Every business owner dreams of scaling their company and law firm owners are no exception. A lot of people go into law not only because it’s a profitable industry but also because it allows you to help people. And while most lawyers work for someone, it’s everyone’s dream to own their own law firm.
While owning your own law firm can be exciting and rewarding, it’s also very hard work. The competition is fierce and there is always a lot on your plate. It can be hard to keep up with just the daily responsibilities, let alone scale the business. But if you’re struggling with scaling, this article is here to help.
Table of Contents
Use Technology
Technology has found its way into most industries. In the past year, more and more legal teams have realized the importance and benefits of using tools and software. In 2021, 85% of legal professionals were using some form of software to manage their firms, and that number will probably rise this year.
Successful law firms use technology to make their daily activities easier and be more efficient. It’s impossible to say what tools your firm needs because there isn’t a magical solution that works for everyone.
Of course, there are some tools that almost any law practice can use such as a virtual receptionists service, online file sharing, document management, and legal research tools.
But in most cases, the technology you use will depend on factors such as the type of law you practice, the area you operate in, if your team works remote or in-house, and so on.
For example, those who are running an immigration law firm would find immigration software very useful. This software will help you create multilingual forms, give you access to a comprehensive form library, help with case management and tracking, and help you turn leads into customers.
Don’t Forget Business Intelligence
Business intelligence is a term that is used to describe applications, tools, and practices that provide companies with the ability to analyze information and data to improve their decisions and performance.
BI is extremely popular and the global business intelligence market will be valued at $30.9 billion by the end of this year. It’s used by companies in various industries and here are some of the ways your law firm could benefit from using business intelligence:
- Shows you key indicators. BI tools monitor indicators in real-time so you can use them to monitor the number of contracts you have per status, the average time it takes to resolve a dispute, and the success rate of claimant disputes.
- Provides you with information governance. With business intelligence, you will be able to organize and manage all of the most important data you have, which will allow you to manage risks and improve efficiency.
- Helps you predict what’s coming. Business intelligence is great for analyzing areas of exposure and predicting future legal costs and potential problems you will face in the future. With all of this information, you can make risk assessments and better decisions.
As for which BI tool you should use, one of the most popular ones currently on the market is ZoomInfo. However, since they recently changed the prices, you should look into ZoomInfo alternatives that work just as well for a fraction of the price.
Analyze your Target Market
You’ll never be able to scale your firm if you don’t have a good understanding of your advantages, disadvantages, potential opportunities, and major obstacles. When you perform thorough market research for your target market, you can come up with a great strategy for expansion.
Here are some of the things you should include in your research:
- Overview of your current market. Outline the current target market your firm caters to. This should include client demographics such as their age, gender, and location.
- What your new targets will be. Plan out how you want to expand. This can be a plan to increase the share of your current market, target a new demographic while expanding into a new practice area or target a demographic that is similar to your current one.
- Research on your competitors. Pinpoint all of the differences and similarities between your firm and the firms that are your direct competitors. Find your unique selling point, what makes your firm better, and see how you can use it to improve your business strategy.
- Market share. Take your updated target demographics into account as well as the information you gathered on your competitors to calculate how many potential clients you believe you can acquire. Then, try to come up with strategies that will appeal to those clients and see how much marketing will cost.
Conclusion
Scaling a business isn’t an easy task for any company, and while it does take a lot of hard work and commitment, the results will be worth the effort you put in. As long as you don’t give up, keep your eye on the prize, and use the right strategies, your law firm will soon have more clients than ever.