Are you unknowingly sabotaging your legal marketing efforts by sending potential client calls to voicemail? Perhaps you thought your reception department was well-staffed, only to realize that your website and SEO is generating more leads than your practice could handle.
Generating leads is only half the battle. If queries to your practice go unanswered, you could be losing those potential clients to your competition. Here’s why.
What Happens When Calls Go Unanswered
When someone learns they need an attorney, it’s normally because they are in the middle of a crisis. Whether it’s a pending criminal charge or a contentious custody battle, your clients come to you in distress. After finding your website or business listings online, potential clients will call your practice.
You might think that having a voicemail set up for unanswered calls will retain leads, but in reality, it doesn’t.
In fact, potential clients may not want to discuss their situation on voicemail for privacy reasons—especially if your voicemail has an automated message alerting them that the call is being recorded for quality assurance. Imagine facing a criminal charge, unsure of who to trust, and calling a criminal defense firm only to hear that what you say might be recorded.
Since legal matters are often tumultuous, potential clients need to establish rapport before opening up to your team. A friendly and compassionate voice answering their call and ultimately, their questions, can make a world of difference in retaining the leads you’ve worked so hard to generate.
Answering Services & Virtual Receptionists for Lawyers
While it’s wise to hire an in-office receptionist, he or she can’t always take every call. If your receptionist is tied up on the phone with an important client or needs to step out for lunch, you could lose a significant number of calls to voicemail.
Instead of relying on impersonal voicemails, a virtual receptionist could help facilitate a two-way conversation with a potential client and establish enough rapport with them for a follow-up with a member of your team. Virtual receptionists can also field the calls that simply involve answering basic questions so that your in-office team can focus on client intake, updating existing clients on their case status, and scheduling your week’s meetings.
How virtual receptionists help attorneys:
- Blocking spam and sales calls
- Increasing client satisfaction
- Boosting efficiency for in-office personnel
- Getting rid of unanswered calls during normal business hours
- Updating you with conversation summaries frequently
- Gathering information from potential clients efficiently
- Extending hours of availability
Our Top Picks for Virtual Reception
As a digital marketing agency that has served lawyers throughout the United States, we keep an eye on products and services that can help our clients. Our top picks for virtual reception, Smith and Ruby, are respected by thousands of law firms and legal organizations for their excellent client service and impeccable reputations.
Smith – Smith.ai
Smith serves a number of industries, including lawyers. This service provides virtual reception with skilled professionals. In addition to providing reliable answering services and client intake, Smith offers a live chat option for website visitors with receptionists and proprietary AI (artificial intelligence). Lawyers enjoy per-call pricing and no extra charge for spam calls. Conversations with Smith are summarized by text or email in real-time, too.
Ruby – Ruby
Ruby is a well-vetted answering service approved by many Bar Associations throughout the United States. This company offers live virtual receptionists for business hours and 24/7 live chat services. Chats can be customized to meet your practice’s unique needs. Spanish-speaking receptionists are available, as well. Clients who use Ruby can download the company’s app, which helps keep track of important metrics like call volume and intake. Ruby’s app can integrate with Clio and Lexicata for optimal efficiency.
Give Us a Call
Working with either of these services and even being aware of the potential problem is a great first step to retaining all of those leads you generated. Our marketing agency, Conversations Digital, provides all sorts of strategic marketing advice, as well as website development, social media marketing, and SEO to attorneys throughout North America. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can help your law practice thrive.