How Does LegalMatch Work for Member Attorneys

Introduction

Understanding the process of how LegalMatch brings clients to your law firms is essential to our Member Attorneys. Not only do you gain a massive advantage by knowing how to maximize your investment in the monthly subscription, but it will also give you a better grasp of the business side of your law practice. Before we dig deep into the specifics of the LegalMatch process, it’s essential to know the marketing process from which LegalMatch operates.

The Sales Funnel

An effective marketing strategy includes a sales funnel, which demonstrates the path prospects take before becoming your client. Marketers execute campaigns to cast a broad net to capture as many leads as possible. If done right, it can convert the most challenging prospect into a recurring client. It is composed of stages that may differ depending on the business model. Some have more stages on their list, while some use fewer stage but both aims to arrive in a single goal- to streamline the process of getting a qualified lead. A typical marketing sales funnel includes the following step: Awareness, Interest, Consideration, Intent, Evaluation, and Purchase.

Let’s take a closer look at each stage of a sales funnel:

1. Awareness Stage
   The first stage in the process caters primarily to everyone who has not yet heard about the service offered by the brand. Blog posts, webinars, infographics, viral campaigns, social media, events, and paid ads create awareness. Leads are generated by collecting information from prospects and nurturing them until they reach the last stage of the funnel.
2. Interest Stage
   At this stage, prospects know more about the company, its products, and the valuable information they provide. This stage allows the company to develop a relationship with its audience and introduce its positioning according to their interest. Sending email and posting content can help nurture the leads.
3. Consideration Stage
   Leads go one stage deeper in the Consideration Stage. Prospects start to trust the company because of the regular email they receive, case studies, and free trials to test its service.
4. Intent Stage
   Prospects show their interest in buying the product if they reached the Intent Stage. Here, companies must strike while the iron is hot. This is when they must make a strong case and justify why they are the best choice among other companies who offer the same service.
5. Evaluation Stage
   This is the stage where customers decide whether or not to purchase the company’s products or services. During the decision-making process, the marketing and sales officers work closely together to persuade the customer that their product brings the most value to their money.
6. Purchase Stage
   Ultimately, after having gone through the entire sales funnel, the prospects arrive at the Purchase Stage and decides to buy the product. The company should create an entirely positive experience for the prospect throughout the journey to becoming a client. If satisfied, clients will come back and patronize the company or bring fellow customers to the sales funnel. However, unsatisfied customers may reject the company altogether for having a bad experience in one of their products. Companies place the new prospects brought by satisfied customers at the top of the sales funnel, and the process is repeated.

LegalMatch Works Similarly to a Sales Funnel

LegalMatch is the largest lawyer-client matching service that operates like a sales funnel. This process is used and improved through years of generating leads for our Member Attorneys.

The following is the list of stages that prospects go through when they become a LegalMatch client.

1. Match Generation
   LegalMatch obtains keywords popularly searched such as ‘lawyer,’ ‘attorney-at-law, ‘family lawyer,’ etc. When prospects enter these keywords in the search engine, LegalMatch then shows an ad. The system prompts those who clicked on the ad to enter their cases on the LegalMatch signup page. The new case enters the top of the LegalMatch sales funnel.
2. Match Nurture
   LegalMatch sends an email to the client to acknowledge the case submission. Then the new case joins other cases that Member Attorneys can view on the system. Once an Attorney responds to a case, LegalMatch shows the prospect’s information and contact details on the page. The Attorney can now set a schedule for the initial call with the prospect.
3. Sales
   The Member Attorney meets the prospect personally or online (a better option now during the Covid-19 pandemic). At this stage, the Attorney determines if the prospect has a case and if it will be a good fit with their practice. Attorney also obtains important information or documents. If the case is viable, both parties can discuss the Attorney’s fees and other expenses required to move the case forward.
4. Purchase
   When the prospect reaches this stage, he has to agree to the terms and conditions of the Member Attorney who matched with the case. The prospect turns into a client once the client makes the initial payment and signs the contracts. An attorney can now commence work on the case.

