As an attorney, you have many time-consuming tasks that fill your daily schedule. From court appearances to meetings with clients. From taking calls to going through case files. You finally having time to sit down and unwind from your busy day. The last thing on your mind is going through your intake list. While your time is valuable and other tasks may come with urgency, it is important not to neglect your inbound leads.  Not only is it important to respond to incoming leads in a timely manner, but the timing in which you respond can affect your chance of conversion by just a few minutes.

First Come, First Served

When you receive an inbound lead for a potential client, it is important that you make contact as soon as you are possible. According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, the company that makes the first connection with a lead will sign that client as high as 50% of the time. Because of this, it is crucial that your firm is the first firm that the potential client speaks with after they submit their information.

Stop what you’re doing and pick up the phone

As we’ve discussed in the past, the chance of making contact with an inbound lead drastically decreases over time. Studies have shown that if you wait 30 minutes to respond to a lead, your chances of making contact drops by 100 times. Because of this, it is imperative that you have a system in place to immediately respond to inbound leads. This system should be standard operation for the handling of leads that you and your firm consistently follow.

Your system should make sure to include a protocol for the times that a lead comes in when you may be otherwise unable to respond. Do you have an assistant that can handle calls during these times? Is there an intake team in the office or do you work with call operators that could respond to these inbound leads? Maybe you want to set up an automated response system? Whichever solution you find works best for your firm, the important focus is that these leads are getting the immediate response that they require to improve not only the chance of connecting but also conversion.

You only get one first impression

Recently MIT revealed a study that shows the average company takes 1 day, 18 hours, and 15 minutes to call a lead that had been received through email. When you respond quickly with a call to an inbound lead, this is the first impression of your customer service and dedication to the potential client. While many of your competitors may call over the course of the day, you have the opportunity to stand out to this potential client as not only attentive but also let them know that you will make them a  priority with the same sense of urgency that you responded to their inquiry.

Schedule your follow-ups

If you reached out to an inbound lead and did not make contact, your follow-up is extremely important to convert the potential client. Persistence is key.  Do not leave only one message on your initial call and expect the potential client to ring you back whenever they get a chance – you’re going to need to follow up.  Make sure that you have reached out to them with a text as well and an email as different people prefer to communicate in different ways. If you haven’t heard back from the lead after the first day of outreach, don’t give up. Schedule a follow-up and continue to reach out throughout the week(s), without being overbearing. At this point, you can try alternating between the methods of communication with one day maybe sending a text, and then a few days later following up with a call or email.

Long Story Short: Have a Plan

Again, we know how full the schedule of an attorney can be and that is why it is imperative to have a plan for inbound leads. Potential clients may lose interest if you do not contact them with a sense of urgency. Having a plan for connecting, and then also following up after the initial outreach, can not only help improve your lead conversion but also your ROI.

At Legal Brand Marketing, we are here to not only provide exceptional lead services but also work with our clients to make sure you are maximizing your opportunities with the referrals that you receive. Your account representative can help review your intake process and suggest changes that may improve your conversions and grow your practice. Contact Legal Brand Marketing for questions about lead conversion success or if you need help implementing lead conversion strategies for your firm.