Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Website Design and Marketing for Attorneys, Podiatrists, and Other Professionals

Nobody likes to say it out loud, but the toughest part of hiring a great law firm marketing manager is that law firms often don’t have a clear idea of what they actually need a marketing manager to do. They just know that they need help!

But absolutely no one wants to waste a lot of precious time and money interviewing, onboarding, and training a “wrong fit” that doesn’t work out. So, it’s all about narrowing in on the things that matter.

Below, let’s get specific about the types of skills and qualifications you really should be looking for in a winning candidate.

The Basic Qualifications Every Law Firm Marketing Manager Should Have

Like we’ve talked about before, finding the right marketing manager is partly about identifying the gaps in your strategy and thinking about where an extra pair of hands will be most productive for your firm. However, there are a few, basic skills that EVERY potential marketing manager should be able to demonstrate:

Excellent verbal and written communication.

This is a no-brainer! This person is likely to be one of the main people that vendors, contractors, community representatives, and marketing partners interact with, as well as one of the main generators of your content and campaigns. Their communication skills need to be absolutely on point.  

Past experience creating marketing campaigns and strategies.

Hands-on experience in marketing is just as valuable as an academic degree or certification—maybe even more valuable! And, since best practices change over time (especially online), recent experience is preferable to experience from 20 years ago.  

Good understanding of law firms as a business.

Marketing a law firm isn’t like marketing a retail site or restaurant. While experience in other industries can be valuable, you’ll save yourself some time if your candidate already has a good grasp of marketing norms in the legal industry. 

Experience with law firm automation tools.

It’s a great time to be a marketer because there are all kinds of sophisticated marketing tools and software out there that save tons of time and keep your strategy consistent. The perfect marketing manager should be able to use and understand content management systems (CMS), customer relationship management software (CRM), practice management software, and marketing automation solutions.  

And, with the basics out of the way, it’s time to dig a little deeper into how your candidate actually uses those skills in practice. 

Digging Deeper to Find the Perfect Fit for Your Law Practice

You have a few candidates that look good on paper. What next? Well, it’s time to start investigating how they actually use those “on paper” skills to attract more clients to your business:

• Do they get the concept of your “perfect client” avatar? 
• Do they have promising ideas to reach potential clients that fit that profile?
• Can they develop and strategize a marketing plan from start to finish?
• Can they work seamlessly with internal teams, external teams, and marketing partners?
• Can they bring together digital marketing, traditional marketing, paid ads, and other marketing avenues to maintain a cohesive strategy?
• Do they mitigate risk by balancing several marketing modalities instead of relying on just one?
• Do they have a plan to keep tabs on analytics data, lead reports, and other KPIs?
• Can they identify important trends, branding opportunities, and new audiences? 
• Will they work well with you and your existing team and take your input seriously?

As you get into these specifics, you’ll probably notice that a few candidates rise to the top of your list—even if they looked the same as everyone else on paper. There can be quite a bit of difference between what a candidate KNOWS and what they can actually DO. 

So, ask some hard questions, and put them to the test. 

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

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Zocdoc was founded in 2007 in New York City. The first version of the now-popular website covered only podiatrists in NYC. Now, the online physician booking and review site covers every major city in the United States, and millions of people book appointments through the site each month. Zocdoc is one of our top six directory sites for podiatrists, but before you rush out and sign up, there are a few things you should know about the site.

How to Determine If the Cost of Zocdoc is Worthwhile for Your Medical Practice

There is a fee to be listed as a Zocdoc podiatrist. Currently, Zocdoc charges podiatrists $300 a month to be listed. It is up to you to decide if the cost is worth the potential appointments you get. If you are considering signing up, be sure to do some research first.

When deciding if your practice would benefit from being part of the service, you need to determine which—if any—podiatrists in your specialty and area are listed. You also want to note how many reviews they have. Doing so will give you a good idea whether the Zocdoc system is effectively filling the appointment book for your local competitors, and if you could benefit from joining suit.

In general, we find that the podiatrists who benefit most from using Zocdoc are those in larger cities within a competitive market whose patients are between the ages of 18 and 35.

