Meet Marc Heighway, Online Marketing Consultant

Marc Heighway is an online marketing consultant who lives and works on the south coast of the United Kingdom. He has worked in the industry for over 15 years and specializes in helping law firms generate more business online. He was worked abroad and for some large companies and in this interview offers his insights into the world of online marketing, strategies, and some of his own personal experiences.

1. Could you please give a brief introduction to who you are and what you do?

Thanks for giving me the opportunity! I am English and have worked in the online sector since the year 2000. I currently run a business that provides online marketing services and lead generation to the legal industry. This involves quite a few different disciplines including search engine optimization and in-bound marketing strategies.

2. I know that you worked abroad for a few years--what's your insight into that experience, and do you have any advice you can give to other people thinking about doing the same?

Sure. Before I ran my own business, I was the European online marketing manager for an American company called Garmin. They moved me over to Switzerland to manage all their online marketing, and I ended up living in the north of the country.

It was a fantastic experience for my wife and me. We would wake up and see the Swiss Alps from our bedroom window each morning, traveled extensively, and tasted a very different way of life. If any of your readers are given a similar opportunity, then I hope they grasp it with both hands.

3. Could you tell me a little more about your own business and what exactly it is that you do?

For the last few years, I have run SEO agencies serving a wide range of clients. Many of our clients have been personal injury lawyers and personal injury solicitors. It made sense to start specializing in that field, because I think that you can bring a lot more value as a specialist marketing agency to companies in a particular field.

So with that in mind, recently the parent company of my SEO agencies that I own, FIMA Digital, has started to exclusively work with personal injury firms, in particular the field of online lead generation. On the FIMA Digital website there's a lot more information about how this works.

We provide specialist solutions to them, and help generate millions of pounds of business into the industry each and every year.

This also involves aspects such as an affiliate program which you can read more about on our corporate website. That lets other suppliers jump on board with us and start monetizing their content to visitors which can then go into use the services of the UK solicitors and accident claims companies that we partner with.

4. What does a typical day involve in your offices?

Currently, it seems to involve a lot of phone calls from our clients. My role is really to be the main point of contact for the firms using our services, providing the specialist knowledge to them, whilst the employees of FIMA then action the strategies that I have helped to develop.

No one day is the same.

5. How it the world of online marketing changing, if at all?

Good question. I think that search engine optimization in particular is changing, and has undoubtedly become more difficult over the last two years. This has meant that a lot of the old agencies who didn't really understand it have started to drop off.

Consequently, there is a demand for more specialist support, which is how I view FIMA Digital and how our proposition fits with the aspirations of our clients.

6. One more question! Do you have any tips for aspiring online marketers and have any advice on what they could do?

I started out with SEO, building my own websites which I then ran through affiliate marketing channels. This is a great way to start if you want to dip your toes into the industry. I also think that it's very worthwhile now looking into paid search, because ultimately you don't want to have all your eggs in one basket as can often be the case when relying just on organic search traffic.

Thanks, Marc!

Meet Kate Morris of Personal Injury Solicitors of Bolton

Kate Morris is a marketing manager for a UK firm of personal injury lawyers. She is based in Bolton, which is near the larger city of Manchester, and has been involved in legal marketing for over a decade. In this interview, she tells us about how she got involved in working with lawyers, and what her aspirations are for the future.

1. Could you give us a quick introduction to your current role and what you typical day looks like?

Sure! I am currently the marketing manager for Personal Injury Solicitors of Bolton. For your American readers, a solicitor is the English term for a lawyer. In simple terms, the company and law firm offer legal advice to people who have been involved in accidents where they need legal representation.

We are a team of no win no fee solicitors in Bolton. You can find out more about the mechanics of the company on our corporate website. No win no fee essentially means that we work on a client's behalf for free until successful completion of a personal injury claim, at which point we take a fee from their final compensation payment.

As the marketing manager, it's my responsibility to implement and grow strategies that bring more clients to our door. The no win no fee and personal injury market in the UK is very competitive, kind of like the US market as far as I am aware, and as such you need to be on top of your game to stand out.

2. So how exactly do you differentiate yourselves from the competition? If the accident claims industry is so competitive, this must be quite a challenge.

