By Roberta M. Gubbins
for the State Bar of Michigan
Clarence and Beth Potter move to Michigan, and their California attorney suggests they find a Michigan attorney to re-draft their wills and powers of attorney.
Clarence turns to the Internet and types in "Michigan Attorneys." Up pops the State Bar of Michigan Member Directory powered by ZeekBeek. He narrows his search to six possible estate-planning lawyers. He clicks on profiles, pleased to see all of his selections are in good standing and licensed in Michigan. He selects four, and sends inquiries.
Would your profile make you one of Clarence's Final Four? It would if you were one of 1,800 plus members who have taken advantage of the SBM's new improved Member Directory.
What made those profiles stand out? They were informative and attractive.
ZeekBeek's easy-to-use tools help you enhance your profile. You can:
- Use your biography to tell prospective clients the basics such as education and experience and more. Do you skateboard or are you a runner-clients like to feel a connection to a human being.
- Include a photo-professionally taken and fairly recent.
- Add your title-are you owner, shareholder, or a partner?
- Create a tagline-tell the reader the type of law you practice and clients you serve.
- Add your active social accounts with easy links.
- List jurisdictions where you are licensed to practice, in the Professional Details section.
The newly redesigned Member Directory lets you add more information; for example, community connections. Volunteering, sitting on boards, or coaching are activities that may seal the deal. List languages-fluency in Spanish or French could land a client.
Are you accepting new clients? Turn on that feature and consider adding that you want consumer contact. The form allowing prospective clients to send you a query includes instructions telling the reader they shouldn't include confidential information and sending the form doesn't create an attorney-client relationship.
Many SBM members opt in to the Recommendations feature, which includes Reviews and Endorsements. Reviews are first checked by ZeekBeek for inappropriate language and the name of the reviewer is sent to you to be sure the writer is a client. Endorsements let clients rate you according to attributes such as "Client felt educated. Lawyer was professional."
Help prospective clients, like Clarence, find you.
For additional resources in setting up your member profile, visit http://www.michbar.org/News/NewsDetail/nid/5201.
Published: Mon, Jun 15, 2015
