(Hint: It’s Not Just “Collect All the Data”)
And there it is—everything you need to know about reporting and how not to be a boss.
But seriously… let’s talk numbers.
And not in the boring, engineer-with-a-spreadsheet way.
Metrics Aren’t the Goal — Decisions Are
When it comes to metrics / KPIs / reports / data / whatever you want to call it, you’re juggling three things:
- Your ability to capture the data
- Your ability to make decisions from the data
- The time and effort it takes to do both
Here’s the hot take:
Some of you are collecting too much data.
But that’s not today’s problem—because let’s be honest:
90% of lawyers aren’t even tracking their leads.
The One Thing I Did Right (Possibly the Only Thing)
When I started my firm, I tracked where every single lead came from.
Every.
Single.
One.
If you are not doing that yet—please start. Immediately. Today.
(Use a simple sheet if you have to. Fancy can come later.)
For us now:
- Lawmatics → firm data
- AgencyAnalytics → marketing data
Across Jordan Law and LegalEase Marketing.
Why Tracking Actually Matters
I love my gut.
Not in that way.
And honestly—it’s usually right.
But sometimes… it’s very wrong.
And without numbers, I don’t know which decisions were smart and which ones were just vibes.
There’s nothing better than data confirming your instinct.
There’s nothing worse than never checking—and repeating the same mistakes over and over.
In theory:
If you track the right things
…and adjust based on results
…you cannot lose long-term.
This isn’t “infinite monkeys with typewriters.”
This is taking the typewriters away from the monkeys who will never write Shakespeare and saving yourself time, money, and energy.
If you’re overwhelmed:
– Don’t worry about the past.
– Just start tracking today.
So… What Should You Actually Track?
There are two kinds of metrics:
Leading Indicators
What you do
Lagging Indicators
What you get
Example:
If I make a TV show and slap the word Marvel on it
(leading indicator)…
I will make a ridiculous amount of money
(lagging indicator).
Real Leading Indicators
- Ad impressions
- Networking lunches
- Direct mail pieces sent
- Cold calls
(ABC… coffee is for closers… hustle porn… thankfully not our model)
Lagging Indicators
- Phone calls
- Consults
- Cases closed
- Revenue collected
- % of cases from prior clients
You want both.
Why?
Because leading indicators are easier to change.
It’s much easier to:
- host another webinar
than - magically convince four more people to hire you.
The Funnel (When It Finally Clicks)
Once this is dialed in—and paired with a consistent sales process—you can literally see your firm in real time:
- $1,000 in ad spend
→ X impressions
→ Y clicks
→ Z consults
→ hired clients
→ average $$$ per case
Now you’re not guessing.
You’re adjusting dials.
And yes—this applies to:
- ads
- referrals
- social media
- networking
IF you track the right things
AND have consistent systems.
Okay, But HOW Do I Track All This?
Great question. I’m glad you asked.
Classic lawyer answer:
It depends.
But here’s the practical version:
Social Media
Hardest to track to cases—but you can track:
- impressions
- clicks
- engagement
Digital Ads
Much easier:
- clicks
- impressions
- conversions
Macro-Level Tracking
- Use different landing pages
- QR codes on mailers
- Call tracking numbers (CallRail is great)
And the Most Underrated Method…
Ask every single lead how they found you.
You’d be shocked how often:
- it looks like Google
- but it was actually a referral
- and they just Googled you to confirm
That distinction matters.
Final Reality Check
Once tracking is set up:
- give it time
- let patterns emerge
When something doesn’t work:
- cut it
- tweak it
- or give it more time
Knowing which one to do is the hardest part for all of us.
And if you still don’t know where to start…
A Little Help (Newsletter Readers Only )
If you’re using Lawmatics, we’re offering a newsletter-only setup:
$500 to build reports for:
- Leads
- Retainers
- Invoices
- Hired cases
Bonus:
When you mention this newsletter to get the deal…
I get to track it.
Hooray.
And also very meta.
Final Thought
Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t been tracking.
Nothing will ever be perfect.
We’re aiming for progress.
Because tracking is the first step toward consistency.
And consistency is what moves you toward your BHAGs.
Growth toward what you actually want.
Have a great weekend.