The actions you take now will set the tone for your practice and the level of success your law firm will experience in 2022! If you want to see real law Firm growth in 2022 and real results, now’s the time to get your law firm “house” in order. The weeks and months to come are critical to your law firm’s future growth and financial stability.
Strive to maintain a proactive vision for your firm rather than a reactionary one. Too many lawyers take the spaghetti approach when it comes to their marketing. Grabbing the latest and greatest “shiny toy” and then trying to make it work for their practice. They throw a lot at the wall and hope that something sticks…. That “grab it and go with it” approach can end up costing you a lot and yet still failing to produce the results and ROI you need. Be Intentional. Know your Numbers. And watch the Data.
As you move into 2022 – do MORE of what is working and cut bait on the strategies that might look and sound great but just don’t work for you, your firm, and your demographic. Be proactive and responsive to your data, but don’t fall into a reactionary decision-making mode where short-term decisions are made from the point of fear or worry or that ultimately short circuits your future opportunities for growth and continued success.
To help YOU continue to move YOUR firm forward in 2022, Consider the “Four P’s” – for Powerful Leadership and Business Growth in 2022. 1) People, 2) Pivot, 3) Process, and 4) Patience.
PEOPLE: Now is the time to hold onto your A-players and solidify your relationship with them. If you have B players, now is the time to stop settling for less. The availability of A-players is the highest it has been in over 30 years. Remember: You can’t build a GREAT Law Firm on the backs of average employees!
The pandemic forced law firms to go to remote operations, and we have seen first-hand that removed employees can perform superb work! What this means as you move forward is that your potential talent base has increased from a 60-mile radius to a 3000-mile radius! There is no need to limit yourself when it comes to hiring employees, part-time staff, or outsourcing. The world is your oyster when it comes to finding top-notch A-players. Take advantage of this new normal – leverage this opportunity and thrive from it!
PIVOT: When the Coivd-19 crisis occurred- it threw a major monkey wrench into the way you ran your law firm. But it was a sink or swim situation, and you rolled your sleeves up and did a Major PIVOT turning your brick and mortar firm into a fully functional remote operation.
Instead of paralysis – you made a major PIVOT. Now that the shutdowns are behind us and the opportunities for 2022 lay in front of you – keep the PIVOTING MINDSET.
Look for new ways to improve productivity and efficiency- it directly correlates to increasing your cash flow
Pay more attention to details on intakes
Give Your Intake Staff a Much Needed Refresher course so you can INCREASE YOUR CONVERSIONS- Try PILMMA’s new done for you video training modules – INTAKE.2.0- www.pilmma.org
Scrutinize “dead” leads
Mine your existing Case Databank for New Opportunities- too many lawyers ignore the goldmine they already have….
Let the Data guide your future Marketing and Management Decisions.
Go with what is working, and put a halt on strategies that have an abysmal ROI-
Run Management Reports so that you know how long it takes for your cases to move through the pipes- and work to shorten the times-
Focus renewed energy on management to increase accountability, motivation, and productivity.
The bottom line is, instead of just hoping for more growth, success, and profits in 2022, PIVOT towards greater success and growth opportunities.
PROCESS: There is no better time than NOW to work on documenting your firm’s processes. You know how vital processes are for sustainable growth, increased productivity, continued customer service consistency and excellence, etc.
Make 2022 the year you make sure all your staff and attorneys’ responsibilities and tasks are memorialized. Take time now to revisit the ones you’ve previously done to see if they are current or could be improved.
Intake: Make sure you review your Intake processes and give your intake staff clear ways to respond to potential clients’ objections. You know what kinds of things should be said to clients sitting on the fence. Make sure your staff and intake department knows as well.
Nurture Leads: Now is also the time to ensure you have a systematized means of nurturing and following up with fence-sitting leads. This low-hanging fruit has already contacted your firm. Make sure you have an email drip campaign, a book, written reports, or other materials to share with them systematically. Top-of-mind marketing tactics work to help you convert leads to clients. Now is the time to make sure your systems are in place and update them with fresh content, shock-n awe materials, newsletters, or other materials.
Medical Records: Now is also the time to look at your Medical Records Department. Ensure that processes are streamlined and efficient and contain the necessary follow-up. Use HIGHTECH to your firm’s advantage if your own state’s laws aren’t as helpful. Remember, under HIGHTECH, medical records must be provided within 30 days of the receipt of your request. Use this law to your firm’s advantage to quickly save money and time getting your medical records in your door.
These are just three areas, but there are many more areas that you could evaluate and update. The important thing is to look objectively at your firm to see where you have gaps and leakage points and then TAKE ACTION to shore these areas up.
Patience: We all need patience, but particularly if we want to be effective leaders and business owners. Patience means mastering the capacity to accept or tolerate delay and difficulties without getting upset but still keeping the ship moving forward. It means being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and gently bring them along to where you want them to go. Negative energy does not make for positive attitudes that produce positive results!
The best Law Firm owners are strong leaders. If you are weak in leadership skills, aim to make 2022 the year you strengthen these skills. PILMMA teaches law firm owners how to be better leaders and joining a PILMMA Mastermind group surrounds you with other lawyers to help you hone your leadership skills with every meeting.
If you’re feeling stuck or daunted by the prospects of implementing the ideas in this article, you don’t have to go it alone. I’ve built and sold two 7-figure law firms and have helped thousands of lawyers all across the country realize their dreams of greater law firm success. I’ve been in your shoes, and that’s why I started PILMMA. WE are committed to helping lawyers just like you. Shoot me an email or call our office and ask Darlene to set up a conference call so you and I can discuss how to help you and your law firm MOVE FORWARD in 2022.
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