LegalMatch Marketing for Attorneys

Email Marketing for Law Firms

Which marketing channel delivers the highest return on investment (ROI)?

1. Social Media
2. Content Marketing
3. Mobile Marketing
4. PPC / Search
5. Email Marketing

It’s true. Email marketing has been cited by marketers as delivering the greatest ROI for over 8 years. If you are diving into digital marketing, email marketing needs to be a priority.

Unfortunately, most attorneys do not utilize email marketing. Well, the numbers are in, and it’s not a question of if you should be implementing an email marketing campaign into your overall marketing strategy, but when and how soon.  

The American Bar Association even published an article with its recommendations for email marketing.  They include Mail Chimp, Vertical Response, Constant Contact, and Myemma.  Reviews.com lists the top FREE email marketing services as Benchmark, Mail Chimp, and Vertical Response.

There are a number of ways you can nurture your prospective clients back into your sales funnel:  

• Curate relevant content based on the area of law they inquired about.  
• Inform prospective clients of the other various areas of law your practice handles
• Send holidays greetings
• Drip campaign: A drip campaign is a series of emails crafted to guide a prospective client to particular action. In this case, calling your office for an appointment.  

They can be sent out automatically and on a schedule. LegalMatch saves you from the complicated and time consuming task of compiling an email list. Email addresses are being provided to you on a regular basis and email marketing helps you make the most of every opportunity. Remind clients that you are happy to review a case for them or their friends or family to determine it’s a fit. Remind them of which areas of law you handle, and if it is in an area of law you do not handle, remind them to post their case on LegalMatch. Send them articles from your blog. Ask for referrals.

To make email marketing work, you have to give it time, effort and commitment. Monitor your campaigns. Track their success. Try new approaches and messages.  Convey your Value Proposition.  Do you provide excellent service? Transparent, flat fee pricing?  Cost estimates?  Convenient client friendly unbundled legal services?  Experience?  Aggressive advocacy?  Reasonable and affordable payment options?  Develop and tell your story.  LegalMatch provides you with the audience. The rest is up to you.

Authored by Cesar Gomez, LegalMatch Marketing Manager

Unbundling Your Legal Services: The New Way to Provide Legal Representation

Unbundling services, also known as providing limited scope representation, is a new trend in the legal field, spurred on by the willingness of the general population to still pay for certain services while also unable to afford a “soup-to-nuts” plan. While some lawyers have been jumping at providing unbundled services like airlines searching for new extra “perks” to charge for, many lawyers seem to find the idea of offering limited scope representation repugnant. Even if you fall into the latter group, you should at least give it some serious thought before completely turning your nose up at the idea.

What Does It Mean To Unbundle Services?

In the broadest sense, to unbundle your services means to simply offer specific services separately. This is in sharp contrast to what is still considered to be the traditional offering of legal services, which is full scope representation. Traditionally, a lawyer would assist a client from an initial consultation all the way through the legal matter being finally resolved at trial or a settlement conference. With unbundled services, a lawyer only performs specific tasks during specific steps of a legal process, such as only writing a demand letter or simply providing representation during a settlement negotiation.

Why Should I Unbundle My Services?

It may be scary to think about unbundling your services. After all, it is a completely new way of doing things and may involve a new way of billing your clients. However, there are very good reasons why you should consider unbundling the legal services that you offer.

1. Attract more clients. In light of the economic downturn and the increase of legal self-help websites such as Legalzoom, most people are choosing to save money by engaging in “do it yourself” legal work. This is primarily because they feel that they cannot afford full representation, and they may not want full representation. By offering unbundled services, people are more inclined to hire you for the specific task they want to have accomplished, knowing that they will not be wasting money on services that they feel that they do not need. Also, just as with more tradition arrangements, a client may end up hiring you for more than what they initially wanted. A simple representation at a mediation session may turn into representing the client in a trial if the mediation fails. 
2. Earn more money. If you offer certain unbundled services at a fixed rate based on a general time estimate, you may find that you occasionally perform the task at a slightly faster rate than usual for the same amount of money. Also, by only performing certain tasks for a client, you can avoid wasting time on unbillable tasks that often pop up during full-scope representation.
3. Avoid unpleasant tasks. You may absolutely love the area of law that you practice in, but there may also be certain tasks in that area of law that you would rather not perform. By unbundling your services, you can avoid performing certain less pleasant tasks in your practice area without having to give up practicing in that field.

