The most financially successful law firms have a knack for anticipating client needs and delivering customized solutions for unique problems. But how can your law firm stay ahead of the crowd when it comes to anticipating the needs of current and future clients? At Smokeball, we try to keep up to date on the issues our clients may have that we can solve by listening, researching and staying on top of the trends.

Study Statistics

Statistics get a bad rap but that’s mostly because they’ve been used incorrectly. If you’re in the business of providing legal services, your understanding of the numbers around who is looking for what legal service can help you avoid pitfalls and increase your revenue.  Dig into the numbers to find out how in demand your practice area is and how many people are having experiences that may compel them to seek out your law firm. For example, if you’re a bankruptcy lawyer, understanding how many people in your city are facing foreclosure could help you determine the future demand for your services. Obviously, if there are a large number of foreclosures in your city, you can expect a large number of people who may need the help of a bankruptcy attorney.  But don’t make the mistake of making too many assumptions using statistics—statistics can’t tell you why something is happening it can only tell you the numbers. It’s up to you as an attorney to understand your clients’ needs on an individual level, and that is what will help you stand out.

Collect Data

Every time you do an intake or close out a case, you should collect important data from your clients. For example, in the case of a bankruptcy attorney, you might ask clients why they were compelled to seek out bankruptcy. Or, in the case of an attorney who specializes in divorce, you might ask the client why they sought out a divorce attorney instead of using DIY divorces services which have grown in popularity.  You might also collect more general information such as household income, age, sex, ethnicity, national origins, and information about which parts of the city where your clients live. All this data can help you understand your clients and anticipate their future legal needs.

Watch Peers

Since there’s no way you can see all things in the industry, it’s important that you closely listen to and watch your peers and competition. What have they discovered about the market and the needs of clients? Have they collected accurate and useful data you can mine for your own law firm? These questions are especially relevant when your competitor or peer is larger, more experienced, and/or better funded. They may have the resources to do the type of in-depth research that a smaller law firm simply can’t afford. They may also be willing to share this information via legal industry conferences and panels. Stay connected to these opportunities so that you can get vital information that can help you anticipate your clients’ needs. But be cautious, there is a difference between collecting data and adopting solutions wholesale. When collecting useful data, you should adapt it to your law firm according to your unique situation.

Anticipating the legal needs of your clients will position you to increase revenue and deepen client relationships.

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Lynn Luong is the Digital Marketing Manager for Smokeball, a case management software that increases productivity and efficiency for solo attorneys  and small law firms to become more profitable.  Lynn has over 8 years of experience in marketing with a focus on digital by developing successful strategies and managing many areas of marketing.