How to Use Online Testimonials to Boost Your Law Firm's Business Testimonials and reviews are a great way for lawyers and their firms to market themselves, while also helping to convert potential leads.

Testimonials are a powerful way for law firms to market themselves. Best of all, they cost almost nothing and leave your marketing budget intact. There are tips for law firm testimonials that can boost these brief nuggets of content from ordinary to outstanding. Rather than having hum-drum, predictable comments from clients on your website that get lost in the mix, these tips can help you display testimonials that wow a reader.

First, let's take a look at what research data has to say about the power of testimonials:

• The regular use of customer testimonials can help you generate 62% more revenue.
• 92% of consumers read online testimonials and reviews before making a purchase.
• 72% of consumers say online testimonials and reviews make them trust a business more.
• 72% of consumers say they will take action only after reading a positive review/testimonial.

Client reviews on third-party platforms (like Google, Facebook, Avvo, Yelp!, etc.) are close cousins to on-site client testimonials, and they're important, too. Consider these stats about reviews from Vendasta:

• Star rating is the No. 1 factor used by consumers to judge a business.
• 94% of consumers would use a business with a 4-star rating.
• 88% of consumers form an opinion of a firm by reading up to 10 reviews.
• Between 1 and 3 bad online reviews would be enough to deter 67% of consumers from purchasing a service.

Why Law Firm Testimonials Are Important

There are some good reasons to place client testimonials on your law firm's website. Here are just a few.

1. Customers Listen to Other Customers

Research shows that clients trust other clients far more than they trust advertising. While consumers are skeptical of flashy ads and sales pitches, they tend to believe comments from other consumers who have used a product or service.

2. Leverage the Power of Social Proof

"Social proof" is a behavioral science showing that, when faced with uncertainty, consumers mimic other consumers. Consumers assume that the next person knows more about a topic than they themselves do, so they'll choose the same product or service that everyone else is choosing.

3. Your Competitors Have Testimonials

Increasingly, many law firms place client testimonials on their websites. If your firm doesn't, potential clients may ask themselves, "Why not?" You don't want to create the impression that you don't have any positive client comments to share.

5 Steps to Success

Tips for getting law firm testimonials

As an attorney, you cannot tell a client what to say in a testimonial. However, the following tips can be helpful to clients who agree to write a testimonial, and these tips can help your firm select which testimonials to feature on your website.

1. Each testimonial should speak to a different benefit.

Rather than having 5 or 8 client testimonials that speak in general terms about how nice or effective your law firm is, it's better to have testimonials that speak in very specific terms about one aspect of your legal services. For example, choose individual testimonials that speak to one of the following of your firm's attributes:

• Responsiveness and communication
• Affordability of services
• Amount of settlement or jury award
• Compassion and understanding of legal staff
• Willingness to negotiate aggressively.

2. Ask clients to include as many specific details as possible.

If a client's testimonial is focusing on your firm's exceptional and timely communication, the more specific the details, the better. For example, rather than a testimonial saying, "The lawyer called me right back," it's more effective if the testimonial includes details like "I received a call-back within 3 minutes and all my questions were answered." When asking a client to write a testimonial, ask them to include specific details.

3. Include dollar amounts of settlements and awards if possible.

There's nothing like dollar figures to convince would-be plaintiffs. In the end, everyone wants to be awarded damages, and the size of your firm's previous successful settlements and awards matter. When asking a client to write a testimonial, ask if they will include the dollar amount of their settlement or jury award. While some clients may be reluctant to disclose this information, others will happily provide it.

4. Ask the client if you can use their last name and city.

A testimonial has greater credibility the more we know about the person who wrote it. While a testimonial written by "Jane" is better than no testimonial at all, a testimonial written by "Jane Brown, St. Louis, Missouri" lends a greater level of specificity, credibility, and trust.

5. Continually seek more testimonials and reviews.

The more testimonials and reviews you have, the better. Seeking testimonials and reviews should be an integral part of your client communication process. If possible, you can even automate requests to clients for written testimonials or third-party platform reviews. Research shows that consumers trust recent reviews more than older reviews, and they trust 30 reviews more than 3 reviews.

Here's the Takeaway

One of the best and most cost-effective ways to market your law firm is to let satisfied clients sing your praises. That's why placing client testimonials on your website is so important. Many clients are happy to write brief testimonials if you remember to ask them. When you ask for a testimonial, encourage a client to focus on one aspect of your service, be as specific as possible, include the dollar amount of their settlement (if applicable), and include their full name and city. It's also a good idea to task a single staff member with requesting client testimonials and then following up. That way, this effort doesn't get lost in the shuffle of a busy day. Remember, customers listen to other customers, so let your satisfied clients share their good news.