Platforms and websites – building an attractive client experience
Client attraction strategies need to evolve in tandem with the hybrid working scenario – Scott Brown, managing director at Accesspoint Media Services, explains how law firms can adapt.
Marketing trends within the legal industry are rapidly changing before our very eyes. As firms continue to make use of remote working, the physical office continues to decline, and the idea of face-to-face meetings and in-person approaches to getting new clients becomes a thing of the past. As the legal world steps closer and closer to a more digitised future, we are truly witnessing a new era of marketing. Firms that can keep up will surely be first to benefit from this change, and those who can’t risk sinking in this new wave of opportunity and possibilities.
A major benefit of a more virtual world is that your firm can present itself in a whole new light. Whether it is because of the location of the office or just the general appearance, no longer will the physical attributes of your office limit the reach of potential clients. Your website will be the backbone of holding your firm up during this digital shift and will be the bridge between your firm and the client engagement that is needed to provide a high-level experience, so assessing it frequently is important to ensure it stays strong.
I suggest simply viewing your website on your mobile device and computer and seeing how it looks from your client’s perspective. Watch out for the small details such as navigation, whether the pages are cropped, buttons missing, page links broken etc. If you do spot any problems – big or small – then it may be worth revisiting your design template. We often see SME firms shy away from the many possibilities an innovative, modern-day website could offer, and they instead opt for a traditional and sometimes outdated website layout, which acts merely as a ‘shop window’ for clients. This could perhaps be a result of having a static, rigid website template, which is usually much harder to customise on the go and adapt in the future. Consider teaming up with professional legal website designers to ensure a flexible template that can be moulded to suit current market demands and host the various integrations that clients are likely to benefit from and use. Allowing your website to provide a seamless online experience can make potential clients see your firm in a good light.
Although it is very important, your website layout is just the beginning of where the digital era can take you. Having a clear vision and a smart plan is imperative for your firm’s marketing strategy to be a success – it’s worth re-thinking what client engagement means to your firm and, most importantly, to your clients. To effectively do this, take a moment to ask yourself – how much do you know about your target audience? If you find yourself struggling to answer this question, it is possibly because your target audience is forever evolving, so obtaining crucial ongoing demographic data about these people at any given time is a must. However, securing this type of data is difficult for most – so how can this realistically be done? A legal platform may offer the solution you’re looking for.
Smart forensic tools are currently available within legal platforms, which allow your firm to monitor and track the digital journey of a client, from clicking on a Google advert or Facebook post right through to the completion of their case – providing your firm with valuable insights and demographic data that can all be delivered straight into your practice management system. Additionally, incorporating web forms into your site will allow you to quickly follow up potential leads and effectively establish contact with them remotely. Try exploring different integrations that allow you to engage with visitors immediately, as this could increase the chance of turning prospects into clients.
Investing in a legal platform can play a huge part in attracting new clients and providing the best experience for existing clients. Sleek and clever tools offered within the platform – such as the client portal to check various parts of a case – plus the quick and easy payment portal all combine to make transactions simple for clients and provide clear reporting for the firm. Having this on your side will certainly showcase your firm as a tech-savvy, forward-thinking giant in the legal world and could give any potential clients the added reassurance needed to decide on going with your firm.
The legal world is certainly moving at a faster pace than normal, but that does not mean your firm has to be left behind. Now is the time to try out new and exciting marketing ideas and pave the way for your firm’s future.
