Let’s be honest — how many potential clients have you lost because your intake process is “a little behind” on following up with potential clients?
I’m talking about the ones who called, left a voicemail, and never heard back because you were in court all day. Or the ones who filled out your contact form and waited a week for a response. Or — my personal favorite — the ones who wanted to hire you but gave up because scheduling a consultation felt like solving a puzzle.
If you’re cringing right now, you’re not alone. Most law firms lose 30-40% of potential clients during intake. That’s not because they’re not good lawyers — it’s because their intake process is broken.
The Real Cost of Slow Intake
Let’s do some math. If your average client is worth $5,000 to your firm, and you lose just two potential clients per month due to slow intake, that’s $120,000 per year walking out the door.
Ouch, right?
The Three Biggest Intake Killers
- Phone Tag Forever — They call, you’re busy, they call back, you’re in court, repeat until they give up.
- The Information Black Hole — They submit a form and hear nothing for days (or weeks).
- Scheduling Gymnastics — “Let me check my calendar and get back to you” never actually happens.
Your Homework (This Will Take 30 Minutes)
This week, I want you to pretend you’re a potential client and go through your own intake process:
- Call your office during business hours
- Fill out your contact form
- Try to schedule a consultation
Time each step. How long does it take? How many steps are there? How frustrated would you be as a potential client?
Be brutally honest.
The Fix is Simpler Than You Think
Here’s what your intake should look like:
- Potential client finds you online
- They book a consultation instantly (no phone tag)
- They get immediate confirmation with clear next steps
- You get all their information before the meeting
- You show up prepared and ready to help
Making It Happen
Tools like Clio Grow can automate this entire process. Potential clients can schedule consultations 24/7, submit their information securely, and get immediate responses — even when you’re sleeping.
But here’s the best part: you show up to every consultation with all their information already organized. No more “tell me about your case” conversations. You can dive straight into helping them.
Ready to Stop Losing Clients?
Your intake process should bring in clients, not chase them away. Every day you wait to fix this is money walking out the door.
What would an extra $120,000 per year mean for your firm?
Want to see how streamlined intake actually works? Check out Streamlined Legal Plus for the exact systems we use. And use promo code CCC-STREAMLINED to sign up for Clio and get 3 months of Streamlined Legal Plus FREE! (That’s a $1,500 value!)
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