In Part 1 of this series on client retention, Hona explored how law firms can combine innovative systems with a human touch to build stronger relationships and keep more clients. In Part 2, Matador expands the conversation to demonstrate how better communication doesn’t just improve retention—it drives reviews, rankings, and revenue.
At Matador, we often say: your client’s case isn’t the only thing that needs to be resolved. How they feel about the experience matters just as much. It’s why strong communication isn’t just a retention tool. It’s a marketing engine.
When law firms improve communication at intake and throughout the client journey, something powerful happens: happier clients. And happy clients are far more likely to leave five-star reviews. Those reviews don’t just make you look good. Positive testimonials help new clients find you.
Turning your communication systems into a steady source of Google reviews is one of the smartest marketing moves your firm can make. Discover the benefits of securing testimonials and how to leverage those positive sentiments to build your client list.
Strong Communication Fuels Positive Sentiment
Many firms make the mistake of initiating the review process at the end of a case. The path to a positive review truly begins the first time someone contacts your office.
If that first interaction is frustrating—slow follow-up, missed calls, or generic responses—your odds of getting a five-star review drop immediately, regardless of the results you deliver on their case.
When your intake is responsive, clear, and helpful, even prospective clients who don’t retain you are more likely to leave positive feedback. That means your communication strategy has the potential to generate reviews long before you ever secure a settlement or achieve a verdict.
This is where tools like Hona’s client portal can make a major difference. By streamlining updates and offering clients visibility into their case, platforms like Hona support the kind of consistent, proactive communication that builds trust and earns public praise.
Why Google Reviews Matter More Than You Think
Google reviews do more than signal trust. They directly impact your firm’s visibility and lead quality.
- Firms with a substantial volume of high-quality reviews are more likely to rank in the Google Map Pack for relevant keywords like “personal injury lawyer near me.”
- Reviews influence Local Services Ads (LSAs), helping you appear more often—and at a lower cost.
- Reviews reinforce credibility through word-of-mouth referrals, as potential clients check your profile before calling.
While the exact ROI of a review varies, we estimate the value of one Google review to range between $500 and $1,000, based on industry data and performance modeling across Co-Op firms.
Bottom line? Every five-star review adds measurable momentum to your firm’s marketing engine.
Build A Feedback Loop
A strong marketing engine depends on a continuous cycle: Intake → Communication → Review → SEO → Leads.
Starting with a positive intake experience that leads to consistent, transparent communication encourages clients to leave honest reviews. Those reviews then boost your firm’s SEO, increasing your visibility in search and local listings. Ultimately, this attracts more qualified leads, who enter the cycle themselves, creating sustainable growth. We break down each stage and provide actionable steps to build this loop effectively.
Intake Sets The Stage For Positive Sentiment
The review journey starts earlier than most firms realize. First impressions, especially during intake, create the emotional baseline for how a client will perceive your firm. If that first contact feels clunky, rushed, or impersonal, it’s hard to recover later. But when it’s smooth, responsive, and reassuring, clients walk away with a positive sentiment, even if they never retain your services.
Tools like Smith.ai, Lawbrokr, and Hona help firms streamline this stage:
- Immediate call answering reduces frustration and wait times.
- Guided forms and portals show professionalism and preparedness.
- Intelligent routing means prospects feel heard and supported quickly.
The right tools save time and energy, allowing your team to be more present, helpful, and human. This engagement sets the tone for everything that follows. This combination of technology and human connection builds trust from the start and sets the foundation for strong communication throughout the engagement—exactly what leads to high-quality reviews.
Get Reviews By Making The Ask Easy
Once you’ve built trust through strong intake and consistent communication, you’re in the ideal position to request a review. But how you request feedback matters and can significantly impact a client’s choice to follow through.
When to ask for a review:
- After a successful intake conversation
- Following the resolution of a question or concern
- When a client expresses appreciation—even casually
How to ask for a review:
- Send a quick, personal message from the person who had the interaction—not a generic firm email.
- Use text messaging when appropriate—it’s faster, more personal, and often more effective than email.
What to include in your request:
- A short link to your Google review page (create one from your Google Business Profile).
- A brief note about how helpful a review would be to your team.
Who to ask:
- Don’t limit it to paying clients. Anyone who has had a genuine interaction, including consultations, referrals, and pro bono assistance, can share their experience.
What makes a review stick:
- Encourage detail. A paragraph with context from a real user carries more SEO weight than a five-word response from a brand-new Gmail account.
- Reviews from “Local Guides” or active Google users tend to rank higher and last longer.
Closing The Loop With New Leads
This stage is where the loop closes and starts again. Leads who find your firm through search or map listings often scan your reviews before deciding to contact you. If what they read reinforces the kind of experience they’re hoping for—responsive, professional, caring—they’re more likely to reach out. When they do, you already have the systems in place to give them a standout intake experience.
Here’s where the loop becomes measurable. Google considers both the quality and quantity of reviews when ranking firms in Map Pack results, Local Services Ads, and organic listings. So when your happy clients share their experience, they’re not just validating your work. They’re improving your discoverability in high-intent search results.
From there, the cycle repeats: strong intake → great communication → compelling review → stronger visibility → more high-quality leads.
Co-Op Members Are Seeing The Impact
Across the Matador Co-Op, firms that combine clear intake processes with intentional review strategies are seeing results:
- Higher conversion rates from map listings and LSAs
- Improved local SEO rankings
- More qualified leads calling in with confidence
By transforming good communication into effective marketing, these firms are achieving scalable growth without increasing advertising spend.
This is just one of many feedback loops we help our members build. From optimizing content strategy to leveraging aggregated performance data, the Matador Co-Op is designed to help small and mid-sized firms compete at a higher level.
Reviews Are A Byproduct Of Experience
Asking for reviews can feel uncomfortable, but if you don’t ask, you won’t get them. Even satisfied clients often need a reminder—or two—before they follow through. That’s why a smooth, professional intake process matters so much. When every interaction feels five-star worthy, it becomes easier to make the ask, and easier for clients to know exactly what to say.
Make your communication fast, thoughtful, and easy to engage with. Then, build systems to follow up, ask for feedback, and make it simple for happy clients to share their experience.
The more consistently you create meaningful interactions, the more likely you are to receive reviews that drive visibility, improve SEO, and ultimately, attract new clients.
Want more marketing strategies like this? Matador Co-Op members get exclusive access to review request scripts, messaging workflows, and data-driven benchmarks that help turn marketing theory into repeatable action.
