Online reviews have become one of the most influential marketing tools, whether you are selling a product or advertising legal services. Over 75% of consumers read and trust customer feedback when deciding whether to purchase something.
As a busy attorney, you may struggle to find time to read client reviews, let alone respond to them. However, it is essential to reply to all feedback – positive and negative. In doing so, you are showing prospective clients that you are responsive, which is a crucial selling point for a lawyer. You are also demonstrating your professionalism and how you handle criticism.
But it isn’t enough to respond; you need to strike the right tone to boost your online reputation. Below, the team at Jay Murray Personal Injury Lawyers provides some things to avoid, whether you are a criminal defense, family law, or personal injury attorney.
1. Responding Impulsively
You may be tempted to type out an impulsive response, especially to a harsh or negative review. However, avoid doing this. Such a reply will likely be fueled by emotion and irritation. It may come off as resentful, which won’t do your law practice any favors.
Instead, think through your response before posting it. You might consider drafting it and reading it later. Or, ask a fellow attorney or staff member to review it and provide their insight.
You want to address the client’s feedback professionally and in a way that shows empathy. Put yourself in their shoes to see where they are coming from. They may be dealing with one of the most trying times in their life. Keep this in mind when submitting your response.
2. Being Defensive Or Arguing With The Client
Sometimes, lawyers act defensively or argue with a client’s feedback – even if they have had time to mull it over. After all, it is natural to want to protect your business and reputation, especially if a review is untrue, rude, or even fake.
However, an online review response is not the forum to discuss these matters. Everyone can see the back-and-forth, so you need to remain calm and objective.
Consider providing your contact information and asking the unsatisfied client to call you personally to discuss their concerns offline. This signals to any third party that you’re open to feedback and willing to acknowledge perceived bad experiences.
Additionally, if you find that a review is fraudulent, some platforms will review it. For example, Avvo has a dispute process where they will contact the alleged client and have them confirm their details. Google will remove a review from your business profile that is fake or misrepresents facts.
3. Ignoring Client Feedback Or Leaving Generic Replies
Some attorneys only respond to positive reviews; others are the opposite and only reply to negative comments. However, ignoring any review is bad for business.
If you only reply to positive client reviews:
● The negative feedback stands out more.
● You are signaling to prospective clients that you are unwilling to acknowledge (or take accountability for) complaints or bad experiences.
● It may look like you don’t care to fix things. On the other hand, if you only respond to negative reviews, it may seem like you only pay attention to disgruntled clients. You are also missing the chance to strengthen the attorney-client relationship and get referrals from positive reviewers in the future.
Additionally, you should avoid leaving generic responses. Using the same boilerplate language for every client seems robotic. Try to personalize the reply to some degree, such as by addressing the client by name.
4. Using Your Reply To Advertise Your Legal Services
Replies to reviews are meant to improve trust in your legal services. You are showing that you value positive feedback and are sensitive and responsive to negative experiences.
You shouldn’t use this platform for advertisement purposes, as it can look insincere and off-topic. For example, boasting about your impressive case results in response to a negative client review fails to address their stated concerns. It also comes across as though you are disregarding what may be genuine feelings.
5. Responding Too Late
While it is better to reply late than not at all, you may portray yourself as inattentive. Companies that provide prompt, thoughtful responses are viewed as more reliable and trustworthy. It also improves your search engine rankings, especially on Google.
However, as mentioned above, avoid impulsive responses. Striking the right balance between promptness and impulsivity will go a long way in boosting your online reputation.
Authentic And Well-Thought-Out Responses To Reviews Will Improve Your Law Firm’s Online Engagement
Now that you understand some review response practices to avoid, you are on your way to improving your law firm’s visibility online. Having a robust presence will enhance your personal and professional reputation.
