Five Tips for Law Firm Calls-To-Actions

A CTA or call-to-action is an important part of any marketing strategy, including those for attorneys and law firms. A call-to-action typically follows some sort of message and should entice a potential client to take the next step. In the legal industry, this often means clicking a button, calling the office, or filling out a web form regarding their inquiry. It's easy to forget that being a good lawyer isn't enough in a world with so much competition, particularly online. Developing a strong and effective CTA or revising those that are not producing results needs to be a top priority for law firms and attorneys looking to attract new clients.

The following five tips can help strengthen a law firm's new or existing CTAs:

1. A CTA should be eye-catching. The first step in getting a potential client to engage with a CTA is for them to see the CTA. Creating something eye-catching or with an irresistible hook is a good way to draw visitors in, familiarize them with your offering, and encourage them to engage with the CTA. For example, many personal injury firms offer free consultations and—as money is likely a prominent concern for many clients—including the word “free” in the CTA or button is a good way to catch their attention and encourage them onward.
2. A CTA should be simple. The simpler the CTA the better; you don’t typically need to spell out all the details of your offering before actually making the offer. For the most part, as long as it’s obvious which practice areas your firm represents, your CTA can be as simple as “Click Here for a Free Case Evaluation”. People seeking legal representation are likely stressed and already feeling rushed; dropping as many barriers gives a CTA the best chance at producing real engagement.
3. A CTA should be unique. It’s not enough to have a CTA; any CTA must be customized to the law firm’s brand, theme, target clients, etc. If your CTA involves a button, the font and colors on the button should be in line with the rest of your firm. If the tone of your website is more personable than dry, the CTA should also feel personable. If a CTA from your law firm is compared to a CTA from another law firm, it should be immediately apparent which one belongs to which firm.
4. A CTA should be specific. A big problem with CTAs can be lack of specificity. For example, the common CTA “Click to Learn More” is a little vague and doesn’t illustrate what the potential client will receive if they do click; even something as specific as “Click to Learn How a Lawyer Can Help” lets a curious visitor know what sort of information will be available if they follow the CTA. Additionally, CTAs like “Schedule a Free Consultation Now” or “Click for a Free Evaluation” let a client know exactly what they can expect if they click on the button, and may further motivate them to do so.
5. A CTA should be personalized. It’s important to remember that a law firm can and should use more than one CTA. CTAs should be personalized to a target market, and for firms working in multiple practice areas, this may mean several different markets. For example, some firms practice personal injury and criminal defense; however, potential clients searching the website are almost always only looking for one or the other, so there should be practice-area-specific CTAs for each group. CTAs can even be broken down even further; for example, a law firm can provide one CTA for someone who suspects they suffered medical malpractice and a different CTA for those who were injured in a car accident.

To learn more about CTAs for law firms, or for help developing effective CTAs, reach out to a legal marketing professional.