Maintaining client traction – which may have slowed or stalled during the pandemic – could be the key to your law firm’s future success.

That means taking such good care of your clients they won’t feel you’re too busy with other cases or preoccupied with COVID concerns.

“A happy customer is the best source of advertising,” says this U.S. Chamber of Commerce blogpost. “Not only are they more likely to buy from you again and remain loyal, but they are also more likely to recommend your product or service to others. This word-of-mouth marketing can be a powerful tool for building traction.”

Below are some practical pointers for creating client traction.

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It Starts with Listening

Step one in your quest for client traction is to listen to your clients. It’s a sure bet that their circumstances have changed – perhaps dramatically – since you last touched base.

What are their biggest concerns? What are their current needs? How can you help?

“Simply identifying your target customer isn’t enough,” says Sean Peek, author of the U.S. Chamber post. “You also need to understand their motivations, struggles and goals.”

Step two is to build – or rebuild – trust. Do this by communicating key information about your practice such as office hours and how to schedule an appointment. Be transparent about the efforts you’re making – sanitizing your office, virtual meetings, etc. – to ensure a safe, healthy office.

Creating Traction for a New Practice Area

In the wake of the disruption caused by COVID, some firms are branching into new practice areas or beefing up existing ones to meet new demands (healthcare, housing, litigation, employment law).

Here are some pointers for promoting a new practice area:

• Announce it with creative, engaging content on your website.
• Share the content on social media. If you’re not on social media, create a LinkedIn account and start there.
• Try different versions of the same content to see which one yields the most audience engagement.
• Sharpen your messaging to emphasize flexibility, creativity and empathy.
• Meet your prospects where they’re at. “The best marketing campaign won’t gain traction if your customers don’t spend time on that platform,” says Peek.
• Solicit feedback from your existing clients.
• Post positive feedback and testimonials online.

Bonus: use an online client survey or one-on-one Zoom sessions to better identify and understand your clients’ needs.

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