The Initial Development Call

How To Best Prepare For Your Initial Development Call:

Develop Your Site Map - A site map is nothing more then a blue print for the content of your new website. It's a good idea to determine the specific practice area page topics you would like FindLaw to custom write for you before the initial call takes place so you don't waste valuable time creating the site map on the fly during the call. Click the following link to see an example of a typical site map.

Finish Your FindLaw Profile - Your FindLaw attorney profile is extremely important. A very large majority of the visitors to your website will look at your profile to find out what you look like, where you went to school, what awards you've won, and any other things they are typically interested in knowing about you. Click the following link to see an example of a well done attorney profile.

Have All Photo's Ready - It is customary to have a photo of all attorneys for at least their individual profile pages. If you would like to add photographs of staff members, group pictures, interior office pictures, building pictures or any other imagery - please have it ready by the date of the initial call if you don't want to slow down the time it takes to get your website developed and then published. Click the following link to see an example of a law firm website that utilizes photos.

Promote Your Web Address - You should place your web address every possible place you can that makes any sense what soever. For example: Your business cards, letter head, brochures, newsletters, email signature, outgoing voicemail, signage, envelopes, promotional items, yellow page ads, newspaper ads, television ads, and radio ads.

Start Creating Inbound Links - Inbound links from other websites can greatly increase the search engine visibility of your website. You should dedicate the time it takes to increase the number and qaulity of inbound links to your website from day one and never stop dedicating the time. You can typically get good inbound links to your website from Bar Associations, school alumini websites, organizations you are a member of, trusted legal directories, trusted web directories, etc....

Look At Other Websites - Your designer will be asking you what type of design elements you like so it's a good idea to view 10 to 20 law firm websites before your initial development call. This way you can tell the designer to go to a specific web address and you can point out the exact type of design elements and colors you would like to see on your website.

Fine Tune Your Marketing Message - Think about what your main marketing message is going to be and what competitive advantages you want to stress. Will you be the only attorney handling the case from start to finish? Have you won any awards? Do you have a great track record of large or not guilty verdicts? Is your customer service second to none? It's important that we effectively communicate your competitive advantages in order to convert the highest percentage of website visitors into paying clients as possible.