Speed to Lead: Intake Scripts for PI Law Firms

Why the first call matters

Someone who fills in a form after an accident is usually stressed, in pain and busy with doctors, insurers and work. They're reachable now. Later they may be at an appointment, back at work, or already talking to someone else.

The most widely cited research on this comes from outside the legal industry. In "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads," published in Harvard Business Review in 2011, James Oldroyd, Kristina McElheran and David Elkington studied online sales leads across US companies. They found that firms that tried to contact a lead within an hour were much more likely to qualify it than firms that waited longer. (Harvard Business Review)

That study wasn't about law firms. But the lesson carries over: a fresh inquiry goes cold fast.

Set your team up to be fast

Speed is mostly a setup problem, not an effort problem. Before the scripts, check these:

• Leads land where your team works. Your CRM, a shared inbox or an SMS alert, not a mailbox someone checks twice a day.
• Someone owns each lead the moment it arrives. Round-robin, by office or by case type, but never "whoever sees it."
• Your intake hours are real. If no one can call in the evening, plan for it, and tell your lead company.
• The lead's details are in front of the caller. Accident or injury type, date, location, treatment and whether they have a lawyer.
• Your callers know which state rules apply. Your firm decides what's allowed for calls and texts in your states. Ask your counsel.

Example call opening: MVA lead

Adapt the wording to your firm's voice. Keep it short.

"Hi, is this [first name]? This is [your name] with [firm name]. You filled in a form about a car accident on [date]. I'm sorry you were hurt. Is now an OK time to talk for a few minutes?"

If yes: "Thank you. Tell me in your own words what happened."

If no: "No problem. When's a good time today for me to call you back?" Book the time, and call at that time.

Why it works: it says who you are, reminds them why you're calling, shows care before questions, and asks permission.

Example call opening: workers' comp lead

"Hi, is this [first name]? This is [your name] with [firm name]. You filled in a form about getting hurt at work. I'm sorry that happened. Do you have a few minutes to talk? If you're at work right now, we can pick a better time."

Workers' comp callers are often worried about their job. Offering to call at a better time, and keeping their information private, helps them relax.

Example qualifying questions

Ask these after they've told the story. Many will already be answered on the lead, so confirm instead of asking cold: "I see the accident was on the 12th in Dallas. Is that right?"

For a motor vehicle accident lead:

1. When and where did the accident happen?
2. What kind of vehicles were involved?
3. Were you hurt? Have you seen a doctor, and are you still being treated?
4. Did police come to the scene?
5. Has an insurance company contacted you yet?
6. Have you talked to or hired another lawyer about this accident?

For a workers' comp lead:

1. What happened, and were you working at the time?
2. When did it happen?
3. Did you report it to your employer? When, and to whom?
4. Have you been treated? Who chose the doctor?
5. Are you still working, on light duty or out of work?
6. Have you talked to or hired another lawyer about this injury?

Your attorneys decide which answers matter for your practice. Keep the questions consistent across your team so every lead gets the same review.

Example handoff and close

"Thank you for walking me through that. The next step is a conversation with one of our attorneys. I can connect you now, or we can set a time today or tomorrow. Which works for you?"

Always end with a specific next step and a time. "Someone will call you" leaves the person waiting and wondering.

Example voicemail

"Hi [first name], this is [your name] with [firm name], calling about the form you filled in about your [accident / injury at work]. I'll try you again shortly. You can reach me at [number]. Again, [your name], [firm name], [number]."

Keep it under thirty seconds. Say your number twice. Don't leave case details on a voicemail.

A simple follow-up plan

Most leads aren't reached on the first try. Agree a plan so nothing slips:

• Call as soon as the lead arrives. If no answer, leave the voicemail.
• Call again later the same day, at a different time.
• Try again the next morning and the next evening.
• Keep trying over the next few days, at different times of day.
• If your consent and your counsel allow texts, send a short text after a missed call: who you are, why you're calling, and how to reach you.
• Log every attempt in your CRM, so the next person knows what happened.

When the lead is clearly not a fit, say so kindly, and flag it under your replacement policy if it didn't meet your agreed criteria.

What to track

• Time from lead arrival to first call attempt
• How many leads your team reached
• How many became consultations and signed cases
• Reasons leads didn't move forward

Review these every week. If speed slips at certain hours, fix the setup, not just the script. For the wider picture, see how pay per lead works for law firms.

How Augment Leads helps your team be fast

Augment Leads sends every lead in real time to your CRM by webhook, LeadDocket, Litify or GoHighLevel, or by email, SMS alert, a lead distribution platform or a Google Sheet, routed by office or case type. Every phone number is SMS-verified, so your team isn't dialing a typo. Each lead goes to one firm only, so you're not racing other firms to the same person. We generate 10,000+ leads every month across MVA leads and workers' comp leads.

Spanish-speaking MVA and workers' comp leads are also available.

Frequently asked questions

Get leads your team can call right away

Book a strategy call. We'll set up delivery around your intake hours.

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Related: TrustedForm and lead verification, truck accident leads.