Lead sources are great ways to connect to people who are looking for the type of legal service you have to offer, but you have to work to make that connection. Chasing a lead is a difficult in any profession. Reporters chase leads for information, detectives chase leads to solve crimes, salesmen chase leads to close a deal. Even in the legal profession, you have to follow up on leads to connect with would be clients. It is about making a connection with the person on the other end of the contact information.

To illustrate the value of leads, we conducted a case-study of one of our bankruptcy clients.  In the last 6 months of 2008, the law firm we surveyed received 506 leads from LeadRival’s  web marketing efforts on its behalf.

Following are the results of the case study:

In the end, over 23% of the leads filed bankruptcy with the law firm. Another 7.7% filed bankruptcy through another firm, bringing the total number of leads who filed bankruptcy to over 31%. While these numbers may be high, they reflect what can be achieved when the right system is in place.

Using lead sources to grow your business is a simple, effective, cost efficient way to connect to consumers who are looking for your services.

Here are six tips that the VP offers for working a lead into a client:

1. Contact Lead Immediately – “Upon receiving a lead our firm contacts them immediately.  We have techniques in place that allow us to contact the lead with 60 seconds of receiving it.”
   
2. Exhaust all means of Contact – “We make sure and use all methods of reaching the client.  We contact them first by phone, and follow it up with an email and letter if need be.”
   
3. Set same day next day appointments – “We never set appointments out more than one day.  This keeps our show rate up and the topic fresh on the mind of the potential client.”
   
4. Offer free, no obligation appointments – “We never conduct a consultation over the phone.  Always set the client a time to visit the office.  The more information you give them over the phone the less likely they are going to actually show for their appointment.”
   
5. Confirm Appointments – “We always confirm all our appointments.  We even call them 30 minutes before their appointment time to confirm directions.”
   
6. Follow Up – “If a client doesn’t retain our office we send them letters and make phone calls to them to check on the status.”

For many businesses that rely on lead generation, maximizing return on leads can be the difference between profitability and bankruptcy. Especially in tough economic times, it is more preferable to spend time on revenue-generating activities than on time wasters like dealing with bad leads. Fortunately there are ways to improve your lead handling approach, a major part of which is your selection of lead providers.

Price

It’s easy to compare leads providers based solely on price. If Company ABC charges $25 and Company XYZ charges $35 then ABC is better, right?

Well, not exactly. The price of leads does hit your bottom line as a business expense, but that expense will be offset by the revenues you ultimately generate from those leads. Thus, the real measure is how profitable those leads are. For Bankruptcy Attorneys, then, the real measurement of leads providers is the quality of their leads.

Quality

In most industries, higher quality can demand higher prices. (Witness the difference between buying a Rolls Royce and a Kia, or hiring Julia Roberts vs. that kid from your high school theater class.) With lead generation, the quality of a lead involves several factors:

1. Is the individual an actual real person? — We’ve all chuckled at the Bart Simpson phone pranks, but getting leads from “Hugh Jass” and “Amanda Hugandkiss” is not funny when you’re having to pay for them. Unfortunately, a small percentage of these leads is to be expected in the lead generation business. The question is this: Does your leads provider make you waste time debating each one individually, or do they offer you a standard bad leads credit on your monthly bill?
2. Can the individual be reached? — Sometimes, the individual filling out a lead form mistypes their contact information or omits an area code, yielding an unusable phone number or email address. Alternately, they might have entered all their information perfectly but for whatever reason are not available to be reached. We covered ways to track down hard to reach leads in a prior post. Every one of these leads that can be tracked down can be transformed into a quality lead.
3. Is the individual interested in the product/service in question? — Think about a typical car buyer… They shop around for a while, narrowing down the make and model of car, until finally deciding what they want. Only then do they transition from “shopping” to “buying.” Similarly, individuals filling out your lead generation form may only be in the “shopping” stage. Depending on your industry, these leads may not be cost effective at all.
4. Is the individual ready to “pull the trigger?” — You could have a great lead, good contact info, and they’re interested in the product/service you provide. What good is the lead if they already found another provider? Even worse, what good is the lead if your own leads provider sold the lead to one of your competitors first?!? (For that matter, what good is your leads provider?)

