Practical Marketing Tactics That Actually Move the Needle

The following is adapted from The Lead Docket Book by Ivan Rodrigues.

If you’re looking for simple, proven marketing strategies that deliver real results, the following tactics are worth implementing. Even if you only adopt one, you’ll see a difference in how prospects engage with your firm. These are field-tested approaches that consistently help firms convert more leads and strengthen client relationships.

1. Send a Thank-You Message with a Contact Card First impressions matter. A quick thank-you message to a new lead—along with your digital contact card—improves your chances of connecting later. If the client saves your contact info, they’re far more likely to answer your follow-up calls. Some tools even let you send a link that automatically opens the “Add Contact” screen on their phone, making the process seamless.
2. Ask for Google Reviews at Intake Most firms wait until the end of a case to ask for reviews. But asking right after a positive intake call can dramatically increase your review count. If a client feels supported, they’ll often be happy to share feedback immediately. A simple line such as, “If you found my assistance helpful today, would you mind leaving us a quick Google review mentioning my name?” can go a long way. Yes, there’s a risk that dissatisfied clients will also know how to leave reviews—but if your service is strong, the benefits outweigh the risk.
3. Automate Your Initial Follow-Up Speed is everything. Automation tools let you respond instantly to new inquiries with personalized messages or follow-up questions. This keeps leads engaged with your firm while preventing them from shopping around.
4. Let Prospects Schedule Their Own Appointments Integrations with tools like Calendly make it easy for leads to book time on your calendar without back-and-forth emails. Giving people the freedom to schedule when it’s convenient for them increases the odds they’ll commit and show up.
5. Personalize Your Chase Messages Not all follow-up messages are created equal. Test different wording, tones, and lengths to find what resonates most. Tracking your results will reveal which messages actually drive responses.
6. Survey Your Lost Leads When a lead slips away, don’t let the opportunity vanish completely. Use inexpensive tools like Formstack or Jotform to ask why they chose another option. The insights can highlight weak spots in your process—and sometimes, re-engage the lead. One firm recaptured business this way with a 10% response rate.
7. Don’t Ignore Offline Marketing Trends While it’s hard to perfectly track traditional ads like TV spots, don’t discount them. Look for trends instead of perfect attribution. If a station change doubles your calls, that’s a clear sign to invest more. Keep testing and refining.

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For more strategies to improve your marketing performance, you can find The Lead Docket Book on Amazon.

Ivan Rodrigues is a legal marketing consultant and recognized expert in Lead Docket with over a decade of experience in marketing and advertising. His diverse career began on the dynamic film sets of Hollywood before he transitioned into the legal sector, where he served as Marketing and Intake Director for a high-volume law firm using Lead Docket. As a consultant with Vineskills, Ivan collaborates with numerous law firms ranging from boutique practices to large-scale enterprises, helping them optimize operations and achieve measurable growth. He is passionate about harnessing data-driven insight to empower firms with innovative business intelligence strategies.