How to Claim Your Zocdoc Profile

It’s important that every profile you fill out is complete. However, on Zocdoc a robust, accurate profile is even more crucial. This is because people making appointments often have an urgent need; you’ll only get a minute, if that, to impress them. They are making a quick decision and will only choose you if your profile looks better, more complete and more professional than the other guy.

Your first job is to ensure that every piece of information you enter is accurate, especially your name, address, and phone number. Known as N.A.P., these key fields must be correct not only on Zocdoc but identical every place you’re listed online. For more on this (and to find out how a dash instead of a period could mess up your online presence) read our article, “Be Consistent for Better Local Search Results.”

Next, choose your profile picture. This should be a professional grade headshot, not a quick snapshot from your phone. After this is done, it’s time to strengthen your profile by adding additional images. All other images should be of your office, your staff, and any other high-quality images that will give potential patients a good feeling about your practice. Your goal is to show them just how professional, welcoming, and modern your office is.

You also need to be thoughtful in the information you post about yourself and your practice. Remember that this is the patient’s first introduction to you, so keep it professional yet warm—and, as always, get someone to check your writing for spelling or grammar errors.

Next, you’re going to have to decide how you want Zocdoc to book appointments for you. While podiatrists do this in different ways (such as updating open appointments daily) the easiest thing to do is sync your office’s appointment schedule with Zocdoc’s system. This way you offer patients the soonest possible appointment.

How Reviews Work on Zocdoc

Zocdoc has a unique review system: instead of anyone with a computer being able to write a review, only verified patients can leave reviews. This means no faking reviews and no random accidental reviews. They call this a “closed-loop” system. Also, unlike other review sites, you don’t have to do any legwork to get reviews (aside from being an awesome podiatrist with an amazing staff, of course). This is because Zocdoc does the asking for you, prompting patients to write a review after each of their appointments. This leads to a greater-than-average volume of reviews, a good thing for both you and would-be patients.

How to Improve Your Rating on Zocdoc

Since the review gathering process is out of your hands on this site, your only job is to do what we hope you’re doing anyway: offering excellent, on-time healthcare.

The only other suggestion we have is to make good on the appointments you offer on Zocdoc. Not only can canceling or changing appointments garner bad reviews, it can get your Zocdoc account locked. So only list appointments which will you have reserved for Zocdoc referrals or link your appointment booking system directly to Zocdoc.

Want More?

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Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

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Email signatures are meant to show your readers who you are and how to get in contact with you and your business. Although the signature is a crucial aspect of a letter, all too often it is neglected and inserted more as an afterthought than anything else. However, a good signature not only secures the reader’s attention, but also allows you the opportunity to gain more traffic to your site. On the other hand, a poor signature can make you look bad while also costing you a favorable response.

The trick is knowing the difference.

Signature Flair…Without Going Too Loopy

Email signatures should be concise, informative, and unique. Regrettably, many people focus on being unique above all else. The result: a mess of graphics that overwhelms the senses (not to mention the message), or a long-winded novella. Remember, the signature shouldn’t distract from the body of the text...it should enhance it by making the reader want to contact you (not grab a bag of popcorn or snuggle up for a long read).

In order to show professionalism without going overboard, you need to be able to find a balance between personal flair and necessary information. You need to know what your signature should include, and what needs to be dropped before it distracts and alienates business.

Items to Include

• A distinct separation from the body of the text.
• Your name.
• Position: managing partner, M.D., D.P.M., etc.
• Contact information: phone number, email, etc. Don’t go overboard! Your clients don’t need 50 ways to reach you; one or two will suffice and allow them to get in contact with you through your preferred medium.
• Trackable links to your professional website.
• Trackable links to your business’s Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn profile. Remember, less is more—choose one and stick with it.
• Design flair. Make your signature unique by adding your own personal touches to the closing (“Cheers”…“See you soon”…“I’m here for you,” or something similar) or by adding a small image or logo.

Signatures for private and some public organizations may require more information, such as company telephone number, or business address. You should be alert to local regulations.

Items to Drop

• Your resume, skill sets, or life achievements. When your signature is longer than your email, you have a problem. Leave the CV for your bio.
• Home phone number or address, unless your work is your home.
• Personal Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram details. Although it’s nice to share your vacation photos and memes with your friends, clients and other businesses don’t need to follow your personal life.
• URLs other than your business home page.
• Random quotations, jokes, or proverbs. There’s just too much risk of offending clients.
• Animated images.
• Logos that attempt to cram all the signature information into it. Small logos are fine and can showcase your personality, but a single image that replaces your signature isn’t wise.