Tips for Unbundling Your Services

If you do decide to unbundle your services, here are some basic tips to help you get started:

• Check with your state’s rules of professional conduct to see what services you can and cannot unbundle, as certain states only allow you to unbundle services that are related to non-criminal matters. You should also take some time to familiarize yourself with any rules related to withdrawing yourself as legal counsel in a limited scope representation scenario.
• Figure out which services that you perform on a regular basis that you feel you can offer as a stand-alone service. Some lawyers may feel comfortable offering most of their services as unbundled services, while others may choose to offer a few of their services as singular services.
• Calculate how much time a single task, such as drafting a response letter or writing interrogatories, generally takes you and how much you would usually charge for that amount of time. This allows you to provide an accurate estimate on the cost of that task as an unbundled service.
• Draft a standard limited scope of representation agreement for each of the services that you intend to offer as an unbundled service. This can be tweaked for each client depending on the complexity of their situation, but it should give you a good idea of how to explain to your client just what each service entails.
• Limit your initial consultation to just what the client wants to hire you for. There is no need to spend time discussing other parts of the client’s case unless they want to hire you to handle other tasks for them as well. This also helps to avoid any confusion as to the extent of representation that you are providing.

Good luck in your venture into this brave new world of limited scope representation.

Authored by Kristen Johnson, LegalMatch Editor

The Best Practices for Lead Management

Lead management, the process of determining whether phone calls or emails are viable cases, isn’t something law schools teach. It’s why many attorneys take a trial-and-error approach to lead management once they start practicing—which includes trying to handle this task on their own. This causes many attorneys to questions why other attorneys in their legal area are getting more clients. 

Lead Management is about Identifying, Educating, Engaging and Qualifying Potential Clients

Engaging in lead conversation takes a marketing mindset. The first step is identifying a potential client’s interest in hiring a particular law firm. Chances are the individual hasn’t contacted one, but many different firms in the area. This is a critical time in lead generation. An individual completes a contact form or Legal Match referral form because he wants help immediately.

Some kind of response is necessary to convert the lead within the first hour of receiving a person’s information. According to the National Law Review, after the first hour passes without hearing from a law firm, the chances of turning that potential client into a client decreases by 10 percent. The person will move on to the next law firm on the list.

Response time involves the moment between a potential client completes a contact form until a firm’s representative contacts him. A simple auto response will provide the “I care” reassurance a potential client needs until the contacted by a firm’s representative. The auto response should be made within a couple of seconds of receiving the contact form.

A representative usually has five minutes to contact the individual. This is the “get them while they are hot” approach. The rate of lead conversation decreases dramatically as time passes.

The Art of Making the Initial Call

The second step is making the initial contact. Contact can made at any time, right? Wrong. Think of potential clients as judges with specific tee times. Interrupt their golf game and an attorney may be permanently blacklisted. Clients are just like that. There are times they aren’t available or aren’t interested in talking with a firm regardless of whether they need help immediately.

Research shows that following a firm should make initial contact during these times:

• Tuesdays and Wednesdays
• Between 1 pm to 2 pm and 4 pm to 5 pm

It’s possible that 4 pm to 6 pm is a good time to reach a potential client. The worst times to make contact are early in the morning.

Many Representatives Give up Too Soon 

Let’s say the unfortunate occurs. The firm’s representative calls and doesn’t get an answer or the client wants a call back later. Many representatives will make an attempt to contact one or two additional times. Then they give up on the individual altogether. Studies show persistence is key to converting an interested client into a real client.

