A law firm’s reputation is one of the first things new clients think about when are seeking help from an attorney. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you develop a robust reputation management plan right from the get-go.
Developing a Reputation Management Plan: Fitting Together the Pieces
The term ‘reputation management’ refers to a range of different activities that aim to improve the image of a brand while maintaining its core values and message. These activities might seem unrelated but, once you have them all under one roof, it is easy to see how they work together.
For example, improving your email signature and having regular staff meetings are both simple ways to prevent anything bad from being said about your firm. Being consistent is the key to maintaining your reputation and keeping things positive.
On the other hand, cultivating relationships with trusted advisors and hosting networking events are more involved actions that will help establish lasting partnerships with clients over time.
When your firm’s reputation is good, you know it. Your practice, staff, and colleagues are celebrated as the best in their fields. Clients clamor to work with you. And referral partners make it a point to introduce their own clients to you first.
But when your firm’s reputation is bad, you, no doubt, sense it and know it. That is why a reputation management plan is vital to your ongoing success.
You just need the right focus to move in a positive direction – one that will allow the world to, once again, see the best side of you.
Because doing business requires working with other people. It’s important to foster a strong relationship with your clients and employees to build trust and create a positive brand experience for everyone involved.
Working on your firm’s reputation management helps you identify ways to improve the performance of your company so that your clients, colleagues, and employees develop confidence in both your services and support.
Rep management encompasses everything from developing policies to training your staff and internal partners on how to handle complaints from or negative media coverage about the firm.
You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to see something is amiss within your law firm.. A legal firm’s reputation is one that articulates an ongoing process – one that blends perceptions, beliefs, and representation into one ongoing practice. This process involves the firm’s investors, clients, outside stakeholders and employees.
Again, as a legal firm, you’ll face internal and external challenges when you work at changing how others review your practice.
Developing a Reputation Management Plan
Below are tips to remember when you’re working on improving your reputation and brand.
1. Keep Learning
Your efforts toward improving your firm’s reputation should never end. After all, knowledge is power. Use the services of a digital marketing company to improve how you communicate and collaborate with others.
Get involved in networking events to keep on top of developments in your field. You can convey this information to colleagues, clients, and members in your community.
2. Develop a Culture of Accountability
The reputation management process involves both internal and external stakeholders. Internal efforts focus on how well your employees know their reputation management responsibilities and how well they know how to do their jobs overall.
External efforts focus on how well you know your reputation management responsibilities and how well you know how to manage your reputation.
A culture of accountability within a firm is important. It causes members within the law practice to feel responsible for improving the firm’s reputation.
This goes along with building your social media reputation. You have to face both the negative comments and the plaudits you receive and respond to them professionally.
According to PC Magazine, a negative review can badly affect your firm’s reputation as well as your website’s SEO. Therefore, you need to address any poor comment or complaint quickly. By using a digital marketing firm to skillfully handle the feedback, you can stay on track and provide a higher level of service.
Therefore, it’s important to look at reputation from a positive but realistic perspective. While some firms regard this form of management as laborious but necessary, that type of attitude will affect your ability to grow and expand.
By getting guidance from the right digital marketing company, you can prevail. Making reputation management part of your marketing strategy goes hand-in-hand with activities such as website development, SEO, and email marketing.
3. Stay Active in Your Community
Being active in the community allows you to make personal connections with both clients and stakeholders. It can also help you to identify opportunities to partner with new firms. This is an important aspect of your reputation management process.
Therefore, one of the best ways to improve your reputation management is to engage with your community. In order to keep your clients happy and gain new clients, you want to make yourself available for community activities and events.
4. Educate Your Employees But Also Learn from Them
It is important to educate employees about reputation management. This can help you to establish better guidelines for those employees engaged in the activity..
It also helps to receive your employee’s perceptions about their roles and how the company portrays them. The Harvard Business Review stated that research reveals that only about 20% of some 2,000 employees interviewed felt that their company gave a realistic picture of the work culture. This is important to note as it can impact your transparency and credibility as a firm.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
When it comes to communication within your firm, both internal and external communication are essential to the firm’s reputation management efforts. Internal communication can help you to keep your staff informed about your firm’s reputation management efforts. It can also provide opportunities for the staff to share their concerns and thoughts about the firm’s image.
External communication can help you boost your firm’s credibility locally. It can also help to build your firm’s reputation as a relevant and trustworthy business partner online and off-line.
5. Borrow from the Best Practices of Others
When it comes to reputation management, it is important to look to the best practices of other legal firms. Not only will you get better insight about your own practice, it will help you keep pace or step ahead of the competition.
Who to Call
Do you want to know how to improve your firm’s reputation management plan? If so, you only need to go to one company to get a grasp on the best ways to maintain and preserve your professional profile. Contact AttorneyMarkketing.Online at 888-992-9529 to get started now.
