Crafting Content that Converts with Persuasive writing
Words matter. Whether it was the memo you wrote as a 1L, the testimony you extricated from a hostile witness, or a polished appellate brief you just submitted to the court, the words you choose have power. They dig into the soul of your reader. They can work for you or against you. Knowing how to write persuasively and illustratively is key to your success as a lawyer – and, fortunately, a skill you can seamlessly integrate into your marketing campaign.
Why Persuasive writing for Lawyers Matters for Website
According to the American Bar Association’s most recent Profile of the Legal Profession, there are more than 1.3 million lawyers in the United States. That’s a lot of competition. Your website is one of your most effective marketing tools – and the perfect place to showcase your persuasive writing.
Being able to write persuasively can help you convert a reader into a client. It can give the reader a sneak peek into your skills in the courtroom. Persuasion is a form of lawyering – you want to be able to show the court why it should rule a certain way, get the opposing party to agree to a settlement, or convince a party to change their behavior. Persuasive writing showcases these skills. By featuring your persuasive writing skills on your law firm’s website, you demonstrate this critical quality right when the reader is trying to figure out who to hire for their case.
Words matter. Words have the power to make you feel good. They also have the power to make you feel bad. Ask anyone who has ever experienced childhood bullying. Words can bring life into a story, or they can cause death.
the words you use and the way you choose to present your legal services can directly impact your ability to land the latest client. Your website is your love letter to the world, as well as an interactive portfolio. Maximize its potential through your own persuasive writing.
Top 5 Persuasive Legal Writing Strategies
So, how do you write persuasively on your law firm’s website? Here are our top five strategies:
Tell a Story
One of the best ways to showcase your persuasive writing is to tell a story. You want to get your reader hooked. You want them to feel like they’re in the middle of the tale.
Of course, you want to maintain attorney/client privilege, but there are ways that you can tell a story that allow you to preserve this fundamental protection. Has your client given you permission to share their story with others? Can you speak in ways that do not reveal their identity but still show how you brought about a positive outcome in the case? Was there another case you observed and an anecdote you can share?
Make It Personal
AI is everywhere now. You’ve probably seen every application you use showing how to use AI. It can synthesize data, not great with a sophisticated style! It can suggest social media posts you can make! It can write your emails for you! It might even do your legal research for you and hallucinate cases that don’t exist.
One of the biggest names in AI in the content world is ChatGPT. While the Pew Research Center says that most Americans have heard of it but few have tried it, SEO websites claim that the platform has more than 180 million users. People were initially impressed with its results, but then there were the comments: It doesn’t sound human. It sounds like a robot. It’s too generic. It’s artificial intelligence, not real intelligence.
Computers don’t have feelings. They just recite information. Don’t be a computer.
Make your content personal. Why did you want to become a lawyer? Why does this work matter to you? How are you making the world a better place by being an attorney? Make these human connections to relate to your audience as a real person.
Write Directly to Your Audience
Your legal website will be more effective when you write directly to your audience. Saying “you” simply has more force and conviction than saying “they.” When you say “you,” you get the reader’s attention. Simply switching to the second person can help you make a more personal connection.
Highlight Urgency
You want the reader to make a decision now – and to choose you. You have them on the hook. You’ve explained the legal issue they’re searching for. Now is the time to close the deal. You can’t let them think they can think about and research the legal issue that beckoned them to your site. You need them to act now, so you need to highlight how urgent the situation is.
You can do this effectively for any legal practice, such as pinpointing the possible consequences of delaying action:
- Losing custody of their children in a divorce case
- Being taken advantage of by the insurance company in a personal injury case
- Losing their home if they don’t quickly file for bankruptcy protection
- Being steamrolled by the prosecution that is building a case against them while they do nothing
- Dying without a will in place if they don’t start making one now (this has really happened – A client calls for a consult, but before the will can be drafted, they die.)
You want the reader to make a decision now—and to choose you. You have them on the hook. You’ve explained their legal issue. Now, close the deal. Tell them to call you. Have a giant “click here” button. Whatever you do, express that they must act now!
Showcase Your Authority
Your website is the perfect place to brag. Go ahead. Let it all out. Tell the world your win rate. Highlight that multi-million dollar settlement or not guilty verdict in a high-profile case you achieved. Tout all the badges you’ve accumulated like you’re a Boy Scout or Brownie.
Google wants the same thing a potential client does – to know that you have authority. You are a trusted source of information, and you are providing it.
An effective way to show your authority is to display your client testimonials in a prominent location on your website. Just like no one wants to go to a restaurant where no one else is parked, no one wants a lawyer who doesn’t have the social proof that someone else believed in them. Establish your credibility through your credentials and from your clients’ own words.
Fail-Safe Checklist for Writing Persuasive Legal Content
Here is a step-by-step guide to creating engaging and conversion-focused content:
- Conduct an analysis of your ideal client.
- Learn about your potential clients’ needs, concerns, and pain points.
- Tailor your content for your ideal client.
- Research topics that are compelling to prospective clients.
- Begin with an engaging headline.
- Include personal anecdotes in your writing.
- Use compelling headlines.
- Provide clear calls to action.
Take Your Writing to a Whole New Level
Now that we’ve persuaded you to include persuasive writing on your law firm site, you can take action.
Start by creating a new page of content using the techniques we’ve outlined. You can also sign up for our newsletter, where we share even more insights for creating content that converts.