You are absolutely right. But we try really hard to be different. From the moment we get a call from someone who has requested accident claims advice, we try to put them at ease, listen to them, and treat them like a person, not a number with a financial figure placed on it.

So many accident claims companies, not just in Bolton but around the UK, are all about the bottom line. In other words, profit and revenues. I like to think that we are a little bit different in our approach to our clients, and our no win no fee solicitors are all selected on their personality as well as their expertise.

The reviews that we frequently get online should bear that up to scrutiny, so I hope that we continue to grow our business based on our reputation. It certainly seems to be working in the Bolton area at the moment, so I hope to grow that further.

3. What is the process when someone in Bolton calls you for accident claims advice? I see from your website that you are open 24 hours a day.

That's right. An accident can happen anytime and anyplace, so we think it's imperative that we are always available on call, so to speak. I believe, and as far as I know, we are the only no win no fee personal injury lawyers open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week in Bolton.

In terms of the process, when a person calls us, they will at first talk to one of our phone operators, rather than an actual personal injury lawyer. One of our team take some details about their accident and the circumstances and can quickly ascertain whether or not there is a case for a personal injury claim for compensation.

If there is, we will then arrange an appointment with a local Bolton personal injury solicitor. It's worth pointing out that this whole process is free, and the consultation over the phone is absolutely no obligation and no strings attached. That's how we like to work, and all cases are run through the no win no fee agreements in this manner.

4. It sounds like you're having lots of success. What are your plans for the future with the company and marketing strategies?

For me, I still have so much in mind that I want to achieve in Bolton. I think I am a year off completing our initial targets. After those are hit, it would be nice to see if we can roll our services out to the rest of the UK. But that's going to take a huge amount of work. But, if you don't aim high....

In terms of marketing, I know we still have a lot to do with our social media marketing. We want to get more active on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus as so many people now look for personal services in this way. We might have to recruit soon for a social media manager, so watch this space!

Thanks, Kate!

Meet Bob Wilson of Personal Injury Solicitors Bristol

Bob Wilson runs a website in the UK which helps people in the Bristol and Avon area to find a personal injury lawyer to help them with an accident claim. In the interview below, Bob tells us about how his firm of personal injury solicitors in Bristol serve the local area, and he gives us a little insight into the city of Bristol itself.

Learn more about Bob's site by checking out this YouTube video.

1. Can you tell me first how your Bristol personal injury lawyers are different than other legal teams in the area, and what differentiates you from the competition?

Well, first up, in the UK we call lawyers by the term solicitors instead. I know that might sound funny to US readers! Our website, Personal Injury Solicitors Bristol was launched last year and aims to give people in Bristol access to the legal system where they might have previously been barred from due to financial reasons. Readers can visit us by clicking here for our Accident Claimline website should they need more information.

Because we work on a no win no fee basis, it means anyone in Bristol can employ the services of personal injury solicitors without having to worry about incurring any upfront costs. This means that people who might have previously been worried about taking legal action on compensation claim can get the representation that they deserve.

2. What is Bristol like as a place to live and work in? I understand it's a very beautiful place with some amazing history.

Oh, it's fantastic. It truly is. At lunchtimes we like to take time out from the Personal Injury Bristol office and go down the water front on the Bristol Channel--there are some amazing cafes and restaurants down there which do some great food for hungry personal injury solicitors and lawyers!

There's a great vibe in the city; it's well known throughout the United Kingdom as a bit of a creative hub with lots of digital marketing agencies, creative agencies, artists, and writers. Currently the Bristol docks are undergoing a bit of a transformation which is where a lot of the creativity tends to take place.

In fact, the Personal Injury Solicitors Bristol team are thinking about permanently relocating our office space there so we can be more amongst what's happening in the city. Fingers all crossed that will happen in the next couple of months!

3. How does your business work, and how do you attract new customers who need to make a personal injury claim in the Bristol area?

We work purely on an inbound enquiry basis. That means we aren't like some personal injury solicitors who are like "ambulance chasers"--I'm sure you know what I mean by that. Instead, we let potential new clients come to us, whether via word of mouth or through our website.

Once they call our team of experts, we will assess their personal injury claim and see if we can help them with a compensation claim--in many cases we sometimes need to turn people away if the claim seems or appears to be frivolous. I think that's what helps set us apart a little more, as we are building a reputation as very good personal injury solicitors in Bristol and want to keep that reputation intact.

