Business Texting and Sequences for Client Communication

What are sequences?

Intaker sequences allow you to send automated text messages and emails. For example, if a lead fills out the Intaker chat you can then enable an automated sequence to begin. You can customize the messaging for a specific call to action such as scheduling a time to talk on the phone.

Since people are busy and messages often go unread, sequences send follow-ups on a timed schedule. You can choose if they are delivered as texts, emails, or a combination of both. The best part is once a lead responds the sequence stops itself, so it never comes across as spam.

Signs that you might need sequences

Many lawyers spend far too much time following up with leads, preventing them from focusing on billable hours and reducing the number of clients they can help at one time. If you feel like you’re constantly trying to track who needs a response, it might be time to accept the help of automation.

Another sign you might need sequences is if you spend too much time trying to hook a lead. For example, if you answer many questions over email before setting an appointment. The back and forth stalls the onboarding process. You could answer all of these inquiries in a fraction of the time during a call.

You can offer a button to schedule a meeting at the end of your Intaker chat and in the sequences themselves. Be sure to include a polite message letting them know you are happy to discuss any questions and hesitations they may have during this consultation. Automated scheduling is a great strategy to get a lead on the phone and land them as a client.

Benefits of introducing sequences to your law practice

Introducing sequences for your law firm frees up your schedule to focus on cases rather than administrative tasks. Lead nurturing is an essential part of successful intake, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated.

By introducing sequences you will improve the client experience by being thorough and consistent in your messaging. There is no chance of dropping the ball and letting qualified leads fall through the cracks.

You will also be quick to make contact after they fill out the Intaker chat which greatly improves the chances of onboarding. 42% of the time lawyers take three or more days to reply to new leads which dives their likelihood of capturing a client, even if they are a perfect fit for the case. Clients want to feel valued and a lengthy response time shows them that you might be too busy to give their case the attention it deserves.

Another benefit to sequences and legal technology in general is the level of organization you are able to obtain. Since messages are sent from your Intaker dashboard the team knows exactly what communication has been made for each client.

The messaging and sequence duration can be customized if needed but overall it allows you to perfect your message before sending creating a cohesive brand voice.

Differences between business texting and automated sequences

The differences between business texting and automated sequences is that business texting is done manually and sequences are automated, Intaker offers both options. They have different use cases. Business texting is used for back and forth dialogue, or one off messages. For example, you could remind your client of an upcoming court date or request additional documentation.

You would most likely use sequences first to hook a lead and later use business texting as a way of communicating throughout the duration of the case. Texting is worthwhile because it’s the preferred method of communication. The response rate is 8x higher for texts than email. The response time is even more staggering with the average text reply taking 90 seconds whereas an email takes 90 minutes on average.

Advantages of text messaging to connect with clients and leads

As we’ve already mentioned, it’s the preferred communication method for your clients. Beyond that, business texting keeps your firm more organized. Everyone shares a single phone number, so clients aren’t having to keep track of multiple message threads.

You can also collaborate with your team since all messages are kept in a central hub that can be accessed at any time. This is especially useful if you need to go back and revisit past messages or make sure you aren’t reasking a question to a client.

In 2022 sms messaging is a significant part of law firm marketing, and it is only growing in popularity. No matter what practice area you are in, you can improve your marketing strategy and the overall customer experience by introducing text to your firm. For more in-depth information on this topic, checkout our blog post TEXT MESSAGING FOR LAW FIRMS: LAWYERS TEXTING CLIENTS.

Fine tuning your communication for success

Legal marketing has many facets. One of the most important is your lead nurturing strategy. This is the tipping point where your content marketing pays off and your able to convert leads to clients. It takes a lot of effort to optimize lead generation, so make sure you aren't missing out by failing to respond promptly to new inquiries.

Sending texts is an easy way to prompt a lead to schedule an appointment or to follow up with existing clients. They can even send documents and images over the phone. Scheduled texts, such as sequences, allow you to free up your schedule and focus more on billable hours. This ultimately will increase your law firm profitability and allow you to grow beyond your current limits.

More ways you can utilize business texting and sequences

Beyond just trying to capture leads, you can use business texting to send reminders about upcoming appointments, court dates, case updates, and even to ask for a review at the end of working together.

It's actually very useful for the client to know that if anything comes up you will communicate with them instantly. Court is stressful and the more on top of communication you are through the process, the more likely they are to trust you if they need to refer a friend or get additional help in the future.

When the case has concluded you can setup a final sequence to ask for a review. Explain that there positive testimonials are vital to your success and ask them to fill out the form at their peak of satisfaction.

Conclusion

We know it can take a lot of time to keep up with every client. That's why Intaker introduced business texting and sequences to streamline the process as much as possible. Prompt response times will increase your chance of lead capture, improve client satisfaction, build stronger relationships, and boost your chance of receiving referrals.

It's easy to use and allows your entire team to collaborate, making communication better than ever. If you want to stand out as a caring and organized law firm, automated sequences and text messaging can be the perfect solution. By getting in on it now, you'll be ahead of the competition as these methods are only becoming more mainstream.