How to Create a Sense of Urgency in New Clients

Engaging with new clients is challenging because it can take a lot of effort to turn a potential client into a fee-paying client. But one of the best ways to get clients to hire your law firm is to create a sense of urgency. Here’s how:

Understanding Their Problem

Sometimes potential clients will come to your office not fully understanding why they’re there. They may know that they have a legal problem because they’re being sued or they’re facing a divorce or they’re in a child custody battle or some other conflict. But they may not really understand the root of that problem and how it impacts their life and the life of their loved ones. Here are a few questions to ask:

• What is your legal problem? Let the potential client explain to you in their own words what they believe their legal issue is. This will give you insight into their perspective and give you an opportunity to help them see things in another light.
• What in your life is most impacted by this problem? Maybe their wages are being garnished and they don’t have enough to pay the rent. Or, their kids are living with their estranged spouse and they don’t have any visitation rights. They need to understand how their problem is causing them pain so that they can grasp that this issue needs to be resolved immediately.
• What do you most want to change by solving this legal issue? The answer to this question may be directly related to the legal issue or indirectly related. But uncovering what it is that they want to improve will give you the information you need to create a sense of urgency.

Consequences of Inaction

Some potential clients may meet with you then delay taking action to resolve their legal issues for various reasons. If you want to create a sense of urgency, you must discuss the consequences of inaction.

• Prison. Obviously, if someone is facing criminal charges they could be imprisoned if they don’t immediately take action.
• Asset loss. For potential clients grappling with financial and legal issues, creditor lawsuits could result in the loss of important assets such as their home, car, or even business equipment and property.
• Family estrangement. In the case of domestic legal battles, failure to take action could mean that the potential client loses contact with their children because they don’t have visitation rights.

Helping the potential client understand the consequences of their inaction will help create a sense of urgency so that they quickly make a decision about engaging your law firm.

Chances of Winning

If you’re trying to help a client understand why it’s important to take action on their legal issues now, you’ll want to help them understand the chances of winning or resolving their issues. And if they’re more likely to get a resolution now and less likely to get it later, it’s important that you share that information.

Turning potential clients into paying clients requires you to create a sense of urgency.