I came across an interesting article from Forbes recently called “5 Mistakes That Professional Service Providers Make When It Comes To Online Marketing.” What grabbed my attention the most was the opening paragraph:
What do an attorney, accountant and doctor all have in common?
Now this might sound like the introduction to a tired joke that old Uncle Charlie tells at the Thanksgiving table year after year, but the truth is that many professional service providers have something in common – they have lackluster and underperforming websites …
You see, these professionals (such as yourselves) understand that they need a website. But they don’t always go about it the right way.
Are you making these 5 Attorney Marketing Mistakes?
1. They attempt their hand at it or let their neighbor’s teenage nephew design the site. With advancements in technology, DIY is all the rage. Many attorneys will attempt to build their own sites or have a friend/family member build one for them. What they don’t understand is that by building their site on a basic template to make it “look pretty”, they are doing their practice a huge disservice because the functionality and uniqueness of the firm gets left off the table. Your site will be no better than millions of other DIY sites – and it will get lost in the mix. eMarketer recently reported that websites are the most effective marketing method for small businesses. So don’t skimp when it comes to designing a website for your firm – you have too much at stake to leave this to your nephew!
2. They try to appeal to everyone. “If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll be nothing to no one.” This is so important to remember in marketing. Who is your target audience? What services do you really focus on – and which ones bring in the most revenue for your time? You need to have a focus in your practice AND on your website. Online marketing is competitive, so if you don’t stand out and focus on your strengths you’ll get lost in the mix (again). And clients do not want to sift through tons of information to find out if you can help them. Make it easy by getting to the point of what you can really do for them. In doing so, you’ll actually attract quality clients who need your services.
3. They fail to highlight the specific benefits that they bring to the table. This goes along with #2. You have to define who you really are and why a prospective client should pick you. Afterall, your website is promoting YOU. So, what makes you so great? Why should this client work with you instead of your competitor down the street? Dig deep and show people what is unique about your firm. Online payments, referral programs, firm events/workshops, testimonials – these are great ways to explain more about your firm’s sweet spot.
4. They fail to include a call to action. What good is a website if it doesn’t even work? Gah! It doesn’t matter how snazzy the site is, if someone doesn’t know what to do when they get there then it’s just a pretty face on the web. What is your goal with the website? To get visitors in for a consultation? To get them to sign up for a workshop or seminar? Make the call to action clear and prominent on the website. The easier the user-experience, the better. Your clients don’t have time to sift and search, and they will move on to someone else’s site in a matter of seconds if they can’t figure out what to do.
5. They don’t build a mobile site. We cannot ignore mobile marketing any longer. The number of mobile users (think smartphones, iPads, etc.) is substantial and still on the rise. If your website is not easily accessible on mobile, you are likely going to miss out on some business. And have you heard about the latest algorithm update from Google? Starting April 21, Google will favor mobile-friendly or mobile-optimized sites in search rankings. This is no joke – Google was clear in saying that the update “significantly impacts” how all websites will rank worldwide.
Want some good news?
We can help! IMS has you covered for all 5 of these marketing challenges. We build top-notch, responsive websites for estate planning and elder law attorneys that are mobile-optimized and designed with your firm’s strengths and goals in mind. Contact us today to get started.
Reference: Forbes (April 6, 2015) – “5 Mistakes That Professional Service Providers Make When It Comes To Online Marketing”