How Does a Third-Party’s Endorsement Help Your Law Practice?

Choosing an attorney is a big decision, but it can be hard for someone without any experience in the legal industry to know where to start. This is where obtaining a third-party endorsement can be extremely useful. When a trustworthy party recommends an attorney to someone in need of legal aid, the first impression that attorney has on a potential client is already better than one that came without an endorsement.

However, genuine endorsements can be hard to come by. It’s important to refrain from coming across as sales-y or forced, particularly in regard to endorsements. The good news is that there are many types of third-party endorsements, and many ways to obtain these different types of endorsements. As always, creativity is key when it comes to making a positive first impression, especially in regard to attorney marketing.

Types of third-party endorsements for attorneys to consider:

• Client testimonials: Positive testimonials and reviews from happy current and former clients are imperative to giving a strong, trustworthy first impression. These testimonials should be readily visible on the law firm’s website and Facebook page. It’s important to pay attention to both the quantity and quality of client testimonials; the reviews or testimonials you choose for your marketing campaign or website should discuss specifics about what a client appreciated about working with you or your practice. Additionally, there should be enough testimonials to reassure potential clients that a positive experience is the norm when working with you.
• Personal referrals: Personal referrals are extremely important, but can be much harder to regulate. The best thing an attorney can do to foster positive personal referrals is to make sure every client feels cared for and has the chance to observe the skill and experience you possess in your practice area. Sending follow-up emails or newsletters to former clients is a good way to stay present in recent memory, so that the next time a former client runs into someone in need of an attorney, they think of you and do so positively.
• Endorsements from other attorneys: It is not at all uncommon for an attorney to refer a case to someone else. A visible endorsement from a successful attorney in another practice can provide extra clout and help a new or potential client trust your expertise. It’s important to be cooperative and collaborative whenever you find yourself in the situation to work with another attorney; you never know when they might be able to offer a valuable endorsement in the future or vice versa.

While these are not the only third-party endorsements an attorney can seek out, these are all very achievable endorsements. Most attorneys will likely already have everything they need to begin seeking out these types of third-party endorsements. These types of third-party endorsements are not difficult to obtain, and can go a long way toward building an attorney’s impression of authority in their field to reassure potential clients looking for a lawyer they can trust.