Technology

If You Build It, They Will Convert – Part 1: Workflow Design

admin August 4, 2022

Most law firms I talk to want law firm processes in a box.

The devastating news is, that those don’t exist.

While processes and workflows are extremely valuable for all businesses, including law firms – building them can be challenging. But, the effort is well worth it, if you can maintain those processes as part of your law firm structure.

So, there is a trick here; and, it’s pretty easy. There’s a two-step method to building effective workflows. That’s it: just two things. And, the secret sauce is as follows:

-First, map out the entire workflow – on a piece of paper, in a workflow management tool, wherever. Just build the map, so it can be followed, by others.

-Second, get super granular. Be as specific as possible about each item in the workflow, including asking questions about consumer behavior. What would leads do/require in each case? For example, how many followups are necessary for the fulfillment of a workflow task, and via which communication method? And, who should be the task owner, and why? At which point does the full workflow complete, and why? And, that may be a different answer for a lead (lost leads) versus a client, where a certain result must happen, eg – the filling of a motion in court.

Ask those picky questions, and build a map, to design really effective workflows.

Marketing, Messaging, Technology

We Can Be Heroes: Why Your Website Hero Shot Matters

admin July 22, 2022

A ‘hero shot’ is the primary photo or video displayed on your website, usually at the top of your homepage. It is the very first thing anyone sees when they land on your webpage. And, it needs to be compelling, because modern legal consumers have short attention spans – and, they won’t stay long unless what you have to show them, catches their eye.

And, it truly is a ‘show don’t tell’ situation, because modern legal consumers won’t respond to walls of text.

Now, knowing that you need a really compelling visual statement, to draw someone into your website, to amplify your chances of being able to keep them there, is one thing. But, actually picking the image, or adding the video, is another thing altogether – because you need to be sure that you’re selecting something that is relevant to your practice and/or your mission statement. So, if you don’t have a mission statement – you’ve got some preliminary work to do.

But, since it’s better to show, not tell – check out these websites that have amazing hero shots, for some inspiration:

The Simon Law Group

The Food Law Firm

Paradigm Shift Mediation

Picking the right hero shot for your website, can save the day.

Marketing, Messaging, Technology

Quality Control: Why Chatbots Are Great for Qualifying Clients

admin July 6, 2022

Law firm lead qualification, oftentimes, does not get much beyond: Is the potential client alive?

Some attorneys will take any potential clients – and, it doesn’t even matter if they have shown an ability to pay. Now, this doesn’t happen because lawyers don’t know how to vet clients. Most attorneys have a very distinct criteria for the sorts of clients they want – the problem is, that it never leaves their own heads. As has been shown, time and time again, lawyers are not great communicators – including with respect to their own staff.

But, once a law firm can define down its preferred client criteria, that can be a very powerful tool.

Now, many attorneys would look to develop a list of client qualifiers, so that they could feed it to their staff, and have them run through it with the potential clients, on the phone, or via email.

But, there is a more immediate, and efficient solution: Allow for a technology tool to moderate those conversations, and to automatically vet potential clients, without the need for using support staff. A chatbot is a great tool for this, as it can create a conversational interface using a qualification script.

With a chat tool performing intake for your law firm, your potential leads remain engaged; and, your staff is freed up to perform other activities. In this environment, rote work can be taken off of law firm staff, who can then upskill, and perform higher-level functions.

Chatbots are an efficient way to vet leads, using a tool that those leads prefer, and that allows your staff to generate revenue for you, in other ways.

Marketing, Technology

Home Video: Gideon’s YouTube Channel Is Live

admin June 23, 2022

For the last few months, we’ve been hosting live and recording free educational webinars for attorneys on a variety of topics.

This quarter, we’ve had Jared Correia on covering document management systems, Ernie Svenson talking about law firm systems and Jeff Lantz and Desire’e Martinelli addressing ADA compliance for law firm websites. Next up is Mitch Jackson on the metaverse.

Now, we’ve archived all those webinars at our new YouTube channel, so you can you watch them any time you want. New webinars will be posted at our channel the day after they’re recorded; and, in addition to educational webinars, we’ll start adding product videos soon, to boot.

So, check out our brand spanking new YouTube channel, and subscribe, so we can get a custom url 😊.

Technology, Marketing

And, Then: Do Each of Your Cases Have a Next Task?

admin June 13, 2022

Law firms are busy managing lots of cases. And, it’s easy for a handful of them to get lost in the shuffle, to fall through the cracks.

And, that’s when attorneys get into trouble. And, not just ethics trouble. A missed deadline or submission is a huge problem, obviously; but, it’s also not great that your cases are just languishing.

Law firms that stagnate are caused by cases that don’t move. And, there’s a significant penalty for that type of thing = you can’t make money on cases that don’t close.

This is why it’s hyper-important for law firms to make sure that each cases gains forward momentum.

How do you do that?

Well, it’s pretty simple: there just needs to be a next step, or a next task, on each case, at all times.

That’s one of the reasons why law firms that focus on workflows, with tasks attached to specific timekeepers, are so successful.

That process keeps thing moving.

Want to get unstuck? Do the next thing.