With over 19 years’ experience in creating websites and delivering marketing projects for law firms, we’ve seen the benefits of making sure your website includes a detailed ‘meet the team page’ where potential clients can get to know who will be dealing with their case on a deeper level. Because ultimately the law is a ‘people business’, and you are more likely to build a loyal and trusting relationship if your solicitors get to know their clients and vice versa.
We are big advocates for law firms adding all their staff to their websites from the partners, solicitors, legal secretaries, and those involved in the day-to-day running of the firm. Why? Well not only is it inclusive, making your support staff feel as valued as your partners, your support staff are quite often the first point of contact for clients, and will likely spend a decent amount of time in contact with them. As seen in the What Clients Want research, in both 2021 and 2022, being able to access contact details of support staff, as well as direct contact details of their lawyer, were of utmost importance.
In addition to contact details for lawyers and support staff, other survey results that stand out to us, and can be included in a great website profile, include testimonials related to the staff member, the experiences of the team member, articles written by the staff member and/or cases they have been involved in. In a hybrid world where it’s likely you might never meet these team members in real life, these factors help to build trust and loyalty between your clients.
Where should you start with creating a great website profile?
Review your existing profiles – your team might not have looked at their page since they joined the firm, what can you work with, does it show your firms values, is it answering all the points in this survey?
Next, if you’re doing an overhaul, create a template that everyone in your firm can follow – this could include things like a personal ‘about you’ section, the top three cases the solicitor has worked on that had the best outcome or that your firm is most proud of and any articles the solicitor has written that demonstrate your firm and team is knowledgeable in its chosen specialism. Don’t forget it should also include their contact details and working hours if not standard.
Create example profiles – put together example profiles for different roles including partners, solicitors, and support staff. It’s much easier for people to talk about themselves if they have some sort of example to follow.
And, set a deadline – you’re a busy firm, so this isn’t going to be the top priority for your team, so give them a deadline, it’s much more likely to be completed. And, if they miss the deadline, see if there’s any way you can give them a helping hand, for example ‘interviewing’ them to get answers to the questions and then writing it up for them.
By creating a process to ensure your firm keeps on top of its website profile creation, you’re helping to create a personable approach that could lead to more business. As well as your website profiles, your firm should make sure it’s answering FAQs on its service pages and blog posts, optimising this content for SEO, leaving out the legal jargon and being transparent about prices to give a potential client all they need to pick your firm for their cases.
About the author
Dan Hodges is the Head of Account Management at Conscious Solutions, the UK’s leading provider of websites & digital marketing to law firms. He has over 16 years’ experience in the Legal Sector ranging from business development to practice management. Dan has worked with over 300 law firms helping them get a better understanding of how they can become more successful online.