Selecting a conveyancer can be perplexing for the client. Often, it’s been many years since a client has had any dealings with a property solicitor, if they have had any at all. How do they go about finding a conveyancer? Should they seek recommendations from friends, take up the referral from their estate agent, or conduct an online search?
For someone unfamiliar with the field, conveyancing is complex and convoluted. In fact, when Rob Hailstone of The Bold Legal Group asked 200 delegates at a conveyancing conference if they think their role is understood by clients, 97% said no.
So, when there’s such little understanding about what a conveyancer does, choosing one can be challenging. To the average person, law firms on the high street often appear similar, making it hard to distinguish between them.
In this blog, we’ll explore the factors that influence a client’s choice of conveyancer. By gaining insight into these reasons, you can work to improve your business practices and increase your chances of attracting and converting more clients.
In a previous blog, we discussed in detail how conveyancers make the mistake of competing on price. The client often isn’t looking for the lowest-cost conveyancer. Instead, they seek professionalism, trustworthiness and a smooth conveyancing process. Buying a home is likely the largest purchase they'll ever make. What’s more, a property is more than just a place to live. It's their sanctuary, the foundation of comfort and security and a place where memories are made, and children are raised. To the law firm, exchanging contracts is an everyday occurrence, but to the client, this event is monumental! Remember just how significant this move is every time you talk to a prospect. Because of this very reason, many clients will not be motivated by the lowest price. Law is that big scary thing that they know nothing about. They want to be confident that they've chosen a firm capable of guiding them effectively, and they are willing to pay a fair price for that assurance. When a law firm offers cheap legal services, it often raises alarm bells and red flags to the consumer. Ultimately the client wants an experienced, reliable and competent law firm to assist in this big life-changing event.
As many are in unfamiliar territory and have little or no basis to judge the quality of the service, they'll look for signals of trust so they can make a well-informed choice. These signals can be in the form of reviews, recommendations and the general reputation of the conveyancer. It's little surprise then that the HomeOwners Alliance survey found that recommendation came out top in a poll to discover how clients found their conveyancer:
In total, recommendations accounted for over 50% of the responders. A referral from someone they trust is reassuring. The client can then, in turn, trust the conveyancer.
Clients often rely on social proof, a concept from behavioural economics where people tend to follow others' actions, especially when making uncertain decisions. When looking for a conveyancer online, individuals will check reviews on Google or Trustpilot. Positive reviews serve as validation and influence a client’s choice, offering insight into a firm’s track record and customer service. It’s not just about having a five-star rating; having a substantial number of reviews is also important. While a five-star rating is impressive, it’s less convincing if it comes from only one or two reviewers. A strong 4.7 rating from 50-100 past clients provides a more realistic picture of what to expect. Work on building your reviews and asking your happy clients to leave one after every successful transaction. This will help build up potential leads going forward.
Conveyancers need to understand the underlying motivations of their clients. Start by showing genuine interest from the first phone call. Instead of just collecting details and promising a quote, ask about their needs and concerns and address these on the spot. This approach enhances your chances of converting them into clients. First impressions are crucial, and only 53% of law firms make a strong one, according to the Law Firm Marketing Club. Minerva's mystery shop revealed that 95% of conveyancers only gather basic information during calls, often lasting under five minutes, without explaining their services or differentiating their firm. Many clients are left uncertain and poorly informed, leading to price-based competition. Minerva's findings highlight that firms showing a lack of interest only secure 50% of these opportunities.
There were similar results from a Mystery Shop compiled by Conveyancer Insights. It found that:
While these stats might seem disheartening, they actually present a significant opportunity for your law firm. If competitors aren't meeting client expectations, you can step up and make a difference! To truly impress potential clients from the start, train your staff to build strong rapport during that initial phone call. Go beyond collecting basic information - delve into the client's reasons for moving, their concerns, and their timeline. Showing genuine interest in their journey not only engages them but also sets your firm apart. After the conversation, promptly send the quote to stay ahead of competitors who might be lagging.
Conveyancer Insight highlights that some quotes could benefit from improved presentation. A polished, professional quote can make a strong impression and reflect well on your firm. Obtaining a client’s email address and phone number is first-party data heaven. Don’t miss the opportunity to send across other helpful content alongside the quote. Why not attach something like a Moving Home Guide (remember conveyancing is convoluted and confusing, anything you can do to make it less so will be appreciated). You might also include reasons why clients should choose your firm over competitors. Our Market Insights tool can offer data to support your marketing efforts. With our stats, this conveyancing software may be able to prove you’re the fastest conveyancer in the area or that you have the highest market share. (Don’t forget the power of social proof, if you have the highest number of clients in your area, this will encourage other home movers to use your services.)
Law firms can benefit substantially from employing dedicated staff to manage the new business process. It allows the hard-press fee earners to focus on their existing caseloads and deliver high quality legal work. The new business team can take care of nurturing the client relationship and ensuring that there is a seamless onboarding process.
Beyond the initial conversation, clients often value timely and effective communication. Research from the Law Firm Marketing Club found that one of the top five things clients appreciate is accessibility and regular updates from their lawyer. Enhancing your responsiveness and communication can significantly improve client satisfaction and set your firm apart.
Clare Yates of CY Training Works offers courses on these very issues. She helps conveyancers enhance their customer service and communication skills, leading to increased business generation. Many law firms focus too heavily on marketing to obtain new leads and neglect converting the leads that they already have. Clare helps conveyancing firms to implement a focused sales process where you don’t need pushy sales techniques, you just need to build rapport with prospective clients.
People move on average five times in their lifetime (source: TwentyCi). By the time it comes around to the next move, they’ve likely forgotten the previous conveyancer they used. Unless of course, the service stood out (for either good or bad reasons!) When we talk to law firms, they are often overconfident about how many times their previous clients come back to use their services. We carried out sample exercises with several of our conveyancing partners. We found that over a year, on average, only 25%-30% of their former clients had reused their services when they moved again. The highest we’ve seen is 50%. This reveals a significant opportunity to reengage with past clients. Don’t just assume your past clients will come back to you. Be proactive to win them back. Our Convey Alerts tool can help you to do just that. This conveyancing software notifies you when former clients have newly listed their property for sale so you can reach out to them. Many clients are happy to hear from their previous conveyancer and it makes the decision on which firm to pick easier for them.
The client may feel that there are advantages to picking a nearby conveyancer. The law firm is more accessible and familiar with the location. There’s also a better opportunity for face-to-face meetings to build up rapport. There’s no reason why, however, a client can’t choose a conveyancer 100 miles away. In today’s digital world, it shouldn’t be an issue, so consider casting your net beyond your local area when seeking clients. As long as you can prove your worth, you can take on clients from all corners of the country.
To conclude, clients choosing a conveyancer are driven by their need for trust, reliability, and guidance during a significant life event. By demonstrating your law firm's commitment to these values, you not only meet their practical needs but also provide the reassurance they seek. In a process as important as buying or selling property, clients are looking for a partner who will navigate the complexities with confidence and care. Establishing your firm as that dependable partner is key to winning their trust - and their business.