According to Chris Dreyer of Rankings.io in his recent Peak Practice by Synergy webinar presentation, many personal injury law firms are unknowingly leaving money on the table. They may be pouring resources into their marketing efforts, but without the right strategy, it can feel like trying to fill a leaky bucket. So how do you avoid it? Chris says it comes down to demand creation, demand capture. Here is how he broke it down in his presentation.
The Two Components That Make or Break Success: Demand Creation and Demand Capture
As trial attorneys, you know that the key to winning a case often lies in the details—timing, preparation, and strategy. The same is true for your marketing efforts. Demand creation and demand capture must work hand-in-hand to ensure your firm isn’t just known, but is the first choice when an accident happens.
Demand Creation: Building Awareness and Positioning Your Firm as the Go-To Choice
Imagine you’re driving down the highway, and you see a billboard for a personal injury lawyer. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? If it’s a well-known firm with a memorable message, you might think, “If I ever get hurt, I’ll call them.” That’s the power of demand creation—building awareness and positioning your firm to be the choice when a client needs you most.
In the personal injury space, you’re not just fighting for attention, you’re fighting for recognition at the very moment someone needs help. Awareness comes from being everywhere your potential clients are: TV, radio, billboards—these are still the most cost-effective ways to build recognition. In fact, they are what the biggest firms in the country, like Morgan & Morgan, continue to invest in because they work.
But, awareness alone isn’t enough. If your message doesn’t resonate—if it’s not unique or memorable—you’re just another face in a crowded market. Differentiation is everything. Whether it’s a unique tagline, a bold color scheme, or a memorable phone number, your firm needs to stand out. Think about it: what makes your firm special? Why should someone choose you over the competitor down the street? It’s these unique touches that make your brand unforgettable.
Demand Capture: Converting Interest into Clients
Now, let’s talk about the moment your potential client goes from awareness to action. When someone is searching for a personal injury attorney, they’re already in the market for your services. But what happens next? This is where demand capture becomes critical.
When someone sees your billboard or hears your ad on the radio, they likely head straight to Google to search for your firm—or worse, to search for someone else. That’s where search engine marketing (SEM), and SEO come in. You need to be at the top of the search results when they’re ready to make that decision. If you’re not, you’re missing out on leads that are ripe for conversion.
And it’s not just about SEO anymore. With the rise of AI, retargeting has become a game-changer. Have you ever searched for something online, only to see ads for that same product follow you around the web? This is retargeting at its finest. When you retarget potential clients who’ve already interacted with your firm, you’re reminding them of your value and pushing them closer to conversion.
The Secret to Success: Integrating Both Demand Creation and Capture
You need both demand creation and demand capture working together to be successful. The days of focusing on one or the other are over. Firms that excel in 2025 will be those that understand the full marketing cycle—from awareness to conversion.
Imagine your firm running TV ads, gaining widespread awareness, and then seamlessly capturing those leads through strategic SEO and retargeting. The combination of both creates demand and captures it when clients are ready to act. It’s a strategy that works synergistically to maximize every dollar spent.
Measuring Your Marketing Success: KPIs You Can’t Afford to Ignore
If you want to track the effectiveness of your efforts, there are specific KPIs to measure for each component of your strategy. For demand creation, track impressions and cost per thousand impressions (CPM) to gauge how much you’re spending for each potential client reached. For demand capture, focus on cost per acquisition, form submissions, and calls to understand how well you’re converting interest into real clients.
But here’s the catch: don’t measure channels in isolation. Today’s buyers don’t make decisions in a straight line. They might see your billboard, hear your ad on the radio, Google your firm, check your reviews, and then click on an ad on social media before converting. This is why a blended measurement strategy is crucial. It’s not about what works in a vacuum—it’s about how your entire marketing ecosystem works together to drive results.
Conclusion
As trial lawyers, you’re in a fierce competition for clients who need your expertise the most. But it’s not just about winning cases—it’s about winning the client’s trust before they even step foot in your office. The firms that will succeed in 2025 and beyond will be those that balance high-reach demand creation with smart, data-driven demand capture strategies. If you’re not doing both, you’re leaving money on the table.
Similarly, if you want to recapture more of your team’s time, free your burdened staff and supercharge lien resolution results, consider partnering with synergy. for lien resolution. Visit https://partnerwithsynergy.com/liens/why-partner/ to learn more.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/chris-dreyers-secrets-goat-marketing-demand-creation-jason-d–kn1ne
