Slides from my presentation of "Beyond the FAQ: Building Client-Friendly Websites", co-presented with Jeff Lantz at the ABA TECHSHOW, March 29, 2012.

1. March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com
Beyond The FAQ: Building Client-
Friendly Websites
Presenters
Steve Matthews
Jeff Lantz
PRESENTED BY THE
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

2. Presentation Topics
• Client-Friendly Website – What
content do clients want to see (and
how can this best be presented)?
• Learn how multiple platforms can be
used to deliver your firm’s messages
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

3. Traditional Website –
Focused on Information
• Firm news, attorney profiles, practice
areas descriptions
• Speaking engagements, papers
published
• Education and awards
• What content should be promoted
to get new legal work?
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

4. It’s All About Me (the Client)
• How will your firm help me with my
legal matters?
• Do you have the experience and
expertise required?
• Will your fees be reasonable (and
within my budget)?
• Can I trust you?
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

5. Client-Centered Website – Focused
on Resonation
• How your firm serves clients
• Content that has a direct bearing
on their legal matter
• High Level Items – these are the
items and information that clients
want to see, and the ones used in
making the hiring decision
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

6. Example - What Do Personal
Injury Clients Care About?
• Past success
• Testimonials
• Personal attention
• Understanding of my
situation
• Trust
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

7. What Do Business Clients
Want to See?
• Current and detailed evidence of
competencies in legal areas needed
• You understand our business
objectives
• You understand budgeting and fees
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

8. Identify the High Level
Information for Your Clients
• Make a list – what information is High
Level and what is non-High Level?
• Look at your website –
how well is the High
Level information
presented?
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

9. Elevate High Level Messages
to Home Page
• High Level Items - Create messages
that will resonate with clients around
how you will serve them
• 5-15 seconds to
resonate
• Average website
visitor sees few pages
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

10. Speak to Clients Directly
• How would you speak to a
prospective client in your office?
– Don’t use passive, disembodied voice.
– Example –
“The Oak City Personal Injury Law Firm of XYZ
provides personal injury clients with zealous
advocacy and injury representation concerning
with or arising out of events which result in
injuries caused by the willful misconduct and/or
negligence of third parties.”
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

11. Better Way to Speak to Clients
“If you’ve been injured in an accident cause
by someone else, we hire accident
reconstructionists and experts to help prove
your case, and we will work tirelessly to get
you the compensation that
you deserve for your injuries.”
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

12. Practice Area Content
Bullet points are not the same as
explaining how you will serve clients.
Bankruptcy example –
Our firm provides representation for:
•Chapter 7, 11 and 13 debtors
•Loan modifications and workouts
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

13. Bankruptcy Example
Is bankruptcy right for you? I know that you will have
many questions about how bankruptcy might affect home
ownership, ownership of your vehicles, college
education savings, and many other assets.
Call me so that I can learn about your situation. I’ll explain
your options and how the bankruptcy process works, and
how creditors are required to stop calling you once a
bankruptcy petition is filed.
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

14. Don’t Overlook
Non-Legal Needs
• Criminal, divorce, child custody,
bankruptcy, and similar matters are
highly emotional
– Create resonation with clients by showing
that you understand what they are going
through
– Use images
– Think magazine ad
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

15. Part 2: Web Publishing Tactics
• Rise of distributed publishing
• The value of single-topic domains
(Examples: Blogs, FAQs, Microsites, Portals)
• Role of the firm website
• Survey of publishing tactics
• Legal web publishing models
• Tips for success
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

16. Distributed Publishing
Notable trend over the past 5-7 years:
• Mass exodus of firm publishing off
the firm website.
• Audiences are being isolated.
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

17. Distributed Publishing
Two destinations for law firm content:
• Third-party websites with established
audiences
Examples: Magazines, Local News, Social Networks,
Industry Publications
• Firm-owned websites targeted at an
isolated group or audience
Examples: Blogs, FAQs, Microsites,
Topical Portals
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

18. Value of single-subject websites
Google loves them. Why?
• Hyper-focused on a single-subject
• Well defined audience demographics
• Subject-connected domain name
• Consistency
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

19. Role of the law firm website
Conveys the firm’s business proposition:
• Experience & expertise
• Introduces practice areas & lawyers
• More… media relations, recruiting & community
involvement
• Is commercial by nature
Not intended to be an “information hub” for
any one audience!
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

20. Lawyer Blogs
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

21. Lawyer Blogs
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

22. FAQ Websites
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

23. FAQ Websites
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

24. Microsite & Topic Portals
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

25. Evolution of Publishing Models:
The Early Years: 1998-2005
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

26. Quoted in Microsites
Magazine
Firm Blogs
Blogs Take Off: 2005 – 2009
Firm
Quoted in
Newspaper
Website Listed in
Legal
Directory
Listed in
Yahoo
Directory,
ODP
Practice
Group Blogs
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

27. Social Networks
Era: 2010-present
Newspaper
Columnist
Content
Marketin Practice
g Firm Group
Blogs Social
Networks Blogs
Quoted in
Magazine
Media
Quoted in
Newspaper Firm
Website Listed in
Legal
Directory
Micro-
sites Listed in
Yahoo
Directory,
ODP
Magazine FAQ
Blogger Sites
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

28. Tips for Success
• Be realistic about the firm’s capacity to
maintain another website.
• Ownership! Always connect each new
website to a practice area or lawyer.
• Prioritize new projects that reflect on
the firm’s core services first.
• Watch for the first mover advantage.
• Keep original commentary on your
websites. Not social media*.
(* that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use social media to get your message out!)
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com

29. Questions?
Jeff Lantz
Jeff@EsquireInteractive.com
Steve Matthews
steve@stemlegal.com
March 29-31, 2012
www.techshow.com