Introduction
With the ability for potential clients to research at their fingertips, there has never been a better time for Barristers to have an engaging and effective professional profile online. For many, the opportunity for business and the public to instruct Barristers direct is seen as a “growing area.” Reducing costs in the present difficult climate is a key driver.
Having an online profile doesn’t just mean having a Twitter account or a Facebook profile, it means much more than this. The key to a successful online presence in my view is to adopt a proven strategy that understands the needs of your target audiences and will include not only a presence on all relevant social media platforms but at its core will have a fully mobile responsive website that works seamlessly across all devices. This website will allow you to set the foundations for you to proactively demonstrate the fields you represent by creating new unique content.
This article will explain the benefits of raising your online profile, look at the opportunities this brings, it will also outline the core principles that we set for all Barristers we work with.
Why It Is Important To Have An Online Profile As A Barrister?
Traditionally, there has been a reliance on personal referrals and self-generated leads by many Barristers. However, I believe that the next generation of instructions will increasingly come from internet generated leads. I believe that the proactive promotion of the specialist legal services Barristers provide is key to a successful online profile.
There are three core reasons why I think all Barristers who are looking to forge new relationships and generate more work in Direct Access should have a solid online presence.
1. Stand Out From Your Competition
An online profile that you are in full control of allows you to appeal directly to potential clients and clearly illustrate the fields of law you specialise in.
Potential clients increasingly can research Barristers & Solicitors in depth before instructing. A solid online presence allows those looking for your services to validate you against your competition and get a clear understanding of your areas of expertise. From our experience, this can mean the difference between successfully winning an instruction and not.
“I can attest from experience that having a state of the art website and professional social media presence across all devices does attract new clients and makes you stand out.”
Patrick Cannon
2. The Ability To Generate Direct Access Work Independently
In my view, this is the greatest opportunity for Barristers in a generation. The development of Direct Access gives Barristers a new dimension to increase their workload by generating leads directly without the need for Solicitors or other intermediary referrers.
The benefits for Barristers & clients can be huge and include the variety and scope of work, ability to seek advice that is historically difficult to obtain or afford with and in some cases saving on legal fees. However, the landscape to generate work directly is ever-changing and increasingly competitive.
With extensive research and deep knowledge of the legal sector, we have developed a proven strategy to generate public access work for several Barristers in niche, competitive areas of law. The key is not to overwhelm the user with content but to be clear about who you are and what you do. A good example of this is Patrick Cannon: his website does not deviate from the core message of “Leading Tax Barrister.”
With over 50% of internet searches taking place on a mobile device, it is imperative for your website to work seamlessly across all devices and to be optimised for keywords and searches that your target users are searching for on search engines (Google.) Having an expert to conduct this research and execute the delivery will increase the chances of you being found.
3. Ability To Forge New Initiatives With Other Professionals And Groups
At a time of continued change in the legal sector, having an online presence that is optimised and aligned to the fields you specialise in gives professionals who are seeking guidance and advice and those looking to share their knowledge, the opportunity to easily find you.
Understanding the challenges of your professional groups and how they would typically research a solution to a particular challenge is key. Tailoring your website content to answer these questions is a proven method of reaching those professional groups that may not be aware of you or your services.
Summary
From my experience of working with several leading Barristers, seeing the benefits that a solid online presence is having is extremely satisfying.
I have grown to understand the benefits of Direct Access to the public and business and I believe it presents itself with a huge opportunity for Barristers to generate new and profitable work.
Raising the profile of barristers online isn’t a simple task and does not happen overnight. With the correct strategy in place, I am confident that it is possible to generate work and improve how workload is generated in the future for any Barrister who is authorised to accept Direct Access instructions. The key three points to take away are:
- There has never been a better time to start raising your online profile as a Barrister. We have proved it to have a positive impact on workload for Barristers looking to add new dimensions to their service.
- Understanding the principles of a technically sound lead generation website is key. Ensuring the website is built to operate seamlessly across all devices will set the foundations for you to create new content for potential clients to find you more easily on search engines.
- Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media channels are effective and powerful ways of reaching your audience quickly. Understanding what is relevant and what to share will reinforce the services you offer.
To find out how Tecmark can help you raise your online profile, and build you a website with effect – get in touch with us today.
