As web professionals, we at The Search Engine Guys, LLC feel compelled to warn our clients and the general public about a phishing scam that we have seen circulating via email. Primarily targeting law firms, this scam masquerades as an email from an overseas company in Singapore/Asia looking for representation in the US. 

This scam was brought to our attention by a few of our clients, as well as by several emails that we ourselves received. If you receive any suspicious emails from a Patrick Chan or Daniel Wong regarding representation for companies such as Trailblazer Communications Asia Pte Ltd. or Matila Manufacturing Pte Ltd., be warned that it is most likely a scam. The emails in question tend to read something like this:

Message: Attention Counsel:

I have previously sent you an email; please confirm
the receipt of this mail due to the urgency of this matter. If you are not
in position to represent us at the moment kindly advice immediately.
After a careful review, we decided to contact you to represent our
Company in North America. Matila Manufacturing Pte Ltd is a
Manufacturing company in Asia

We would require your legal representation for our North American delinquent Customers. We are of the
opinion that a reputable attorney is required to represent us in North
America in order for us to recover monies due to our organization by
overseas customers, and as well follow up with these accounts. In order to
achieve these objectives a good and reputable law firm
like yours will be required to handle this service. We understand that a
proper Attorney Client agreement must be entered into by both parties.
This will be done immediately we receive your letter of acceptance.
Awaiting Response.

Thanks,

Patrick Chan

Variations of this scam (involving different names and different "companies") have been reported on various online forums and blogs, so be very careful about what you respond to.

About The Search Engine Guys, LLC

Based in Austin, TX, The Search Engine Guys, LLC is a full-service search engine optimization firm, handling natural SEO, web design, content development, and online reputation management. Call 800-267-1704 for more information.

As David Slater aptly points out in his white paper, "Growing Your Law Practice by Leveraging Technology," grabbing that juicy search ranking is only part of a truly successful web marketing initiative.

In the world of online marketing, there are two "conversions" that must be addressed - first, the conversion of a website visitor into a viable business lead, and second, the conversion of that business lead into an actual revenue-generating client. A failure at either of these two conversion stages renders the entire web marketing campaign useless in terms of concrete results. 

We have previously addressed a few points regarding the issue of visitor-to-lead conversion on this blog, so we will skip discussion of that phase for now. Instead, we will focus on several aspects of lead-to-client conversion in internet marketing. 

No matter what business you happen to be in, closing the deal with potential clients is crucial. Part of this conversion process is simple professionalism - as in:

- Are you courteous and respectful of the potential client's needs?

- Do you display your knowledge of the subject matter?

- Are you accessible, responsive, and responsible? 

This last point is particularly important when dealing with online marketing. When bringing in clients via the web, being accessible, responsive, and responsible boils down to one thing - speed. In a fast-paced world, and ESPECIALLY in the rapid-fire-short-attention-span-instant-gratification world of the Internet, your ability to respond to business leads quickly is paramount. 

Let me be clear - when I say "quickly," I do not mean "within a week" or "within 3 business days." I mean "as fast as humanly and technologically possible." Every second counts in this business. David Slater points out that his firm's use of push-email is a huge factor in their ability to respond to new leads almost instantaneously. The moral? Modern technology is fast, so learn to use it to keep up. Emails, text messaging, collaboration software - familiarize yourself with these things and integrate them into the way you do business.

Of course, all the technology known to man won't do you any good if you don't put forth the effort to be there and use it; there is no technological remedy for not picking up the phone during normal business hours...

Need advice on integrating the web into your business operations? Contact the web marketing experts at The Search Engine Guys, LLC at 800-267-1704.

What is the primary purpose of a business website? Regardless of the type of business - whether it is a law firm, a retailer, a consulting agency, or a doctor's office - the goal of a company website is to bring in new business. If a website fails to do so, it is inefficient and a waste of advertising dollars.

In order for a website to bring in new business, it must be able to convert website visitors into actual contacts. In other words, the website must be able to persuade a person who has just come across the site to call, email, buy from, or otherwise interact with the company who owns the site. How does a website accomplish this? A large piece of the puzzle is design, or how a website looks, how user-friendly it is, and what browsing and buying behaviors it elicits. Let's look at this Boston bankruptcy lawyer website as an example.

There are several major features worth mentioning:

- Attractive visual design: consumers make at least part of their judgments based on first impressions. If a site looks bad or cheap, it immediately loses credibility.

- Easy-to-locate contact capabilities: the easy-to-find "Contact Us" button in the navigation bar, the prominently placed phone number in the header, and the large "Free Evaluation" button all provide site visitors with the abilty to immediately take action.

- Testimonials and Credentials: The client quotes and accreditations of Boston bankruptcy attorney Josh Spirn are prominently displayed, allowing the site to immediately build value with a visitor.

Of course, there are dozens more factors to consider in developing, evaluating, and improving the conversion of a website. To learn more, give The Search Engine Guys a call at 800-267-1704.

One of our big selling points here at The Search Engine Guys, LLC, is our exclusive partnership agreement. (Not sure what this is? Go to http://www.tseg.com to read about it). We believe that SEO works best through a long-term relationship with a client, not through a haphazard cookie-cutter approach.

Take Alexander & Associates, for example. They are a rapidly-growing family law and criminal law firm in the Denton, TX area, serving clients in Denton, Dallas, and Tarrant Counties. We have been working with them on an exclusive basis for quite some time, and we like to think that their rapid growth is due, at least in part, to the excellent web presence we have helped them develop. 

Apparently Alexander & Associates agree, because they have asked us to build their first, second, and now their third website. Their newest is a new family and criminal law website specifically targeting the Frisco, TX area. Though the site is relatively new and is a work in progress, we expect it to be very successful in the near future. So if you need a Frisco divorce lawyer or a Frisco criminal defense attorney, give Alexander & Associates a call.

On the other hand, if you'd like to get in on the same kind of exclusive partnership that The Search Engine Guys have with Alexander & Associates, give us a call at 800-267-1704.