One set of tactics isn't going to get your law firm the attention it needs. Successful practices need a mixture of lead generation and demand generation.
When was the last time you took a hard look at your tactics and admitted what's not working? The sunk cost fallacy is a serious roadblock we want to help you avoid.
When you create a blend of lead and demand generation, you have a higher chance of reaching ideal clients. While you can use one or the other, lead and demand generation work better together to grow your law firm.
We'll cover lead vs. demand generation, strategic pitfalls, and new tactics you should try in 2024.
Lead Generation Vs. Demand Generation
It's essential to know the difference between generating leads and generating demand.
When you generate leads, you're capturing demand that already exists. Demand generation is about getting people to know what you do before they have a problem.
Both are necessary for a successful business. Demand generation helps by getting your name out there with potential clients. Lead generation channels convert them when they need your help.
A few examples of lead generation for lawyers include:
A few ideas for demand generation efforts could be:
- Hosting live events
- Creating an educational video series
- Podcasting
You can mix and match these ideas to reach people in different stages of the marketing funnel.
For example, lawyers could use TikTok to generate demand. This helps prospective clients remember you when they have a problem. When they turn to organic search, you could use your blog or landing pages on your law firm's website to capture leads from the demand you generated.
Stop Using Channels That Aren't Bringing in Leads
Which channels aren't bringing in many leads? Spending time investing in a marketing channel makes it hard to call it quits. But, if things aren't working, you could make better use of your time trying something new.
Below are a few negative metrics that will tell you your channel isn't bringing in results:
- Low engagement numbers
- Little to no traffic going to your site or landing page
- Few qualified leads
If that sounds familiar, it may be time to start using a new channel and focus on mastering it.
Don't Stretch Yourself Too Thin
Mastering a channel gives you a strong foundation for approaching the next channel. You can transfer the knowledge you gain from mastering a channel to each new channel you add.
For example, marketing channels use different data analytics tools. When you become comfortable reading and using these tools, you'll get more value out of the next channel.
Blogging to rank on Google is a reliable method of gaining organic traffic. You can start working on this channel by developing a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. From that strategy, you'll be able to create blog posts that educate potential clients on how you can help them.
Over time, you'll build a reliable method of bringing in leads. SEO marketing is estimated to bring 53% of web traffic compared to paid search's 15%.
Explore the Potential of Social Media Marketing
Social media is another channel you can dive into. The average person has at least seven social media accounts. Chances are that your ideal client uses at least one of them. Start by figuring out which channels your ideal clients use. Then, you can make content catered to that platform.
Tried and true platforms like Facebook may be a good place to start. But new opportunities open all the time. Lawyers have found great success using TikTok for social media marketing.
You don't just have to use social media. YouTube is one of the most competitive video marketing channels for lawyers today. Other online marketing channels you can try include email marketing and paid advertising.
SEO & Lead Generation
The Internet is often the first place potential clients turn to when searching for legal advice or representation. Most clients won't go past the first page of search results, so if your law firm doesn't rank high, you're losing out on potential leads.
With effective law firm SEO, you can increase your law firm's visibility, attract more web traffic, and ultimately convert more visitors into quality leads.
An effective SEO strategy includes several other elements such as technical SEO (site speed, mobile optimization, secure sockets layer—SSL—encryption), on-page SEO (title tags, meta descriptions, URL structure), off-page SEO (high-quality backlinks, social signals), local SEO (Google My Business, localized content, online directories), and more.
Don't Confuse an SEO Content Calendar with an SEO Strategy
A content calendar gives you a detailed schedule for posting and repurposing content. An SEO strategy is the compass that guides your law firm's journey. Confusing the two will make it difficult for you to reap the benefits.
Having a content calendar alone doesn't provide strategic direction for your business. It's not enough to post an article on a timely basis. And picking keywords at random could hurt more than help.
A competitive SEO strategy considers your business values and goals. Topics only go onto your content calendar if they align with these goals.
SEO is fantastic for long-term lead generation because it isn't pushy. It nurtures leads by educating, entertaining, and waiting until they're ready for your legal services.
If you haven't invested much time in this area, next year is a great place to start. Since lead generation takes time, you want to start as soon as possible.
