For most lawyers, ‘lead generation’ is a foreign concept. While you may have heard the term from your sales team or in-house marketers, it’s likely that you’ve never explored its meaning or role in the development of your law firm. In this guide, we’ll begin by explaining the concept and process of lead generation. After you’ve mastered the basics, we’ll review some of the most common law firm lead generation strategies and provide some tips on how you can contribute as a lawyer.
Let’s get started!
What is lead generation?
The idea of lead generation comes from marketing and sales teams. In the simplest terms, lead generation is the complete client acquisition process – from reaching people who are interested in your service and converting them into paying legal clients. In lead generation, any potential client could qualify as a ‘lead’, depending on the specifics outlined by your sales department. For example, some firms might feel that anyone who visits their website counts as a lead, whereas others might define leads more narrowly and include only individuals willing to share their contact information.
What are the most common lead generation strategies and how can lawyers contribute?
The legal industry is very competitive, and it can be particularly hard to stand out in crowded big-city markets. For that reason, you need to utilize a variety of lead generation strategies to maximize your chances of success. Once the leads start rolling in, be sure to track which tactics are most effective and update your campaigns accordingly.
Some of the most common lead generation strategies are:
High-quality Law Firm Websites
Your website is essentially a digital business card. From the moment that visitors click on your site, their impression of you will be shaped by the quality and quantity of your content. Your website is also the primary place where your law firm will establish its brand. To get the most out of your site, be sure to feature high-quality photos and professional design.
Lawyer Contribution Tip: If your law firm is currently using stock imagery, consider organizing a professional photoshoot. Prospective clients want to see unique content that truly reflects your services. For extra credit, you can also provide your marketing team with a short and snappy biography they can include with your staff listing.
Email Marketing
Properly executed email marketing is one of the most effective forms of lead generation. This is because all of your email recipients have, at one time, indicated an interest in your services by providing their contact information. Better yet, many email marketing programs enable you to break down your contact list into specific groups, which helps you provide relevant and conversion-oriented content. For example, if you’ve collected leads from your website, you might keep track of the services they were researching when they provided their email address. Based on this information, you could send specialized emails regarding the specific practice area that your leads are interested in.
Lawyer Contribution Tip: Reach out to your sales team to see if the analytics of previous campaigns have identified any particularly compelling or effective messaging. As an example, you might consider offering a free, one-hour case evaluation to a particular group of highly-qualified leads.
Reviews & Referrals
Before hiring a law firm, most people want to read positive reviews and testimonials. Consumer review sites like Yelp, FindLaw, Google My Business, BBB, and Nolo will allow you to respond to individual reviews and monitor all incoming feedback about your business.
Lawyer Contribution Tip: One of the best ways that lawyers can generate leads is by requesting reviews and referrals from satisfied clients. If you’re not comfortable asking for reviews, you can even put together a list of your best clients and delegate the task to your paralegal or assistant.
Final Thoughts
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