In lead management, persistence means making multiple calls. A representative should always make at least six attempts to contact the individual.

Make the Conversation about the Lead, not the Firm

Sure, the potential client wants to know about what the firm can do for him. However, the representative must make the call about the individual by:

• Asking the right questions
• Recording the information in a central location. This prevents the individual having explain circumstances again when receiving another firm call.
• Finding the right time for him to meet for an initial consultation

Keep in mind, the lead may not be ready to commit. Maybe he’s waiting on another law firm or just wants to weight his options before hiring an attorney. Lead conversation may require nurturing. Nurturing means to send pre-program emails or frequently calling to convert the lead into a client. This may need to be done multiple times to ensure successful lead management.

Lead management doesn’t have to feel like studying for the bar examination. The best practices includes response time and persistence. When done right, it will convert a lead into a client.

Authored by Taelonnda Sewell, LegalMatch Legal Writer

Welcome Feedback from Clients to Improve Satisfaction

Everyone wants to be appreciated for their hard work, but while praise can be encouraging, it’s not nearly as constructive as addressing faulty areas directly. Even though constructive criticism may be hard to handle, only honest feedback will truly help improvement.

Create a client survey that each can fill out upon completion of their case. You may want to avoid making sections for negative feedback, but being the best means allowing and understanding how clients really feel.

Start with an easy survey like the one below, and change it over time to reflect different needs.

Example:

On a scale of 1–10, please indicate your level of satisfaction with the following:

(1 = Very Satisfied, 10 = Very Dissatisfied)

1.       The frequency with which you received updates from your lawyer regarding your

   case.

2.       Your lawyer’s ability to achieve desired results for your case.

3.       The accessibility of your lawyer.

4.       Your lawyer’s knowledge of the law relating to your legal case.

5.       Your lawyer’s level of professionalism.

6.       Your lawyer’s personality and behavior.

7.       Your overall experience at this firm/practice.

8.       Would you hire this lawyer again? Y/N

9.       Would you recommend this lawyer to a friend or colleague? Y/N

If you are interested in more specific client feedback, which is always valuable, consider adding an area at the bottom or on the back of your survey for clients to free write. This will allow clients to explain their choices and address issues that may not have been covered by your questions.

Some clients may be hesitant to add constructive criticism if not prompted, so adding a question such as: “In what areas can the lawyer or law firm improve in and why?” is beneficial.

As a bonus, you can show your good reviews to other potential clients, feature them on your website, or add them into your practice’s other marketing avenues.

And your bad reviews?

Learn from them, and make necessary changes. Your practice in turn will be stronger than ever.

5 Mistakes Lawyers Make When Marketing

Mistake #1: Thinking One Size Fits All

Marketing is essential to any law practice. But no single marketing strategy is best for all lawyers. Search Engine Optimization or pay-per click campaigns may benefit a trusts and estates lawyer serving. But for a general practitioner, optimizing search may only bring a flood of tire kickers.

Random marketing campaigns are rarely successful. To achieve the greatest return on investment of time and resources, an effective marketing strategy should identify the target market and integrate your personality traits.

Mistake #2: Not Having a Consistent Online Presence

As a lawyer, a remarkable reputation is one of the most valuable assets to have. While lawyers carefully cultivate offline reputations, they often do not give the same level of attention to their online reputations.

Whether online marketing is part of your strategy or not, you almost certainly have an online reputation. Many websites automatically aggregate information about you from public sources, including your education, firm, practice areas, and experience, packaging it into a searchable profile. This information may be inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.

Whether potential clients find you through online marketing, the Yellow Pages, or through an offline referral, most will take the time to Google your name or your firm before contacting you. Taking the time to create a law firm website, keeping your bio up to date, and making sure information on other websites is accurate will help confirm the image you have crafted offline is reflected online.

