Attorney tips for a strong start to the new year

The start of a new year brings promises of change, improvement, and growth for your small law firm. But as a busy attorney, you need to be smart and strategic with how you spend your time and resources. Read on to learn four things you can do now to set your firm up for success next year — and for many years to come.

1. Develop a process for asking clients for reviews

Online reviews are a powerful digital soapbox that hold a lot of influence. Because online reviews often provide a more authentic snapshot of what it’s really like to work with you and your law firm, they can be the top factor that wins over a prospective client. It’s one thing to say on your website that you care about your clients and take time to listen and understand their issues. But having a client be able to articulate those same sentiments in their own words is a powerful endorsement and one that’s likely to hold more sway.

When thinking about how and when to ask clients for online reviews, frequency and consistency are key. Make a habit of routinely asking clients for reviews when sending client communications and make it as easy as possible for clients by including examples of good reviews and links to your firm’s Google Business Profile.

2. Invest in and improve your networking efforts 

Many lawyers use social media for professional reasons, including for career development and networking. Having a presence on a professional social networking site like LinkedIn is an excellent way to connect with prospective clients, current and former clients, and other lawyers. LinkedIn is well-suited to the type of information and engagement lawyers need, and it can be a helpful tool for boosting your professional image or expanding your law firm’s reach online.

Engaging via LinkedIn doesn’t need to take a lot of time or effort, either. You can flex your thought leadership muscles by posting a link to a recent blog post you wrote on your website or share your professional thoughts on a recent legal ruling or matter that’s being covered in the news. Work to be consistent in your posting cadence and always post with the goal of being perceived as a knowledgeable legal professional.

3. Streamline administrative tasks with AI 

Every attorney has daily, weekly, or monthly tasks that they loathe doing. For you, it may be the work associated with time tracking, billing and invoicing, or drafting client communications. While necessary, these types of administrative tasks can be extremely time consuming and mentally draining.

This is where the utility and practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) comes into play. AI-powered tools can help reduce the burden of mundane tasks, allowing you to free up more of your time and shift your mental capacity to focus on helping your clients. This, in turn, can improve efficiency and productivity at your small law firm – and as you’re able to complete time-consuming tasks in a fraction of the time, your overall work-life balance.

4. Reevaluate your firm’s digital marketing strategy   

Is your current marketing mix working or do you need to make some adjustments? The best way to evaluate your current strategy and tools is to take a closer look at how each one is performing. Where do you need to make tweaks and improvements? Does it make sense to dial back or up on spend in a certain area?

Digital marketing is an art, not a science. It’s important to continually monitor performance and make strategic adjustments when and where it makes sense. Many small law firms find it extremely beneficial to partner with a digital marketing vendor like FindLaw. Our digital marketing experts have a deep understanding of the challenges small law firms face, along with the ins and outs of specific marketing solutions. They continually monitor the performance of digital marketing tools like your firm’s website, legal directory listings, pay-per-click ads, and social media channels. With the right recommendations and adjustments, your small law firm will be on track to reach your business goals.

Ready to start the new year off strong? Schedule a meeting with a FindLaw consultant today.