There’s an insidious silent epidemic that’s stealing the potential business of hard-working attorneys nationwide. It is not a new deadly virus or a late-breaking strain of bacteria that’s at work. Instead, it’s an epidemic caused by attorneys who are failing to follow up effectively with their prospective clients.
Most lawyers follow up at least once with a prospective client, but when they are unable to secure the representation after this initial contact, they quit. Based on my years of experience in the business and years of conducting in-person Consultations with law firms across the country, I believe that this is THE single biggest mistake an attorney can make. Let me explain:
Believe it or not, studies show that 81 percent of decisions to purchase a service occurs after the fifth contact. That’s right: not the first, or second, third or even fourth contact, but the fifth time they have some touch or interaction with the entity. That means that in order for you and your firm to truly be successful in signing up these potential clients, you must have a system in place that leads your potential clients through a solid process involving numerous follow-ups.
But don’t misunderstand me. I’m not suggesting you beat these clients over the head or badger them to death. On the contrary, your systematic follow-ups don’t necessarily mean phone calls.
Attorneys can follow up with these prospective clients through various methods of communication, from email drip campaigns to direct mail, newsletters, free reports, postcards and the like. Consistent repetition is key. Your firm’s marketing plan should include a clear and systematic follow-up plan of consistent subsequent contact for all these prospective clients that don’t sign up after that initial contact.
Before you pour more money into new campaigns to make the phone ring, you should make sure you are doing all that you can with nurturing campaigns to reach the clients that have already contacted your office. It’s always more profitable to follow up with these potential clients first. In other words, plug the holes in your current system before throwing more money into new and oftentimes expensive marketing campaigns. There’s just no need to leave fruit hanging on the tree. Here’s the big question: As simple as all this sounds, why don’t more attorneys follow up effectively?
The challenge and struggle for many lawyers is that they believe it is simply too time-consuming. As attorneys, we’re usually strapped for time, with current clients, deadlines, administrative tasks, pending trial preps, etc. and let’s face it, the last thing we want to do with our extra time is make phone calls or send letters to potential clients.
But there really is a simple solution. If you don’t think you can carve your time to lay out a methodical follow-up campaign system, it’s well worth the investment to hire an experienced person with a background in sales to take on the task. The person you hire should know how to sell your practice with both enthusiasm and proficiency.
As with any new campaign, you should start by setting goals for yourself and your staff. Nurturing follow-up campaigns are just that: they nurture. You don’t need hard sell tactics, but you do want to reach out to these potential clients in a variety of ways that show your firm as the firm they can know, like and trust. For example, you could design a client nurturing campaign that starts with an assigned follow-up system as follows: within 1-3 days after the first contact, if the potential client hasn’t signed up, then follow up with a pre-written letter thanking them for their interest in your firm. Then, if they still have not signed on, send an email, including a link to a free report, etc. Remember, your goal is to make 5 touches of some sort that let these potential clients know you appreciate them and are happy to share information and educational materials designed to help them.
You probably have educational materials like free reports, already available as lead magnets on your website.
Why not repurpose some of them in these follow-up nurturing campaigns? These callers reached out to your firm because they probably need a lawyer now. You don’t want to lose them to a competitor, particularly when you have the capacity to continue reaching out to them with little time and money involved.
Here’s a sample nurturing campaign to get you thinking about the possibilities:
Day 1 – you receive their initial call. Immediately send them a letter thanking them for showing an interest in your firm. Along with the letter include an informational book about legal matters concerning auto accidents and property damage.
Day 2 – send them out a free report, such as “The 29 tactics adjusters use to deny your claim.”
Day 5 – send out another free report, “11 questions you should ask an adjuster before signing anything.”
Day 7 – send out a book on how to handle property damage.
Day 12 – send out a firm’s calendar magnet along with a little letter asking that they contact your office if they, a friend or loved one need any more information about your law firm.
Day 15 – send out one of your books on the 7 fatal mistakes victims make in automobile accidents in your state.
As you can see, it’s extremely easy to create and implement a follow-up sequence. It needn’t be a random or case by case action plan because those plans can easily fall between the cracks when you or your staff get busy.
If you have never engaged in this kind of follow-up nurturing campaign, prepare to be amazed at the impact it will have on your conversions. You owe it to yourself and your firm to implement these infrastructure follow-ups.
Get started on a follow-up nurturing system today! Remember, while marketing and advertising get you the prospects, it is following up that turns them into clients.