4. So what exactly does "no win no fee" mean in the personal injury industry?

OK, so it's very simple. A client will come to us with a personal injury claim, and we will take the case on without asking them to pay any fees upfront or in advance. Our personal injury solicitors will only be paid upon successful completion of a compensation pay out.

We find that this works very well for our clients in Bristol and means that they can get access to the legal system via a network of expert personal injury solicitors without taking any financial risk. We find that no win no fee works very well for many people in the city and have had some great results from running campaigns such as this.

5. Can you share any strange personal injury claims cases that your Bristol office has had to process since launching?

Unfortunately, we are tied into multiple forms of client confidentiality agreements, so I can't really comment on any particular cases individually. Needless to say, though, we do get some very strange and unusual cases coming through our telephone lines that you would not believe. I wish I could share some of them with you, but I'm afraid I can't do that. Perhaps one day I should write a book once I no longer work in the industry?

6. Finally, what are you plans for the Personal Injury Solicitors Bristol website for the immediate future?

I've recently tasked our social media and marketing team with creating some new videos to use on our website. I think that YouTube marketing is particularly important right now as so many people tend to use it as an alternative to Google when looking for advice on a wide variety of subjects.

In addition to that, we are looking to expand the website out to include new information on aspects such as medical and clinical negligence claims in Bristol--those pages are under development at the moment but should mean that we can serve even more clients in Bristol and offer a more value added service for all forms of accident claims advice.

Thanks, Bob!

Meet Hugh Rollinson of Accident Claims Web UK

Hugh Rollinson is the owner of the popular Accident Claims Web UK website. His company offers advice to UK residents who have been involved in an accident, have been injured, and need advice on what to do next in terms of claiming personal injury compensation. The website contains a huge amount of accident claims advice, and covers all forms of accident and injury claim.

1. How did you first become interested in working in the personal injury and accident claims industry?

It was straight out of university after studying law. I worked for a number of personal injury claims companies within the UK, but after a few years had that classic entrepreneur moment when I thought I could do it better myself--or at least differently!

2. What can people expect when they call your firm for some free accident claims advice?

As soon as they call us, they will be speaking to an accident claims specialist with years of experience and knowledge in the field, perfectly placed to advise them on their legal rights and next steps in terms of claiming for accident claims compensation.

But... that's just what you would expect of course. Where we like to be different is the level of customer service and the plain-talking ethos of our accident claims call center. All the call center agents are trained to the highest levels, and we will only employ people who have a friendly and understanding attitude. After all, people making an accident claim need re-assurance and understanding when they call up--not cold, business-like "legal speak."

Just so your readers know, we don't just handle cases over the telephone. People can also make accident claims via our website using the online claims form on the homepage of www.accidentclaimsweb.co.uk.

3. What are the benefits for both your firm and your clients for doing a lot of information-gathering and other preliminary work over the telephone?

This is the only way in which we can qualify an accident claim and make sure that we take the correct next steps for both the clients calling in to us as well as our personal injury solicitors who will be handling the accident claims on our behalf.

Within a couple of minutes we can usually advise someone calling us as to whether or not they are eligible to receive compensation for an accident or personal injury.

4. If someone has an accident and insurance has already covered their health care costs and any vehicle and/or property damage, why would there still be reason to consider filing an accident claim?

Good question... and it's one that we often hear. As a specialist personal injury firm dealing with thousands of accident claims each year, we have the experience and know-how to help our clients claim above and beyond what typical insurance policies cover.

You know what insurance policies are like? Sometimes it can be hard to get the money that you truly deserve. Not only that, but if a client is off work due to injury and is suffering from a loss of earnings, then sometimes they cannot wait for an insurance policy to pay out. Our accident claims team will look to arrange interim up-front compensation payments for our clients so that they can get on with their lives and rehabilitation whilst our solicitors handle the legal side of things.

With most accident claims that we cover involving some form of criminal negligence from a third party, there is scope many times for a prosecution. We try to avoid that at all costs with out of court settlements for compensation.

It's not just about monetary value, though. People making accident claims will often need emotional support and other forms of help for them and their family. We also advise on that and connect our clients up with the appropriate charities and support groups.

