Folinskyinla

Also posted on the US immigration forum.

Hi:

I participate here because I have good clean fun while perhaps keeping people on the right immigration practice. As such, I have never done much in the way of considering BE a marketing tool -- and still don't.

But, I have been working a tad on my sorry excuse for a web-site this weekend. Any suggestions for improvement in editorial content, clarity or mistakes, will be appreciated.

[P.S. -- I asked the Mods if this was OK -- and I was given permission provided that I did not cross the line into self-aggrandizement.]

Again, help would be appreciated.

fatbrit

You need a photo.

No mention of ancillary staff -- receptionist, paralegal, etc.

The person is confusing in some of your narrative. Is it 1st or 3rd person? And we then wander into plural with "About Us".

A quick list of your specializations within immigration law should be there for those who can't be bothered to trail through your court battle honors. Are you a TN specialist, I-601, a K-1 man or what? Give readers a quick summary.

agentpeppermint

there are some misspellings in your successful cases section, smaller font there would also be more appealing

MrEmjoy

Shift the photo to the top left and put the info under it where the photo is.

You'll still have your 'style' but the information is more in your face.

I'll proof read it for you also.

MrEmjoy

Just realised you aint really asking about the graphics side of the site! That's just what I do though!

Do you want typo errors in here ?

ian-mstm

There is at least one spelling error in the top section of the "Contact Us" section, and one other in the blurb just above the map.

Under "Successful Cases", you need to correct the link to Adobe Reader.

I didn't read the actual cases, but I agree that the font is too large for comfort. This is true for most of the pages.

Nice job otherwise!

Ian

Songbird

Ditto to the previous comments made.

Pros:
Clear navigation
Neat clean layout

Cons (imho) :
Although the design is 'clean' it does tend to look very 'corporate'. While this is perhaps attractive for business clients, non-business clients may find this less inviting. I know the first thing I looked at when I searched for an immigration attorney online was the "about me' section. I wanted to see a photo, their creds ( i.e. their specialization if any) and perhaps most importantly read their blurb to try and get a feel of how approachable they were. Would this be a person I could converse with? How savvy was this person re: current legislation? Could I trust this person to not only help guide me through the maze but also attach the same level of importance to it as I did? Those (imo) are the most important and pertinent questions that the "about me' should address.

If it was my website I would:
a ) have a brief 'mission statement' on the front page. Yes it's stating the obvious about how diverse and complicated immigration law BUT in the minds of prospective clients it flicks the 'they know what they are dealing with' switch - an effective and immediate trust winner.

b ) the About Us section, personalize it. Include the photo. Give your creds. Include your deets re: involvement in ALIA, show how current you are on the legislation ie discussion group involvement you have, give some indication of the broad expanse of your 'knowledge base'.

c ) Personalization (yes it's that important it gets it own paragraph ) Show who you are. Show that you understand how important each clients case is because thats what clients want to see. Most people seeking immigration advice are confused as hell with all the forms, laws, worries about past history etc they want someone they feel not only understands this but competent enough to get them through it. You are not only a very able attorney but also ( I find) very approachable yet that doesn't come through at all on that page.

d ) Most people don't understand that immigration law is federal hence you could represent them regardless of where they are situated ie. phone, email. Explain that and provide some indication of cost / availability of telephone consultations for prospective new clients.


Anyways just a few thoughts off the top of my head

ian-mstm

Damn good thoughts... I agree 100%

Ian

snowbunny

A really good photo might be you walking with a fellow attorney or client or even alone along side those marble columns - to show that you're a person who will help us mere mortals navigate those scarey courthouses and the laws they uphold. Just a thought.

You - looking straight ahead; the other person, looking down but smiling.

PepsiChic

In your "Services" page the font for the text is different to that of the rest of your pages (ie. "About Us")

In Successful Cases, the last 2 cases, "Double "Proxy-Marriage" and "When Horses Collide..." Neither have links to the full story to read, which makes them difficult to understand, more so the last one.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Thanks to all here and in the immigration forum. These postings are very helpful.

However, this post brings up a question that I have struggled with. Most of the cases I deal with are subject to attorney-client confidentiality -- so there will be no link and I can't even give the name. I have posted links to the winners that have become publicly available.

Nonetheless, I think certain aspects of the unpublished cases can be revealed -- and provide an insight of the type of things I can do.

Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

ian-mstm

I think you might take a lesson from what you do in this forum. Very often, you'll write something like, "I had/have a client who did some weird thing, I represented them and got the judge to agree with my interpretation". I think you should also preface the section saying something like specific details can not be disclosed because of confidentiality/privacy issues. It doesn't have to be elaborate... just let people know that you respect their privacy, but that you have experience with many difficult cases.

Ian

agentpeppermint

on the front page you have your contact information shown twice...maybe compact it all so you dont have to scroll down, remove one of the contact information sections on the front page so you have a single non scrolling page..

Rete

Further to SB's thoughts (and I had written out my thoughts and lost the doc by not saving it, yikes), in the US section ... it is not US but You or Me rather. You are a one person office. Don't advertise the fact that you "share" an office. Makes you appear to be a non-prosperous attorney who cannot afford his own office. While you love and admire your family, they do not belong in the section about you. It is about you and while ancestors play a part in shaping us, you do not advertise your heritage. I like it to be corporate as opposed to SB's thought.

When I want to hire a professional, I want a professional website only and not one that is chatty and on the order of Myspace.

Immigration law is many faceted and armed. If you specialize in an area of immigration law, that is what you need to let the public know. They don't want to pull up your name and waste a call because you don't handle standard completion and filing of marriage-based visa forms, or HB-1's, etc. If you are a litigator, proclaim that upfront.

Jay and Ellen are not your partners although they are resources. They do not need to be mentioned in your website unless you are in legal partnership with them.

Hope this helps.

snowbunny

And here is a difference of opinion. If I'm trying to navigate the morass of immigration difficulties, I want a human being who will listen to me - a "real person" and not yet another bureaucracy in the form of a Big Law Office.

Horses for courses.