Between 2009 and 2019, the number of active lawyers in the U.S. jumped by 14.5%.
The legal field is much more competitive to get clients than it used to be. It doesn’t matter what area of law you specialize in or how big or small your town is.
It’s hard for law firms to keep up with marketing and serving clients at the same time. A law firm marketing funnel that delivers clients on demand is what you need.
Read on because this guide shows you how to be a smart marketer and build a funnel that converts.
1. Know Your Client’s Needs
Everything always starts with your clients. Most attorneys market themselves by saying they serve anyone looking for “a (insert legal specialty here) attorney.”
That’s fine, but what problems do you really solve for your clients? Why would anyone use your law firm above all others?
For example, if you’re a tax attorney, instead of saying that you’re looking for anyone who needs tax help, make it more compelling. Say something that addresses the emotional needs of the client.
“We help nervous business owners make sense of the thousands of pages of tax code to have peace of mind,” gives you an idea.
You also need to learn how clients search for legal information online. This forms the basis of your marketing.
For instance, people generally don’t think about criminal law until they’re in trouble with the law. There’s a bigger sense of urgency, so they’re going to look for a criminal attorney near them. They may not have the time to compare attorneys.
A person with a person that was in an accident has a different situation. They’ll look for information themselves to see if they have a case. They have more time to compare and research attorneys before making a decision.
2. Understand What a Law Firm Marketing Funnel Is
A law firm marketing funnel takes your clients on a journey. They start out completely unaware of the types of law firms and attorneys.
They start to research them if they have a need or think they’ll have a need in the near future.
Your marketing funnel has to meet your clients where they’re at. A funnel that’s aligned with these steps is an effective one.
3. Determine Top of the Funnel Activities
Top of the funnel activities are what get you noticed in search engines and social media.
This is what makes marketing for personal injury lawyers different. A personal injury attorney has a number of ways to reach clients because they’re going to research their case first.
The top of the funnel for a personal injury attorney isn’t to run PPC ads for competitive terms like “personal injury lawyer near me.”
You can create content that helps clients assess their cases. Content that tells people what to do after a workplace injury or car accident is useful.
These activities build trust and position you as a legal expert.
4. Lead Nurturing Activities
Once trust is established, you have to continue to build the relationship. Clients are still assessing their situation, and they don’t know if they need an attorney.
You can help them make that decision with more content. Webinars, case studies, and email campaigns are all ways you can provide value and build the relationship.
5. Turn Your Attention to Conversions
At this point in the law firm marketing funnel, a prospective client is weighing who the best attorney is for their needs.
They’re going to look at a number of things online and offline to make that determination. Online, they’ll want to know more about the specific results you got for clients.
A personal injury lawyer can talk about a recent case where they won a huge settlement for a client.
A prospective client also wants to know about the client experience. Video testimonials from past clients are powerful to communicate that.
You also want to prepare to close clients when they meet with you. You have to demonstrate what your law firm is the best law firm for them.
6. Deliver an Impeccable Experience
Want to know where law firms lose clients? It’s in the delivery of services. Law firms work hard to nurture leads, but as soon as they become clients, the relationship becomes transactional.
They don’t communicate with clients. Clients wonder if anyone is working on the case. They get passed around from one attorney to the next, or they don’t get called back at all.
Clients want to know and trust that someone is working on their behalf. They don’t understand your caseload, and they don’t care. They hired you for a service and you need to meet their expectations.
No matter what happens to a client’s case, you want to make sure that they felt heard and understood.
Set up the expectations during the initial consultation. Tell the client who they’ll speak with most often and when and how communication happens. The client needs to know who is working on their case.
It makes it much easier to underpromise and overdeliver. Your law firm will exceed the client’s expectations.
At the conclusion of the case, debrief with the client. Ask them for feedback about your services. If the feedback was positive, ask them for a testimonial or referral.
Law Firm Marketing 101: Marketing Funnels That Convert
Law firm marketing isn’t complicated. If you follow the steps in this guide, your law firm will have a reputation as the best law firm in your area.
Being a smart marketer doesn’t mean following the latest social media craze. It means that you have a deep understanding of your client and you follow through with great service.
If you enjoyed this guide about lawyer marketing, you’re sure to enjoy the other great articles on this site. Be sure to check them out today!