If your firm’s business engine is not firing on all cylinders (or battery cells), perhaps your client process needs tuning. Here are two ways to improve your client process and create a virtuous circle for new clients. 

Your Process for Success:  Two Ways to Measure and Manage

         NPS Scoring

        Online Reviews

   au·then·tic   adj.     – of undisputed origin; genuine

   in·au·then·tic  adj. – not in fact what it is said to be

How do you ask your clients for feedback? You really don’t know how you are doing unless you ask.

Many larger companies ask a simple question, ‘How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or collegue?’ The answer on a scale of 1-10 allows calculation of NPS, Net Promoter Scoring. The simple number tells you if the client experience is getting better or worse.

Online reviews are a second way to measure client satisfaction. The bottom line, online reviews need to be natural and authentic. Google algorithms monitor and manage review publication. How then can you obtain feedback and reviews that honestly reflect the experience future clients can expect if they select your firm?  How can you best manage, even have removed, that one bad review that sooner or later may be posted against your online reputation?

Some violations cause reviews to be deleted by Google.
Anyone can alert Google and report a business [1] if they see a fake review scheme or offensive review. Here are our tips, followed by sample links to a pdf and web based feedback and survey forms:

Do Not

  1. Do not be passive, that results in your worst client writing your online reputation
  2. Do not get all reviews on a single review platform, that’s not natural and organic.
  3. Do not get reviews from one device at your location
  4. Do not ever pay, in any way, for online reviews
  5. Do not get reviews from anyone that did not directly use your service,

such as from family, friends, employees or peers from outside your area

  1. Do not place a false review onto a competing business site
  2. Do not make a review that violates Google terms of service, such as ‘gating’[2]
  3. Do not go online and post or respond to reviews in a contentious or repetitive manner

 Do

  1. Do ask for feedback and encourage reviews from all clients
    NPS Scoring webform http://bit.ly/Your_Opinion_Counts
    Client Survey pdf  http://bit.ly/Client_Satisfaction_Survey2
  2. Do make it easy to provide feedback and to get to your review pages
  3. Do monitor and respond promptly ‘response by the business owner’, a simple thank you message or offer how can we help
  4. Do tell people ‘ These reviews are to help others, so they can understand the need for expert guidance, and to share the story of their unique experience working with the firm’
  5. Do consider new web based and mobile friendly tools to facilitate and manage reviews

Recently a long-time law firm client had a negative review removed by Google. The review Google removed was from a person involved in an estate dispute, but not a client of the firm. The negative review had been posted many times over several months.  Google suppressed all but one of the redundant reviews and eventually even deleted all seven review postings, all by the same unhappy person (who was not a client).

The negative review was frustrating and annoying, but fortunately, this firm has over 200 very positive reviews and the negative review caused only a momentary blip in their online status.

Actions  to Consider
Use web-based, mobile friendly tools to conduct surveys and acquire and manage online reviews

  • Learn techniques for applying modern tools for maximum online results
  • Start asking the one simple and essential question needed to calculate your NPS[3] score
  • Conduct online client surveys and follow-up with review requests

Our team can assist you in understanding and integrating these digital tools into your client interactions. To learn more about how to activate one or more of these tools or techniques contact us.

 

About Premier
Premier Software provides technology and techniques that enable law firms to become more efficient, manage more effectively and enable a better experience for the law firm and its clients.

Tele 856.429.3010
Website www.premiersoftware.com
Email support@premiersoftware.com
Online appointment https://premiersoftware.com/online-meetings-webinars/

 

[1] GMB: https://twitter.com/googlemybiz or Facebook: https://facebook.com/googlemybusiness e

[2] Gating, refers to pre-checking sentiment before asking for reviews.

[3] NPS score is a calculation of promoters less detractors based on a single question, ‘How likely are you to refer us
to family or friends?’ (scale of 0-10)


Attorneys, and even the experts in law firm marketing,
almost always overlook a certain critical aspect of online reviews.

In a recent webinar, a very professional legal marketing consultant, totally missed emphasizing the critical opportunity lawyers have that transforms a boring five star review into a great five star review.

Read the rest of this entry

Risky Business – What to Do With a Bad Review

Now, more than ever, it pays to be aware of and to actively manage your online reviews and online reputation.

Please read our article and contact us to learn how to proactively manage your online reputation.

Tel. 856 429-3010

 

A search of Certified Elder Law Attorneys in California and Massachusetts, found 41 of 54 CELA’s had ZERO Google reviews.

Read about ways to manage and even syndicate online client reviews to your advantage.

Estates & Elder Law: How to Fix the Hole in Your On-line Reputation

 

 

 

Client Reviews are often compelling ‘stories’ that once read can motivate new contacts to become new clients. This type of advertising and marketing can’t be bought, it is only earned thru all of your firms’ good work. Certified online reviews facilitate the process of getting the word out as they are the modern form of Word of Mouth marketing. The New Online Reputation Management NORM involves leveraging the power of client reviews through publication in multiple online venues. This generates more ideal clients because they originate from the best source possible, your most satisfied clients.

Click Here to View 10 Ways to Define and Measure Success Online

 

We work with many excellent estates and elder law attorneys, yet we see many who do not get proper online recognition for their superior services.  The right tools and a well designed internal system, can assure that you receive full credit for all of your good work.

Web Presence and Third Party Client Reviews

Web Presence and
Third Party Client Reviews

You can convert more new clients if you optimize your internal process for obtaining reviews as you close matters for highly satisfied clients. Your client satisfaction survey and modern online tools to promote great reviews are the differentiating factor between average and exceptional results. It is now possible to obtain a FREE business scan to quickly see if and how you are listed in 50+ directories, what existing reviews you have and how you compare to your local competition. You can also receive guidance on steps to take to maximize your online presence.

I learned of the leading online reputation management methods and tools from several clients. The first is a very successful firm elder care firm that employs a timely satisfaction survey to identify highly satisfied clients.  A second law firm has quickly expanded their volume of new business and they aggregate all Client Reviews right off the home page. They feel this has been key factor in converting more clients.   A third law firm client recently was surprised to learn that simply by deliberately asking prior clients for reviews, they received 70+% response rate.

The takeaway is, if they are happy and you know it why not make it easy for your best clients to share their good words.

Primary Tools:

  1. Use of web based tools to create accurate listings in 50+ online directories
    including AVVO, Lawyers.com, Yelp, Martindale, etc.
  2. Manage Client Review: Notification, Collection, Moderation and Marketing
  3. Aggregate Reviews to a Microsite
  4. Syndicate to Sites You Control and get Indexed on Search Engines
  5. Optimize use of satisfaction questionnaire for more and better reviews
    (For example,if you use a program like Time Matters – as you mark afileclosed, use a trigger to generate the Close File Letter with a Satisfaction Survey.  )

The Benefits:

  1. Greater quantity of high quality certified client reviews
  2. Greater frequency of certified client reviews for higher rankings
  3. More accurate and widely published listings to improve conversions
  4. Greater control using review notification and moderation
  5. Build strong trust faster with certified reviews

Let your satisfied clients speak for you and give your future clients a reason to move forward, today.

To learn more call 856.429.3010 or use Contact Us