LegalMatch Operates as Customer Relationship Management System

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management System) is a program that helps to manage company relationships and interactions with prospects and clients. It uses technology to nurture business relationships. CRM streamlines processes while increasing profitability. Among the main functions of a CRM are contact management, sales management, and productivity. LegalMatch performs these functions.

LegalMatch serves as our Member Attorneys’ CRM. Using the sales funnel approach, LegalMatch nurtures the prospects from the moment a new case is posted, responding to an Attorney, having an initial consultation, and eventually retaining an Attorney’s legal services. LegalMatch ensures the security of the prospect’s information in the database. Using this system, LegalMatch enables the Member Attorneys to track the progress of a prospect or case.

Why Consultation is an Important Process

Consultation is one of the most crucial phases in the LegalMatch sales funnel. Aside from the fact that it is the first actual touch base of an Attorney with the prospect, it also reveals information that is normally unmentioned in the case that was posted in the system. A prospect cannot skip the initial consultation as it has three primary purposes:

1. It allows the Attorney to determine if the case is viable or if there is any case at all.
2. Based on their interactions, the prospect and Attorney can decide whether they are fit to work together.
3. The Attorney can explain the representation will proceed if the prospect chooses to retain the lawyer.

4 Useful Guides for Attorneys Before and During a Consultation

LegalMatch is a safe virtual space that matches lawyers and clients with varied backgrounds, locations, and practices. We present four practical guides to help Attorneys during the consultation process.

1. Attorneys Cannot Represent Every Person Who Calls.
   Lawyers have a sworn oath to uphold ethical practice in their profession. They should not represent someone that may cause a conflict of interest with a current or former client.
2. Attorneys Don’t Have to Represent Everyone Who Calls.
   Certain cases can take up years of working closely together between the lawyer and the client. More time spent on the case means a higher bill for the client to pay. Also, conflict may come along the process that requires a good working relationship. For these reasons, prospects and lawyers should both carefully decide when proceeding to work together. Consultations can uncover information that can help during the decision-making.
3. Attorneys are Not Required to Provide Legal Advice During Consultation.
   Some people think that they can exhaust the time allocated during the consultation process to answer their legal questions for free. However, lawyers are not supposed to give legal advice until they have the client’s signed fee agreement and payment. This practice protects the lawyer from declining future clients because of a conflict of interest. It protects potential clients from being misinformed about a situation that they haven’t had a chance to research and analyze thoroughly.
4. Attorneys are Permitted to Provide Information About the Legal Process.
   Lawyers can discuss the legal process and fees that the case will go through should a prospect agree to proceed. But other advice that requires detailed information should be given when the official representation begins, with a signed fee and payment.

Here’s a basic consultation process that best works for LegalMatch:

1. Find Out Why They Called.
   Listening is an underestimated skill in any profession. But it makes the work easier if anyone, including attorneys, can listen attentively and not generalize cases from each prospect. Sometimes prospects don’t know how to express the reason for their call, and it is the lawyer’s job to ask questions to clarify the situation.
2. Find Out What They Want.
   Most clients are overwhelmed with emotions; they aren’t sure what they want to happen. Help the potential clients by understanding what they’re coming up against. Calmly communicate until you get to the prospect’s objective and see if it is feasible.
3. Decide Firmly.
   During the consultation, Attorneys can have a clearer understanding of the prospect’s situation and determine if there’s a legal action he can do. As an attorney, you must have the conviction to decide whether you will take the case or not.
4. Set Proper Expectations.
   If they have a case, you can explain what a prospect should expect. You can provide an overview of how long the process will be or what may happen in the next couple of months. Describe why you are the best lawyer that can help with the case by offering flexible options. Lawyers should answer basic questions during the consultation.
5. Explain Your Fees and How to Hire You.
   Once the prospect expresses interest, it’s time to explain your fees and how to hire you. You are about to close the sale, and the prospect would appreciate it if you discuss your hourly rate, retainer fee, and billing. Provide options in billing plans just in case the clients lack the financial means at the moment.
6. Respect the Prospect’s Decision.
   It is also possible that the prospects realize they wish to think more before proceeding to hire you. If this happens, ask them to get back to you with what they decide to do. Don’t forget to send regular follow-ups to help them decide. This will also give you a signal to archive the prospect and move on to another case.