When Sally wants to find a lawyer to help with her estate planning, she will ask friends and relatives, research for local estate planning lawyers on the Internet, call the State Bar Referral Service, or possibly look in the local phone book. Once she gets a list of possibilities, Sally will go back to the Internet to find more information about each lawyer.
The State Bar of Michigan has made it easier for people like Sally to find your profile with the addition of a badge you can post on your website and blog. Clicking on the badge allows Sally to connect to your SBM enhanced profile, where she can see your picture and read more about you. If you have added the appointment scheduler to your profile, there is another badge that takes potential clients directly to that section of your profile.
Why share your profile?
First, clients trust the State Bar. Connecting to your SBM profile makes them feel secure.
Second, the procedure is simple. Clicking on the badge takes the potential client immediately to your profile.
Finally, linking to your website and blog enhances your presence on the web.
How do you get the free profile badge?
Sign in to the SBM Member Directory with your username and password. Click on your profile. Once there:
- Click on Actions
- Click on Edit Profile. A menu will appear on the left-hand side of the page.
- Click on Share Your Profile.
You will see a form with three badges of different sizes. Select the size you want on your site. Highlight the text in the box next to your preferred size and copy. Go to your website or blog, select the spot where you want to post the badge, and paste. The badge's URL will appear. When you click to save or update, the badge will appear.
If you don’t want the badge, but simply want the words “View my profile” on your page, go back to the form, click on that section at the top, and follow the same procedure as above. At the bottom of the form, you will find the text or URL to use on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Take the time to add the badge to your website and blog so that the next time Sally is searching, she will quickly find your profile on a trusted site.
Roberta Gubbins has served as the editor of the Ingham County Legal News. Since leaving the paper, she provides services as a ghostwriter editing articles, blogs, and e-blasts for lawyers and law firms. She is the editor of The Mentor, SBM Master Lawyers Section newsletter.
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