Here’s the solution to all the problems I pointed out in the previous blog. As a quick refresher, there are more firms than good spots on the first page of Google. About 60% of people will choose one of the first three organic results. The frustrating part, at least as it pertains to lawyers, is that these spots are not merit-based. They are given out to the highest bidder (the first four paid slots) or those who employ the best SEO tactics.
There are several instances when the best organic searches lead to poorly crafted websites created for SEO rather than for the clients they hope to serve. Just because someone clicks on the result does not mean they will become a paying client, which is the end state.
Your Network Is A Better, Cheaper Option
If you have heard me say this before, I apologize, but it is a question that I repeat frequently. How many people have you worked with in your career, and how many of them think highly of your services? The reason I say this is because these people are your best salespeople. When I needed an attorney, I did not turn to Google; I asked my brother, who is an attorney. I trusted his opinion far more than a search result. If my brother had faith in the person he recommended, that was all I needed.
He gave me a name, and I looked them up. I have no idea what this person did for marketing or whether he used SEO, but his name was the first that appeared on Google because I wanted it to. I looked for him because someone whose opinion I valued told me to.
Each of your past clients can do this for you.
The problem is that people forget who you are. Because of this, three times more people would refer a professional than actually do. This is the component that people miss out on when they think about their past clients giving them referrals. The fact is that you will generate referrals without marketing. Law firms get referrals and think they are all set on that front. In turn, they spend their time searching for ways to get more cold leads while investing in things like SEO.
You need to focus on whether you’re missing out on a significant number of referrals. How many more can you get with minimal effort?
Content Closes the Referral Gap
Instead of spending thousands on the possibility of getting on the first page, send out something as simple, essential, and beautiful as a newsletter. You can include educational content while staying in touch with the people who will most likely refer you to their friends, families, and colleagues.
The people you like will refer you to like-minded people. This is why content also leads to better clients. People are out there selling your services and screening your potential clients because you’re spending a few hundred a month staying in touch with them. If you want even more clients, go out and network, build your email list, and then nurture that relationship. When they need your services, they will already know to look for you.
You’ve built a network. For a marginal cost, you can get even more business from them. All you have to do is stay in touch. And when they look you up, I can guess whose name will appear first on the Google results. That may be the only way to guarantee that you land on the first page, and it can be done for $100 rather than $10,000 (which still may not work.)
Spotlight Branding
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