It’s easy to see how something as simple as buying leads can quickly become complex. When looking for a quality lead provider, the bottom line should always be quality of leads. That means you should look for:

• Some sort of “bad leads credit” on your monthly bill
• A higher percentage of leads that are ready to buy
• A leads provider that hasn’t already sold your leads to somebody else

Using these criteria to judge your lead provider and working this program can help make your leads, and your business, more profitable.

Has this ever happened to you?  Someone comes to your website and fills out your lead form, but you’re never able to get in touch with them.  Maybe their email address or phone number is bad.  Or maybe they simply don’t respond to your messages.  Don’t give up on that lead just yet — we’ve compiled a list of strategies for dealing with those difficult to reach leads.

Bad Phone Number — Sometimes people prefer to use email for their initial contact.  Once they’re convinced that your service can help them, they are willing to talk to you on the phone, often initiating the contact themselves.  If the phone number the client provided is bad, it may be a sign that they prefer email communication.  Another possibility is the client simply transposed two numbers or entered a typo.  

So what can you do when the phone number is bad?  Start by analyzing the number.  Does it look valid or is it of the 555-555-5555 variety?  If the number looks valid, the client may have entered it incorrectly.  Use a service like the Everyday Yellow Pages People Search to find the correct number.    

If you still can’t find the number,  focus on sending a professional email to the client.  Make it as personal as possible and concentrate on convincing the client that you are the best choice for solving their problem.  Be sure to explain that you attempted to contact them by phone but the phone number they submitted is not valid.  

Finally, if you find that you’re getting an unreasonable amount of leads with bad phone numbers, add logic to your lead form to prevent fake phone numbers.  Also, consider adding a Live Chat feature to your site.  Live Chat is anonymous and will help you to weed out the individuals who are merely “kicking the tires” on your site, allowing you to focus on legitimate leads.

Bad Phone Number & Bad Email — Occasionally, you may get a lead that has a bad phone number and a bad email address.  Before you count this as a loss though, there are a few strategies you can use to try to reach the client.

Use whatever information you have to track down the client.  If you have their address, try mailing them a letter.   If you only have their name, use a people search program to try to find an address and/or phone number.    If you can’t find any contact information, cut your losses and move on.

Client Won’t Respond – Sometimes the contact information you receive is valid, but the client simply won’t respond to your messages.  To combat this problem, try calling at various times of day — maybe the client can’t answer their cell phone while they’re at work?  Also, try calling from more than one phone number — maybe seeing a different number on caller ID will prompt the client to answer?    When you get the client’s voicemail, leave a professional and persuasive message convincing the client to call you.

Another option is a text message.  Try sending a text message to the client’s phone asking them to call you.  In your message, tell the client that if they are no longer interested in your service, please reply with “N” and you will stop trying to contact them.  

When all else fails, mail the client a letter.  Stamps are cheap and getting a personalized, professional letter from you may be what it takes to get the client to respond to you.

When discussing Search Engine Marketing (SEM) with clients, I sometimes use “the mall” analogy.  Think of the internet as a giant shopping mall and your website as an individual store.  SEM helps you to get people to walk through the front door of your store.  However, once they enter your store (visit your website), the work has just begun — you now have to convince them to buy something.  Here are eight tips we recommend for converting website visitors into clients.

1. Make a Good First Impression — Would you buy food from a grocery store that was dirty and smelled bad?  Probably not. When web users click a link to your site, they make a quick decision about whether or not your site is worth their time.    If your site is not appealing or is difficult to use, they’ll hit the “Back” button and try another site.  Don’t let this happen!  Spend the money for a good modern website design.  If you’re not sure if your site needs a refresh or not, check your site bounce rate.  If it’s above 50%, consider a redesign.
    
2. Establish Trust — One of the biggest strengths of the internet is that buyers can access merchants all over the world.  However, this strength is also a weakness.  How do you know if the site that’s selling you a digital camera isn’t going to also sell your credit card information?  As a website owner, you have to establish trust with your users so that they will feel comfortable doing business with you.  List your Phone Number and Physical Location on your “Contact Us” page.  If you belong to trade organizations or the Better Business Bureau, display their badges on your site.  Finally, if you’re collecting sensitive information, install an SSL certificate and collect this information over a secure connection.  If a client is nervous about doing business with your site, they will most likely leave.
    
