Make the law-firm homepage's next step explicit

The operational decision

Help visitors distinguish information, a consultation request and existing-client contact. A law-firm website should help visitors understand the public service scope and choose a clear next step. Marketing copy, buttons and form confirmations all need to match the actual intake and review process.

Prepare the workflow

Use separate labels and destinations for each path; remove a generic Start now button if its outcome is unclear.

Example wording for approval

“Request an initial consultation review, or use the firm's existing-client contact route. A request does not confirm an appointment or acceptance of a matter.”

Worked example

A fictional homepage uses one large Get started button for new inquiries, existing clients and vendor questions. Visitors cannot tell what it does. Replace it with clear paths reflecting the firm's actual processes and label the consultation path as a request when staff review is required. Test with three different visitor tasks. The page succeeds when each person reaches the appropriate instruction without entering a narrative into the wrong form or assuming a meeting has already been booked.

Handoff record

Record these task-specific fields: page URL, action label, destination, editor.

Acceptance check

Ask a new visitor and an existing client to find their routes. They should reach different appropriate instructions without entering a detailed narrative first.

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