Properly marketing a law firm online is a lot of work. It takes time, money, and resources to build a presence that delivers phone calls and requests. I am amazed when I hear stories about law firms investing resources to get website visitors, who request to speak with the firm......and then don't bother to have anyone contact them back right away.
There are simply no excuses for this. In my humble opinion, the business side of a law firm is just as important as the service side. In other words, the excuse that you are too busy practicing law to respond to a new inquiry doesn't hold water. Now don't get me wrong, for a solo attorney busy wearing many hats it may be an impossibility to respond right away if you are meeting with a client or in court. However, my view is not that a lawyer should drop everything to respond. Instead, your firm should implement a system that touches the potential client, lets them know you received the request, and that you will be contacting them shortly. Since your competitors are only a click away on the web, don't kid yourself that a potential client will wait around for 24-48 hours without a response. What happens is that they are going to the firm across the "virtual" street.
Virtual Receptionist - I spoke with a client the other day that mentioned he had stayed late at the office a few days over the last week and noticed a large volume of phone calls coming in after hours. Since normally no one is in the office, the machine was picking up. However, there were rarely any messages with potential client inquiries. That means all those after hours calls were falling on the floor.
I understand that hiring an in-house receptionist may not be in the cards for every firm, but that's ok. There are solutions out there for virtual receptionists that can make a big impact on on the bottom line. Even converting one or two more clients a month can make a big difference. Having a live person answering the phone, even if it is just to take a message and assure the potential client that someone will get back to them shortly, will keep the searcher from bouncing to the next firm immediately. If you are looking for a reliable virtual receptionist service, that has experience with law firms, I recommend Total Attorneys Virtual Reception Service.
Auto-Response Email - When someone submits a request through your website, setup an auto response email. Use the email as an opportunity to let the client know you received their request, that it is important to you, and that you will get back to them as soon as possible. Provide your direct contact information as well and possibly another person to try if the matter is urgent. Most forms or email clients have the ability to send an auto responder, so it shouldn't be difficult to setup.
Live Chat - Live chat services are becoming more prominent on law firm websites. Not only can they help convert more visitors into inquiries, but they also provide a way for the client to interact with a live person. It's the instant message equivalent of a virtual receptionist. Services such as ngage provide the live chat software for your website as well as 24/7 support to answer inquiries through your site.
With the various options available to help you nurture a potential client request until you are able to contact them directly, there should be no excuses for not responding right away.
On April 22, 2025, Google sent an email updating Local Services Ads Additional Terms for Providers: Subject: Action required: important updates to Local Service Ads Additional Terms Many people are arguing that lawyers cannot participate in Local Services Ads, as this would constitute a per se violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct related to […]
Conrad and I recently joined Zack at Lawyerist to record a conversation about AI and marketing. You might think that we spend the whole time on how lawyers can use AI to publish content. You'd be wrong. While AI can certainly support publishing, there are many more interesting ways to use it in legal marketing. […]
As more legal services consumers turn to ChatGPT for local law firm recommendations, a fascinating intersection between AI, search, and maps unfolds. While Google remains the undisputed leader in local business data, ChatGPT is increasingly becoming an entry point for searchers seeking legal representation. But here’s the kicker: instead of keeping users within its ecosystem, […]
When law firms contact us, they usually want to talk: • PPC Ads • SEO Rankings • Lead Generation Very few want to talk: • Brand • Trust & Recognition • Emotional Connection Admittedly, much of this concerns that AttorneySync is known for lead generation across those common digital channels. But even when we start […]
According to an October 2024 study by SE Ranking: "The legal niche triggers the highest percentage of AIOs (77.67%). The average number of links matched between the AI Overview resources and the top 20 search results was 6.49 for legal topics. AI Overviews for legal topics most frequently link to NYCourts.gov (114 links), YouTube.com (48 […]
I'm grateful for my friend, Charley Mann of Law firm Alchemy. If you're a lawyer, subscribe to his Free Email List. In a recent email, Charley calls out bad guru advice on hiring: "Trying to execute a major SEO improvement? You need to find people who will help you, instead of trying to DIY it […]
If you’ve spent any time on LinkedIn, you’ve likely seen posts from law firm SEO experts showing off charts with an “up and to the right” trajectory. These screenshots, often pulled from tools like Semrush or Ahrefs, are meant to signal SEO success. And it’s not just the agencies celebrating—𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 […]
Meh, links! All things being equal, links still tend to move the dial more than any other factor in legal SERPs. Maybe links are having a diminishing impact internet-wide. But in my experience, quality links, especially relevant links (both topically and geographically), tend to improve law firm visibility in search more than most everything else. […]
When you think of "marketing," what's the first thing that comes to mind? Ads? SEO? Social Media? What about: Helping others?Taking the lead? Rallying around your community? Need an example? Learn from Bart Siniard at Siniard Law Injury Attorneys efforts to help rebuild Mary's Pit BBQ. These efforts aren't about marketing. They're about supporting a […]
Lost calls mean lost business.It’s very important to have the most effective virtual receptionist.When a customer or partner calls, you want to give them a live and warm voice human than a voice mail system.Nowaday's a lot of company’s reputation and new business is on the line, how quickly and professionally you answer and respond to inbound calls is extremely important.Having an alert communications' virtual office answering service helps you capture new-client opportunities and provides best-in-class service to all your customers.
Lost calls mean lost business.It's very important to have the most effective virtual receptionist.When a customer or partner calls, you want to give them a live and warm voice human than a voice mail system.Nowaday's a lot of company's reputation and new business is on the line, how quickly and professionally you answer and respond to inbound calls is extremely important.Having an alert communications' virtual office answering service helps you capture new-client opportunities and provides best-in-class service to all your customers.