Yes. GoHighLevel's Facebook Lead Form Submitted trigger fires in real time when someone submits a lead form, after the Facebook integration and field mapping are set up, so a reply and a call back task can go out within minutes. The bottom line: speed is the advantage, and the rules on solicitation, consent, and the firm's responsibility for its ad vendors decide what the reply says.
Why minutes matter
The Harvard Business Review study of 1.25 million sales leads found that firms that contacted a lead within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify it as firms that waited even an hour longer, and more than 60 times as likely as firms that waited 24 hours or longer. It studied web leads across many industries, not law firms, so treat it as a direction, not a law firm benchmark.
Clio's secret shopper research, as reported by the Oklahoma Bar Journal, found that only 20 percent of firms that missed a call returned it, and about a third replied to email. A lead who filled in a Facebook form a minute ago is warm, and a firm that replies first sets the terms.
What the rules say
ABA Model Rule 7.3 bars solicitation by live person to person contact when a significant motive is the lawyer's pecuniary gain, and the 2018 comments say text messages and other written communications recipients can easily disregard are not live contact. A communication in response to a request for information is not a solicitation, according to the Colorado version of the comment. States differ. Pennsylvania's rule says person to person contact includes text messages, according to a Marshall Dennehey summary, and a legal marketing company sued over it. ABA Formal Opinion 501 adds that a lawyer is responsible when employees, lead generators, or other agents solicit on the lawyer's behalf. Check your own state before texting anyone who has not asked to hear from the firm.
Two points follow. First, a reply to a person who just requested information is generally not a solicitation, but the firm should not go beyond the request. Second, ABA Formal Opinion 501 makes the lawyer responsible when a lead generator or ad agency contacts people on the firm's behalf and the lawyer orders, ratifies, knowingly assists, or fails to train them, so agency scripts need the firm's review.
What the first reply says
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| The firm name and thanks for the inquiry | Any case advice or prediction |
| When someone will call, and from what number | A promise about the outcome |
| A link to book a consultation | A request for details of the case |
| How to stop messages | Any statement that implies an attorney client relationship |
Build it in GoHighLevel
GoHighLevel's help pages say the Facebook Lead Form Submitted trigger fires in real time, that one form can be selected per trigger filter, and that the Facebook integration and field mapping must be set up first.
- Connect the Facebook page and map the lead form fields, including phone and matter type, to contact fields.
- Add a consent line to the lead form that covers calls and texts from the firm.
- Build a workflow with the Facebook Lead Form Submitted trigger for that form.
- Send the first reply by text and email, using the table above.
- Create a call back task for the intake specialist due in 15 minutes, as in our intake task guide.
- Add a booking link and turn on Stop on Response.
- Ask the ad agency for its scripts and messages in writing, and review them.
Worked example
For example, if a firm's ads produce 100 leads a month and 30 currently wait more than an hour for a reply, the trigger and the task bring those 30 under a 15 minute target (100 times 0.3). Even a modest lift in booked consultations pays for the setup.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting the agency contact leads without review. The firm is responsible.
- Skipping the consent line. Consent should be on the form.
- Asking for case details by text. Book a call instead.
- Not mapping the phone field. The reply cannot go out without it.
How this was handled before
Facebook leads were exported to a spreadsheet and emailed to the firm in a daily batch. By the time someone called, the lead had moved on. A real time trigger removes the batch, and the rules on solicitation and agency conduct now matter more.
What to measure after launch
Track time from form to first reply, leads reached by phone, consultations booked, and cost per booked consultation. Compare lead sources monthly, and stop those that do not book.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Confirm your state's advertising and solicitation rules for texts, and register your number for A2P before launching. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Does the Facebook lead trigger fire in real time?
GoHighLevel's help pages say it does, once the integration and field mapping are configured.
Is a reply to a lead form a solicitation?
A communication in response to a request for information is not a solicitation under the Colorado version of the Model Rule comment. States differ.
Is the firm responsible for its ad agency?
ABA Formal Opinion 501 says a lawyer can be responsible when lead generators solicit on the lawyer's behalf and the lawyer orders, ratifies, or fails to train them.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.