Well Done!	Umm…Not So Much
Gretchen Upright Foster Project Manager Director 703-665-0307 Site Awesomization Facebook | Blog	Gretchen Upright Director of Everything Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Upright I’m Completely Awesome Hi, Mom! 10555 Main St., Suite 470A Fairfax, VA 22030 703-665-0307, 703-997-1309, 866-460-3724 https://www.fosterwebmarketing.com …and about ten more lines of text!

 

The next time you’re writing an email, before you click SEND, remember to check your signature lines to make sure they’re exactly what you want them to be. Otherwise, you could jeopardize the entire point of the letter.

For more information on correspondence and content formatting, feel free to browse our highly informative (and often uniquely chuckle-worthy) blogs.

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

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There are different advantages and disadvantages to picking a toll-free number for your attorney website and for call tracking purposes—and those advantages depend heavily on your law office and your goals.

If you practice the law across state lines or nationally, a toll-free number may be the right choice for you. A long-distance number sometimes means that clients will hesitate to call; a toll-free number overcomes that resistance. A toll-free number may also lend authority to your law firm. In addition, a toll-free number conveys that you practice law over a wide area and not just locally.

If you are a small, local practice that focuses on helping those in your community, you should choose a local number for call tracking. A local number will be encouraging to those who are also in your area code and may even cut down on out-of-state calls that only take up your time. A local number will also help save on your marketing budget.

Also keep in mind that a growing number of Americans now have mobile phones, smart phones, and cell phones with flat rates and national calling plans. This means that many potential clients won’t hesitate to call a long-distance number, even if they do not live in the area.

In some instances, tracking both local numbers and toll-free numbers may be the right choice. 

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

A call tracking system records certain information about who calls your business and which marketing campaign they were responding to. The specific information a call tracking system collects varies, but generally a call tracking system can record:

• How many calls you receive
• Which numbers have called your line
• Where your callers are contacting you from
• When your callers contact you
• Which advertising campaign your caller got your number from
• Whether you have missed calls—and, if so, when those calls came in
• Whether you have had repeat callers

What can you learn through this information? The major benefit of call tracking is that it can help you better understand your potential clients and better understand which marketing strategies are working for your business. Although it is relatively easy to track what works on your website or what is working when it comes to your pay-per-click advertising, it can be difficult to track phone calls without a call tracking system.

Call tracking is a simpler process than many people are led to believe. It doesn’t require any special equipment on your end, and it doesn’t affect your existing phone numbers. In fact, as far as marketing analytics tools go, call tracking is a very straightforward and easy-to-implement process. 

How call tracking works can be broken down into two major parts:

Call tracking setup. 

When we set up your call tracking, you will get to decide whether you would like a toll-free number or a local number. You will also get to decide where you’d like the calls to be sent: directly to your office, to your marketing department, to a third-party answering system, or even to your home or cell phone. Finally, you will decide which marketing campaign to tie your number to. 

Information collection. 

Each time someone calls your number, it is fed through a proprietary phone system that monitors and tracks the incoming call. Your call tracking system will note the time of the call, whether the call was answered, the length of the call, the origin of the call, and identifying information about the caller. 

Make Certain Someone Picks Up When Potential Leads Dial Your Number

Call tracking doesn’t just help you count how many people are calling from which pieces of advertising—or where they are calling from. Call tracking also shows you when people are picking up the phone and whether or not someone picks up on the other end.

When you look at your call tracking data, make special note of the peak times that people call your numbers—and also any times when significant numbers of people are getting your answering machine or answering service. If a large number of people are calling when you are out of the office, consider having these callers forwarded to a different number during certain hours or extending your office hours. You may also consider hiring an answering service or finding an alternative solution, such as receiving calls personally.

Without call tracking, it can be difficult or even impossible to fully understand when your clients are calling or when you aren’t around to take their calls. A missed call could be a missed client.

Do you wonder if your law office could benefit from call tracking, or do you have more questions about exactly how call tracking systems work? Contact Foster Web Marketing today to learn more.

