4 Reasons Your Law Firm Isn’t Converting Leads

Law firms are only as profitable as their client acquisition allows them to be.It is critical that attorneys capitalize on every prospective client lead possible. Legal lead generation can come in many forms, from proprietary leads through referrals, PPC, SEO, or social media to purchased leads from companies like Martindale Nolo (which we do not recommend). Converting leads at the highest percentage rate possible is one of the fastest ways to increase your firm’s revenue. When law firms come to us for client acquisition support, there’s usually four core reasons they aren’t signing as many clients as they should be.

1. Lead Quality

This is usually the first complaint we hear, the leads aren’t qualified. Now in many cases this is or can be true but without a thoughtful intake process, you were doomed from the beginning wasting a critical marketing budget. Now, not every potential client who contacts your firm will be a good fit so eliminating low-quality leads to the best of your ability while focusing budget on high-quality leads who not only need your services but also have the intent and ability to pay for them is the first area of focus.

For example, if you run a family law firm or any consumer-based law firm for that matter, you want to have a refined marketing strategy to target the right audience. If you’re using pay-per-click advertising like Google Ads or Meta Ads, you need to evaluate your keywords and demographic targeting. In family law, a “pro-se divorce” or “cheap divorce attorney” search terms are unlikely to result in a client willing to pay your initial retainer fee or hourly rates.

In addition, you can focus on geographic areas of known wealth or even target audiences based on their household income. These are a few minor tweaks that will help filter out unqualified leads. This is not a silver bullet solution but will allow your intake team to speak to qualified leads more frequently than not. Speaking of the intake process, you should have a handful of qualifying questions addressing the complexity of their case, financial situation, and readiness to hire to ensure they focus on prospects most likely to convert.

2. How Quickly Your Law Firm Contacts Leads

One of the most influential factors in lead conversion is the speed at which your firm contacts potential clients. In a world where instant gratification is increasingly expected, the response time of your law firm can make all the difference between your law firm being hired versus a competitor. Studies show that the average time for law firms to respond to a web form submission is around 42 hours. However, leads contacted within the first hour are nearly seven times more likely to convert than those contacted after one hour. For our own law firms, we set the goal of 15 minutes and contacting prospects within the hour of submission is a non-negotiable.

Many prospects have time-sensitive issues with a high sense of urgency so delaying your response will result in lost opportunities. In the competitive legal market potential clients regularly reach out to multiple law firms simultaneously and the firm that responds first often wins their business. This first impression showcases your firm’s responsiveness and communication which is a key deciding factor to consumers evaluating firms who provide similar levels of legal representation. Implementing an efficient lead response system, such as automated email responses, live chat on your website, or a dedicated intake team, can significantly increase your conversion rates. Additionally, consider utilizing customer relationship management (CRM) software to track and manage lead responses effectively. Remember, the faster you respond, the more likely you are to secure that client.

3. Your Sales Communications

Legal representation is a sensitive topic where prospects may be facing the worst period of their life facing high levels of stress and confusion, you don’t want to add to this. All too often firms treat this as a transactional conversation but it needs a human touch. Be authentic, build rapport, discover their aspirations or afflictions, and explain how you can resolve these issues making a positive impact in the prospect’s life.

For instance, instead of saying, “We specialize in the division of marital property in complex divorce cases,” try, “We help clients like you protect their assets during divorce, ensuring a fair outcome.” Personalizing your communications by using their and their families’ names, addressing their specific situation, and reassuring the client’s immediate concerns can build trust and increase the likelihood of conversion.

Moreover, it’s important to be consistent in your messaging across all communication channels. Whether through phone calls, emails, or in-person consultations, maintaining a professional yet approachable tone helps build rapport with potential clients. Ensure that all members of your team who interact with leads understand the importance of clear, empathetic communication and are trained to handle various client scenarios.

4. Lead Nurture & Following Up

Not all leads will convert immediately; some may need time to consider their options, gather the necessary resources, or consult with family members. Regular follow-up through emails, phone calls, or even text messages can keep your firm top of mind.

According to the Legal Sales and Service Organization, one in five law firms don’t even use a CRM as of 2023. Off the bat, 20% of your competition is practically eliminated. Of the law firms that do use a CRM, only 20% rate their CRM as effective across critical marketing and business development functions.

The legal industry sees an average conversion rate of around 5-10%, but firms that actively nurture their leads can see conversion rates increase. Proof of this is our Colorado Legal Group practice, in July 2024 our marketing generated 679 sales qualified leads, 157 (23%) of them booked paid consultations at an average rate of $250 for an hour-long attorney consult, and 64 (41%) newly retained clients. For those counting, that’s a 9.4% lead to client acquisition rate. We expect to see that rate increase as many of July’s prospects were just beginning the consideration process but thanks to our structured follow-up system no prospect will fall through the cracks and they will receive continued automated communications throughout their user journey.

Additionally, providing valuable content through emails, informative blog posts, or downloadable guides can keep potential clients engaged and more likely to choose your firm when they’re ready. Lead nurturing involves offering something of value in each follow-up communication to build trust over time.

How to Convert More Law Firm Leads

Improving your law firm’s lead conversion rates doesn’t happen overnight, but addressing these four areas—lead quality, response time, sales communication, and follow-up—can result in better results. Cardinal Concepts offers the same strategies and marketing campaigns we use growing our practice to $20,000,000 and over 100 employees but only provide our services to one law firm per market. If your law firm is ready to retain more clients, contact us today for a free evaluation to learn how you can begin retaining more clients.