When searching for an attorney, one of the main features a prospective client is looking for is the free consultation. Clients are looking to not only have their questions answered, but also obtain a more realistic idea of how much the service will cost, and get a feel for if they trust the attorney they might be working with. There is nothing but benefits in a free consultation for the client.
The same isn’t exactly true for the attorney.
How many hours have the attorneys in your law firm lost to unqualified prospects and dead-end consultations? No matter what your answer is, we know that the number is higher than you would like it to be. Unqualified prospects are a drain on your resources and your bottom line. If only there were a way to streamline the qualifying process while still driving in a trust and value message to prospective leads.
The good news is there is, and it’s called video.
Video Appeals To A Broader Market
Have you ever wondered where your leads are looking when they start the search for an attorney? The answer is into the palm of their hands. In a recent survey, 71% of respondents said that they used their handheld mobile devices to conduct their search for an attorney, or when looking for legal advice.
This is an important number because the type of content they are most likely to choose to engage in is often dependent upon the device they are using. For example, if a law firm were to offer a lengthy page of legal advice on their website, a mobile user would find this difficult to scroll through and read. When this happens, there are two things that can result.
They can skip over the legal advice and contact you for a consultation, using time and resources on questions they could have answered themselves. Or, they can back out and choose a law firm with a more engaging, mobile friendly site.
Neither of these is good for your firm.
Video is not only mobile friendly, but it has taken over the number one spot for preferred content. If you want to attract a larger lead base, video is the tool you need to be using.
So, video will bring more prospects to you, but if they are unqualified, is that really such a good thing? Well, no. But optimizing your video strategy to weed out unqualified leads before they reach out to you is a good thing. Here is how to make it happen.
Post Informational Videos That Answer Questions
When a prospective client comes to you for a consultation, they have questions that need to be answered. For unqualified leads, this time is usually spent going over details of why they may or may not have a case, and if the time and money invested is worth it to them. This isn’t exactly an effective use of an attorney’s time. In an ideal world, the free consultation would be spent discussing how you are going to win the case, not if it qualifies as one to begin with.
Your law firm can streamline this process by providing free content on your website, or through social media that answers the questions prospects have. For example:
- A video series that focuses on the individual areas of practice within your firm, with each one highlighting the attorney’s role, their responsibilities and what they do not do.
- Q&A about common issues people seek an attorney for. For example, auto accidents, personal injury, workplace discrimination, child custody issues, etc. These videos can answer the questions that prospects are most likely to present during a consultation, giving them a better idea if pursuing legal help is the best path.
- A video that summarizes the legal process for specific niches. For example, everything that a bankruptcy client will need to do before filing, and what the process looks like, along with what qualifies a person for bankruptcy in the first place.
- Short videos that compare cases with outcomes. For example, one personal injury case against another, and what factors made a difference in the final outcomes.
- A video series that bust common myths. Law firms know all too well that there is a segment of the population that feels the need to seek legal counsel on every sense of wrongdoing, no matter how small or justified the other party might have been. A video series can help answer questions about what does and doesn’t qualify for a solid legal case under a variety of topics.
Why Does Video Work
Well, aside from it being the preferred type of content, video has unique attributes that can’t be found in print, or even an in-person consultation. Here are few statistics to consider.
- When people hear information, such as in a consultation, they only retain about 10% of it three days later. When relevant images are presented with the information, such as with video, 65% of information is retained over the same time. Video information stays with the prospect long enough for them to think things over and make rationalized decisions.
- Four times as many people prefer to watch a video than read content on the same subject. Video engages your prospects, which helps them answer some of their own questions.
- Video takes only a fraction of the time and resources of a consultation. 55% of people prefer a video length of 5 minutes or less. While production time does come into account, that 5 minutes of video can reach multiple clients, saving your attorney’s hours of time spent in consultations.
- Videos get shared. If you post a video to social media, it is more likely to get shared than text content. This is great for marketing your firm, but also further spreading the information that can save you time and money in consultations.
Are you ready to put a stop to the time and resources spent on consultations for unqualified leads? If so, video is the strategy you need to employ today to help more qualified prospects land at your door tomorrow.
