The Fix:

Using merge tags (or custom fields in Lawmatics) will prevent you from having to manually update every single email to just replace an attorney’s name. Instead of manually updating each email, you can simply add the new attorney’s name to your picklist of attorneys and let the emails populate the correct attorney based on each matter’s attorney selection. Incorporating variable fields into your email marketing will save you time in the long run.

Mistake #2: Ignoring Segmentation

Sending the same message to every lead is one of the fastest ways to lose them, especially in the legal industry. A parent going through a custody battle has very different concerns than someone trying to finalize an uncontested divorce. When you fail to segment, you risk sounding irrelevant—and that’s when people stop opening your emails.

The Fix:

Segment leads based on what they’re looking for—custody, divorce, mediation, etc. You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Even three to five key segments can drastically improve the relevance of your outreach. Once you’ve got the segments in place, you can automate emails tailored to each audience, helping you build trust and increase conversion rates.

Mistake #3: Not Using CRM Data to Improve Strategy

If you’re not checking in on what’s working (and what isn’t), you’re flying blind. Your CRM can show you which emails get opened, which workflows stall out, and which practice areas convert best—but only if you take the time to look.

The Fix:

Set aside time each month to review your CRM analytics. Which emails are getting high open rates? Where are leads dropping off in your sequences? Email open rates are one of the easiest indicators of how well your follow-up sequences are performing. Take the time to inspect each email in a sequence and determine which ones are high-performing and which ones need to be improved. And if you are lacking email sequences to analyze, check out our 5 Email Sequences Your Law Firm Can’t Live Without for actionable strategies.

Mistake #4: Waiting Too Long to Follow Up

This one is brutal: A potential client fills out your case evaluation form…and hears crickets. By the time you call them back, they’ve already scheduled with someone else. Leads in family law don’t wait around—they go with whoever helps them first. This stage of the sales pipeline is where your intake team is the most important, but there are ways your CRM can help them out.

The Fix:

Use your CRM to immediately trigger a confirmation email and text while the potential client is waiting to hear back. While your intake staff should be following up as soon as possible, setting up automation will let the client know that they are high on your priority list. Or if your intake staff is having a hard time juggling leads, consider adding an automatic task to be assigned to them when a new lead comes in. Even after your staff follows up, they should be placed in a sequence that keeps you top-of-mind if they don’t book right away. The goal is speed and consistency, and automation is your best friend here.

Mistake #5: Proper Training

All too often (especially if you have a large team of support staff), we encounter situations where staff has been incorrectly labeling or incorrectly entering information. This might be a new hire or someone who was simply never trained on the proper way to input things into your CRM. From their point of view, something minor like putting a label in front of a matter or client’s name, might seem like a great way for the staff to organize clients. But on the CRM side of things, we know that could mess up email personalization when addressing a client by their first name in communications.

The Fix:

Almost all CRM applications provide some sort of training for employees to get acquainted with the software. Our firms use Lawmatics, which provides an extensive library of resources (Lawmatics Learning Center) for any questions you may have. Giving employees the proper resources and training time is vital to their success in navigating your CRM. Even better than providing generic resources, you can create your own training videos for your firms. This is especially helpful if there are firm-specific instructions on how you need things entered into your CRM.

Your CRM Should Work for You—Not the Other Way Around

When set up properly, your CRM isn’t just a tech tool—it’s your marketing and conversion powerhouse. It helps you follow up faster, speak more directly to client needs, and learn what’s actually working in your funnel. The mistakes above are fixable, and if you start there, you’ll already be ahead of most law firms.

Whether you’re feeling underwhelmed with your current CRM setup or just know you could be doing more with it, take this as your sign to stop treating it like a contact list and start using it like the marketing machine it’s meant to be. Contact US Legal Marketing Group today if you’re ready to take your CRM to the next level. You’ll see the difference in your pipeline—and your bottom line.