No matter what area of law you practice, you need to understand what your clients’ needs and goals are. By taking the time to examine your law practice from the perspective of a potential client, you will likely be able to identify key areas where you can improve the client experience and, ultimately, attract and retain more clients in the future. A client that feels welcomed and respected throughout their journey with your firm from start to finish is much more likely to give you a stellar online review and recommend you to others. Let’s take a look at what a client journey is, how it makes a difference, and what steps you can take to get started.
A Brief Definition
Also referred to as a customer journey, a client journey is a visual representation of each step a potential client goes through when working with your law firm. The journey typically begins with examining how clients locate your firm and get in touch with you and ends when their legal matter is concluded and you part ways. While you may create a client journey in various ways, it’s often helpful to make a visual diagram that can help you assess each point of interaction along the way and look for areas where you could improve the client experience. Ultimately, the goal of mapping a client journey is to make each client relationship stronger, smoother, and more rewarding for both you and your client.
How Mapping a Client Journey Can Make a Difference
Although you may not think that making a client journey map is really worth your valuable time, let’s consider some of the measurable benefits. By surveying your former clients about their experiences with your law practice, you can gain valuable insights as to what they enjoyed and what improvements they’d like to see. You can then incorporate their feedback into making the client journey smoother and more relevant to future clients. Perhaps your clients found your website hard to navigate, or they had a difficult time scheduling an initial consultation with you. This information can guide your process for making improvements that directly address these pain points. Additionally, clients—whether consciously or unconsciously—respond to subtle efforts to make them feel welcome, appreciated, and valued. Tweaking the tone of your website to be more approachable, including multiple calls to action inviting clients to contact you, and adopting other client-centered marketing strategies will encourage clients to view your firm as professional and trustworthy.
Getting Started
If you’re ready to start creating a client journey map, eliciting feedback from former clients is a great way to gather important information. You can email a simple 3-5 questionnaire to former clients, asking them about their experiences with your firm. Once you’ve gathered a decent sample of feedback, create a visual representation of the client journey, from first impressions of your firm to the conclusion of your working relationship. Identify areas where the process could be improved for the client, and take steps to implement these strategies. Soon, your marketing efforts and workplace values will become more client-centered, resulting in more engaged and satisfied clients.
Ready to learn more about how creating a client journey map can lead to more satisfied clients? Discuss your marketing goals with a member of the LegalRev team today by calling (800) 893-2590.
