A new firm has no referrals yet, so it has to be findable by the people searching right now. That takes five things done in order, and none of them needs a big budget.
What should a new firm do first?
Pick a name and identity that tell a stranger what you do. "Smith Advisory" makes people guess. A name, a simple identity, and a one-line description of who you serve should be done before anything else, because every listing and page repeats them. See branding and websites.
What goes on the website?
The questions your clients ask on the first call, answered in plain sentences.
- What you do and for whom, in the first line of the home page.
- Prices or ranges. A fixed fee, a starting point, or how you bill. Clients shopping for an accountant or an appraiser want a number before they call.
- Where you work, your city and the area you cover.
- How to reach you, the same on every page.
A one-page site is enough to start. More pages come as you learn which questions people ask. Skip the stock photo of a handshake and the paragraph about your commitment to excellence; a client cannot quote either one back to a friend.
How do clients find a new firm on Google?
Through the Google Business Profile first. Set it up with the right category, service area, hours, and services, and keep your name and phone identical on Bing Places, LinkedIn, and the directories in your profession. Then ask every happy client for a review, the week the work is done, with a direct link so it takes them a minute. Answer every review, good or bad, in a sentence or two.
How do I get named by ChatGPT, and how do I know it is working?
Write answer pages: one page per real client question, with the answer in the first two sentences. Assistants quote plain, specific pages, and most firm websites give them nothing to quote. The longer version is in how to get your business cited by AI assistants.
Then check the numbers every week: Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools, Google Business Profile calls and direction requests, and where each new client heard of you. Change one thing at a time so you can tell what moved them. An AI search check-up shows where you stand before you start.
What does it cost?
- Google Business Profile setup: $600.
- One-page website: $1,500.
- Brand identity: from $2,500.
- AI search check-up: $150, to see where you stand with ChatGPT, Copilot, and Google.
Have you done this for a firm like mine?
Twice in the appraisal business. Lukes & Lukes, my own machinery and equipment appraisal firm, went from a new LLC to its first call in 90 days on a site built for search and AI assistants. For U.S. Asset Appraisals, I delivered the brand identity, sitemap, and website copy in one week.
Answered by Jared Lukes, Minneapolis. Twenty-five years in brand, UX, and technology, currently holding fractional AI and technology seats at three companies. About Jared.