Mistake #3: “Networking” Without Building a Network

Most lawyers will say their best cases come from referrals. Recognizing the value of a referral network, many lawyers attend “networking” events; bar functions, or cocktail parties, only to leave without having made any meaningful connections.

Building a productive referral network involves forming relationships built on trust and mutual respect. These relationships are usually formed naturally, without the expectation that they will result in new business.

Some of the best ways to start building a network is to simply become involved in activities that bring you in contact with different people. This can include joining an amateur Shakespeare troupe or coaching your son’s soccer team. Choose activities that would be meaningful even if they never generate business.

Mistake #4: Using Social Media to Advertise

Done well, social media can be a platform for building your firm’s brand, reputation, and industry recognition. But social media is not a traditional advertising medium. Lawyers should avoid sending weekly Twitter blasts along the lines of: “Injured…lost your job? We’ll fight for you!”

Traditional advertising is a one-way communication: A Ford television ad shows it’s newest family sedan and boasts about its fuel economy and high safety rating. But social media is not a one-way medium like television. It is a platform for exchanging and sharing information, ideas, and experiences. Trying to shoehorn an advertisement into a social media post risks alienating your intended audience.

Social media is not for everyone. Creating social media content requires time and long-term commitment. But if you enjoy writing, then blogging about a legal issue that interests you can demonstrate your knowledge and passion for your practice area. If you are a voracious consumer of Internet content, using Twitter to share links or make witty observations about a recent news story or court decision can help shape your brand.

Mistake #5: Not Recognizing Clients as Referral Sources

Happy clients are proud of their lawyers and will recommend your services to their friends and family, effectively merging their networks with your own.

Many attorneys, not recognizing their clients’ potential as referral sources, may work hard to get clients, but then fail to deliver quality services. They may be late returning phone calls and emails, go to court unprepared, or not take the time to listen to and address their clients’ principal concerns. These actions will ensure an existing client will not act as a future referral source.

By honoring your legal skills, delivering above and beyond your clients’ expectations, and keeping in touch with your clients after the conclusion of your representation, you can tap into a steady stream of new business. 

How Can LegalMatch’s Marketing Services Help?

To date, more than 3 million cases have been posted at LegalMatch. By becoming a member attorney at LegalMatch, you can immediately receive access to the cases posted in your local region and in your preferred area of law.

Become a member with LegalMatch today by visiting www.legalmatch.com/attorneys. You can also contact us directly by calling (866) 953-4259.

LegalMatch is a member of the Better Business Bureau. For our latest updates, connect with us on LinkedIn. 

Work on Word-of-Mouth

Every lawyer’s goal is to own or work for a law practice that self-sustains through word of mouth referrals. Word of mouth means no yellow page ads, no marketing budget, and automatic positive reviews.  

Typically, word of mouth clients seek your services because someone they trust has recommended your services to them. This means that trust has already been established by a mutual acquaintance. A pre-established trust means an easier, happier client, and an easier client means a contented attorney.

So how can you kick-start word of mouth referrals?

Start off by expanding your referral network. Make friends with lawyers who practice in non-competing areas of law, and set up a referral exchange with them. It may sound trivial, but once put into practice, it really works.

Take the additional measure of instructing happy clients to send their friends your way. Even if you don’t practice in the area of law they need help with, you can refer them to an attorney in your referral exchange network. And you know what? That attorney will be more likely to refer someone back to you.

Networking is one of the most viable marketing methods out there—so the sooner you put in that order of business cards, the better.

"How LegalMatch Works for My Practice" by Charles Damian

Charles Michael Damian established his legal practice in New Jersey in 1979 and has used LegalMatch to help grow his practice since 2010. 

He writes: "There was something intriguing about LegalMatch, and their dignified and detailed approach to the advertising services for attorneys that captured my attention. ...I subscribed to the Real Estate category of LegalMatch advertising; this subscription has now expanded into several other areas of the law. This advertising has resulted in the growth of my business and diversification of my legal interests."