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

Yes, the domain name does have an effect on a lawyer's search engine marketing plan; however, there is a way to curb the damage. Of course, Google is one of the front-runners in dealing with this situation and has spelled out exactly what to do in order to get your site indexed quickly with almost no interruption. Unfortunately, not all search engines follow the same procedure as Google.

The main and most critical element is taking the time to make sure all your links on your prior page from directories and other websites are correct. They must have your new domain name.

There are also other, very technical steps. If you are not a system administrator, then you should contact your system administrator and ask them to take over the switch so that your page ranking does not drop and your attorney website stays as popular as ever.

Call Foster Web Marketing today, and take control of the success of your website. Also, order your copy of the report, 7 Biggest Mistakes Lawyers Make With Their Web Marketing That Cost Them Millions in Cases, Clients, and Profits before you hire anyone to help you with Internet marketing for your law firm.

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

Avvo is one of the social media websites that you can take advantage of to enhance your search engine marketing. Avvo claims to be “the world's largest online legal directory.” The site contains every US attorney and provides a rating. Through this, their 2.5 million visitors can browse through the profiles and choose the one that best fits them. Use this profile to its highest ability by using Avvo's free advertising solutions: claim your profile, answer questions left by visitors, and publish Legal Guides to spotlight your expertise. Your Avvo profile is also search engine optimized, so potential and existing clients will easily find you on Avvo and search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing.

Avvo is another internet footprint needed to cover your bases in the web marketing world. You don’t want your future clients to miss you in any corner of the World Wide Web. Your website, along with your social media outlets, is what you need to have a successful search engine marketing plan. Foster Web Marketing is here to help your plan! We will work closely with your Avvo profile to help you receive positive feedback from your client list. Satisfied testimonials from them are a great thing to have to garner future clients.

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

An infographic can be a powerful marketing tool for your law firm - if you take the time to design a thoughtful visual and if you know how to use it to your full advantage once it has been created. Great content on your website will always be rewarded, and a striking visual image that is unique and relevant will be of interest to your readers as well as other people in your field. A great infographic will be shared, linked, and blogged about - but keep in mind that a poorly conceived or slapdash infographic will have little impact. In the same way, a great infographic that is not properly marketed won't result in better traffic and exposure for your attorney website, either.

How can you help get your law firm infographic noticed on the web?

• Write a blog post about your infographic.

• Share your infographic with industry bloggers.

• Write a press release about your infographic.

• Share your infographic on Flickr.

• Share your infographic on social networking sites.

• Make a PDF of your infographic available for download.

Would you like to develop an eye-catching and relevant infographic to help market your law firm and attorney website? Let us help. Here's an infographic we created for our own marketing purposes: The Road To Social Media Success.

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

"Outbound marketing" includes print ads, television ads, cold calling, trade shows, and email blasts. While good in the past, these techniques are now outdated due to technology. Outbound marketing does not speak to a specific group and it interrupts those who may not even need your services. How many have hung up on a telemarketer during dinner or thrown away a flier left on the windshield?

"Inbound marketing" instead targets people who are already looking for your services. This type of attorney Web marketing uses the technology that the majority of people use - the Internet. Inbound marketing includes blogs, Ebooks, YouTube videos, search engine optimization, webinars, and feeds. Without interruption, future clients search for the legal advice they are seeking. Your page pops up on the search engine, they click, and on your home page includes information about your free book. The future client decides to order the book, and his or her name is added to your lead database.

Inbound makes sense, especially during this economical time, because your marketing is cost-effective and efficient. It is cost-effective because there is no need to buy ad space, booth space, or higher telemarketers. It is efficient because your videos, blogs, etc., are seeking out specific individuals who are searching specific keywords.

Though your marketing comes from you and your team, when using inbound, your future clients' perception is that they made the choice to click on your webpage rather than be pushed to use your services through a barrage of fliers, phone calls, or pesky "salesmen" at a trade show. To further your attorney Web marketing, use inbound marketing to receive the benefits: effectiveness, efficiency, and esteem.

Are You A Lawyer Or podiatrist Who Needs To Get More Clients?

If you've been trying to get more leads, more clients or patients, and you're not sure how to get there, Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.

Be sure to order our FREE report, 7 Biggest Mistakes Lawyers Make With Their Web Marketing That Cost Them Millions in Cases, Clients, and Profits!