Start making your long-term SEO strategy by looking at the bigger picture. Where do you want to see your firm in the next year? Whose problems are you trying to solve and why? It takes time to see results from SEO for lawyers, but when you do, it delivers well after your investment.
B2B vs. B2C Marketing for Lawyers
While B2C (business-to-consumer) marketing is an integral part of any business marketing strategy, law firms should also remember the significant potential of B2B (business-to-business) relationships.
Unlike B2C marketing, where you target individual clients directly, B2B marketing involves providing services to other businesses. In the context of legal practice, this could mean working with corporations, non-profits, or other organizations, offering a variety of legal services, including contract law, employment law, corporate law, intellectual property rights, and more.
For example, a customer who seeks your help likely won't be back anytime soon. In contrast, a referral partner will gradually steer qualified attorney leads your way.
Finding Qualified Referral Partners
Dedicating a part of your strategy to B2B connections and referrals is a great way to generate new leads. Businesses often require ongoing legal support, offering consistent income and, over time, less money spent on acquisition costs for these clients. They also often need a wider variety of legal services, which allows for a broader scope of work.
Instead of random people finding your ads, referrals are more likely to have a need for your service. Referral partnerships are also reliable because they are four times more likely to send legal clients your way.
For example, you could try reaching out to local chiropractors in your area. Since some of their clients come to them with personal injury claims, they'll be happy to provide value and send people your way. Those referrals will also have a more immediate need for your law firm's expertise.
You can also use online referral platforms such as Thumbtack to generate word of mouth.
Before setting up referrals, you may want to look into your bar association's ethics rules. Some things that are normal for most businesses may not be acceptable for lawyers.
While this doesn't mean you should shift all your marketing toward B2B, it's vital not to overlook this potential source of clients. Consider developing a marketing strategy that equally appreciates both B2C and B2B clients, leveraging your firm's strengths to attract a diverse client base. This diversified approach is not only healthy for business stability but also provides a wide variety of work for your team, making it a dynamic and fulfilling practice.
Boosting Brand Awareness
If someone can't remember your brand, how can they support it? Boosting brand awareness makes it easy to identify and support your business.
For starters, video marketing is a great way for a competitive personal injury law firm to build a brand. At least 54% of customers want to see more video content from their favorite brands. With the right message, your law practice can tap into this desire.
Video boosts brand awareness by capturing the short attention span of viewers. 41% of marketers stated short form marketing videos see a watch percentage of 60% to 80%.
Consider building your brand with a podcast (a rarer sight in the legal industry that will make you stand out). Other methods include eye-catching infographics on social media or informative YouTube shorts.
Using Live Events to Add Value and Stay Top of Mind
Live events are a wonderful way to give people value through interaction. These resources also stay top of mind for prospective clients who aren't sure if they want to commit yet.
While blogging is a viable tactic, live events let people ask questions or voice concerns. You also don't need a large budget or elaborate set to do a live event. A simple live stream from your office or a well-lit public space works well.
An example of this is Lawyer You Know, a criminal law firm that uses YouTube livestreams. These Q&A sessions give viewers the opportunity to get quick, reliable answers and help potential clients become comfortable speaking to legal professionals.
Use Lawyer Lead Generation Companies with a History of Delivering Results
If you are convinced that using a lawyer lead generation service is the best option for your law firm, choose one with a track record of success.
We've put together the following shortlist of some of the absolute best lead generation services available for personal injury lawyers.
4LegalLeads
4LegalLeads has been providing leads to attorneys since 2001, offering over 40 categories of case types to choose from. There is no long-term contract required, and attorneys can set up their accounts quickly by choosing their campaign targeting and funding it.
The price of these lead generation services varies depending on the category of the legal claim, with auto accident leads ranging from $300 to $1500 per lead, medical malpractice leads costing $40 per lead, and workers' compensation leads ranging from $75 to $550. Most other categories of personal injury leads are priced between $175 to $425.
4LegalLeads offers flexible lead delivery options. Attorneys can choose to receive live calls from leads transferred directly to their office, have web leads sent to them via text or email, or piped directly into their legal CRM.
With 4LegalLeads, every lead generated is exclusive to the attorney, ensuring they do not have to compete with other lawyers for the same lead. Additionally, attorneys can easily manage their budget by adding funds to their accounts based on their current needs.
