The Client-Centered Website

The Client-Centered Website is an approach described in The Essential Attorney Handbook for Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, and Website Development Management.

Unlike the “traditional” approach by which law firms develop websites around firm and attorney accolades, the Client-Centered Website is focused on one aspect – how the firm serves clients.

• Attorney profiles use the first person voice to speak directly to prospective clients about how he or she will serve them.
• Practice area profiles describe the services that prospective clients seek, rather than consisting of a bullet-point list of legal practices.
• For firms that serve business, client industry sections are included that show how the firm represents a wide variety of issues for clients in a particular industry.
• The Website is characterized by strong messages and images emphasizing service to clients, rather than firm honors and awards.

Prospective clients want to know how a firm will serve their needs; not read detailed lists of attorney accomplishments

The traditional law firm approach seeks to develop clients around detailed text emphasizing educational accomplishments, speaking engagements, lawyer publications, and other matters that often matter little to potential clients.  The inherent message to potential clients is that “if you understand that we have more attorneys who went to better schools and published more papers and speak at more functions than the firm down the street, you will understand that we’re better and will want to hire us.”

The Client-Centered Website seeks to develop clients through an entirely different approach – by clearly communicating how the firm and its attorneys serve clients.  Potential clients thus want to hire the firm because they understand exactly how the firm will serve their needs.  Firm and attorney accolades are still included in the Client-Centered Website, but are de-emphasized and presented in a manner that suggests value to clients.

The Client-Centered Website succeeds because it focuses on how the firm and its attorneys serve clients

We believe that the most successful approach to client development is to connect with potential clients through focusing on their needs.  All of our websites are thus designed using this approach so that potential clients will want to call the firm.

For more information about the Client-Centered Website, see our book or call us.