In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, FindLaw Senior Director of Strategic Development and Thought Leadership Mark Jacobsen talks with Jared Correia about the 2015 U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey.

The study asks a consistent set of questions to a randomly selected group of consumers, ages 18 and over, who have had (or have family members who have had) legal concerns that they consider important or very important. Mark reveals that they typically receive around 2,000 responses and ensure a clean survey pool by disqualifying anyone who works for a law firm or marketing services group that does business with law firms. The purpose of the survey is to understand the mindset, preferences, and motivations of the consumer as they realize their legal problem and take steps toward rectifying it. The results of the 2015 survey reveal that 58% of consumers choose to contact a legal professional upon recognizing that they have a legal issue, and Mark analyzes the most influential of the eight core motivators, like aversion to risk and desire for competent representation, on consumer decision making when purchasing legal services. Mark continues with this investigation and provides examples of how law firms can use these buyer impulses to better market to potential clients. He also discusses the importance of social media and the mobile sphere in finding new clients and provides tips attorneys can use to show expertise and build trust in these respective spaces. The interview closes with advice to help lawyers and law firms optimally balance their marketing efforts between online and offline resources.

Mark Jacobsen leads a team focused on the early stage development of products, services, and capabilities to help law firms generate new business opportunities and grow the quality and quantity of their clients. Before joining FindLaw, Mark was a pioneer in the software and Web development sectors. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences on such topics as digital marketing strategy, search, web development, project management, online learning, and interactive multimedia applications.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.