What are the early signs that a law firm's growth is stalling?

Keith Dyer explained that one of the first indicators of growth stagnation is a lack of increase in case volume from quarter to quarter. While short-term fluctuations are normal, consistent plateaus over several months or half a year may indicate systemic issues. Keith advises evaluating performance on a quarterly basis to detect potential slowdowns.

What causes a law firm to hit a growth plateau?

Keith identified several common culprits for stagnant growth. The top issue is hiring marketing vendors or staff who lack the expertise to scale effectively. Another major factor is neglecting branding efforts, which prevents firms from remaining top-of-mind with potential clients. Firms that focus solely on direct response marketing and ignore long-term brand equity often see diminishing returns.

How does limited internal capacity impact growth?

Even when marketing performs well, firms can stall if internal systems can’t support the influx of new cases. Keith emphasized that operational bottlenecks—such as overwhelmed intake teams or broken processes—force firms to scale back their marketing efforts to avoid wasting money.

Why is tracking marketing performance so critical?

To identify what’s really slowing growth, Keith stressed the need for law firm leaders to understand where their cases come from. This includes tracking attribution, cost per acquisition, and campaign effectiveness. Without this insight, firm owners may mistakenly blame marketing when internal failures—like a broken intake process or unanswered calls—are the real issue.

What role does intake play in firm growth?

Keith highlighted intake as the most critical part of a law firm’s growth engine. Missed calls, malfunctioning phone numbers, or an absent intake specialist can drastically reduce case conversion. Law firm owners must audit systems regularly, listen to recorded calls, and verify functionality across platforms like CallRail to prevent leaks in the conversion chain.

How can law firm owners avoid getting distracted by shiny marketing tactics?

According to Keith, many firms chase trends—such as the newest AI tool or flashy campaign—before mastering the basics. He advises focusing on foundational marketing systems like intake, digital presence, and brand development before experimenting with untested tactics. Building consistency around fundamentals like ad performance and follow-up processes should come first.

What’s the key to long-term sustainable growth?

Keith described “extreme intentionality” as the secret behind successful law firm growth. He shared a case study of a firm that grew from $3M to over $10M in annual revenue by combining strategic marketing, close performance tracking, and hands-on leadership. That success stemmed from careful planning, budgeting, testing, and a willingness to invest in coaching and masterminds.

Which marketing pillars should firms prioritize first?

To restart momentum, Keith advised starting with a robust digital presence—especially for firms reliant on search-based legal services like personal injury. For other practices, like immigration or estate planning, platforms like Facebook may play a more prominent role. Regardless of the channel, digital marketing should be aligned with brand-building to capture both immediate demand and long-term recognition.

How can law firms determine the right channels for their practice area?

The effectiveness of a marketing channel depends heavily on the practice area. Keith noted that personal injury clients typically go to Google, making PPC and SEO crucial. For estate planning or immigration law, decision timelines are longer and social platforms like Facebook can be highly effective. Lexgrow offers a downloadable guide outlining the best channels by practice area to help firms make informed decisions.

What’s the first thing a stagnant firm should evaluate?

Keith suggested analyzing case volume over the last three to six months and reviewing changes in marketing strategy or vendor performance. Abrupt shifts—like switching vendors or reducing ad spend—can trigger performance drops. Firm leaders should revisit their entire conversion chain to pinpoint whether marketing, intake, or another system is at fault before making changes.

Final Advice from Keith Dyer:

Keith emphasized that firm owners must remain actively involved in the growth process. Delegating marketing without understanding it leads to poor decisions. By prioritizing strategy, reviewing performance data, and building strong systems, firms can break through plateaus and achieve long-term success.