Do you have the right system in place for converting leads into clients, and then from paying clients into staying clients?

If the answer is no, you’re not alone. Many law firms fail to take a systematic approach to lead conversion and client retention. But you definitely should. Here are 3 steps you need to take:

First, you should identify any software needs to assist in automating the process. The more you can automate this, the lower your costs will be. Tracking software is readily available at a relatively low cost, compared to the expense of doing it manually. Good client-tracking software can be shared across multiple computers and can generate easily interpreted reports for the firm’s decision makers.

Secondly, try to automate the firm’s follow-up process. Develop follow-up sequences for:

Direct mail – what do you send to prospects and clients? Postcards? Email? Letters? This can be a very labor-intensive process or it can be highly automated. It’s your choice.

Autoresponder emails – Develop a series of email messages to be sent at regularly scheduled intervals that can convey your messaging in a timely manner to your prospects.

Phone calls – Develop a schedule of calls so that they don’t fall through the cracks. Some of the tracking software can automatically place them into your calendar for you.

Third, develop rules of engagement for a sales-driven law firm. Some things to identify from the outset are:

What is being said? – Know your key messages about your firm, as well as information about your prospect’s business and needs.

Who is saying what? – Who are the principal contacts for prospects? Is the task shared or centralized?

How often are prospects contacted? – Staying top-of-mind without being obnoxious is a delicate balance.

If you really want to make your lead generation efforts pay dividends, you simply must become better at lead conversion.  It is probably one of the least expensive yet most financially rewarding things you can do to boost your revenues.