The Rise of the Influencer: Making the most of your online reviews

As if our technology-driven daily lives were not proof enough, the statistics make it clear that online reviews in the legal market are here to stay - how can you make sure people are talking about your firm for the right reasons? 

In fact, 72% of prospective clients now read online reviews before choosing the right legal firm and with seemingly everything now available at the touch of a button, this trend is only set to increase. The accessibility this stimulates is absolutely unrivalled. People are not only talking about their favourite companies or places to eat, they are texting, typing, and sharing at every given opportunity. Law firms already embracing reviews are seeing a significant increase in new clients week in and week out. This phenomenon has not arisen completely out of the blue; the era of oversharing pioneered by millennials has taken the past decade by storm and as well as getting the perfect shot of brunch for Instagram, the generation really are willing to talk about anything and everything online - including their experiences in the legal world.

Showcase your best testimonials, get clients talking, and become the obvious choice. Whether it’s a complaint about the ending of a favourite TV series or seeking recommendations for the local hairdresser, it’s clear that people are going straight to the web. And by collecting your reviews in one place with ReviewSolicitors, you can make sure that you’re always top of the feed for the right reasons.

People really are preferring to type than talk, meaning word of mouth is simply no longer the only method of attracting new clients - but there are so many ways that you can make sure they’re typing for all the right reasons. We’ve put together a few tips for you to browse - and share, tweet, and comment - as you will:

Collect your reviews within 24 hours of closing a case

The fast-paced nature of your clients’ lifestyles means you really have to get in there quickly. Once you’ve built the rapport and provided the service you might be inclined to think the work stops there. By obtaining a review however, you’re increasing the likelihood of that client - and their online interactors - coming back. Not only does the legal review generate firm loyalty, it means a client is showing off all of your best bits. The longer this is left, the less likely they are to remember the fine details that made their experience so great - and it’s those details that you want to be oversharing. The quick response also captures the enthusiasm your client is feeling and not only will your legal firm receive the instant gratification that all the avid influencers are seeking, you will see immediate rewards in exposure. 

ReviewSolicitors even offer case management integration which allows you to automatically collect reviews immediately upon closing a case without anyone at the firm having to lift a finger.

Don’t ignore the negatives

Whilst it may be tempting to keep the keyboard warriors at bay with the ‘block’ button on your usual social media platforms, they can be far more valuable than they are detrimental when it comes to your legal reviews - as long as you tackle them in the right way. Not only can you attempt to rectify the issue by liaising with your client, you can use it to show off even more. By viewing the negative feedback as an opportunity to do better, you are showing prospective clients that you can adapt to their needs and that you’re always looking for innovative ways to solve problems. This makes your legal firm far more credible - just like the use of filters suggest, nobody can be perfect all of the time.

Making the move online

Not only is going paper-free something to make all of the millennial influencers like and subscribe, it really is the easiest way to improve efficiency when it comes to legal reviews. Make it simple and accessible and show that you understand the instantaneous nature of the online world. A review request sent out over email is far more likely to gain a response over a feedback card on the front desk of the office and by making this accessible to your clients at the touch of a button, you really will be speaking their emoji-littered language.

By collecting your legal reviews with ReviewSolicitors you can make sure that your current and prospective clients are liking, commenting, and sharing for all of the right reasons - show off all of your best testimonials and make the culture of oversharing work for you.

Get started by claiming your firm’s listing here: ReviewSolicitors.co.uk/joinup