5. When it comes to accident claims and personal injury law, what do you most want our readers to know?

I just want to tell them that whilst personal injury and accident claims law can be very complex, that should not be your concern. At the Accident Claims Web we will take all of that hassle and stress away from you so that you can recover from your injuries and spend the time rehabilitating. We work tirelessly in the background to represent you both professionally and to the highest level so that you can be assured of receiving the best accident claims compensation amount possible.

If any of your readers would like to see some proof of our credentials, then there are some current client testimonials at the footer of most of our injury claims pages--you can see an example on our brain injury claims page.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity for the interview, I really do appreciate it. I hope that any of your existing UK readers will now use us in the future if they need any form of accident claims advice. Thank you!

Thanks, Hugh!

Meet KA Bedford, Personal Injury Solicitor

KA Bedford works as a personal injury solicitor in Manchester, United Kingdom. His website and firm specializes in helping people who have been in an accident and injured, claim compensation to help them with the recovery process.

1. Why did you decide to launch a website on the topic of personal injury law for people in Manchester?

With my legal background, and interest in internet marketing, it made sense to try to capitalize on both of those skills and interests. I could also see a gap in the market online where Manchester personal injury solicitors did not represent themselves particularly well online. I decided to get into the market and offer a unique service for clients in Manchester who are seeking the services of no win no fee and personal injury lawyers in the city. If your readers are interested, they can see the progress on our website (KABedford.com - Accident Solicitors in Manchester).

2. What is your own background / interest in personal injury law?

I studied law at university and graduated 15 years ago. I kind of fell into personal injury law due to a mentor I had at the time. Being a personal injury solicitor and lawyer has been very rewarding due to the difference you can make to people's lives. That's why I love this line of work, and being based in Manchester means I get to meet so many interesting and varied people.

3. Do you think that a lot of injured people don’t pursue personal injury cases because of a lack of knowledge or other reasons?

I think that certainly used to be the case ten years ago. However, these days with so many personal injury claims, management companies advertising in print and television, I think it would be very hard for a person to be injured and not immediately think of making a compensation claim--that's my experience from working as a personal injury claims specialist for all of these years now.

4. Is online research the best way for someone to start learning about their rights after an accident, or are there other resources you also suggest?

In today's world, most people turn to the internet first for research purposes. This is why it's very important for me to get the KA Bedford Personal Injury Solicitors website up and running and satisfying those kind of researchers. However, I still don't think you can truly beat good old fashioned personal recommendations from friends and family members.

5. What can people find on your website, and how are you planning to continue to build it over the next several months?

OK, so on the website there's a new section currently under development which I hope to launch fully very soon--you can see a rough draft of it in our accident claims section. In addition to that, I'm currently working with legal experts and web developers to draft up content for an online compensation quote calculator. If people want to make a personal injury claim in Manchester, then they will very easily be able to put their details into the system and get a real-time estimate back from us--it's very exciting times!

Thanks, KA!

Meet Edward Barker, Personal Injury Solicitor

Edward Barker is a senior partners at Personal Injury Claims Manchester, a group of personal injury solicitors who specialize in helping people who live and work in Manchester in making injury and accident claims. He and his colleagues at their firm work on a no win no fee basis.

1. What first inspired you to pursue a career in the legal field, working as a personal injury solicitor in Manchester (UK)?

My father worked as a lawyer (solicitor) here in the UK, so I was exposed to the world of law from quite an early age. Whilst he never pushed me down this path, he was there to offer encouragement and helped me to finance my way through Manchester University. I studied law there, and when I left decided to go into the personal injury side of things. I now run a firm of personal injury solicitors in Manchester and have never looked back (your readers can visit my personal injury website here). It's in my blood I guess, and is something that I've always wanted to do and think I always will.

2. Why did you decide to focus on personal injury law?

Whilst at Manchester University I was involved in a few charity projects. I've always been interested in helping people, so a natural progression for my law career was the personal injury and accident claims side of things. After leaving university I spent a couple of years working as a personal injury solicitor in some local injury and accident claims companies and then set-up in business myself a couple of years later--this was only once I was 100% certain that I would be able to offer a professional and experienced service to people living and working in Manchester who needed to make a personal injury claim.

