Ever feel like you put a ton of effort into generating leads without getting results? It’s a common problem among law firms of all types and sizes. Estate planners struggle. Personal injury lawyers struggle. Huge law firms struggle—and hometown law firms struggle, too.
It’s not the most pleasant experience, to put it mildly. A lack of new cases and clients can jeopardize your firm’s growth plans and threaten your longevity.
Why aren’t potential clients biting on the bait you keep putting out for them?
Let’s explore that question, along with some proven tactics to attract more leads.
To get more leads, know your audience.
You can put out bait all day long, but you won’t catch a single fish if you don’t use the kind of bait they like. In a nutshell (fun fact: fish actually like nuts), that’s where so many law firms mishandle lead generation. They keep putting out the wrong bait, and they’re surprised that the leads don’t bite.
To hook new leads, you have to understand them. That means taking the time to…
1. Know how they search.
People probably aren’t searching for the kinds of neatly packaged keywords attorneys like to think they are. Instead, they tend to start their search for legal assistance with more natural-sounding, “long tail” keywords and phrases.
If you’re leaning hard into “Atlanta premises liability lawyers,” but your best potential clients are searching for “fell in store parking lot” or “bit by neighbor’s dog,” your chosen bait probably isn’t going to reel them in. You’ll get more traction with your marketing if you can incorporate the kinds of words and phrases people use before they know a whole lot about what they truly need.
2. Know what they ask.
Similarly, it’s important to understand what people are really asking. Most people turn to search engines when they have burning questions. They tend to ask those questions in their own words—words that reflect their understanding of the situation at hand.
So, instead of searching for “estate planning lawyer,” for instance, your leads are probably searching for something more like “what is a revocable trust”—especially on the first search.
They want the right answer for the right question in the right moment. The better you can understand where they’re coming from and offer helpful answers, the closer you’ll be to cementing a relationship with the leads you want.
3. Know what they’ll be looking for next.
It’s essential to know how your potential clients search and what they ask. But you still have to give them some direction if you want them to transition from “visitor” to “lead.”
That’s where your call to action comes in. A call to action indicates to a prospect where to go from here and motivates them take that next step.
For example, if they found you because they searched for “hurt in car accident what to do,” an effective call to action would show them that the next step is to download your resource or schedule a consultation.
Think: “What’s the next thing a lead needs to know?” Put it in front of them and they’ll appreciate the direction.
Have you noticed a theme? It’s always better to think about what your potential clients are looking for and understand their perspective rather than assume you know what they want. In terms of lead generation (and life in general), you can’t go wrong by giving people what they’re looking for!
Lean on the experts to explode your law firm’s lead generation.
You might have been born with natural talent, but no one is born with total expertise in running and marketing a law firm. That’s why it’s important to expand your knowledge and seek the advice of experts.
Our writers, SEO analysts, coaches, designers, and trainers work with lawyers and law firm marketing managers every day. If you have a question or problem, it’s likely that we’ve addressed something like it before. And, if you surprise us, we already have all the tools and knowledge you need to work toward a solution.
Is your lead generation lagging? Are you tired of just treading water? Do you have questions about how to market more strategically and actually move forward? Give Foster Web Marketing a call at 888-886-0939, or request a free marketing analysis.
We’d love to share what we know and get to work on better solutions for you.
Ruby customers receive a 10% discount on website builds and marketing services from Foster Web Marketing.
Molly McCormick is Director of Marketing at Foster Web Marketing.
