What should you do when you’ve got so many leads that you just can’t respond to them all?

It sounds like a good problem to have, right? Well, not really.

This was the problem facing one of our Practice Accelerator coaching clients. He had hired an answering service, and the leads were coming in fast, but he was still just as busy. He couldn’t get back to them promptly. He was stressed, and ultimately the leads languished and went cold.

Remember our post a few weeks ago? If you don’t respond quickly, your chances of converting a potential client drop drastically.

Today’s tip: If you’ve got too many leads and too little time, here are five strategies to effectively manage your influx of leads:

1. Reduce the number of unqualified leads (the people you don’t serve): use your website to guide potential clients by offering them clear descriptions of what you do and who you work with. Let people self-select (stay tuned—we’ve got a great new pre-screening tool we’ll be introducing very soon!)
2. Empower your answering service: Services like AI or Ruby Receptionist can do much more than just answer the phone. When you give them a script and clear instructions, they can actually start your intake process, qualify clients, and even complete your initial information gathering.
3. Prioritize leads: Identity which leads are most likely to convert into clients based on factors like the lead's location, case type, and budget. Prioritize these leads and respond to them first.
4. Automate responses: Use an autoresponder to send an immediate response to leads, thanking them for their interest and providing them with additional information about the firm's services. This can help keep leads engaged and reduce the number of leads lost due to slow response times. And if you use text messages, you’ll be even more likely to convert! 
5. Outsource or delegate: Don’t let your attorneys return the initial calls. Using a good script, forms, and clear instructions, a remote (or onsite) intake specialist can do the follow-up and further stream your potential clients. They can ask key questions, get basic information, run the conflicts check, send out retainer letters, and schedule consultations.

Ultimately, the key is to be organized and strategic in your approach to lead management so you have the ability to connect with all your incoming leads.

Your action item is to look at your intake process and ask yourself if one of these five strategies will work for you. Then give it a try.