The journey, stage by stage
- Trigger. Something happens — an accident, a redundancy letter, an accepted offer on a house, a bereavement. The person moves from “this is a problem” to “I need a solicitor”.
- First search. Often on a phone, and often with short, specific queries: a service, a place, “near me”, or a question. Search results, maps and AI summaries shape the first impression.
- Shortlist. A handful of firms are considered. Sites that are slow, vague about the service, or hard to use on a phone are easy to discard without a second look.
- Validation. People check reviews, search the firm's name, look for named lawyers and regulatory details, and try to understand fees.
- First contact. A form, a call or a chat — frequently outside office hours. A prompt, clear and human response matters.
- Instruction. Whether an enquiry becomes an instruction depends on the conversation, the advice, clarity about cost and terms — the firm's work, not the website's.
What makes a site easy to choose
- The service and the place are clear within seconds
- Named lawyers, with real photographs
- Regulatory details that are easy to find
- Honest information about fees and how they're set
- A plain-English explanation of what happens next
- Contact options that work well on a phone
- Reviews the firm has responded to thoughtfully
- A fast, reliable response once someone gets in touch
An enquiry is not an instruction
A website can present the firm accurately, answer early questions and make contact easy. What happens next — the speed and quality of the response, the advice, the clarity of terms — is where instructions are won. Design the site to deliver suitable enquiries, and measure it on that.