Accident.com
Accident.com is a service provider that focuses exclusively on generating high-quality personal injury leads for attorneys. They utilize a mix of search-engine-optimized content, search engine advertising, and social media to deliver exclusive leads across various personal injury categories.
When a potential client fills out a contact form, they are routed to an attorney based on the specific information they submitted. This ensures that attorneys only receive leads that are relevant to their practice areas.
Accident.com offers a fast setup time, with attorneys able to start receiving leads after a 15-minute kickoff call and some campaign customization. Attorneys can customize their campaigns at the hyperlocal level, but the more narrow the targeting, the more expensive the leads will be.
While Accident.com requires a 3-month commitment initially, they provide dedicated account managers to help attorneys optimize their campaigns. Leads can be delivered to attorneys via email, text, or directly to their Accident.com dashboard.
Leading Response
Leading Response provides attorney lead generation services using a multichannel approach. They utilize both digital and traditional advertising methods to target and qualify leads across a range of personal injury subcategories, including auto accidents, mass torts, medical malpractice, and workers' compensation.
One of the benefits of working with Leading Response is the flexibility they offer in terms of lead delivery. Attorneys can choose between real-time lead delivery or delivery on specific days of the week. Since all leads generated are exclusive, attorneys do not have to worry about losing them to competing firms.
Leading Response provides access to their Hub client portal, which enables attorneys to monitor campaign performance and analytics. The portal also integrates with certain CRMs, making it easier to manage and track leads.
In addition to generating leads, Leading Response is committed to optimizing and improving the effectiveness of their clients' campaigns. They have invested in building a client portal that allows attorneys to easily conduct A/B testing or make changes to the direction of their campaign, ensuring that they get the best possible results.
Legal TV Leads
Legal TV Leads is a service provider that focuses on generating high-quality auto accident leads for personal injury lawyers through local TV advertising.
When someone calls the number in the ad, Legal TV Leads pre-screens the call and transfers the live call over to the attorney. This ensures that the attorney receives a qualified accident victim who is ready for their help. Each lead generated through Legal TV Leads is exclusive, and there are no long-term contracts or startup costs.
Legal TV Leads also provides attorneys with a personalized tracking dashboard through their client portal. This dashboard allows attorneys to track the performance of their campaign and lead outcomes in real-time.
Quintessa Marketing
Quintessa Marketing is a leader in generating high-quality personal injury leads for attorneys. They qualify thousands of leads every month, with a focus on motor vehicle accidents, semi and commercial vehicle accidents, commercial premises liability, and workers' comp.
Each lead from this service is exclusive to your law firm. But what sets Quintessa apart are their guarantees.
They claim that more than 50% of their leads result in retainers. They also state that they can provide attorney clients with 20 to 100 new leads each month. As a bonus, they also promise that clients will receive their first retainer from a lead within 24 hours of signing up.
Walker Advertising
Walker Advertising is a pay-per-lead service that uses a multichannel approach to generate high-quality legal leads for attorneys. They utilize various advertising methods, including radio ads, local and network TV ads, targeted online advertising, organic search, social media posts, and live events to attract new clients.
When an accident victim calls after seeing an ad, Walker Advertising prequalifies the call through their 24/7 call center before delivering it as an exclusive lead to the attorney. Attorneys can qualify the lead and decide whether to pursue it further. Additionally, attorneys receive periodic performance and ROI reviews from a dedicated sales representative.
One of Walker Advertising's standout features is its specialization in bilingual advertising. They can run ads targeted to Spanish-speaking audiences and have bilingual operators at their call center, making it easier for attorneys to serve more Spanish-speaking personal injury victims.
Working With a Specialist Marketing Firm
Generalist marketing firms are fine for digital ads or a starter strategy. When you're ready to increase your qualified legal leads and get competitive, it's time to reach out to a specialist. An agency of attorney lead generation experts can give you insights other companies can't.
Specialists will understand the challenges faced by your firm on a deeper level. You'll save time catching marketers up to speed on terminology or educating them on your hurdles.
At Rankings.io, we help personal injury law firms get more leads by providing more than technical expertise. We offer customized solutions tailored to your law firm's challenges. We can help you develop the right demand and lead generation strategy to grow your legal practice.
Contact us today to set up a call and find out how we can help you plan for success.
