In a highly saturated market, firms must pay attention to every piece of their marketing efforts. Small details may be the things that ultimately push people to choose you over the competition.

Convincing a website visitor to contact your firm is just a first step; the ultimate goal is of course to convert that visitor into a client. The more you can personalize their experience and convince them that you are a trustworthy resource, they more likely they are to actually take the next step and hire your firm. An often underutilized resource in the conversion process is the thank you page that is displayed after a visitor completes a form submission.

Hopefully, your website already uses thank you pages. That is, once a visitor fills out and submits a form, they are redirected to a page that at a minimum thanks them for their interest in your firm and tells them when they can expect to hear from you. If you have different forms on your site for different purposes, like signing up for a newsletter, then your thank you pages should be customized accordingly.

But what can you do that goes beyond just a mere thank you? Try some of these practices to make your thank you pages work harder for you.

1. Add testimonials. Social proof – the idea that people tend to do what others are already doing – is a real phenomenon online. If your state bar allows you to use testimonials as a part of your marketing, place some select quotes on your thank you page. Professionals that have good Google reviews and offer solid client testimonials (especially video testimonials) tend to get more conversions. People simply trust those who they feel others have already been able to count on. Letting them know you have been able to help their peers can nudge them toward hiring you.

2. Offer a free download or other supporting content. If you have written any ebooks, like a divorce guide or estate planning basics, offer a download to those who have contacted you. This will help keep you in the forefront of their minds and will remind them of you any time they open the document to reference a question they might have. It also offers a point of conversation when you do contact them to set up an appointment.

3. Sincerely show gratitude. Give a real thank you, not just a canned, “we appreciate your interest” sentence that a visitor could see on anyone's website. Let them know that you understand that they took valuable time to review your website and submit a question - and that you recognize their time investment. Making a personal connection by showing you respect a visitor's efforts can go a long way toward making them feel comfortable with hiring your firm.

4. Verify your voice. Your thank you page should reflect the personalty you have cultivated at your firm and in your marketing. Do you have a certain style of writing? Have you incorporated a particular type of graphic or photography throughout the site? Make sure you include these elements on the thank you pages as well.

5. Control expectations. Give the most accurate account of what someone can expect once they have submitted a question. Let them know within what timeframe they can expect to hear from you. Depending on your practice area, you may be able to offer some insight into how they will be able to proceed once they hear from you. People in need of legal services are often nervous and full of questions. Giving them as much realistic information as you can about what to expect may help calm their fears and establish trust with your firm.