3. Remove Distractions — Impulse items are a staple in Supermarkets.  As shoppers check out, they’re tempted by candy, magazines and many other items that they may not normally buy.   For websites, upselling at the time of checkout (or conversion) is much tougher.  You must be careful not to impede the checkout process with too many offers for additional items or information.  Start with a bare-bones checkout page — as few links as possible.  If you must have links on your checkout page, make them open in a new window so that the potential buyer does not lose their place in your checkout process.  If you plan on adding additional steps or offers to your checkout process, A/B test them thoroughly to make sure they do not hurt your conversion rate.
    
4. Provide an Incentive — Retailers have used sales and coupons for years as a way to increase sales.  For Lead Generation websites, similar tactics can work.  For instance, try offering a free Whitepaper with additional information about your site’s subject matter.  Or if you provide a service, offer a Free initial consulatation.  Users are more likely to complete your form if they will receive something of value in return.
    
5. Don’t Ask for Too Much Information – Often, website owners make the mistake of asking for too much information up front.   The more information you ask for on your lead form, the less likely website users are to complete that form.  Remove as many fields as possible from your form — you can always get this information when you follow up with the user later on.  
    
6. Send an Automatic Thank You Email – When a user submits information on your website, your website should immediately send a thank you email to them.   This tactic helps the website user to feel confident that your site is legitimate and that they shouldn’t worry about becoming your client.  Spend time on your thank you email, making it as professional as possible.  This email is the first direct communication your prospective client receives from you and you should make a good impression.
    
7. Follow up by Phone ASAP — We’ve said it before in other posts about lead conversion – contacting the prospective client as soon as possible is one of the best ways to convert a website visitor into a client.  If the user is seeking information or help, contact them right away so that they do not look elsewhere for assistance.  Every minute you wait before contacting the user is another minute where they could find help from one of your competitors.
    
8. ABT: Always Be Testin’ — Take a lesson from Alec Baldwin – if you’re not testing, you’re losing.  Use Google’s Website Optimizer to test all aspects of your site to find combinations that improve your conversion rate.  If you don’t have the time or money to hire a full-time website conversion specialist, consider hiring a lead conversion expert to help you with your efforts.

With the current state of the U.S. economy, it’s no surprise that searches for “bankruptcy”, “bankruptcy attorney” and other bankruptcy-related keywords are on the rise.  According to Google estimates, over 2.7 million people searched for the term “bankruptcy” in December 2008.  When other bankruptcy terms are included, the monthly search estimate is nearly 9 million.   Due to current economic conditions, these search trends are likely to continue throughout 2009.

For Bankruptcy Attorneys, 2009 will likely be a busy year.   However, not all bankruptcy law firms will be able to capitalize on the increased search traffic for “bankruptcy” terms.  It is exceedingly difficult to rank highly for bankruptcy search terms and the pay-per-click advertising fees for these terms are often $15 per click or more.  Therefore, many attorneys get their leads from Bankruptcy Lead Generation websites such as BankruptcyHome.com

LeadRival is proud to offer Bankruptcy Lead Generation services to attorneys across the United States.  Attorneys who join the LeadRival sponsoring attorney network receive exclusive access to all leads in the counties where they practice.  LeadRival’s web properties are well positioned to capitalize on the current increases in bankruptcy searches.  Additionally, LeadRival offers a lead management system which attorneys can use to convert leads into clients.  To find out more about the LeadRival bankruptcy attorney network, complete our Attorney Network Information form today!

Receiving a lead from a potential client is like hearing the starting gun in a footrace.  From the moment the lead comes in you are in a race to convert that lead into a customer.  But how do you make the transition from lead to client?  We’ve compiled this list of 5 critical steps to help you win the lead conversion race.

