Why Click-to-Call Counts For So Much

Do phone calls matter anymore? Think about the last time you made a call. Maybe it was to schedule an appointment or make a dinner reservation. Or maybe it was just to get a quick answer to a question you didn’t have time to research online. Despite the appealing anonymity of the internet, phone calls remain a popular and familiar way to interact with a business quickly. According to FindLaw’s 2018 Consumer Legal Needs Survey, 66 percent of legal consumers used the phone to initiate contact with an attorney. And many times, prospects are only contacting one or two attorneys in their search for help. As a lawyer dealing with people often looking for urgent advice and assurance, your online advertising strategy should focus on making it easy for consumers to find you, especially by phone. Implementing click-to-call creates a seamless experience when potential clients are in the heat of an online search – they simply click your phone number and are automatically connected to your firm. According to the BIA/Kelsey Industry Watch report, by 2020 it’s estimated that close to 170 billion calls will be generated from mobile searches. And those calls are ten to 15 times more likely to turn into conversions for your firm. In other words, click-to-call’s role in the overall buyer’s journey is a big one. It opens up the door for open communication with clients at all stages of their research. Think about it this way – there are typically two reasons why someone picks up the phone to call a business. The first is out of convenience, like calling to find out business hours instead of poking around on a website. The other, however, comes into play when there’s a high-value investment on the line. Take a look at these two examples of how people are using click-to-call to contact law firms:

• Mary recently bought a property in the Nashville area that she’s hoping to renovate and rent out in the next year. She begins casually searching for a lawyer who can help draw up a contract when she’s ready to rent it out. After doing a quick Google search, she sees that the Law Office of Clark Johnson is just a half a mile away from her house. She clicks the call button to get in touch with someone about a few questions she has about potential next steps.
• Earlier today, Tom got into a car accident and is starting to experience severe back pain. Overwhelmed and nervous, he takes out his phone and searches for a personal injury lawyer in Cincinnati. “Unsure if you need a lawyer after an accident? Call now!” appears as a paid ad at the top of the results page. Tom clicks the phone number, routing him to the firm to set up an appointment.

When looking at those two situations, it’s obvious Mary and Tom are in very different places of their research journey to find a lawyer. However, when given the option to bypass a contact form and quickly get ahold of someone local, they took it. And we can’t overlook the human factor either. In Tom’s situation, he was scared, in pain and worried about his future. Offering a convenient route to speak to someone from your office is a powerful way to satisfy a potential customer and leave them feeling at ease and ready to take the next step with your firm. Don’t just sit back, follow through.  Implementing click-to-call is a great first step, but it doesn’t end there. Whether you’re using a paid ad to spotlight your firm’s phone number or relying on organic traffic, if no one is on the other end of the line when someone calls, you’re missing out on valuable leads. According to FindLaw consumer research, 64 percent of legal consumers expect a response from an attorney within 24 hours or less. If you’re making it easy for people to dial your number, don’t make it hard on yourself by being unresponsive to missed calls and voicemails. There’s an expectation to be available at all times now, which is hard when you’re busy in meetings or in court. If you find yourself without the extra time to respond to missed calls, consider using a call center to handle inquiries. Aside from the peace of mind you’ll have while away from the office, it’s an option many customers are interested in using. In fact, 63 percent of legal consumers would consider using a legal call center to gather legal information.