- Why do legal professionals need a strong public image?
- The public image struggles of the freelance lawyer
- How do virtual receptionists help freelance lawyers build their public image?
Q: How can I improve my public image as a freelance lawyer?
A: With the public perception of legal professionals on somewhat shaky ground, your success relies on your ability to build trust with potential clients. This can be particularly difficult as a freelancer, as you have a host of other things to worry about. Luckily, there’s one simple business decision that can completely revamp your public image.
Public image has long been a cornerstone of any successful business.
Regardless of the industry you’re in, being likeable is a crucial part of connecting with potential customers, running successful marketing campaigns, and ultimately, making a profit.
That’s why some companies spend enormous sums on their branding and PR. They understand its importance as the bedrock of their growth.
As a freelance lawyer, this is all the more important.
Legal professionals work in an industry that revolves around highly personal matters. Whether you’re a freelance patent lawyer, or you’re in family, trademark, or any other field of law, people seeking legal counsel need to feel safe with the person they hire.
But this can be a hard sell, especially if you’re trying to build your image while handling a host of other business duties. According to Pew Research Center, 64% of Americans believe our trust in one another is declining.
How can freelance lawyers turn the tide and build a better public image?
Luckily, there’s a simple, often overlooked solution.
- Why do legal professionals need a strong public image?
- Why public image is even more important for freelance lawyers
- The public image struggles facing freelance legal professionals
- Can virtual receptionists help you build a better public image?
Why Do Legal Professionals Need a Strong Public Image?
While all businesses benefit from a positive public image, for legal professionals, it’s absolutely vital.
People hiring legal professionals do so because they can’t handle their legal business on their own. They turn to lawyers and attorneys because they need their expertise.
As a consequence, trust is an integral component to a lawyer’s success. Clients are actively admitting they know less than their legal professionals on whatever they hired them for.
If the client doesn’t trust their lawyer, they aren’t going to hand things over to them.
This would be the case even if the issues lawyers dealt with were trivial. But they aren’t.
Most legal issues people turn to lawyers and attorneys for are very important. Whether you’re a freelance trademark lawyer, or representing families, the stakes, be it jail time, custody, the fate of a small business, or large sums of money, are very high.
All that is to say, if people don’t trust a legal professional, they’re probably not going to hire them.
Why This is Even More Important for Freelance Lawyers
When a lawyer strikes out on their own, they have to build their public image from scratch.
Freelancers can’t rely on the credibility of a big firm to garner public trust. They need to build their public image in a direct, personal manner.
The personal aspect of freelancing makes your public image more important than ever. People are seeing you as a singular human being, meaning your business is intimately linked with how your clientele sees you.
This can be an advantage if approached properly. Unfortunately, many freelance lawyers struggle to cultivate a positive public image.
The Public Image Struggles of the Freelancer
Freelance lawyers have a hard time marketing themselves as likeable and trustworthy. There are a few reasons for this.
For starters, many freelance lawyers simply lack the time.
Freelancers are responsible for handling every aspect of their business on their own. The list of jobs a freelance lawyer has to do is endless.
From handling legal work to filing taxes, many freelance legal professionals are completely burnt out just keeping the business going. They don’t have the time and energy to build a positive public image through things like social media marketing and PR.
Further complicating things, this overwhelming workload can make freelance lawyers highly stressed.
When stressed, not only is it harder to get your work done, but you’re also likely to be irritable, keeping you from putting your best foot forward when interacting with the public.
You might be fantastic at your job, but your clients might not recommend you if they feel you were cold or distant.
Finally, there’s the difficulty of answering incoming calls.
When you’re stressed, it’s harder to be mindful at work. You may answer the phone distracted, not giving the caller your full attention.
While being stressed out is understandable, it doesn’t change the damage a bad first impression can do. A potential client may not hire you just because they didn’t feel properly cared for during your first interaction.
Whether you’re a freelance family lawyer, or you’re in trademark, patent, or any other area of law, these hurdles can make it hard for you to build a positive image and land new clients.
But there’s a solution.
How Do Virtual Receptionists Help Build Your Public Image?
Hiring a virtual receptionist is an affordable, flexible, and simple way to build a better public image for yourself, regardless of your platform or area of expertise.
Virtual receptionists are professionally trained receptionists who operate remotely. When you purchase a virtual receptionist plan, you also receive a virtual phone number you can list for your business.
When a caller dials the number, they’re automatically connected with your receptionist. This helps you build a better public image in a few important ways.
Free Up Time to Focus on Branding
When you’re answering your own calls, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
You can’t let the phone go unanswered. Each missed call is a potential missed client.
But those calls often hit when you’re in the middle of important projects. They interrupt your workflow and eat up your most valuable resource: time.
When you hire a virtual receptionist, you’re freed from the endless onslaught of incoming calls. You can then use that reclaimed time to build stronger branding and plan out strategic marketing campaigns.
This can do wonders for your public image, and ultimately your business. You can get strategic about your ideal client and align your image with their values and needs.
Reduce Stress When Interacting with Clients
Virtual receptionist plans include a built-in scheduling process. Receptionists use calendar software displaying your real-time availability to set call-backs and bookings.
By allowing you to plan your client calls in advance, you can ensure your interactions are well-researched, focused, and friendly. This helps you build a positive connection with your callers, making them more likely to hire you or recommend your services.
No more flustered calls, no more distractions, just better customer service.
Make a Great First Impression
Virtual receptionists are professionally trained to handle each call with grace and attention.
A client’s first impression of your practice will be both professional and personable. This helps set them at ease, allowing you the chance to build trust while also keeping your business’s outward image pristine.
When a potential client calls inquiring about your services, you can rest assured their first interaction with your business will be a positive one.
Conclusion
Public image is a critical component of any successful legal service. As a freelance lawyer, it becomes absolutely vital.
While being a freelance lawyer has its public image challenges, you can overcome them.
With a virtual receptionist, you’ll free up time to build your brand and marketing, set yourself up for more positive client interactions, and ensure each caller has a great first impression of your practice.
Further Reading
- How A Strong Brand Identity Can Bring In Customers
- To Get Ahead at Work, Lawyers Find It Helps to Actually Be at Work
- Retaining Customers Can Be Easy! 4 Strategies to Implement Now
- 8 Best Freelance Websites for Lawyers
Alliance Virtual Offices live receptionist plans are here to help you succeed. You’ll receive access to friendly, professional receptionists who handle your calls for you.
It’s a flexible and cost-effective way to free yourself from stress, strengthen business relationships, and build your practice.
