Major Law Firm Exceeds Revenue Goals in Just 2 Months

It was early 2023 when a rapidly growing, Southern California law firm engaged Systems Process People (SPP) to help set up their HubSpot tools. At the time, the firm was working with a marketing agency that had sold them HubSpot, but the marketing agency lacked the knowledge to configure the tools. The law firm needed SPP to maximize the tools’ value, as well as guide them on fixing their processes. 

The marketing agency was also handling the law firm’s lead generation, but without configuring HubSpot, it was impossible to get accurate metrics or even a grasp on what was in the pipeline. In short, the law firm was paying for a system that was providing zero value to them.  

Read on to see deeper dive into our challenge, the work we did to revamp processes, and how the client’s business has thrived since.

The Initial State: A Lack of Structure and Strategy

When SPP entered the picture, the law firm had purchased powerful tools, but without configuration they could not track contacts through distinct stages of the buying process. This meant that valuable customer data was not being captured effectively, or even lost entirely, which in turn led to poor reporting and inefficient lead management. 

In any type of business, but especially a law firm, this inefficiency can lead to missed opportunities for bookings, intake, engagement, and service delivery and revenue. The lack of configuration also meant that the firm had no structure for re-engaging potential clients nor a daily plan for the legal services team to follow.

“As a business owner, I knew a change was needed, but I couldn’t rely on our data to validate the issue. The SPP team quickly jumped in and helped structure our data and systems, making it functional and consumable. They enabled our company to pivot and strengthen not only our processes but also our team, leading to a major positive shift in energy and trajectory.”

– Law firm client

Photo Source: Canva

Our Approach: Analyzing, Organizing, and Automating for Success

After completing our assessment, SPP began collaborating closely with the law firm’s team to identify gaps and inefficiencies. We implemented several key changes that helped transform their operations and increase overall efficiency, namely: 

1. Data Cleanup and Categorization: We cleaned up the CRM data in the system and instituted clear definitions for lead statuses and lifecycle-journey stages so that sales in the pipeline could be forecasted with better accuracy.

2. Reconfigured Permissions: Security is a paramount concern, so we adjusted the permissions set to ensure secure, role-based access to sensitive client data and case files, making the CRM more secure and improving team accountability.

3. Sales Flow Process Creation: We built a sales flow process with scripts and a supporting playbook specifically designed for legal consultations. This streamlined the intake process and ensured that team members could capture critical data and schedule consultations efficiently.

4. Automated Lead Triage: The messaging inbox and chatbot were not turned on. SPP turned them on and configured them to effectively triage incoming leads. The system now prioritizes hot leads and the playbook guides team members on how to manage the intake process for potential legal clients.

5. Customization and Field Organization: We customized the CRM to track key case details at each stage of the client lifecycle. This gave the legal team quick access to client data about each case and the ability to follow up appropriately based on where clients were in the legal process. 

6. Follow-Up Task Automation: We implemented robust follow-up task automation for clients who had not scheduled their consultations or taken the next step in their legal matters. This kept the legal team engaged with the less active leads, ensuring no potential client was neglected.

7. Text/SMS Re-engagement Workflow: Together, we built a re-engagement workflow for text/SMS messaging to reconnect with cold leads or past clients. This helped bring back clients who had previously shown interest but had not yet signed on for a consultation.

8. External Marketing Integration: We worked with external marketing teams to centralize their marketing efforts within the CRM, reducing reliance on third-party tools and ensuring all lead data remained in one place.

9. Reporting Dashboards: We created custom reporting dashboards that tracked key metrics for the law firm. A dynamic and comprehensive reporting system now helps the team stay on top of their goals and identify any areas of improvement.

Business Success: Transforming the Law Firm

Now with the system in place to support the growth, we began working with the law firm’s leadership to restructure the team composition and manage a significant personnel shift. This transformation helped the law firm not only meet but exceed their revenue goals for the year in just two months. 

Graph A: Deals Growth After Systems Process People

We played a crucial role in the firm’s success by:

• Training New Team Members: We provided hands-on training to ensure the new legal team members understood how to navigate the revamped CRM system and implement the processes that will make them successful. 
• Creating Process Documentation: We created comprehensive guides to document the new processes, making it easy for the team to follow standardized procedures.
• Continuous Improvement: As the team grew, we refined the processes to ensure they were scalable and adaptable to the growing client base and expanding legal team.
• Ongoing Support: We provided regular support to the law firm, offering coaching and system automation assistance as their team evolved and adapted to new legal needs.

Current Progress: A Scalable and Sustainable Solution

While these major changes didn’t happen overnight, over time, the business was completely transformed. 

Today, SPP continues to work with the firm as a trusted advisor for system and business readiness.  SPP’s pricing model helps the firm to work more efficiently. SPP provides top-level talent on tap, that is familiar with the firm’s history and ready to jump in and help as situations come up.  The law firm was able to step away from full-time, six-figure salaries of a CTO, CIO, and CHRO.  

Our ongoing support helps the law firm to flex and move quickly as changes can be implemented to all systems in parallel, because the firm is working with one cohesive team. 

Impactful Results: Sales Growth and Increased Efficiency

The improvements we’ve made speak for themselves: The firm’s overall number of active leads has grown significantly, and the trend in client leads shows a marked improvement. This uptick in efficiency has directly contributed to the law firm exceeding its revenue targets for the year.

What started as a disorganized system in a busy law firm has now been transformed into a streamlined, efficient operation. 

“I am so grateful for the continued partnership of the SPP team” – Law firm client

Through data cleanup, CRM customization, and process automation, we have helped the firm grow and thrive. 

Today, the law firm is more efficient, the team is empowered, and the leadership can focus on the high-level tasks that truly drive business success.

Learn How We Helped The Firm Resolve HR Pain Points and Unlock Savings

While our sales transformation strategies helped drive immediate growth, we didn’t stop there. We knew that lasting success required addressing deeper organizational challenges—specifically in HR.

Read Part 2 and learn how we tackled the law firm’s biggest HR pain points.

If you are looking to implement tools in your law firm or service business and optimize your CRM, operations, or financial systems – or need strategic planning and consulting along the way – SPP is equipped and ready to help. 

Let us support your business with the expertise and experience needed to turn complex systems into powerful tools that drive tangible outcomes.

Book your free consultation today: https://systemsprocesspeople.com/meet-kerry-peterson/