How to Choose the Right Lead Generation Services for Your Business

About 80% of the fresh leads your law firm generates will never convert into sales. In fact, 65% of marketers say generating leads is one of their top challenges. Without leads, your law firm won't remain competitive.

Before you fall behind the competition, consider relying on lead generation services this year. Not sure how to find inbound marketing services for your law firm?

Read on to discover the steps you need to complete to find the top lead generation services for your business!

Outline Goals

Before rushing to hire a lead generation agency, take the time to outline your business and marketing goals. Outlining your goals will help you find an agency equipped to accomplish them. You can choose lead generation services based on the goals you want to achieve.

For example, your goals might include:

• Ranking higher on search engines
• Generating website traffic
• Gain brand awareness and recognition
• Becoming a thought leader in your niche
• Generating brand trust, loyalty, and credibility
• Attracting quality leads
• Improving your ROI

Accomplishing these goals can benefit your lead generation efforts. For example, becoming a thought leader can help you stand out from other law firms. Potential clients might find it easier to trust your brand as a result.

Once you outline your goals, you can determine the specific lead generation services you need.

Look into Services

You don't want to pay for inbound marketing services you don't need. During your search, consider which services align with your goals. Here are a few you might want to consider.

Branding

If you're opening a new law firm, it's important to have a distinct brand. Your company brand will help you stand out within your niche. Make sure your brand guidelines include your:

• Logo
• Color palette
• Font styles
• Imagery styles
• Voice
• Tone
• Personality
• Mission statement
• Vision statement

Your brand should remain consistent across all marketing channels. Otherwise, people might not recognize your law firm in a sea of other options.

Look for a company that offers branding services if you don't have a brand already.

Web Design and Development

A strong website is the backbone of any lead generation strategy.

Look for a company that knows how to optimize your website for conversions. For example, they should consider:

• Lead generation opportunities (forms, buttons, etc.)
• Page speed
• Security
• Mobile optimization
• Search engine optimization
• User experience design

Poor user experience (UX) drives almost 50% of potential customers to your competitors instead. A positive experience will encourage people to explore your site and convert into clients. It can also help you retain clients long-term.

In fact, about 80% of a business' profits come from 20% of their existing customers.

However, 80% of consumers will leave a brand after three bad experiences. These consumers will also tell their friends about their experiences, hurting your brand's reputation. You could start generating negative word-of-mouth marketing if you offer a poor UX.

Improving your website's UX can also benefit your search engine optimization (SEO) and paid advertising efforts. For example, Google prioritizes websites that are fast, user-friendly, and mobile-optimized. If you offer a negative experience, users will leave, causing your bounce rate to increase.

A high bounce rate indicates a poor UX, which could lead to lower search engine rankings. Low search engine rankings can make it more difficult for future clients to find your firm online.

With paid advertising, your cost-per-click will increase if you offer a negative landing page experience. The cost of advertising could become too expensive to maintain if your ROI doesn't improve.

The ROI of spending on UX web design and development is 9,900%. Investing in your website can benefit your business long-term.

A company that offers web design and development services can help you generate more leads and sales. If your website is outdated or slow, however, you could miss the chance to gain new clients.

Content Creation

Though 82% of marketers actively invest in content marketing, only 40% have a documented strategy. Nearly 65% of the most successful marketers have a documented strategy in place. Meanwhile, 67% say content marketing generates demand and leads.

Another 81% say content is a core business strategy. With content marketing, you can boost sales, build relationships with clients, and generate awareness.

Content marketing can help you attract three times as many leads as outdated outbound strategies. Each lead costs 62% less, too.

Content creation can help clients learn more about your law firm, industry, and offerings. It also gives you a chance to demonstrate your experience and expertise. Informative, helpful content can help you become a thought leader within your niche.

Potential clients might feel more inclined to trust your law firm after reading customized content.

Generating brand trust could encourage new clients to give your law firm a try, allowing you to generate leads and sales.

A strong content marketing strategy will also ensure your website features fresh content. You'll have an easier time attracting previous visitors back to your website. Content is also a core component of SEO, email, and social media marketing strategies.

Look for an agency that understands how to use content to appeal to your target audience.

For example, they should take the time to create personalized content. Personalization will help you build strong, long-term connections with clients.

The agency should help you diversify your content marketing strategy with:

• Articles/blog posts
• eBooks
• Webinars
• Videos
• Polls
• Quizzes
• Infographics

Each content format can help you appeal to clients at different points in the buyer's journey. You can provide them with the information they need to feel more comfortable about your firm.

Content marketing should work hand-in-hand with SEO and lead generation.

For example, SEO can help you attract new visitors to your website. The post should end with a strong call to action, compelling clients to convert on your website. Then, you can generate more leads.

Look for an agency that offers content creation as part of their inbound marketing services.

