Having a strong online presence helps criminal defense firms reach a wider audience and get more clients. One of the best ways to establish a strong presence is by having five-star reviews. 38% of consumers require at least a 4-star average rating to even consider engaging with a business.
But positive ratings alone are not enough. 68% of consumers either “agree” or “somewhat agree” that a high review rating is not trustworthy unless there is a high quantity of reviews. So to stand out from the pack, you need to have a lot of five-star reviews – but how do you convince your clients to give them?
Read on to find out how you can boost your online rating to five stars. Learn which sites you should list reviews on, and how to generate more reviews from your clients.
How To Increase Your Rating To 5 Stars
Your law firm’s online ratings can spell the difference between failure and success, as it’s one of the first things that potential clients will look at before consulting you. This may be because higher reviews increase their confidence in the quality of your legal service, with 73% of consumers saying they trust a local business more if it has positive reviews.
Here are some ways that you can boost your law firm’s review count and bring your rating up to five stars.
Provide Great Client Service
The first step any law firm should take to earn a great reputation is to have exceptional customer care. Great service will usually lead to stellar reviews, so take a good look at how you communicate with clients and handle their concerns. Just keeping these simple things in mind will vastly improve the way you handle your clients:
- Respond promptly to all inquiries.
- Treat your clients with respect and care at every step of the legal process, regardless of their case’s outcome.
- Address concerns immediately and be proactive – don’t make them feel like they’re just another name in your files.
Respond To Reviews (Yes, Even The Negative Ones)
Taking the time to respond to reviews shows both previous clients and prospective ones that you care about their experience. Responding to good reviews is a good way to thank your clients and tell them you appreciate their feedback, making them more likely to recommend you to their social circles.
Bad reviews must be addressed too, as they’re an opportunity to show that your law firm is professional, empathetic, and willing to resolve issues. By responding to a negative review, you may even change their opinion and prove to prospective clients that customer satisfaction matters.
Ask Directly For Ratings After Wrapping Up A Case
Life catches up with everyone, and reviewing your services may not be a high priority for your clients. The best way to ensure that they leave a review is by asking for one as soon as you’ve finished handling their case.
Don’t underestimate the power of simply asking nicely, as 80% of online reviews originate from follow-up emails. When your firm has finished the job and is about to turn over files to a client, include a follow-up email asking them to review your services. The request should include links to where they can leave reviews.
Have Multiple Platforms For Reviews
Not everyone is willing to go through the hassle of navigating an unfamiliar platform to leave a review, even if they loved your service. Make it easier for your clients by offering different sites where they can give you a rating. Create a section on your website and provide a direct link to your Google profile, as well as your profiles on other sites like Avvo.
Make Review Templates
Writing a review certainly won’t be on the top of your client’s to-do list, so it’s important to make it as easy as possible for them to leave one. Have clear instructions on how and where to make a review – the fewer steps there are between your client and sending a review, the more likely they are to do it.
Having a template will make it easier for them to leave ratings. The prompts will guide them toward what kind of feedback to leave, and they’ll appreciate knowing what kind of information they should leave.
Attorney Review Sites You Should Focus On
Apart from having a review page on your website, claim your firm’s profile on Google and niche review pages for legal services. Doing this will make it easier for prospective clients to find you and see positive feedback about your criminal defense firm. Here are attorney review sites that I highly recommend you focus on.
Google Business Profiles
63.6% of consumers say they are likely to check Google reviews before they visit a business location. Make sure you funnel a lot of your clients’ five-star reviews to your Google Business Profile. The more reviews you have and the higher your rating, the more likely your local audience is to visit your business and consult you.
Avvo
Avvo is a website that provides lawyer referrals, where you can create a lawyer profile that includes client reviews and endorsements from peers. Clients may check this site to get a picture of your legal reputation, so set up your profile and work on generating good reviews here too.
Lawyers.com
Lawyers.com is run by the rating service Martindale-Hubbell, offering a peer-to-peer rating system in addition to client reviews. With over a million unique monthly visitors and a domain name that’s easy to remember, there’s a strong chance that prospective clients will be searching for your profile and ratings here.
LegalMatch
With over six million lawyers and firms listed on this site, LegalMatch is essentially a referral site that matches relevant clients with highly rated lawyers. Create a profile here as past clients can leave good reviews that will boost your visibility and reputation, increasing the chances that someone will choose your criminal defense firm.
Need To Boost Your Firm’s Ratings? Let’s Talk
Every law firm wants that coveted five-star rating, but just a few will rise to the top. Without a strong marketing strategy, it’s unlikely you’ll be one of those golden few.
You need an experienced criminal defense lawyer marketing consultant with years in the game who’ll work round the clock to make you dominate review sites. Contact Josh Brown Consulting at (310) 462-2034 or send us a message via our secure online form now. Let’s start crafting a top-notch strategy that’ll convert leads for your criminal defense firm.