By: Margaret Grisdela, President of
Expert Law Marketing and
Legal Expert Connections. The firm specializes in business
development in the legal market and serves attorneys, law firms, expert witnesses and other
legal service providers. You can reach her at
mg@legalexpertconnections.com.
How can I get more clients? It’s a
question frequently asked by experts, attorneys and business
owners. The solution is literally at your fingertips. Every
day, Americans rely on the Internet to find the answer to
more than 200 million queries, according to The Wall Street
Journal. Generating more business can be as easy as tuning
up your Internet marketing so that attorneys, paralegals and
prospective clients can find you online. Here are 10 tips to
help you open up your pipeline to new engagements.
Tip # 1: Use online directories to promote your service
Tip # 2: Register your site with leading search engines
Tip # 3: Talk the search engine language
Tip # 4: Launch an ad campaign on Google or Yahoo!
Tip # 5: Make it easy to contact you
Tip # 6: Introduce yourself online
Tip # 7: Clearly explain your services
Tip # 8: Compare your site to competitors
Tip # 9: Refresh your online appearance
Tip # 10: Build links to other websites
Tip # 1: Use online directories to promote your service
Registering with an expert directory like
HG
Experts.com is an excellent way to increase your online
visibility and drive qualified prospects to your website.
Many State Bar Associations also maintain an online service
directory.
Tip # 2: Register your site with leading search
engines
Google
is the world’s largest search engine, with an index of over
8 billion web pages. Over 380 million unique users
worldwide turn to Google every month for answers. You can
register your site on Google for free. Just go to the URL
below and follow the instructions.
http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl
DMOZ,
also known as “The Open Directory,” is a free,
volunteer-built index relied on by Google and many other
search engines. Getting your site registered at
www.dmoz.com is a sure
path to higher page rankings in free search results. Just
find the DMOZ category where you would like to be listed,
then click on the “Suggest URL” option in the top menu bar
to fill out a submission form. Check back periodically to
see if your listing was accepted and resubmit your site if
necessary.
Yahoo!
also offers a free site suggestion tool as well as a
guaranteed placement option for a one-time payment of $299.
Tip # 3: Talk the search engine language
Search engines evaluate your site with the use of a “web
crawler” that reads the “meta tags” in the header of your
HTML pages. Make sure your site includes a title and
description tag, as well as appropriate keywords. Inspect
your meta tags by selecting “View” from the browser menu
while on your website, then “Source” from the list of
options.
“Keyword density” is another important concept for high
search engine ranking. This simply means that your web
pages should include key terms that drive searches.
Important buzz words include “expert witness,” “litigation
support” and key industry terms.
By the way, “Flash” and “frames” are not search engine
friendly. If your website uses either of these techniques,
speak with your webmaster about updating your site (or get a
new webmaster!).
Tip # 4: Launch an ad campaign on Google or Yahoo!
Imagine hiring a sales person who works 24/7, 365 days a
year on a commission-only basis. That is exactly what you
get with a cost-effective online ad campaign. You will
reach prospects exactly when they are searching for your
service. Simply place your bid on key terms like “expert
witness” or “accident reconstruction” and establish a daily
budget. You are only charged when someone clicks on your ad
and visits your website. Visit
http://www.google.com/ads/ or
http://www.overture.com
to learn more.
While simple to start, there are many advanced techniques
you can use to maximize your online ad investment. Watch
for future articles on this topic.
Convert Site Visitors to Clients
Now that you know how to drive more visitors to your
website, the next step is to make it easy for your new
prospects to learn about your services and get in touch with
you.
Tip # 5: Make it easy to contact you
Start by putting your phone number prominently on your
home page. Yes, this is a basic step but one that is
actually overlooked by many website owners. Just like a
newspaper, important information should appear “above the
fold” on your home page. Make your phone number a part of
your masthead if possible.
Your email address should also be accessible. Many
visitors want to make a first contact via email, either
because it is easier for them or it is after hours and they
don’t want to disturb you by phone. Monitor your incoming
email regularly and respond quickly. Your email signature
should provide complete contact information and an active
link to your website.
The “Contact Us” page and/or the footer of each web page
are good choices when listing your corporate mailing
address.
Tip # 6: Introduce yourself online
A busy attorney or paralegal in search of an expert
witness should be able to quickly find your photo and CV on
your website. If you don’t want to list your full CV,
provide an informative list of career highlights.
Your website is a great way to offer “self-service” to
prospective clients who need quick access to your background
information when they may retain you.
Tip # 7: Clearly explain your services
Organize your website so prospects can easily identify
your areas of expertise. It is a good idea to include a
list of bullet points on your home page with your top 3-4
services. Each bullet could link to a new page that
describes your capabilities in more detail.
Keep your Website Up-to-Date
Don’t think that just because you have some online
marketing in place and are generating good website traffic
that you can take it easy. There’s always room for
improvement! Here are a few closing suggestions.
Tip # 8: Compare your site to competitors
Look at what your competitors are doing online. Adapt
“best practices” to your own website. Do a Google search on
your competitors periodically to see how they are marketing
themselves online.
Tip # 9: Refresh your online appearance
The beauty of the Internet is that it is constantly
changing. If your site is more than 2 years old, you should
be planning your next round of enhancements. Older than 2
years, you say? You should be in active discussions with a
web designer!
Add new content regularly also. It’s a great way to get
more visibility in the search engines, and will give your
customers a reason to come back to your site. Blogs are an
interesting tool to maintain current industry news.
Tip # 10: Build links to other websites
Get in the habit of exchanging links with complementary
websites. Search engines favor those websites that have a
high number of incoming links, since it signifies popularity
and valuable content. See how many links you (or a
competitor) have by visiting
LinkPopularity.com.
In closing, the Internet is an excellent way to generate
high qualified new business opportunities. It’s fast,
affordable and always working for you. Whether you are a
novice or an experienced Internet marketer, there’s always
more you can do to put the power of the Internet to work for
you. Start today!
Tip # 11: Tip from the Internet experts at
Hieros
Gamos: Hire a professional agency to market your expertise
on the Internet and optimize your website so you can devote your
time to your clients and business.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Margaret Grisdela is President
of
Expert Law Marketing and
Legal Expert Connections, specializing in business
development in the legal market and expert witness
recruitment. She served as the 2005 President of the
Florida
Direct Marketing Association. You can reach her at
mg@legalexpertconnections.com.
More Information about the author at
Legal Expert Connections, Inc.
Copyright - (c) Legal Expert Connections, Inc.