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) will help your content rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs). Ranking at the top of a SERP could help you generate:

• Website traffic
• Brand awareness/recognition
• Credibility
• Brand trust/loyalty
• Leads and sales
• A higher ROI
• Email subscribers

In fact, 68% of all experiences online begin with a search engine. However, only 0.63% of search engine users check the second page. Appearing on the first page of results can give you a competitive edge.

Meanwhile, over 53% of all website traffic comes from organic searches. In fact, search engines like Google drive 300% more traffic than social media. About four in five consumers use search engines to find local information and businesses, too.

If you're interested in SEO services for law firms, make sure they include the four types of SEO:

• On-page
• Off-page
• Technical
• Local

On-page SEO focuses on your website content, while off-page SEO includes elements outside of your website.

For example, you'll need to optimize your blog posts and web pages for search terms to appear for relevant searches. When a potential client looks for a local law firm, your website could appear as a search result.

As part of your off-page SEO strategy, look for an agency that offers backlink-building services. Backlinks are one of Google's top ranking factors. These links appear on other websites before directing potential clients to your law firm's website.

Generating backlinks can boost your website's domain authority, potentially improving your search engine rankings.

Technical SEO involves the backend of your website, including the UX you offer. Local SEO involves optimizing your Google Business listing and generating customer reviews.

For stronger rankings, you need to consider all four SEO services for law firms. Otherwise, competing firms might rank higher on SERPs. You could miss your chance to reach potential clients as a result.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Paid advertising can help your brand appear in front of potential clients online. There are different types of paid advertising, including pay-per-click (PPC) ads. With PPC ads, you'll pay a fee each time someone clicks on a digital ad.

The cost-per-click can vary based on the competitiveness of the keyword you're targeting.

You can use platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to start using paid advertising. Using paid advertising for lead generation can help you:

• Generate immediate results
• Attract relevant website traffic
• Rank higher on SERPs
• Generate brand awareness/recognition
• Remain top-of-mind with previous website visitors
• Improve your ROI

In fact, you can use remarketing with Google Ads to appear in front of previous website visitors to make sure they don't forget your law firm.

Paid advertising can get tricky if you lack experience, though. Allowing an agency to manage your campaigns can strengthen your ROI while ensuring you generate quality leads.

Check Experience

Once you determine which inbound marketing services you need, you can start comparing agencies. First, determine how long each company has offered inbound marketing services. Consider how many clients they've helped within that time frame.

Try to find a long-running agency with years of experience helping a range of law firm clients. If you can, find an agency with experience helping clients within your niche. For example, perhaps your law firm specializes in personal injury claims.

Finding an agency with relevant experience ensures they understand your clients, industry, and needs.

Their law firm marketing experience and expertise can also ensure they don't make costly mistakes while handling your campaigns. Remember, some strategies like SEO and paid advertising can take time and experience. You don't want an agency to use you as a guinea pig to determine the best marketing tactics.

Read Reviews and Case Studies

You can learn more about each agency's experience by asking for client reviews. You can also find reviews on the company's BBB profile and Google Business listing.

If they don't have an optimized Google Business listing, they're likely not using local SEO services for themselves. Keep searching. Look for an agency that understands the importance of the services they offer.

Read a handful of reviews to gauge the agency's reputation. Make sure they don't have serious complaints against them. If they do, keep searching.

Ask each agency for case studies relevant to the inbound marketing services you're considering as well. Case studies will prove the agency's tactics are effective. If they weren't able to accomplish the client's goals, keep searching.

Schedule a Consultation

Schedule a consultation appointment with three different agencies. Create a list of questions you want to ask ahead of time. For example:

• How long have you worked in the industry
• How long have you specialized in helping law firms
• What credentials, training, or certifications does your team have
• How many clients have you helped in the past year
• Do you specialize in a specific service
• How will you help me accomplish my goals

The agency should take the time to learn about your goals and needs. Otherwise, they won't create a customized marketing strategy based on those goals. If they use a cookie-cutter approach, keep searching.

Instead, look for an agency that has your best interests in mind.

Discuss Their Process

Try to learn more about each agency's process.

First, they should research your clients, business, niche, and competitors. Research will better inform your campaigns.

If they don't bother to ask questions about your business, keep searching. Otherwise, they'll likely make assumptions, which can lead to costly mistakes.

Determine how the agency will track the progress of your campaigns, too. Will they keep you informed with regular updates? If not, you might not realize they're wasting your time and effort until it's too late.

Compare Pricing

Ask each agency you consult for an itemized list of their inbound marketing services. Getting quotes from three agencies will help you determine the average price of services. If one agency has extremely high pricing, determine why that is.

Determine if there's a cancelation fee for ending their services as well. Read the contract in full before signing on the dotted line.

Find the Best Lead Generation Services Today

Don't make the mistake of hiring an inexperienced lead generation agency. Instead, use these tips to find the best lead generation services for your firm. With these tips, you can feel confident in your final choice.

An experienced agency will help your agency grow with effective lawyer marketing strategies.

Eager to get started? we can't wait to help.

Connect with our team today to get started.