New Year's Resolutions for Law Firm Growth

2022 is wrapping up quickly, and many of us are beginning to dream of our New Year's resolutions. Imagining all that we can accomplish in 2023 and who we will become once we finally stick with that gym membership.

Forbes published an article last year, 4 Reasons To Make New Year’s Resolutions (Even If You Don’t Keep Them)  which poses the argument that it’s always better to try committing to a New Year's resolution than not make one at all.

In fact, New Year's resolutions can be exciting and reignite a passion for goals that have previously fallen by the wayside. The simple formula of a solid resolution is to set an intention, work on that goal, and commit to the process.

Preparing for the new year

Set Measurable Goals

You are more likely to achieve a goal that is specific, focused, and measurable, than a vague statement.

Instead of saying, "I want more law firm clients." Try framing it as, "I want to implement [insert system] to increase [defined goal] by [numerical amount] by [specific date]." An example might be, "I want to increase leads by 25% in 2023 through the use of Intaker.”

It's best to set one actionable goal and stick to it. Overreaching can lead to burnout and is a common reason people give up too soon. Even if you only increased leads by 15%, it would still be better than 0% which would likely occur if you had never set a resolution.

We won’t tell you what your New Year's resolutions should be, but we will give you a few ideas of what other lawyers are doing. For example, getting organized, investing in legal tech, balancing productivity with self-care, reviewing your firm's core values, and more.

Declutter Your Space

Now is the perfect time to focus on law firm organization; from paperwork, to past cases, even the desk in your office, start 2023 with a fresh slate.

Intaker provides lead management tools to track the status of your clients and leads, as well as keep all office communication organized.

One of our most popular features is Desk, which acts as an all-in-one virtual inbox, allowing you to see if there are any cases you can close out or people you need to follow up with.

December is generally a slower month for lawyers, making it the perfect time to clear out clutter before the new year begins.

Sift through file cabinets, and shred outdated documents. For any other paperwork, you can scan it to become part of your digital archive with whichever law firm CRM software you are using.

Embrace Legal CRM Software

If you haven’t already adopted legal technology, now is the time. CRMs cut down the time you spend on administrative tasks by about  23%.  They free up time for staff to focus on more important projects, making their job more efficient and interesting.

If you already have a CRM, make sure everything is up-to-date and organized. The biggest hassle is uploading paper documents onto your computer, but it's well worth the effort.

CRMs are not just for storing documents. They allow you to communicate with clients, track important details, store notes, and much more.

Many CRMs even offer billing and invoicing for automatic online payments. Now is a great time to look over the capabilities of your CRM and make sure it’s meeting all of your needs and if not find a better solution for 2023.

Client Outreach

Another benefit of adopting a CRM is that you are able to keep track of personal information related to each client. When it’s time for the holidays, you can send personalized messages. Sending a holiday message is not only valuable for current clients, but you can also reach out to past clients and potentially gain referrals in the process.

Setting new year's resolutions for lawyers

So far, we have covered a lot of the preparatory work to get your law firm positioned for success in the new year. Next, we will discuss three resolutions that can benefit any law firm.

Establishing Work-Life Balance

Burnout is something everyone hopes to avoid. In fact, we’ve written an article, AVOID LAWYER BURNOUT WITH THE HELP OF MARKETING AUTOMATION  that discusses the topic in depth.

To summarize, overextending yourself has long-term ramifications. Hustle culture might sound exciting, but balance is the secret to longevity in a career.

Perhaps in the new year, your goal is to rest a bit more or rejuvenate by spending time with your loved ones. While it seems counter-intuitive, restorative rest actually makes you more productive.

By getting enough sleep, exercise, and socialization you’ll be revitalized for work, instead of feeling tired or lethargic. You’ll be able to think more clearly and in turn make better decisions for yourself and your clients.

Develop Your Brand & Online Presence

Another great goal for the new year is to define your brand identity and translate it into an eye-catching online presence. The internet is the first place people go when looking for a lawyer. It's crucial to have your website and social media optimized to showcase your past wins, highlight your values, and establish credibility instantly.

In addition to creating visually appealing content, you'll want to optimize all pages to rank in the Google search results and adopt tools to maximize conversion.

One valuable tool is Intaker’s website chat which is proven to increase the lead-to-client conversion rate. At the start of the chat, you are able to upload a fully customized video that establishes empathy and brings a personal touch to your site.

Lastly, as you head into the new year it's a good time to reflect on analytics to see which marketing efforts are performing well and which need improvement. You might notice trends you hadn't before, which can tell you if your website or social media strategies need to be tweaked.

Depending on the size of your firm, it might be time to hire an intern, marketing professional, or agency to help you stand out on social media and optimize your online presence.

Act Upon Your Core Values

Lastly, the end of the year is a perfect time to revisit your legal practice's core values and make sure your team is on the same page. For ideas on establishing core values, check out our blog article DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

You can take it a step further by putting your company values in writing and making it accessible to all team members. Some other examples of core values include ethics, transparency, responsibility, and professionalism.

While company values may seem obvious, it’s certainly worthwhile to revisit them at least once a year. At this time you can discuss how business is going along with workplace relationships.

Reaching your law firm goals and objectives in 2023

January 1st is always an exciting time because it marks the beginning of a whole new year. So much can be accomplished in that amount of time, especially with some planning and strategy involved. By taking time in December to tidy up your practice, audit your current circumstances, and plan for the future you’re bound to have a successful year ahead.