How to Find New Clients in 2020

It’s no secret that everything is happening online these days; the coronavirus pandemic has only accentuated the issue. This has resulted in industries that traditionally relied on brick-and-mortar means of operation feeling left in the lurch. Unfortunately, the legal industry is not exempt.

The legal industry is heavily dependent on the ability of attorneys to make personal connections and provide meaningful communication both to colleagues and clients. Understandably, people are more likely to hire an attorney whom they are convinced A) is an authority on their issue, and B) actually cares about their clients. Unfortunately, these factors can be difficult to convince a client of over the internet.

Video marketing is essential for connecting with clients.

It can be hard to convince a potential client of your authority on a particular legal topic without having an actual conversation about it. While having a one-on-one conversation with every potential client who passes through your website is not feasible, providing pre-recorded informative material in the form of a video is. According to Cisco, by 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic.

Focus group research has proven that a potential client is more likely to hire an attorney whom they can first watch in a video; in lieu of a personal meeting, getting to see how an attorney speaks and emotes can make a world of difference to someone seeking legal representation. Providing an informative video of good audio-visual quality can help potential clients make a personal connection, and encourage them to reach out to someone who has proven that they know what they’re talking about.

People are more likely to hire an attorney from a directory.

Focus group research has proven that people are more likely to choose an attorney they found on a directory rather than a standalone website. Most people do not profess to be experts in law, and more likely than not don’t know where to start looking for a lawyer. Perhaps even more important to note, most people don’t inherently know what sets one attorney apart from another.

These days, every law firm has a website of varying degrees of quality, so it is important to offer something else that can set your firm apart. Simply being online is not enough. A great way to set yourself apart is to apply for a place in a national directory of vetted, trusted attorneys. Most people don’t know what to look for in a lawyer, and find relief for this tension by following directories. Lawyers who meet eligibility requirements to be included in national directories are making the best use of their available resources to encourage potential clients to trust them enough to reach out and learn more.

Choosing an attorney “sight unseen” and without recommendations is nerve-wracking.

Most people seeking legal help are not going through a particularly easy period in life; adding another layer of uncertainty to the stress they are already dealing with is unlikely to result in success for either party. Attorneys can help remove this uncertainty by making themselves available online, but not through mere web presence. By offering informative videos, legal tips, and the chance to get to know a potential legal representative on a personal level—or at least what feels like one—an attorney can foster the connection they need to secure a client and make that client feel secure.