Law firms aren’t usually thought of as the top innovators, but there’s certainly room for a technological infusion into this industry. As you grow your firm, consider readjusting your focus to account for the latest and greatest tech trends.
5 Tech Tips You Can Implement in the Near Future
It’s easy to see technology as a risky investment – something that could expose your law firm to threats and/or compromise the integrity of your client interactions. But may we suggest the opposite?
In 2020 (and beyond), a failure to invest in technology is the riskier choice. It threatens to make you obsolete and irrelevant. The marketplace has changed and advanced technology is now the expectation. Either your firm adapts or it slowly falls behind.
Not sure where to begin? We have a few suggestions:
- Invest in Cyber Security
No industry is immune from the wretched effects of cyber crime. However, few businesses are targeted more heavily and consistently than law firms. Discerning lawyers no longer wonder if they’ll become victims of cyber attacks. The only question is when your law firm will be targeted.
The good news is there are plenty of innovative cyber security solutions available today. The key is to identify and implement the right ones. Understanding that cyber criminals like to attack in a variety of ways – including through phishing, ransomware, malware and spyware, and even cryptojacking – you need a versatile defense that can provide defense on multiple fronts. You also need to establish awareness in your firm, strong policies, and constant visibility.
- Outsource Your Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is more important than ever. It produces a higher ROI than just about any other form of law firm marketing (including television ads, radio spots, bus stop billboards, etc.).
If you want to stand out, implement a diverse digital marketing strategy that cohesively ties together all elements of a brand’s online presence. This includes an investment in website design, SEO, social media, and more.
- Use Law Practice Management Software
Any modern law firm requires a reliable, centralized system for managing client matters. The right software can satisfy this need.
According to Lawyerist, “Most use law practice management software for this. The options run from streamlined law-firm productivity software to all-in-one law firm marketing and business management software to software that can be integrated with other software and code for a client service technology stack customized to your firm’s specific needs.”
Some of the highest rated law practice management software solutions include MyCase, CosmoLex, PracticePanther, and Clio Manage.
- Build a Client Portal
While a good law practice management software will have specific elements that make client management easy, it may be necessary to build out a client portal that’s specifically designed to streamline your communication with clients.
A good client portal provides a secure place to communicate, share files, service invoices, and receive online payments. Once you have one, you’ll wonder how you ever did without!
- Leverage Automation
Finally, make sure you’re investing in automation. With the number of powerful tools and technology that exist in the marketplace today, you’d be badly misguided to continue on with manual, time-consuming processes that eat up billable hours.
Here are a few examples of ways you can use automation to increase firm productivity and amplify results:
- Use an electronic signature tool to cut down on the back and forth when finalizing retainer agreements and other contacts.
- Use marketing automation tools to send out things like autoresponders to people who fill out forms on your website.
- Use automated SMS appointment reminders to cut down on missed appointments and save time manually calling each client.
- Use any number of document assembly tools to intelligently transform documents by populating them with client information, adjusting grammar, and formatting according to basic requirements.
No single automation tool will transform your business, but by layering them on top of one another, you can initiate positive change.
Pivot and Evolve
Nobody is saying it’s easy to adopt new technology. Per your industry, you face more restrictions and challenges than most businesses do. However, this shouldn’t be a reason to avoid innovative solutions altogether.
Consider this year an inflection point – an opportunity to pivot and evolve into the modern age. In doing so, you’ll set your firm up for many more years of growth.