3. What are some common types of accidents and injuries that you help clients with in your practice?

Some of the most common are road traffic accidents. They happen daily in Manchester due to the sheer size of the city. We also help clients who have been injured at work, or simply just in their day to day life whilst out in public. Accidents can happen anywhere at any time, and so it's my job to make sure that our clients are advised correctly and can get the help and compensation that they deserve if they have had an accident or injury that wasn't their fault. I think we are fast becoming one of the best personal injury solicitors firms in Manchester due to our friendly and reputable approach.

4. Do you find that people have any misconceptions when it comes to personal injury law?

I think some people do because there has been a lot of bad press over the last few years about spurious personal injury claims. Admittedly there can be a large amount of money involved in personal injury law, so by its very nature you do get people trying to make a personal injury claim where perhaps it's not entirely ethical. My company only ever progresses ethical accident claims and are very careful to validate the clients and claims that we deal with.

5. If someone has been injured or in an accident and is unsure if he or she needs a lawyer, what would your suggestion be?

The first thing they need to do, at the point of the injury or accident is to see if there were any witnesses to the accident, and record everything that happened. After that, search out for a reputable personal injury claims company or see if a friend can recommend a good solicitor of lawyer near to you. When you call the lawyer or solicitor, they will take you through the entire process and in truth this means you don't have to have any stress or undue worry. Many personal injury solicitors work on a no win no fee basis which can take the financial worry out of the equation for most people too which can be very important when making a personal injury claim.

Thanks, Edward!

Meet Jason Tweedy, Personal Injury Solicitor and Lawyer

Jason Tweedy is a personal injury solicitor and lawyer from London. He has recently set up a new legal firm in the city specializing in personal injury claims. He offers support to people who work and live in London that have had an accident and require compensation.

1. I think a lot of people aren't sure what is covered by "personal injury" law. Could you tell us some of the types of claims that you help your clients pursue?

We help people that have been injured in an accident that wasn't their fault. So for example, drivers who have been hit and have suffered an injury, or people that have slipped up in a store. Essentially, if a person has an accident and suffers as a result, either through changes to their lifestyle or potential loss of earning, then we can help them to claim compensation. As personal injury solicitors and lawyers it's our job to take as much pressure and stress from our clients as possible and to ensure that they receive recompense for an accident.

2. What are some common misconceptions people have about personal injury lawsuits?

Over the last couple of years, personal injury law has had a bit of a rough time. This is mainly due to the fact that there were a few charlatans in the industry who tried to push through personal injury and accident claims that probably should never even had seen the light of day. This is due to the large amounts of money that are involved. Thankfully, in the UK there is new legislation being pushed through and recommendations by the Ministry of Justice in order to clamp down on this type of behavior. At Personal Injury Solicitors London we are very transparent and ethical when it comes to personal injury claims which is why we have the reputation that we do.

3. If someone already has auto insurance or a similar policy that is covering injury-related treatment, how can a person know if he/she should also be considering a personal injury claim?

Having insurance is great, but most insurance companies will only cover an injured person for the very basics. A bad accident can have a huge impact on a person's life, and it's the job of a personal injury lawyer to evaluate the impact and explore all avenues possible in order to get the client the best support possible--whether that's financial or otherwise.

4. What is your advice for finding a reliable solicitor/lawyer to handle an injury claim?

Look for online reviews or speak to someone you know that has had the misfortune to need a personal injury solicitor. In London and the UK, there are various registers which hold details on the best qualified and reputable lawyers and solicitors, so these are also worth checking against. If you do meet with a personal injury lawyer and you don't feel comfortable working with them, walk away.

5. In your own legal career, what drew you to the personal injury field, and what are some aspects of your job that you especially enjoy?

At university I was involved in local charity work, whilst doing my legal degree. It seemed like the most "human" aspect to law for me to enter into. Plus at the time, personal injury law was becoming a hot topic, and it appeared like it could be a very rewarding niche of law to enter into. It's not been an easy process becoming an established personal injury solicitor in London, but was definitely worth it! I love meeting new clients and helping them come to a resolution with their cases. There's nothing better than seeing a happy face at the end of a case, and seeing how our services can actually improve someone's life and that of their family--especially after what has probably been a dark time in their life.

If any of your readers would like to find out more about me and my personal injury firm, then they can visit my website.

Thanks, Jason!