Is your website helping turn referrals into enquiries?
A strong referral gives a prospective client a reason to consider your firm. Your website should reinforce that recommendation.
They may arrive with a particular lawyer’s name and a specific matter in mind. They want to find relevant experience, understand whether you can help and work out who to contact.
If the lawyer’s profile is thin, the practice pages are vague or the route to contact is unclear, a promising introduction can lose momentum before you’ve had a conversation.
The recommendation is only part of the decision
SRA research found that 79% of SME clients looked at their solicitor’s website before instructing.
Someone may trust the person who recommended you and still want to check the firm for themselves. What they find should give them confidence that the recommendation fits their needs.
That’s why we created the Elmfields Referral-to-Enquiry Test.
It’s a two-minute survey to help law firms assess whether their website gives referred clients the confidence to get in touch.
What does the test look at?
The test asks seven questions about the things a prospective client may look for after an introduction:
Finding the firm or lawyer. Can they find you easily when they search by name?
Understanding your work. Is it clear which clients and matters you help with?
Relevant experience. Can they find convincing evidence that you’ve handled work like theirs?
Understanding their needs. Does the website show an appreciation of their commercial or practical concerns?
Lawyer profiles. Does the recommended lawyer’s profile explain their experience and provide useful, current information?
An active firm. Do the people, information and insights on the website feel up to date?
Making contact. Is it obvious who to contact and what happens next?
Open your website and review it as a prospective client would. For each question, choose No, Partly or Yes, clearly.
What will your result show?
You’ll receive a score out of 14, with practical priorities based on your answers.
Your score falls into one of three bands:
Significant gap — 0–6: Several areas may leave referred clients uncertain about the firm or how to get in touch.
Some friction — 7–10: The website provides some reassurance, but gaps may make the next step harder than it needs to be.
Strong — 11–14: Your answers suggest the website gives referred clients a clear basis for making contact.
Give the next referral a clearer route to contact
You may already have the experience a prospective client needs. The opportunity is to make that experience easier to find and the next step easier to take.
Optimised lawyer profiles, detailed evidence on a practice page and a direct route to the right person can help someone act on a recommendation.
About author
Mo leads our marketing strategy, with a focus on SEO, communications and lead generation bringing 9 years of B2B marketing experience. When he is not advising law firms on their marketing, he is (often painfully) supporting his beloved Fulham FC.
Mo Elmoussati
Director
Get actionable insights tailored to ambitious firms
Marketing Insights, resources and the occasional piece of witty coffee sipping content, neatly packaged into our monthly mailing (zero spam, zero zzz's)!
