on the Internet? How do they land on your law firm website? And finally, how do you appeal to them so that they become your long-term customers? These are some of the things we shall be talking about today.
When Do Customers Look for Lawyers?
A customer’s journey toward hiring a law firm begins with them encountering a legal problem. It can be anything – trouble in the marriage, arrest, accident, bankruptcy, and so on. Irrespective of the issue, the person will often start with a clean slate. They will not know anything about the legalities involved and will be looking for answers. They will most naturally be stressed, anxious, and confused. While answering them, you must remember to empathize. You should be able to identify with their problems before answering them. Some of the thoughts and feelings they are most likely to feel (and which you should recognize) are –
- What is all this happening to me?
- Can I handle this alone, or do I need someone by my side?
- What are the options for me?
- How can this law firm help my situation?
- Have they solved similar cases like mine?
- Will I be able to afford it?
- Will the law firm help protect me?
- Do I have the time for all the legalities?
- Whom can I look for recommendations?
- Lawyers speak jargon and they scare me.
- Where should I start?
It is in this state of confusion, that they turn to Google.
Then, They Turn to Google for Answers
The first thing that comes to mind when a customer needs answers is to search online. Google is of course the best place to find answers. If you are a tech-savvy law firm, you should be able to predict some pertinent questions your prospective clients are likely to ask. If you publish blogs with answers to these questions, they will land on your law firm website easily.
Sometimes, customers do not know what they are looking for while searching on Google. They only understand their problems and questions once they read blogs and other relevant content. If you can provide quality content that has answers to the most likely questions, it will boost your SEO prospects and hence your relevance.
Starts Looking for Lawyers
Most people do not understand the law and thus have little knowledge as to the kind of lawyer they need. From looking for answers to their problems to finding out whether a law firm has dealt with similar issues, many must start from scratch. When you are building your website, provide as much information as you can. Mention everything – the type of clients you have handled, the areas of law you specialize in, your success stories, the challenges – everything.
Once customers start understanding their requirements, they will look for targeted local lawyers. This is where your local SEO comes into the picture. Your law firm should be found by them instantly. Remember that the competition will be tough. Using common key phrases will improve your search result rankings and will get you into the Google 3 pack. You could also optimize your law firm for Google maps and invest in PPC ads. When you have more visibility on the first page, the customer is likely to come to you.
Customers Look for Options
It is highly improbable that customers will visit only your law firm website and instantly hire you. Research says that online users usually tend to visit at least 5 websites before zeroing down on a certain law firm. To be able to rank among the top 5, your website must be impressive with a great user experience. To edge ahead of the competition, your law firm website must continuously stay updated with relevant and informative content. You should also have video content and options for voice search. Most importantly, the website must be responsive so that it can be seamlessly viewed both on desktops and hand-held devices.
Customers Look for Reviews Before Hiring Law Firms
Online reviews play a crucial role in a customer’s hiring decision. Research says that about 89% of consumers look for 4 out of 5 stars for a law firm before hiring them. If you aren’t significantly ranked on Google or Yelp, you could lose several potential clients. Since you make your claims about the service you provide, customers look to validate those claims from other people on the web. It is reviews that work as evidence of your good work.
The star rating alone isn’t enough to favor your law firm. Customers also consider the number of reviews you have – the more, the better. Even from an SEO perspective, reviews are very important as they improve your rankings. If there are testimonials and video reviews, it’s even better as they pack a greater punch.
You must ask your existing clients to review you. While doing so, keep the following things in mind.
- Ask your clients to write a review after every case,
- Remind your clients for that review if so needed, and
- Thank them for their valuable opinions.
- Finally, always respond to reviews even when they aren’t favorable.
Customers Call Law Firms
It isn’t uncommon for customers to call many law firms before agreeing on any deal. But some don’t do that too. They simply zero down on a law firm, get impressed by their website (and the information therein), and simply hire them. In either case, your law firm should be prepared to be the final choice (and preferably the only choice).
Remember that when a potential customer is calling, you have just this one chance to impress. You must make the most of it. Keeping the following things in mind will help –
- Always answer their questions in simple language and avoid jargon.
- Make it easy and smooth so that the customer feels welcome.
- The people answering the phones should always be friendly and empathetic.
- If customers call after office hours, be sure to have their messages recorded through an answering machine.
- Always be quick to respond to customers.
- Work on your team’s soft skills – it can often be the deciding factor on how customers hire an attorney.
Interruptions in Customer’s Decision Making
There comes a crucial moment in a customer’s decision-making process – the time when they either hire a law firm or abandon the plan altogether. Almost 97% of potential customers visiting your website are likely to leave it without taking any action. Therefore it’s so important to have a retargeting campaign in place so that you can reach out to potential customers again. Retargeting can be effective on social media platforms too.
Again, Customers Continues Their Search for a Law Firm
It is likely that after a while, these potential customers will again start looking for a law firm. When they do so, your firm’s remarketing strategies, website content and social media ads should all work together to bring them to you. If you are again able to catch their attention, they are more likely to hire you as their lawyer.
Finally, They Hire a Law Firm
The customer journey to find a lawyer finally ends at a point. It ends at a time when all their questions are successfully answered, and they know for sure that you can represent them properly. But just because you have been successful in catching the attention of one customer doesn’t mean your work is done. There are hundreds and thousands of many more potential customers out there searching the web. Make sure your website is updated for them too.
How Cyrusson Inc. Fits into the Picture
By now you would have realized that the most important thing for you to attract potential clients is to have a solid website with some incredible SEO at the backend. This is where Cyrusson Inc. comes into the picture. We are a leading boutique digital marketing agency with expertise in managing law firm websites. With a proper understanding of the nuances of the profession, our team is fully equipped to handle the evolving requirements. If you think your law firm website needs a facelift, schedule a call with us today. Let’s work together to make your website the go-to place for clients.