Not only winning but also keeping clients is critical to growing your law firm and its reputation. That being said, client service and client acquisition or retention are not always prioritized in the law field.
With the internet, clients have more options than ever when it comes to legal services. If you are able to retain happy clients, you’ll be able to give yourself a competitive advantage. Winning cases is just one way to keep clients happy. Luckily, there are many other steps you can take to build rapport with your clients and to keep them entrusting you with their legal needs.
Be responsive and accessible
Although it may just be on case among many for your firm, for the client, it could feel like their entire life hangs in the balance. When clients reach out to you, it’s imperative that they feel like they have a good chance of getting through and being heard. That means giving timely callbacks if you missed one. Preferably, never let the client wait for more than 24 hours.
You should also provide various ways for your client to contact you. For example, be accessible via email, scheduled or walk-in appointments, the phone, on social media, etc. If you have a blog or anything else where clients comment, be ready to form part of the conversation.
Keep your clients updated
Share important information to clients about their case as well as pertinent information about your firm frequently. Communication is a two-way street and, although you should always be accessible, the client shouldn’t feel the onus is on them every time to make contact.
Following up with clients or making sure they are up to date on the details will make them feel appreciated. It will also foster a sense of transparency and reliability. In a practical sense, it allows clients to else prepare themselves in line with new developments.
Strike up a personal connection
If someone’s about to enter critical legal proceedings, there’s nothing they want more than to believe they have someone in their corner. Through trying to appear professional, it’s easy to come across as cold.
So, from the very beginning, it’s critical to treat your clients with respect, dignity, and a hint of compassion. Client service is something that should permeate every part of the client acquisition, interaction, and retention process. Don’t let clients go too long without receiving real human contact from your firm.
Take a polite interest in your client’s personal and business life. This will also give you a better understanding of where they’re coming from.
Modernize your practice
In this day and age, every established firm should have a modern, attractive, and functioning website. People have more choices than ever, and a professional-looking website will create that first impression you need to stand out.
There are also many tools that low firms can use to improve their customer service and streamline their work processes. Tired of having your office buried in paperwork? Legal document software can help you effortlessly draft professional documents and manage them digitally.
CRM tools are available to help you manage customers, which is especially critical when they first reach out. You can also use booking software on your website to make scheduling meetings or appointments easier for clients. Even AI and blockchain technology is starting to make its way into the law industry.
Launch a digital marketing campaign
To maximize your client acquisition, you need to compete for attention online. Nowadays, most people start their search for anything using the internet and a search engine, like Google. For law firms, it’s especially important to optimize their search engine rankings locally as this is still how most law business is done.
You don’t have to become an expert in SEO. There are many SEO tools or services available that can help you. A great start is to start a simple blog on your website and to write guest articles on other popular law platforms. An email subscriber list is also a fantastic tool to keep your firm’s name fresh in clients’ minds.
Keep your client’s expectations realistic
It can be very tempting to overpromise in order to land that landmark case. However, it’s your professional duty as a legal representative to give your clients the best counsel possible, which starts with being realistic. It’s always best to undersell and over-deliver.
At the very least, the client can prepare themselves and make proper preparations if you lose, and they knew what to expect. From the beginning, it’s essential that they understand the chance of a negative result is always there, even if you are confident and have a good case.
Managing customer expectations is part of delivering a great service and will clients will thank you afterwards, regardless of how it went.
Don’t let another client slip through your fingers
The times are changing, and although the law moves more slowly, the way law firms do business has to change with it. People are becoming more accustomed to having their needs catered to and do not have to search too hard to find what they’re looking for. Implement these tips to both and give your practice the tools it needs to make it big in the 21st century.
