You have a few precious seconds to get a visitor’s attention so they will stay on your website. Why does this matter? Because the longer they stay on your site, the more likely they are to contact you.
One of the best ways to grab a visitor’s attention and keep it is to answer the most frequently asked questions users have. If you fail to do so you will lose visitors fast, and each visitor you lose is a missed opportunity.
To increase your odds of improving your site’s conversion rates (how many visitors turn into clients) make sure you answer these five questions:
- Who are you? This one seems obvious, but so many law firm websites fail to even indicate it is a website for a law firm. Numerous sites make it nearly impossible to find out anything about the people who work at the firm. So when you go to answer this question, make sure your firm’s website lists all the attorneys in the office. Take it one step further by providing individual bios that tell prospective clients more about each lawyer.
- What do you do? This is as simple as stating up-front which types of cases you handle. If you are a general practitioner, this list can get quite exhaustive. In that case, I |suggest highlighting your favorite types of cases or your bread-and-butter cases — those cases that help pay the bills. If you want to stand out from the crowd, take it up a notch by not only describing your preferred cases, but also how you work and how you interact with your clients. The more personal you can make this, the better off you are.
- Can you solve my problem? If someone is scouring the Internet for a lawyer, chances are he or she is facing an issue that needs addressing right now. If you can speak to their immediate concerns, provide them with actionable steps to take, and describe how you will help that person through the legal process, you are golden.
- Where are you located? Clients often prefer nearby lawyers for convenience and comfort. Make it clear where you are located. This is true whether you have one office or a multi-state presence. Law firm websites that do this best often have their location in their tagline or at the top of their website, in the copy on every page, and on individual office location pages.
- How can I contact you? You want to make it as easy as possible for prospective clients to contact you. Put your phone number at the top and bottom of your website and in the copy on each page. Also, make sure you have an easily accessible contact form for visitors to fill out.
Get Honest With Your Visitors
If you have already made sure to answer the above five questions, great, but don’t stop. Answer these two questions, too:
- Why should I choose you over the competition? This does not mean you should compare your practices to Joe Smith’s practice. It means you should detail what it is that makes your services unique. Perhaps you only practice in one niche area. Perhaps you had your own run-in with the law and decided to become a lawyer. Perhaps you have a bedside manner that puts even the most nervous clients at ease. Whatever it is, identify it and explain why that unique thing about you benefits your clients.
- How much do your services cost? I am not suggesting you must publish your hourly rate. What I am proposing instead is some transparency when it comes to your billing practices. For instance, do you offer free consultations? How long are those consultations, and why are they important? Do you offer unbundled services to keep costs lower? Explain what that means. Do you know if your prices are highly competitive in your area? Then say so. The more you can address the pricing fears of your prospective clients, the better off you will be.
Your law firm website can be one of your most powerful marketing tools. Make it as effective as possible by clearly answering these questions. If you do, you will position yourself to receive more leads that better fit the services you prefer to provide.
This post originally on Lawyerist.com.
