You’re good at what you do. You’re a “trusted advisor” and deliver good results for your clients. Great, but can you prove it?
It’s probably awkward for you to say you’re the lawyer people should choose but it’s a different story when someone else says it. When a client refers a friend or business contact to you, for example, they’re telling their friend or contact that you’re good at your work and can be trusted to do a good job for them.
Which is why referrals are so powerful.
Referrals are a form of social proof and while they are often the best form, there are others and you should use as many as possible:
- Testimonials (written or recorded) from satisfied clients
- Success stories about your cases and engagements
- Endorsements by other lawyers and industry leaders
- Reviews on legal blogs or other publications
- Media coverage of your firm or a case you successfully handled
- Sharing via social media of articles and posts by or about you
- Being photographed in the company of (some) famous people
- Being interviewed by notable podcasters, bloggers, and reporters
Because these also tell the world you’re good at what you do.
Social proof gets people to pay attention to you and influences prospective clients who see or hear it, or people who can recommend or refer them to you. Social proof is an effective way to increase your exposure and name recognition, build your credibility, and get more people to visit your website to find out more about what you offer.
It works by tapping into basic human tendencies like the desire to follow the crowd (the “bandwagon effect”) and/or the fear of missing out.
Social proof can also help retain clients who might otherwise be lured away from your firm.
Bottom line, the more social proof you have, the more successful you’ll be.
