Every consumer law firm would like to retain more clients. Here are five “must-dos” that are guaranteed to improve your conversion rate on retaining new leads – based on the experience of other law firms we work with across the U.S. 

1. Always answer the phone; don’t let any calls go to voicemail

Even if your firm does not have a receptionist, never let incoming phone calls go to voicemail. Rather than leaving you a message, callers seeking an initial consultation will often hang up and call a competitor instead.

2. Target your marketing to areas close to your office

Prospects who contact your firm sometimes do not realize how far away your office actually is from their location. After initially setting an appointment, they may decide the distance to your office is too far, even if its a phone consult. The closer a prospect lives to your office, the greater the chances are that he’ll choose to work with you.

3. Accept a low down (or $0 down) payment to start a case

When you accept an initial down payment, you effectively prevent the prospect from further shopping around. Requiring a large fee or retainer upfront sets a potential roadblock to retaining the client. Of course the prospect will still need to pay for your legal services in full before you complete the case. But once you accept an initial payment, the client is yours.

4. Don’t require a prospect to complete a questionnaire before his initial appointment

This is akin to asking a prospect to do homework prior to your first opportunity to sell him on choosing your firm. If he fails to do the homework, he’ll often avoid appearing at the consult or simply cancel the appointment.

Instead, have the prospect provide answers together during your consultation. When you’re meeting prospects face-to-face, it’s much easier for the prospect to commit to keeping the process going by retaining your law firm on the spot.

5. Make a personal connection with the client

The old sales axiom “people buy from people they like” is true with legal services too. When we’re generating leads for lawyers, we often see that prospects will talk to more than one attorney before making a decision on which firm to retain. Show compassion for them personally and that you can genuinely help them with their situation — rather than simply being professional and straight-forward (which may be interpreted as “aloof”) and they’ll choose to hire you every time.