Ssf.2009

Websites : If I Build It, Will They Come? Can Websites Really Help My Practice?
Our Objectives/Take-Away Points
Ways to build a Web presence without a Website.
Learn 5 ‘Must Have’ Basic Website Components.
How to Lessen Attorney/Staff work by moving repetitive tasks to your Website.
Find-out how to turn Website Visitors into Clients.
Discover Cheap & Easy Offline/Online Traffic Techniques.

Do you NEED a Website? No, but…
There’s little or no downside to having a quality Website ( Example : Nordlaw.net ).
If no Website, make sure you can still be found via various lawyer-specific and small business indexing sites (Findlaw, Justia, Lawyers.com ( Alan Press ), Avvo.com ( Erik Swanson ), Yellowpages.com, MerchantCircle.com, Yelp.com, etc.).
Although client lawyer selection often starts offline (personal referral, another professional, bar referral service), the process frequently migrates online (Google?) prior to attorney retention (further research).

Building Your Site: Guiding Questions
Does your site clear the basic quality/professional competency bar (first, do no harm)?
Does your site help you “connect” with potential clients (photographs, biography)?
Can non-lawyers viewing the site understand what you do and how you can potentially help them?
Simply, how might I/we help a site visitor with a legal matter?
Common Mistakes : site under construction (for months!), impersonal, too much ‘lawyer-speak.’

Building Your Site: From Good to Great
The Full Spectrum of Lawyer Websites:
Level I (Beginner): A professional, personalized brochure (Looks nice but few or no interactive features).
Level II (Intermediate): All of the above + Move Work/Tasks to the Web (Move repetitive tasks to the Web…save $$).
Level III (Advanced): All of the above + Easy to Find (S.E.O.) + Encourage visitors to ‘Start a Relationship.’

Building Your Site (Level I): Basic ‘Must Have’ Components
Professional/personal biography & photographs (Create client connections, not just court admissions and bar memberships).
Practice area listing or better yet a concise explanation of the real world problems that you help clients solve (Client not lawyer perspective).
Frequently Asked Questions.
Client Testimonials.
A Call-to-Action up front & Contact information.

Building Your Site (Level I): Quality Beginner Site Examples
~The Williams Law Firm (Carbondale): Hughwilliamslaw.com .
~Cutler & Associates, Ltd. (Skokie): 847debt.com .

Building Your Site (Level II): From Brochure to Legal Secretary
Lessen your/staff’s workload by moving repetitive tasks to your Website.
Eliminate (or lower): postage costs, lost letters, constant ‘client update’ calls/e-mails.
Examples : Client files (all written client communication), Client intake forms, client articles/newsletters, office locations/directions, appointment form, client payment module.
Software : mycaseinfo.com , basecamphq.com , clctechnology.com /attorney .

Building Your (Level II): Quality Intermediate Site Examples
~The Elder Law Office of Steven C. Perlis & Associates (Arlington Heights): Perliselderlaw.com .
~The Law Firm of Wendy R. Morgan (Arlington Heights): WendyMorgan.com .
~The Family Law Office of Peter R. Olson (Chicago): Olsonlawfirm.net .

Building Your Site (Level III): Convert Web Visitors to Clients
You need to ‘capture’ Website visitors while they’re at your site.
The best Websites are interactive and encourage visitors to start a relationship with your Firm…capture eyeballs & contact information.
Because no matter how good the site, it’s just a start …your goals should be: capture contact information for telephone/e-mail follow-up that leads to e-mail/telephone conference, in-person meeting and client retention (add to Firm mailing list, at a minimum).

Building Your Site (Level III): Convert Web Visitors to Clients
Interactive Tools:
Include an obvious Question/Contact Us form.
Easy law firm newsletter mailing list opt-in.
Live help/chat feature…immediate interaction.
Blog integration (like a newsletter, RSS feed, or a reason to return to your site).
Social networking “relationship” tools… Facebook fan page , Twitter followers, LinkedIn profile .

Building Your Site: Advanced Lawyer Site Examples
~The Witt Law Firm, P.C. (Chicago): Thewittlawfirm.com .
~Vetstein Law Group, P.C. (Framingham, MA): Vetsteinlawgroup.com .
~Traverse Legal PLC (Traverse City, MI): Traverselegal.com .

Cheap & Easy Traffic Techniques: Offline
Make sure every piece of paper has your Web address on it : Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, client newsletters, e-mail signatures, ect.
Make sure you have a domain name that conveys what you do and is easily remembered.
Create a separate business card or post card with your Web address and some reasons to visit your site…send to mailing list or use as seminar/conference give-away.
Advertise reasons to go to your site in mailings or e-mail signature lines such as: Checklists, how-to videos, FAQs, or a special white paper.
Enter your site in law firm Web site contests. Legal Marketing Association, others.

Cheap & Easy Traffic Techniques: Online
Big 3 : Links, content, and update frequency.
Links : Twitter / Facebook /Google profiles, Avvo, lawyer index sites: Lawlink.com , Lawyersearchguide.com , other.
Update frequency : Integrated blog, legal news headlines, latest developments & legal advisories.
Content : Web crawlers seek out content.
Redirect sites : Chicagolandfamilylaw.net, Chicagolandelderlaw.net, Chicagolandrealestatelaw.net  Olsonlawfirm.net.
Or just pay for traffic! Google AdWords, local directories ( Reachlocal.com ).
** Good Article: Tips to Drive Traffic to your Website, The Legal Intelligencer , August 20, 2009 (access via Law.com).**

SEO: A Final Personal Example (9/09)

So…
If I Build it, Will They Come?
Can Websites Really Help My Practice?
What’s an Ideal, Small Law Firm Website? Design.

Peter R. Olson
[email_address]
P.312.629.9900
F.312.276.4135
Olsonlawfirm.net
Erik G. Swanson
[email_address]
P.847-892-4730
F.847-391-8820
Theswansonfirm.com

Ssf.2009

by prolson on Oct 28, 2009

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Ssf.2009 — Presentation Transcript