Attorney Marketing: A Live Chat Dilemma

It’s a common practice among attorneys to use platforms like Ngage Live Chat, SnapEngage, Altrumedia, and more as an attempt to instantly connect with potential clients.

In an oversimplified sense, you subscribe to your choice of live chat applications, add the code to your website, and define your scope of preferred clients. From there, the company you use to provide you with “chat” takes over, asking basic questions and getting the information you need so you can contact the potential client. You then receive an email with the chat log, and can follow up with the potential client as you see fit. 

The topic of implementing a live chat platform was recently discussed on the JD Blogger podcast, JDB 109: Tools of the Trade | Incorporating Live Chat into your Law Firm Website. 

You may be skeptical on the effectiveness of chat, but you will find out quickly that using a service for live chat can bring a number of leads within the first 48 hours, and you will only have to pay for the leads in your geographic location. 

A potential client is browsing your website after hours, sees the button, “Live Chat Available Now,” and submits his or her information to the agent working the live chat, who, in-turn, emails you the potential client’s contact information, so you can contact him or her at your availability. 

 
Con: Sometimes Intrusive

While some live chat features sit at the bottom left or right corner, ready to be used when the client is ready, there are others that ruin the user experience by sitting in the middle of the screen, bouncing, shaking, or otherwise distracting the client from the content you worked so hard to put on your website. This could result in the potential client losing interest and moving on to a competitor. 

According to a CJ Advertising article, The Real Scoop on Live Chat for Your Website:

- Websites that utilize a chat system that bounces or moves around in the hopes of drawing attention have a lower interaction rate;
- Heat mapping shows the majority of visitors dismiss these bouncing boxes almost immediately;
- Bouncing windows that appear on every page are particularly distracting to visitors and may decrease the length of time spent on the site; and
- Visitors to your website want the option to seek help if they need it, not to feel pressured to engage in a chat they may deem unnecessary;

Best Practices: Ensure that the placement and implementation of the live chat software result in a subtle and professional click to chat button, says CJ Advertising author Sarah Kuhl.

A Lawyerist Article took a deeper look into Live Chat software, recommending you ask yourself or your potential live chat provider the following questions:

- Who Answers Chat Requests? Depending on the platform you choose, live chat could be outsourced to a third party, in which you pay per intake, or placed on your website and managed by you or another person in your office. In the case of outsourcing, this will be a customer service representative, not a lawyer, and your website should at least note that the chat software is not meant to provide legal advice.
- How Are Chat Requests Answered? – This is especially important if you’re outsourcing chat functionality. What questions is the person who is fielding the chat asking? What answers are they permitted to provide? Are there clear guidelines about what can permissibly be discussed via chat? Is the person fielding chat requests good at typing in English?
- How Are You Paying For Chat? – There are a variety of licensing fee arrangements for chat software. Some, like Livezilla, are free. However, you have to provide the chat agent. Others provide the software and the chat agent. Generally, these services charge by the number of chats that occur. If you’re using a pay-per-chat service, you had better have some benchmark numbers in place to measure whether live chat is actually increasing conversion or just stealing from other means of communication (like phone, email, or form fills). If you’re seeing your phone calls from your website go down as your chat numbers increase, it would suggest that you are paying a premium for inquiries that you would have received anyway.

In addition to the aforementioned questions, there are a few more things you should consider before implementing live chat:

- Mind Mobile: Having a mobile website is a necessity for optimal Google results, but if a potential client is scrolling through your blog and a live chat popup covering the entire page appears that destroys their experience when browsing, they are more likely to leave. Have the chat sized to provide a nonintrusive experience that is available as needed.

- Match Branding: As noted by CJ Advertising, it’s important to use a chat interface that matches the overall look and feel of your website. If possible, use branded images and colors that match your site to reassure your visitors the person they will chat with is actually a representative of your firm.

On your website, getting your potential clients interested in the services you provide is a matter of offering quality information, enhancing user experience, and being helpful. But that’s only one piece of the puzzle. Legal Services Link was launched to help attorneys connect with and obtain new clients quickly and inexpensively—at the click of a button. Not a Legal Service Link member? Simply create your profile for free at Legal Services Link and let clients come to you!