1. Respond as quickly as possible. When you receive a new lead, it’s imperative that you talk to the potential client as quickly as possible.  When users submit website information request they are in a decision-making mindset.  If you reach them soon after they submit their information your chances of converting them into a client are much greater.  Wait too long and the client may change their mind or find someone else who can answer their questions.Your first contact attempt should always be by phone.   If that attempt fails, follow up by email and try another phone call either later that day or early the next.  If you’re still unable to get in touch with the client, try mailing a letter, sending a text message to their cell number or sending an instant message to their email.  Be creative and make your communication as personalized as possible.
2. Listen. Once you establish contact with the potential client, don’t tell them about how great your services are — ask them open ended questions and listen to their needs.  Questions like “What can I do to help you?” or “Tell me about your situation” are great for getting clients to open up.  Be sympathetic and establish a connection with your client.  If you can make the client comfortable they are more likely to use your services.
3. Do Your Homework. Be ready to answer any and all questions your potential client may have.  If you’re not already, become an expert in all aspects of your business and your community.   If a client thinks you don’t know what you’re talking about, they will not want to use your services.
4. Offer an Incentive. Ease the transition from potential client to customer by offering something for free.  A free initial consultation or free first visit is a great way to get a client through your door and into your customer database.  Another great method is to offer free weekly/monthly seminars.  You can see more potential clients in a shorter amount of time.
5. Know when to Move On. Not every potential client will be a good customer.  Fine tune your lead screening process so that you can quickly identify the most promising clients and weed out the rest.  Don’t waste time trying to convert clients that aren’t a good match for your services — instead use that time to focus on converting the best prospects.

If you are an attorney who needs Legal Leads, please visit LegalRow.com to find out about joining our Attorney Network.

The Bankruptcy Lead Generation marketplace is a crowded space full of companies promising to deliver high quality leads through a variety of methods.  Bankruptcy Attorneys are faced with multiple questions when deciding what internet strategies to use to generate bankruptcy leads.  Following is an overview of several common lead generation products.

• Attorney Directories.  There are many “attorney directory” sites that claim to deliver clients to your practice.  However, these sites may not be as effective as you think.   Consider these items when evaluating an Attorney Directory site:
  • Perform a search on the Attorney Directory site for your city and practice area.  How many attorneys are listed in the results?  If there are already many attorneys listed, how will your listing stand out?
  • Does the directory allow you to list a phone number and a link to your website?
  • How does the attorney directory website rank on google for Bankruptcy Attorney and Bankruptcy Lawyer?  Is it on the first page? 
  • How easy (or difficult) is it to use the Attorney Directory lawyer search?  If users get confused or frustrated, they will hit the back button and try another site.
     
• Attorney Website Management.  Another common product in the bankruptcy lead generation marketplace is attorney website management.  These companies promise to build a website for your practice that will generate organic (free) leads for your lawfirm.  However, as with any contract be sure to read the fine print.  Make sure you find out the answers to these questions:
  • Who “owns” the site?  If you decide to terminate your contract do you get to keep the website, domain name, content, etc?  
  • After the site is built, what will the company do to promote it?  Will they give you a monthly report with details about their marketing activities?
  • Who will update and maintain the site?  You or the Vendor?
  • What about Search Engine Optimization?  Does the company use search engine friendly methods of web development?   Do they do any off-page search engine marketing?  
  • Results:  Can the company give you references that illustrate the results they have achieved for other clients?
     
• Lead Delivery Services. The final product we’ll look at are bankruptcy lead delivery services.  These are traditional lead generation companies who gather data from clients and then sell it to attorneys.   When looking at lead delivery services, consider these questions:
  • How are the leads delivered?  Email? Text Message? Instant Message?  Are the leads delivered real-time or is there a processing delay?
  • What data is sent with the lead?  
  • Are phone leads “warm transferred” to your office?  If so, is this a feature that you will be able to support or will these leads go to voicemail?
  • Does the vendor provide a method for dealing with bad or duplicate leads?
  • Is there a back-end lead administration website that will allow you to track and work your leads?
  • If you have any issues is there an account manager you can contact for help?
  • Are the leads in your area sold exclusively to you or are the leads sold to multiple attorneys?
  • How can you terminate the contract?  Is there a 6, 12 or 18 month contract term?

If you’re ready to start receiving Bankruptcy Leads through the internet, or if you are looking to supplement your existing bankruptcy lead pipeline, we’d love to talk to you.  Please complete our Attorney Bankrupty Lead Generation form and one of our sales representatives will contact you to explain the many options LeadRival offers for Bankruptcy Lead Generation.