The Critical Importance of Reputational Marketing of Law Firms and How to Boost Your Client Base.
It is widely agreed that the best form of gaining new clients is through referrals by those who have used a service. This is absolutely true of law firms. This type of referral holds tremendous power in attracting new clients. It also means you will be able to count on those who are prepared to refer others to you for repeat business.
We have become used to viewing law firms touting how they are ‘the best in the market’ or have the most ‘extensive experience’ in what they do. This form of self-accolade does little to assure potential clients of what level of service they can be provided with or how they will be treated. In contrast the level of comfort one derives from receiving a referral on an independent authenticated review platform provides a great level of reassurance.
Very importantly, Global Legal Post has documented that “a UK regulator is considering whether to require law firms to sign up with review websites in order to improve market transparency” and that “the oversight legal regulator for England and Wales met today (8 June 2021) to debate the findings of a market report on quality indicators which suggested regulatory action may be needed to ‘catalyse’ change in the legal market.” Read the article here.
Real Law
The importance of capturing and utilising reputational marketing is exactly the reason why Real Law was formed. It is the only website dedicated to reputational marketing of law firms in New Zealand.
Real Law is a specialist site that allows law firms to request a review of their services and once received, appears on the Real Law site. The client review is also streamed to the law firm’s individual website which is also linked to through Real Law.
If I optimise my website, surely my practice will already appear in the search results?
Real Law, through its search engine optimisation (SEO) helps it appear (and as a consequence, your firm will appear) at the top of search hits. When someone is looking to engage a new lawyer, Real Law allows people to choose the location in New Zealand, they would like to select a lawyer from. It is important to note however, that SEO is rather more complicated than you’d think. There is no magic bullet! Real Law make ongoing observations on SEO to make continuous improvements, following Google’s rules to the letter. There are other deceptive and questionable methods that all search engines are aware of and look for. Some have used these, but they ultimately lead to a negative result. Real Law works on SEO daily to ensure member firms are featured in search results.
Not only does Real Law allow potential clients a means of finding the right lawyer through qualified firm client reviews on their site, but it also provides firms with a mechanism to display videos, articles and photographs that client prospects can view to gain further insight into the practice they are considering instructing. Law firms can also engage directly with those clients who have provided the reviews. This engagement enhances the impression that the firm takes its clients experience seriously and will work hard on providing a quality service.
I thought Google provides reviews.
Real Law only publishes fully qualified reviews of actual clients. Google, reviews can be provided by anyone that has a Gmail address anonymously, even those who seek to damage a businesses reputation. Google does allow you to respond to such reviews, so negative reviews can be addressed (if you are aware of them in time). Google reviews also can be manipulated by those in the business itself and cannot be relied upon for objectivity. If you are determined to have Google reviews, it is possible via Real Law to have both but as you can see, that can be problematic.
Conversely, Real Law reviews can be relied upon (as Real Law only allows proven clients to post reviews) and is hugely useful to those seeking a genuinely reputable law practice to represent them.
How do law firms get referrals through Real Law?
Once a Real Law member, it is very easy to request a client to review the service they received from you. The Real Law request link can be placed on your opening screen. Click the link and put in the client’s name, email address then send. All done!
After reading Real Law reviews, new clients can contact you in the usual way, a phone call, email, or through a link in the firm’s website. Real Law also has the facility to directly reach law firm members websites through its site.
Can all firms belong to Real Law?
No. Real Law only represents a certain number of approved law firm members in any given area. This provides member firms with a marketing edge.
Can Real Law help with our firm website?
Yes, if you are a registered firm. This is particularly helpful for start-up new firms.
Call or Email me to find out more or toapply for this service at
[email protected] (mobile) 027 7296023
Real Law is an Associate Member of Business o f Law