Intake optimization services for law firms
LaFleur Legal Marketing has worked very closely with law firms, especially those practicing personal injury law, and our engagement has encompassed more than just marketing efforts. We have used the same skills, tools, systems, and methods of documentation that allow us to market effectively to help law firms improve the way their business operates, especially with regard to potential client intake.
Minimizing data entry
We bring our experience working with business-to-business and business-to-consumer products into the world of law, treating client acquisition more like the business of relationship building than simply signing on new clients. In order to do this, we first focus on creating a complete picture of who the potential client is, what their needs are, and how your firm can best address those needs. One of our initial goals is to capture as much client data as possible – without being invasive. Through lead generation and lead cultivation, we encourage potential clients to volunteer their information through forms, promotions, etc.
Once this information is captured, and depending on the case management software your firm is using, we are often able to import the data we have already collected directly into your management software, resulting in considerably less data entry for your intake staff. Also, because we are assembling a more complete picture of your potential client before they contact your firm, your intake staff can speak more personally and intelligently to the interested party. Your staff members will be armed with knowledge of who a new client is, why he or she is interested in hiring your firm, and possibly even what issue triggered the call in the first place.
Creating efficient processes
Building a scalable law firm requires the development of processes and systems that can handle increased traffic without scaling expenses at the same rate. Working with our partner firms, we have developed checklists, case management best practices, detailed workflow diagrams, training materials, automated systems, and more to help firms manage cases and clients more efficiently – while also giving each client the attention that they need and deserve. Our primary objective for intake optimization is to maximize the time attorneys and staff can actively focus on the details of the case by minimizing the time staff and attorneys have to spend on tasks that can be automated or made more efficient. For example, we have implemented systems to make document management simple and intuitive by using machine-learning, search, and filters to deliver the correct document at the right time to staff and clients alike.
Following up on potential leads
We have researched and tested the optimal number of call attempts a firm should make when pursuing a potential client and the time frame in which those calls should be made. We have created processes to maximize conversion of leads from various lead sources. We have also worked to identify lost marketing opportunities within firms’ intake processes. Ultimately, every lead has value. The expense that has gone into capturing a lead can be great, so a corresponding investment in follow-up is a must. Even a small percentage of increased lead conversion can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars of increased revenue. With our partner firms, we have built processes to help maximize lead conversion, which translates into a much better return on your advertising and marketing budget.
Automating client communications
The need for direct communications between staff members, attorneys, and clients will never go away, and this personal involvement is invaluable. On the other hand, some messages that do not necessitate individual attention can be relayed to existing clients automatically. For example, when any new client is signed, they should be informed about what to expect in the next 30, 60, and 90 days; writing individual messages to each client would be incredibly time consuming, but we can create a personalized message that looks exactly like it came from your inbox and that has all the information a new client needs. Perhaps your clients need to be reminded to visit a doctor, keep a journal, or report on their condition to their lawyer – we can create an e-mail reminder that automatically gets sent at regular intervals so you and your staff members can spend less time personally following up with individual clients and can instead focus on the most important parts of their cases.
Whether it’s notifying clients of milestones in their case, providing information to answer frequently asked questions, or sending out reminders to keep your clients active and engaged in their claims, we will work with you to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and craft messaging to address the issues that nearly every client will face. We’re then able to automate and personalize these messages in a way that your clients will find valuable. Consistently, the clients of firms we work with have responded positively to the higher level of communication and attention they receive when these systems have been put in place.
Building software solutions to address other inefficiencies
Beyond process creation, implementation, and training, we have been able to use custom-built software solutions to address inefficient systems or redundancies wherever possible and just make attorneys and staff members’ workload a little easier. This type of customization does not need to be prohibitively expensive, as custom software often is. We make use of existing platforms that help one piece of software “speak” to another; this allows us to minimize the involvement of software developers while simultaneously providing you with user-friendly systems that can help your firm run more efficiently. Each firm has its own particular operational needs and inefficiencies, but our unique blend of skills, experience, software development expertise, and technological literacy gives the firms we work with the opportunity to get a new perspective on their day-to-day operations and opens up new possibilities for optimizing their internal procedures.
If you are interested in discussing how LaFleur can help your firm increase efficiency, scale your practice, or build systems to better manage your intake or workload, call us at (888) 222-1512 today.