An “erosion of demand for legal services” and “Decreasing demand for legal services,” were just two issues facing the legal profession described in Altman Weil’s “Law Firms in Transition Survey,” as reported by the ABA Journal last week. The survey of law firm leaders echoes many of the points that we discuss on a regular basis in this blog.
The problems are real, but there are solutions. That’s what we do.
We write a lot about the changes that estate planning and Elder Law firms need to make in order to stay profitable. Among those changes are investments in technology in all aspects of the firm, from websites integrated with automated intake to fully integrated document management and billing systems.
Law firms with a culture that embraces change and the use of technology in providing superior client service will be ones that not only survive, but flourish and grow. Will that be your law firm?
Through our own investment in leading technology, IMS clients have adopted the now mainstream use of lawyer videos. We took websites to another level with the addition of E2-CRM, a proprietary Client Relationship Management system that was designed for estate planning and Elder Law firms. More recently, we launched CLIPSM to give law firms the ability to make the intake process automated and seamless.
All of these systems tie back to a website that engages your prospective clients with content that is relevant to their concerns—also known as their pain points. We know today that lawyer websites must connect to your clients in an emotional and intellectual manner, hence the successful impact of lawyer videos. They must also provide many different ways to interact with you, with invitations to connect strategically placed throughout the website.
Integrating your website with the E2-CRM will improve your law firm’s ability to transform prospects into clients and to respond swiftly when the firm is contacted. Remember that today’s legal services consumer expects to hear back from you fast—and the faster they hear from you, the more likely they will retain your services.
When follow up is quick and service levels are high, you are likely to transform your clients into raving fans. Client satisfaction leads to testimonials, in the form of videos or content that become part of your website. Raving fans who post positive reviews on sites like Avvo or Google present an opportunity to bring even more visitors to your website.
When it works together, staff isn’t bogged down in repetitive tasks, your clients experience a well-run practice and their intellect tells their emotions that they have made the right decision to entrust their estate planning to you.