Know, like, trust: how reviews provide the credibility that your firm is seeking

In a world where social media is present in all aspects of our lives and ‘likes’ have come to hold a whole new and digital meaning, instant gratification has too been completely reimagined. In whatever we’re doing, it feels great when somebody else confirms we’re doing it well - and whether that’s on your latest snap of the perfect brunch or your most recent success for a legal client, receiving that quick affirmation is extremely satisfying. ReviewSolicitors understands that these gratifying engagements are exactly what your clients are looking for - and as well as your firm as a whole, reviews seek to boost your individual reputation too. 

Albeit different from the feed of your favourite social media app, online testimonials from your past clients very much encompass the journey that your future clients will be making. The journey that they undertake is wholly psychological, and mimics the marketing commonplace holding that a client firstly comes to know, then comes to like, then comes to trust a consumer product. Your law firm is no different. Not only do legal matters often arise from highly stressful and life-altering situations, most coming to seek advice will be doing so for the first time - and even a seasoned legal consumer may need to invest in different services and departments as their own circumstances change. 

This journey is often thought of as a funnel. When a client reaches the narrowest part, it means they have come to trust your firm and this puts them in the best position to make an instruction. And much like the funnel analogy, reviews allow you to filter out anything that could come between that client and your firm. Three key benefits of review collection means this process is always in operation:

  • Searches can be made according to locality Collecting reviews, and taking advantage of the dual collection with Google Reviews that ReviewSolicitors offers, puts you in a great position to get ahead of your local competition. Featuring an abundance of testimonials through multiple means of collection gives you the best chance to show off your best bits - and to pit them against the firm around the corner. When a client sees a local firm with a star rating and reviews left by like-minded peers, it becomes the obvious choice over the competitor, who shys away from revealing anything. Take the below - which firm would you choose?

  • Reviews offer independent validation Whilst the ‘know’ and ‘like’ elements of the client journey are somewhat taken care of by tools such as your website, word of mouth recommendations, and your own advertising, these do not always accomplish trust. Reviews on the other hand aim to solidify all of the above. ReviewSolicitors is an independent third-party site which means any reviews left are only ever motivated by genuine and authentic evaluations of the service a client has received and more importantly, they do not come from yourself so there’s no reason for prospective clients to be sceptical. 

  • Reviews display the recommendations of others Received very much in the same way as ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ on a social media post, the engagements you receive on your firm’s profile with ReviewSolicitors amount to peer evaluations of your work. Although in digital format, the words used by your clients are often emotive and evoke an authentic sense of their experience. Also complementing this is your ability to respond to the reviews you are left, offering a chance to show your communication style. This is likely to be the only time a prospective client will gain an idea of the way you interact - and if this is something that they ‘like’, you’ve already created an online environment that is conducive to in-person trust. 

Once your clients have made it through the know, like, and trust process, they will find themselves in a secure and comfortable position to spend on your services. For your firm, this comfortability equates to conversions. Whilst this journey appears simple, it is also incredibly powerful and remarkably real. Reviews encourage your clients to travel through with ease, and end in a position that has them picking up the phone and instructing your firm. We all like to be told that we’re good at what we’re doing but when a client actually ‘likes’ you, the benefits far outweigh any gratification that a digital ‘like’ provides. 

The active, present, and engaging collection of reviews means that your online affirmations quickly convert into real-life successes. If you like what you see and think your client testimonials are worth a share, claim your firm’s listing today: https://www.reviewsolicitors.co.uk/joinup.