Building Legal Client Relationships for Long-Term Success
Relationships are the spice of life; this holds for legal client relationships and relationships between you and your peers. Understanding how these interactions can help and hinder your career provides insight into the best practices for growing your law firm and maintaining a sparkling reputation. These relationships can result in an increased caseload and career advancement opportunities. Building and strengthening your relationships is a cost-effective strategy to keep your clients happy and improve your digital reputation.
Understanding Legal Client Relationships
Strong client relationships are more important in today’s digital age than ever before. Positive client interactions can create business through client retention, referrals, and new clients. Today, your online reputation is often your first chance at a good impression. Creating a strong legal client relationship begins before you meet your potential clients. Many clients jump online and browse reviews and testimonials before contacting an attorney.
Online client reviews are incredibly important, influencing prospective clients regarding your abilities and credibility. Potential clients will make certain judgments based on your reviews, including:
- Higher star ratings: A higher star rating may be taken to mean you are a better lawyer, get better results, recover more in compensation, or have better customer rapport.
- Number of reviews: Clients may believe that having more reviews implies you are more popular or better at your job.
- Low ratings: Many savvy potential clients will specifically browse one- and two-star ratings to investigate shortcomings. They will also look to your responses to these criticisms.
High-Quality Reviews
When requesting reviews, it’s important to request them from clients who were happy with your results. Make a list of past clients you believe would write the best reviews. When you reach out to them, include specifics from their case, such as a higher-than-anticipated settlement or another positive aspect. Be sure to include a personal note that is specific to each client. Showing that you remember and care about their well-being demonstrates your sincerity.
Going for Quality and Quantity
Quality reviews are the goal, but if you can get them en masse, that’s even better. While you probably can’t boost your reviews from 4 to 400 overnight, starting an online review strategy is never too late. Create a short email template requesting a review and personalize short messages to satisfied clients from your past. Ask them to consider referring friends who may need your services or leaving a short review regarding their experience. Include links directly to your profile on websites such as:
- Martindale
- Avvo
- Nolo
- Lawyers.com
- Google business
By garnering positive reviews on multiple sites, you can capture several sources of referral traffic while solidifying your brand’s digital reputation.
Dissatisfied Clients
While five-star reviews are the objective, unfortunately, not every client will leave a glowing review. Even filtering your client list for your most satisfied clients can’t prevent the occasional poor review. Most poor reviews don’t stem from a despicable desire to ruin your reputation. Rather, they may originate in the client’s desire to be heard and help improve future clients’ experiences. When you reach out to clients after a case, request feedback on improving your services. If they have no constructive criticism, request that they leave a positive review instead.
When you do receive a negative review, your response can be a moment to shine. Tackling complaints is an art. Spin the negatives:
- Thoughtfully address the issue
- Note the positive aspects of the case
- Sincerely explaining your side of the story
- Demonstrate your commitment to excellence by actively seeking to solve the problem
Your prospective clients will respect your candid response, and you will turn a negative review into a positive one. You should respond to each review by thanking the client for their feedback and addressing any criticisms. Be sure to respond to all reviews, whether glowing praise or scathing critiques.
For example, imagine a client leaving a four-star review and mentioning they were disappointed with their compensation. You might thank them for the review, note the case’s success, acknowledge their disappointments, explain why you made these choices, and invite the client to reach out to you to discuss the matter further. Just be careful not to put anything in your response that the general public shouldn’t see. When other clients read your sincere response, they should be impressed with your sincerity and warm approach.
Building Strong Peer Relationships
Attorneys outside your firm can be seen as competitors, but you can also view them as valuable allies. Collaborating with your peers can have mutually beneficial results. These relationships can lead to client referrals and peer reviews.
The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ system provides a platform to receive verified peer ratings on your legal ability and ethical standards. You can display your earned rank as AV Preeminent®, Distinguished, or Notable. The secure online peer review survey instills trust in your your abilities.
Importance of Networking
Building a solid peer network can bring opportunities you would otherwise miss. A strong network can provide a broader client base through referrals and collaboration. Networking opportunities can include:
- Trade shows
- Industry events
- Online legal communities
- Continuing legal education (CLE) programs
- Bar association meetings
- Legal seminars
- Pro Bono and volunteer activities
The Longterm Impact of Strong Relationships
Building strong relationships can bring valuable results in the short and long term. These relationships can result in repeat business and career development. Keeping in touch with your clients through newsletters or annual emails can keep you in mind when future legal issues arise or when friends and family encounter legal trouble.
By keeping relationships with your peers, you can keep the door open to new career development opportunities. You could be propositioned with leadership roles or speaking engagements. By putting yourself out there, you invite opportunities into your professional life.
Staying connected requires effort, but over time, you will realize the valuable impact strong communication has on your career. Whether you maintain relationships via social media or at industry events, touching base with those around you can benefit your career.
Securing Success Through Legal Client Relationships
Building and maintaining strong relationships is a key component of law firm success. By focusing on legal client relationships to create a more impactful client strategy, you can also improve customer service and provide a more fulfilling experience. Peer relationships can also be foundational to your career and provide unexpected opportunities for advancement.
Martindale-Avvo is committed to helping you build lasting relationships. Browse our services or connect with a Legal Marketing Expert to discuss the best solutions for your brand.
