WRITING COMPELLING ABOUT ME PAGES FOR LAWYERS

Websites for lawyers should include a few key elements: a home page, an FAQ page, a practices area page, a testimonials page, a services page, a contact page, and an About Me page. About Me pages are the second-most visited pages on attorney websites. They need to pack enough punch to make your potential client know you’re the one for them.

But what should be included in an attorney's About Me page? People who need lawyers are usually in a stressful situation. They want to work with a lawyer who understands them, who has worked on similar cases before, and – most importantly – that will get them out of whatever mess they’re in.

Your About Me page is your chance to let them know you’re the right attorney for their specific legal needs. What makes you different? In the marketing world, this is what we call a Unique Selling Point (USP) – the special part about you that will make your website visitors convert into customers.

Be careful: Your About Me page is not a place to copy and paste your CV. While you should be speaking about yourself and your unique selling point, it should be in a way that demonstrates how those points are beneficial to your client. Write less about your years of experience and more about why it will solve their problem.

LEGAL COPY NEEDS TO BE SOPHISTICATED AND AUTHORITATIVE

Legal websites are different from other ones in that people expect them to be more formal and authoritative. Clients want sure-fire evidence that you are going to help them out of their rut. They don’t want to take chances. List your achievements, civil engagements, awards, and your path to becoming the lawyer you are today.

Demonstrate your trustworthiness. Prospects need to know what kind of person they are dealing with. Talk about your past cases and how you helped saved your clients – as much as you can without breaching any client confidentiality.

DITCH THE LEGALESE

While it’s important to have sophisticated copy, remember that you’re reaching out to a regular person, not a scholarly journal or a judge. Write in plain English, avoiding acronyms and industry terms. Try to write in the same way you would speak to your client. You want them to feel like they already know you.

USE WORDS THAT EVOKE EMOTION

Your potential clients are already in an emotional state. Push those emotions even further.

Make sure you’re pushing their pain buttons, too. You want your readers to feel like they need you and your services. To make them feel helpless (sorry if I sound ruthless, but using emotion works!), use words like: doubtful, uncertain, judgmental, condescending, paralyzed, incapable, distressed, overwhelmed, trapped, terrified, suspicious, anxious, panicked, insecure…

But when speaking about you and your services, use words that make them feel safe: accurate, certain, confident, effective, guaranteed, convenient, highly effective, conscientious, adaptable, assured, genuine, reliable, secure, stable…

HELP YOUR CLIENTS VISUALIZE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU

Plainly describe to your clients what it’s like to work with you. Will you offer a free consultation first? As they are already in a situation of panic and uncertainty, ease their pain by letting them know exactly how you’re going to solve their problems. Paint a picture of the whole process. This will make your client even more sure about their decision to hire you.

TELL YOUR CLIENTS WHAT YOU DO, NOT WHAT YOU ARE

Instead of starting your About Me page with:

I am an associate in So-and-So firm’s personal injury law practice group. I have 15 years' experience dealing with insurance claims for personal injury. I have handled 100 claims in various kinds of accidents, wrongful death, dangerous premises, and more.

Try something closer to:

I help accident victims face insurance companies and get the compensation they deserve. You're already hurting, and you probably don't want more headaches from dealing with insurance claims. I understand how delicate the healing process is, and I can use my legal expertise and ties in the insurance sector to make everything easier for you.

BE AUTHENTIC

These are few of many elements that are important in an attorney’s About Me page. It’s always important to be authentic and show your personality. Don’t make it look like a computer wrote your profile. You might also want to avoid making it look like a lawyer wrote your profile!

If you want help writing your website copy to draw more clients, drop me a line and I’d be glad to pitch in.

This article was originally published on the Cifuentes Translations Blog