I’m assuming you’ve taken the time to think about how you get your business. I mean, if you haven’t, how are you still in business? You might think of it as a means to an end, or a part of your business that is a necessary evil, but no matter what, you’ve likely thought about it. So where do your leads come from?
The rest of the business world may consider the legal profession a bunch of luddites, and this stereotype may have some basis in fact, especially considering I know many attorneys that haven’t even begun their foray into the online world. Let me rephrase that, there are plenty of attorneys that don’t even have a website. While this article won’t be focusing on websites per se, it will be more about the importance of your online presence, more specifically, getting Google Local reviews.
As a consumer, I know that the first place I go when I’m researching a product or service is typically Google. So if I’m in the market for your type of legal services, why would I go anywhere else? The real value is in local reviews generally, but because Google Local is fully incorporated with the world’s top search engine, the value in Google Local reviews is incredible. The process of setting up a local page is relatively simple, and requires you to verify that you do in fact have a local business, either via phone or a postcard which is sent to your physical address. But once you are set up, you then need to start thinking about getting your business at the top of local mapped results. Google flat out says in its Map feature that you can easily find the “highest-rated” local businesses. You see, search engines have every reason to show the best rated businesses, because their business is to provide users with the best search results. How quickly will you start using Bing if Google only provides you with badly rated or worse, non-existent local businesses?
The best way to get Google Local reviews or on any local directories for that matter is to simply ask. Keep in mind that these reviews need to be legitimate and it is against the policies of most local directories to offer anything in exchange for providing a review. But that shouldn’t stop you from creating a follow-up post card or e-mail that asks your clients to write a review. Simply provide a link in your e-mail or on your postcard that encourages your customers to let other know about your service. Most people will be more than happy to leave a few comments. Truth be told, most businesses don’t actually have that many reviews and if you begin to incorporate local reviews into your workflow for clients, you can expect to see some great results simply because you spent a little bit of time on expending your online presence.
Share your thoughts