How Law Firms Can Improve Their Client Experience with Personalization

When we slip on our coziest shoes or sit down in our favorite chair, a warm and fuzzy feeling of comfort unlike anything else sets in, as if the footwear or furniture was made just for us. It’s so reliably relaxing that we turn to it repeatedly in times of personal need. When it comes to law firm marketing, meeting – and hopefully exceeding – this need is achieved by personalizing your client’s experience with all your different marketing channels. While trying to tailor every piece of content specifically may seem daunting, technology is here to provide massive assistance in improving a client’s experience with your law firm and leave an indelible mark of approval in their mind about you. 

Every Person-alization is a Snowflake

Personalization has quickly developed into a vital tool to reach clients and make them feel appreciated in a way that speaks to them as individuals, not as part of a broad demographic group. For clients, personalization has the potential to turn your law firm into that reliable, old pair of slippers, positioning you as someone they can turn to get that warm and fuzzy feeling or when deciding to refer you to someone else who requires your legal assistance.

Spotify is an excellent example of how personalization functions to deliver a positive and unique user experience. When you listen to music on Spotify, they take notice of the songs you like, download, and revisit to create an idea of what you want to hear. You may see these suggested songs pop up as a “Daily Mix” on your home page or within the random tracks you audition throughout a session. In theory, the more frequently you use Spotify, the more accurately its algorithm recommends music that should be to your liking.

Over and over, Spotify hits the mark, providing the user with pleasure and comfort that keeps them coming back every day. Improving the user experience is the magic of personalization. The magic your law firm creates increases the chances that your clients will have a better overall impression of their interaction with your law firm and your lawyers.

However, this method is not without its faults. The Spotify algorithm can be “fooled” when deviating from our standard listening patterns. If you’ve ever created an all ‘Encanto’ playlist for your kids or something else uncharacteristic on a lark, this explains why Spotify sandwiched “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” amongst The Beatles’ Abbey Road. So, how does Spotify achieve this often impressive and sporadically baffling feat? The answer lies in automated technologies.

Our Flag Means Journey Mapping (and Cookies!)

Imagine the internet as a vast ocean where users are the aquatic life. In the past, technology limited the ability to track the activities of a lone sea creature, broadening the scope to following a school that may comprise tens of thousands of fish or more. Along with a lack of specificity, this tracking in general – often referred to as third-party cookies – is so problematic from a security perspective that Apple and Google have nearly eradicated them in favor of first-party cookies. All “cookies” exist on a user’s computer, but unlike third-party cookies, first-party cookies are placed there with the blessing of the user. Now, you can track highly accurate data about a user safely, and the information you cull is richer in value.

One of the ways first-party cookies are utilized is through “journey mapping.” Thinking back to our sea of users for a moment, journey mapping allows your law firm to view the ocean as closely as that lone fish and learn what they like to “eat.” Through all of the websites, posts, likes, and information entered in search bars and dialogue boxes, marketers can map a user’s journey and confidently glean information that could help you decide how to personalize your content to attract potential clients.

I Call This Look “Blue Steel”

Despite the header, channeling your inner Zoolander is not required to personalize content effectively, but it doesn’t hurt either. Creating content unintended for mass appeal and consumption should be the driving force of your personalization efforts. Something as simple as an email blast with the client’s name in the salutation is one way to make them feel special. The addition of some colorful graphics or other media to these email/SMS messages elevates the quality of your message. Some law firms might need to consider delving into video production, even going so far as to include interactive elements. Your law firm’s website can also provide pertinent data and opportunities to offer value to clients. Perhaps you create a webinar and ask users to sign up for the live stream.

If you’re worried about which direction to take, never fear. The data will dictate how much effort your law firm needs to apply to content creation. In the end, the pursuit of a continued positive journey with your law firm will be tantamount to stoking repeat business and referral opportunities in the future. 

Takeaway:

Personalization is a critical factor in the ever-changing landscape of creating engaging content and can manifest in many mediums. The overall goal of personalization is to make the user or client feel like you tailored the content for them, including elements that speak to their interests, problems, or concerns. Companies like Spotify use personalization to deliver a positive experience that delights the user and establishes them as a trusted source of comfort, enjoyment, and professional reliability. With the imminent exile of third-party cookies in favor of more security-friendly and data-rich first-party cookies, law firms have the resources to learn about potential clients more accurately and refine their strategies to please them. First-party cookies have also given way to a process called “journey mapping,” which allows websites to track the path of a lone user to learn where they go and even why. From this specific data, decisions about how to market to potential clients are more informed and may lead to increased success. Personalization can be as simple as an email blast with a person’s name in the salutation or anything as grandiose as your budget allows.

We are well-versed in the nuances of personalizing content, working with law firms daily to identify client interests and target ads accordingly. To learn more about how we can help your firm, don’t hesitate to reach out today.