There are 10,000 law firms that have Web sites today. This is because they are wonderful magnets for new business. Elder law attorneys can make the most of these cyber-marketing trends by setting up dignified and informative Web sites to attract clients.
If your firm does not have a Web site, start by calling a Web designer in the Yellow Pages under "Internet", or you can get a Web site free at FindLaw. By using a series of simple fill-in forms at
office.findlaw.com/firms.html, you can create a professional Web site for your firm in a matter of minutes.
Once it is up and running, be sure to add fresh content to your site as often as possible. This is the single most important element of getting new business from your Web site. People concerned about elderly family members are hungry for information. More than anything, they want to know the definitions of terms and explanations about the law. So, turn your site into a "portal" -- a one-stop destination for clients and prospects to learn about elder law. Educate your clients and answer their most frequently asked questions.
For example, discuss what issues a caregiver will confront with an aging parent. What is involved in a contested guardianship? What is a "springing" power of attorney? What does a caregiver need to know regarding long-term nursing home Medicaid? When is a nursing facility more appropriate than assisted living?
Here are three excellent elder law sites. They top my list because they are easily found.
- Lawyer, Charles F. Robinson's site at rclaw.com. This site is devoted to explaining elder law issues and his reassuring photo is on every page. On the site are answers to many client questions as well as reports on court opinions and news stories. "What you should know about long term care insurance" and a separate "How we can help" page are just one of its many features.
- Elder Law Central is the name of lawyer Richard Stefan Lurye's site at www.elder-lawyer.com/. His site is a resource library for elder law issues designed to help the elderly client. It features news alerts, and even plays music while you visit the site.
- Nay & Friedenberg sets out color photos of their attorneys at www.naylaw.com. A sidebar displays links to health news stories by Reuters. While the site is small, it still provides a "search" feature for visitors.
Once you have a site, put it to work:
- Put your Web address on all your marketing materials. It should appear on your business card, letterhead, newsletters, advertisements and yellow page listings. Put your URL in your signature line in e-mails.
- Be sure to include your phone and fax numbers, the mailing address, and a map on how to get to your office on your site.
- Use the magic word "FREE" all over your site. A great example is Kraft & Associates site at www.kraftlaw.com. This site offers a free initial consultation, free printed materials and a toll-free number. Give away something of value to everyone who visits your site - a newsletter subscription or an article will do fine.
- Make your site interactive. For example, the Finkelstein Levine Gittselsohn & Partners firm, www.lawampm.com, has a "Do I have a Case" button where visitors can complete what is essentially an intake form. Visitors provide their personal information and a detailed description of their matter, which can be reviewed by the firm at its convenience.
- Write articles about elder law and mention your site in the article. The editors will be happy to list your firm's URL (web address) in the author's biography.
- Tweak your site to make insure a high ranking in search engine results. I am convinced that more clients find lawyers using Yahoo than by going to the library and pulling a lawyer directory from the shelf. You can optimize your site by having your web designer insert invisible "meta tags" that improve your ranking in search engine results. Also, ask the designer to hand-register your firm Web site with search engines. There are registration services you can pay to do this, but I would avoid them if they use software or automatic programs to conduct the registration.
- Build an Extranet for clients on your site. An Extranet is a private area on your Web site that clients may view after entering a password. They can view documents in process and check the status of their cases. This is a valuable benefit to clients and saves lawyers time spent updating clients on the status of cases. Note that you can get a free Extranet from FindLaw, too. For 10 Mb of secure document storage go to office.findlaw.com/signup.html.
- Make the site personal. People are scared of lawyers, so you need to make visitors feel comfortable. A smiling picture of yourself surrounded by your friendly staff will show that you are not intimidating. The text on your site should be warm and assuring -- avoid impersonal "advertising-speak."
- Visit the LawMarketing Portal to get new ideas on how to market your law firm. The site is a top destination for promoting a law firm. See especially the "Legal Marketing Technology" page at www.lfmi.com/tech/techindex.html.
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