Common Questions People Ask Attorneys

People seeking legal counsel are often finding themselves in a new and unfamiliar situation; most people have little knowledge of or experience with the legal industry. This leads to a set of common questions that many legal clients have in common. Presenting comprehensive answers to these questions via a thoughtful and effective marketing strategy is a great way for attorneys and law firms to build trust with potential clients and to show them you understand and care about their situation.

Common questions asked by potential clients include the following:

• What kind of lawyer do I need?
• How do I choose the right lawyer?
• When do I need a lawyer?
• What do attorneys charge?
• How can I afford a lawyer?
• What can I expect from an attorney?
• How long will my case take?
• Can I handle this case on my own?

The answers to many of these questions vary from person to person, but it’s a good idea to present a roadmap and even some examples so potential clients can get an idea of what to expect.

When someone is in need of a lawyer, it’s safe to assume they are not in the most comfortable or confident position in life. Potential legal clients are often worried and uncertain about the next steps they need to take, so it is particularly important for attorneys to present empathy and clarity whenever possible; empathy can be expressed by knowing what questions to answer, and clarity can be assured by answering questions clearly and thoroughly.

Questions can vary based on practice areas.

Depending on your area of law, you might have noticed that you receive different questions than the ones above; it’s a good idea to make sure the answers are available for those questions as well. For example, a car accident attorney may want to answer questions regarding what to do immediately after an accident, or how to deal with insurance companies. A family law attorney might want to answer questions regarding how to file for child support modification or how assets are divided in divorce. It’s important to put yourself in the shoes of potential clients and consider some of the questions they are asking themselves. Arguably, it is equally important to answer the questions you know they should be asking.

There are a variety of ways to creatively answer these questions, including:

• Website/landing page content
• Attorney videos
• Blogs
• Social media posts
• Email blasts

It is important to remember that depending on the method you choose to answer these and other questions, you might be able to use the content in multiple ways. For example, if you answer these and other frequently asked legal questions via an attorney video or blog, this content can be posted on your website, shared on social media, and delivered via email blast. This also presents the opportunity to create additional content for more in-depth answers to basic questions, or for answers to less common but equally important questions. It is vital to produce and share content that potential clients will find helpful but doesn’t require reinventing the wheel.

To learn more about what questions attorneys need to be answering for their clients, or for help brainstorming ways to answer those questions, contact AskTheLawyers™.