Most law practices are looking for new and different ways to market their legal practice. The reality is that most lawyers and law firms can always use new clients.
The need for new clients can cause many attorneys to come up with new ways to advertise. Some lawyers may decide to turn online advertising. Others may turn to more traditional advertising methods like phone books, radio, or television. All of these methods might result in more new clients coming into a law firm.
Before spending more money on new advertising efforts, however, many forget that their clients and former clients are often their best marketers. In other words, if a lawyer does a fantastic job for their clients, most of these clients and former clients will organically tell their family, friends, and acquaintances about their positive experience.
When clients and former clients tell their family, friends, and acquaintances about the excellent job that an attorney did, this can be powerful. Word-of-mouth can result in new leads coming to a lawyer or a law firm without having to spend any money on new marketing efforts.
When somebody refers a potential client to a lawyer through word-of-mouth, this can also lead to increased trust. Increased trust can help lead to a more positive attorney-client relationship because the client feels good knowing that a friend, family member, or acquaintance used the lawyer and had a positive experience.
To ensure that the clients and former clients will become natural marketers for a lawyer or law firm, a lawyer must never let a client go to bed angry. If a client is concerned or upset about any matter in their case, a lawyer should immediately attempt to rectify the situation.
Further, it is critical that a lawyer promptly returns all phone calls and emails. Lawyers also need to update their clients regularly on the status of their case. The client also needs to feel as if their lawyer prepares, that they care, and that they did the best job possible.
None of this is to say that new advertising is always a bad idea at the same time. Coming up with new ways to get the word out about a law practice is important.
However, clients and former clients are still the best marketers for legal practice. Lawyers and law firms that remember this will receive lots of organic leads for new clients apart from their marketing efforts.
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