You know that every lead is important for the growth and advancement of your practice. You probably also know that the faster you respond to a lead, the more likely they are to become a client. But did you know lead conversion rates are 8 times higher if you respond to potential clients within the first 5 minutes?

This is why you have to embrace quick and prompt responses.

The faster you can connect your potential client with the information they need to move forward with your firm, the more likely those leads can be qualified and won. In fact, leads contacted within the first 5 minutes are nearly 21 times more likely to be qualified than leads contacted after 30 minutes.

You’re probably thinking, “Sure, but that data’s not about people looking for legal services.” You’re right. However, this study we’ve quoted looked at more than 400 companies responding to over 5.7 million leads across 3 years. That’s millions of normal people buying both products and services.

This week’s tip: Your clients are normal people. They’re going to respond like normal people. They called you. They need help. If you can’t help them fast, they’re going to find someone else who can. So you must be fast.

So what is “fast”?

Different practice areas may have different ideal call-back times. Here are a few examples for different practice areas:

1. Personal injury: Personal injury cases often require immediate attention, so it's crucial to contact leads as soon as possible. Aim to call back leads within the first 5 minutes.
2. Real estate: Real estate transactions can move quickly, so it's important to contact leads promptly. A call-back time of within the first hour is ideal.
3. Estate planning: Estate planning cases may not require immediate attention, but it's still important to contact leads in a timely manner. A call-back time of within the first 24 hours is ideal.
4. Family Law: Family law matters are often time-sensitive and emotionally charged, so it's important to contact leads as soon as possible. A call-back time of within the first hour is ideal.

These are general guidelines—the right time for your firm will vary depending on your practice area and your target market.

Bonus tip: if you’re a practicing attorney, you shouldn’t be doing the call yourself! You need a dedicated intake specialist (or a few, if you’ve got high volume) with a solid script to follow. Learn more here.

Your action item this week is to start measuring your actual call-back times. How long does it take you to respond to a lead? Once you understand your baseline, you can experiment with different call-back times and determine what works best for your firm.

The faster you respond to a lead, the more likely they are to become a client. Ensure you have a process for quick, consistent call-backs and follow-ups for every qualified lead.