Marketing a legal practice is never easy and it is generally regarded as a hassle to find new clients. However, Damian shares that this has become a positive experience though his use of the LegalMatch system: "I relish the part of my business day that is devoted to responding to the new LegalMatch inquiries. There is an element of immediate personal communication between prospective clients and attorneys that is unique to the LegalMatch protocol."

To read the full review, check out "How LegalMatch Works for My Practice" by Charles Damian.

Reeling in Your Phone Lines

Do you have trouble getting people off the phone and into your office for initial consultations?

Every lawyer knows that once they get a client into the office, the chance that their services will be retained increases dramatically. A personal connection between attorney and clientele is the first and most vital step in retaining their service. But what can an attorney do to encourage the transition from phone to office?

When speaking to the client for the first time, try letting the client know you run a very personal practice. Tell her or him that you make a point to meet every client face to face during your initial consultation. Suggest that it’s important to you to make sure that you will be a good fit for them and their case: both professionally and personally. Explain your background and what law you specialize in. And mention that the best way to do that is to meet one on one at your offices. (This works particularly well with family law clients).

The client will feel more at ease and will be more willing to come into your practice and make a face to face connection. This interaction will get them comfortable enough to decide that they want a lawyer who cares about their case as much as they do.

How LegalMatch Can Help Your Communication with Clients

LegalMatch marketing services help to facilitate successful initial contacts with new clients. As a member attorney with LegalMatch, you receive access to client case-postings that are specific to your location and your practice areas. When you make an initial contact with a potential client, you already know quite a lot about the client's situation. This maximizes your ability to determine quickly which leads you want to take on as clients.

For a detailed example of how LegalMatch can help you communicate with clients, check out this recent LegalMatch review by longtime member attorney Charles Damian. 

 

"LegalMatch Recommendation" - a Review by a Member Attorney of 13 Years!

David Bliven, an accomplished New York lawyer, has been a LegalMatch member attorney for 13 years!

In a recent review of LegalMatch's law practice marketing services, Bliven explained: “LegalMatch was indeed one of the very first web-based legal marketing tools I used.  …Not only do I recommend the site to potential clients with legal issues, I also recommend it to other lawyers to increase their business.”

Bliven highlights how LegalMatch's client intake form is not only thorough but also uniquely user-friendly. He liked the intake form so much, he now uses the same form for his own practice.

Check out David Bliven's full review of LegalMatch's law practice marketing services. 

Authored by Peter Clarke, LegalMatch Content Manager

Managing Your Online Reviews

These days, almost every business has an online presence, including reviews from customers online. Law firms and lawyers are no exception. Sites like Yelp, Google Reviews, and Avvo allow clients to review your services. Good reviews can help grow your business, but bad reviews could be damaging. Here are some tips on how to manage those negative reviews:

1. Be Knowledgeable: The first thing you should do is look yourself and your firm up to see what your online presence looks like. Check out review pages and conduct periodic Google searches or set alerts to be notified when you or your firm is mentioned online.
2. Claim Review Pages: Claim review pages on sites like Yelp, Google, and Avvo so you can manage them and add useful and true content about your practice.
3. Reflect on Negative Reviews: Negative comments, while hurtful, could also give you valuable insight into areas where you could improve your business or practice going forward.
4. Respond: If you spot some bad reviews, you can try and diffuse some of the damaging effects by responding politely and professionally. This shows potential clients that you are concerned. In your response, be courteous and apologize. Encourage the client to reach out to you to discuss the matter more fully. Be careful not to disclose any confidential client information.
5. Encourage Positive Reviews: Encourage current clients to post reviews if they are satisfied. Positive reviews will decrease the importance of the negative ones. Before you do this, however, be sure to check with your state and local bar associations to see if this is allowed.

Negative reviews are inevitable in any business. In the practice of law, tensions can run high and can prompt bad reviews, even if you didn’t do anything wrong. Take your reviews in stride and always look for ways to improve.