Everybody loves a good review, right? There’s nothing better than receiving a compliment or a “thank you” acknowledging your hard work. A good review can also be far more than just an unexpected day-maker that boosts your confidence. A positive review or rating of your practice can directly yield new clients and even, (once you have enough of them), help you garner local and national awards.
But managing such reviews and ratings can require just as much work in terms of maintenance and response as it does actually working hard to receive them in the first place. That being said, the following are some practical steps that you can take to ensure that your handling of a good review is as positive as the review itself.
Types of Reviews
There are several types of positive reviews that an attorney or advocate can receive. You can receive a private e-mail or handwritten letter, a rating with an accompanying post to your social media feed, a rating on a review website for legal professionals or widespread word-of-mouth. Each of these types of reviews carry a different initial level of both online and offline visibility, but all can be equally effective in bolstering your reputation if you respond accordingly.
How to Respond
Before you do anything, it’s always important to consider asking permission first. You don’t want to violate someone’s privacy, misquote them or violate a website’s Terms of Service, so you should always reach out privately and ask the following questions if you have any uncertainty:
- Can you use their full name and/or location?
- Should you redact any information regarding the specifics of their case?
- Are they okay with their review being published either digitally or even in print?
However, there are instances in which you won’t have to ask permission. For example, if someone gives you a 5-star rating and a very thoughtfully written post directly to your practice’s Facebook page, then you should definitely respond sometime during that very day, (the sooner the better), and throw a thumbs-up their way. Be sure to publicly thank them via the comment thread connected to their review and avoid sharing any information regarding their case or any overly personal information about their experience with your firm outside of what they’ve already shared in their review.
Where to Display
Another important thing to consider when managing a positive review is where you should display it. Depending on your own personal preferences, marketing budget and social media usage, you may have a variety of options.
If you prefer only displaying any and all practice-related content on your firm’s website, then display it openly in a testimonials sections either directly at the bottom of your homepage or in an easy-to-find tab located towards the top of the very same homepage.
But maybe you’re partial to print media and would like to create a testimonials section for your firm’s upcoming mailer. Or perhaps, you’re more into T.V. advertising and want to create and air a commercial (or YouTube video) with real clients giving real accounts of their experiences with you and your firm.
Regardless of which route you take, just remember to comply with the wishes of your clients as well as any terms of services for any third-party sites you choose to use.
How to Maintain Quality
Lastly, since you already know how to get good reviews and how to handle a bad review, it’s important to maintain their steady inflow. Beyond responding to and sharing positive reviews, you just need to continue delivering the same topnotch service that you’re known for.
And, should you ever find yourself in need of more adoring clients, then please feel free to reach out to eGen at 617.800.0089 for all of your legal case lead needs.