When we’ve suffered an injustice at the hands of a company, we want everyone to know about it. Sharing our outrage online somehow makes us feel better, which is why so many consumers post online reviews about their experiences.
But when we’re treated well by a company, we usually keep it to ourselves. And therein lies the reason why it is sometimes a chore to get clients to provide you with a positive review.
And that will continue to be your fate if you are leaving everything to chance and do nothing to encourage your happy clients to spread the word.
Because you are not going to get positive reviews if you are oblivious to their importance. You are not going to get positive reviews if you believe you’ll “get to it” when time permits. You are not going to get positive reviews if you don’t ask.
To get positive online reviews, you need a process!
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Claim your law firm listing on consumer review sites.
Get your firm listed on general consumer review sites like Google My Business, Facebook, YellowPages.com, Better Business Bureau, Citysearch, Yahoo Local, Bing Local, Foursquare, Manta, InsiderPages, and, yes, even Yelp. Also list your firm on legal review sites like Avvo, Justia, Findlaw, Lawyers.com, Nolo, Martindale, LegalMatch, HG.org, SuperLawyers, and LawyerCentral.
Step 2: Develop an internal process for obtaining and promoting online reviews.
The best way to get online reviews on a consistent basis is to make it a part of your firm’s client management process. Mention the importance of reviews to your firm at intake. Create a form on your website that allows your clients to submit reviews but qualify them first by asking the question, “How likely are you to recommend our firm to a friend or family member?” Those who check the “Very Likely” or “Likely” box should be directed to your firm’s profile pages on Google and Facebook to leave a review. Those who give a less than satisfactory answer should be directed to a separate page that asks them to provide feedback on what they would change about their experience with your firm.
Once those 5-star reviews start happening, you want to be sure you give them the widest exposure possible. We recommend using a plug-in that pulls 5-star reviews from Google and Facebook and displays them directly on your law firm website. We use it on our site; check it out here.
Step 3: Make it easy for clients to review you.
Once you’re sure you have a happy client, get in touch with them via email with links to your top review sites. The latest research shows that Google and Facebook are the top two places people go for reviews. Give your clients a few guidelines on what they might want to say in their review that would be helpful to other potential clients. Let them know that online reviews are important to you and ask them to help.
Of course, you’re not going to get positive reviews if your client service is subpar. So ensuring your firm is consistently delivering great client experiences is paramount. Be sure you give clients opportunities for feedback along the way during the case so you can catch any small problems before they become big problems.
Reviews matter.
Think about your own experience as a consumer, how often do you rely on reviews in your decision-making?
Most potential clients read reviews as part of their search for a law firm.
Do you want to start increasing your on-line reviews right away?
We can do that for you!
Our team will:
- Set up and customize review software for your law firm
- Set up a widget for your website that displays all of your positive reviews
- Train and coach your staff on how to get more reviews
- Provide monthly reports and consulting on best practices.
