As a legal professional, you are constantly on the go, often with many time-consuming tasks to juggle each day. These tasks range from court appearances to client meetings to going over related case notes and precedents. While your time is understandably valuable, and other tasks come with a sense of urgency, one question has to be asked: at what point during the day (or week) are you making time for incoming leads?
As you continue to invest in your brand and watch it grow, do not lose track of attending to inbound leads. A widely known secret within the marketing world is that businesses tend to fare a lot better and convert more when they respond to incoming leads in a timely manner.
Your prospective client’s time and their impression of you is often equally as important as yours. This article will highlight the importance of timely responses to all leads so as to improve your conversion rates.
The early bird catches the worm
The old adage comes to mind here: first come, first served. It is crucial that your firm is the first that a potential client speaks with after they submit their contact information on your website. A Harvard Business Review (HBR) study noted that a business, regardless of size or industry, that makes the first contact with a lead will sign that client at least 50% of the time.
Stop what you’re doing and pick up the phone!
Studies similar to that by HBR continue to show that the longer a firm takes to respond to a lead, the more your chances of converting drop. Simply put, you need to make contact as soon as a lead comes in! Your firm should have a strict system in place to immediately follow up with inbound leads. Provisions should also be made by your firm for when contact forms or phone calls come in after-hours – do you have an automated response system in place? Who is responsible for this? Depending on how your firm is structured, pick a solution that works best for you. The aim of the game here is to increase your chances of connecting with that lead and making them a client.
Know where your leads are coming from
With various marketing analytic techniques in place, it is easy to track and monitor the leads generated by your business in terms of contact or lead generation form submissions. While not every lead may not come from a website form, it’s important for your firm to assess which other marketing channels at your disposal are generating leads. Enter CallRail. This top tier lead tracking tool manages your phone leads, helping firms like yours determine which marketing campaigns are driving quality leads.
Incorporating a call tracking software such as this to your firm’s daily operations can help you to increase your conversion statistics, optimize advertising, improve ROI, and maximize your budget.
First impressions count
Similar to implementing a tracking tool, Google recently expanded its Business Messages functionality to allow prospective clients a quick way to contact businesses via Google listings in Search and Maps. Thanks to this Google update and your updated Google My Business Listing, leads can still come through after-hours and receive a smart, customizable response from your firm. Your Facebook auto-reply assistant works in the same way as this Google update.
There will also be opportunities to integrate Business Messages directly with customer service platforms, such as Zendesk.
Prioritize follow-up conversations
Didn’t manage to get a hold of the lead on the first try? Don’t wait for them to ring you back when they get a chance – get back on the phone! If you haven’t heard back from a lead after the initial call or web form submission, continue to reach out using the contact details provided. Depending on how your firm operates or your personal preferences, reach out to the lead via phone, email, or even text. Persistence is key here – but avoid being overbearing.
Life happens to everybody, and in that same vein, potential clients may lose interest if you do not contact them, or something may have happened that alters the case they first contacted you about. Continue to schedule follow-ups over the coming weeks to establish what the case may be. As we have already established, your time as a lawyer is incredibly valuable thus it is crucial for you to come up with a decisive plan of action and follow it. This is important from both a conversion and ROI point of view.
Improving your conversion rates and growing your practice are the bedrocks of Soulpepper Digital Marketing. We’re here to help maximize your opportunities and ensure quality leads come through time and again. If you need further assistance implementing tried and tested lead conversion strategies, don’t hesitate to reach out. We won’t keep you waiting!
– Team Soulpepper