As an attorney, you might despise the whole concept of text messaging. You know that as long as you have your smartphone with you, you can never be completely unplugged. You are just one text message away from having a family dinner interrupted or a vacation spoiled. Your dislike for text messaging is understandable. But did you know that, used properly, text messaging is a dynamic case acquisition tool?
Text messaging could be considered critical to new case acquisition. If you are not sure why, keep reading. This post lays out three fundamental principles that make the case for embracing text messaging. Better yet, deploying a legal case management app with a built-in text messaging tool is even better.
The World is Mobile
Data shows that 1.5 billion people around the world have the ability to send and receive text messages. Furthermore, 89% of us always have our smartphones easily accessible. Lastly, 97% of Americans text at least once per day. All of these statistics make it clear that we live in a mobile world.
Let us face facts. People would rather send a text message than talk on the phone. They would rather receive a text than an e-mail. The simple truth is that texting has become the preferred means of communication for a lot of people. You cannot change it, so you might just as well embrace it. Texting will be a key means of communication for years to come.
Mobile Users Expect Speed
Now that we have established the fact that ours is a mobile world, it is time to consider how people view those organizations they do business with. One of the things mobility has brought to the forefront is speed. In other words, people expect to bring up their phones, tap and swipe a few times, and get results. They expect those organizations they contact to respond fairly quickly.
Imagine a prospective client sitting at the kitchen table hours after being charged with DUI. She brings up her phone and runs a quick search for attorneys specializing in DUI. Yours is one of the top results. That’s great. What if she sends a message and gets no response? She moves on to the next attorney in the list.
The people behind NuLaw, a case management application built on the Salesforce CRM platform, says that today’s CRM tools are often designed with auto responders built in. If you had such a platform, you could rest assured that any potential client reaching your number would instantly receive a text message to let him or her know you will be responding momentarily. There is no need for the potential client to jump to the next attorney in the list because he/she knows their phone will be ringing shortly.
Pointing Clients to Online Tools
Finally, text messaging can be combined with online case acquisition tools that automate much of the legwork that comes with compiling qualified cases. Using our previous example, imagine an automated text message response with an embedded link that points the client to an online form. While she waits for you to return her message, she can begin filling out the form online.
Much of the information that used to be harvested through face-to-face interviews can now be gathered intelligently online. Text messaging can facilitate that. The end result is more streamlined case acquisition and immediate interaction with potential clients.
It is understandable that text messaging can be problematic for attorneys. It doesn’t have to be the enemy, though. Text messaging, when integrated with a case management application, can actually enhance case acquisition considerably.
