PPC leads are not the same as referral leads. A referral arrives warm: someone they trust has already vouched for you. They are calling to schedule, not to evaluate. A PPC lead arrives cold: they clicked your ad 90 seconds ago, they have your competitor’s tab still open in their browser, and they will be off the phone in 12 minutes either way. Your intake team has one shot.
Most law firms use the same intake script for both. That is why their PPC leads convert at half the rate of their referral leads. Same training, same script, completely different conversation. A proper legal intake script for PPC leads acknowledges what makes paid leads different and adapts the conversation accordingly.
Here is the 5-part script that converts. Built specifically for paid leads. Trainable in one sitting.
Why PPC Leads Behave Differently
Three things make paid leads harder to convert than referral leads. The script handles each one.
They are comparison shopping in real time
Someone searching “divorce attorney Richmond” right now is looking at five law firms in the same 10-minute window. They will call two or three of them. The firm that handles the call best wins the consultation. The other firms get a voicemail and a callback that does not happen.
They have lower commitment levels
Referral leads have already decided they need a lawyer. PPC leads are often still figuring out whether they even need one. “Maybe I can handle this myself.” “Maybe I should wait.” “Maybe my friend was wrong.” Your intake person is selling the consultation, not the firm.
They have shorter attention windows
Average PPC lead phone call: 8 to 14 minutes. Average referral lead phone call: 18 to 30 minutes. You have roughly half the time to book the consultation. The script has to be efficient or the call ends before you have closed.
The 5-Part Script
Each part has a specific job. Skip any one of them and conversion drops. Here is the full structure, with example language for a family law firm. Adapt the wording to your practice area, but keep the structure.
Part 1: Open with confidence and confirm the right place
First 10 seconds. Goal: signal competence and confirm fit.
Example: “Good morning, thanks for calling [Firm Name], this is Sarah. Are you looking for help with a family law matter today?”
Why this works: it confirms the caller reached the right firm, signals a warm professional tone, and immediately establishes that the firm handles the matter. Most intake openings are vague (“how can I help you?”). Specific is better than open.
Part 2: Acknowledge and qualify with one question
Next 60 seconds. Goal: make the caller feel heard while quickly establishing whether they are a fit.
Example: “I’m sorry you’re going through this. Before I connect you with one of our attorneys, can I ask, are you currently in Virginia, and is this a matter that’s already been filed in court, or are you trying to figure out your next step?”
Why this works: empathy first, qualification second. The two-part question (jurisdiction + filing status) handles 80 percent of disqualification cases without making the caller feel interrogated. Out-of-jurisdiction callers self-eliminate. Tire kickers usually reveal themselves in the answer.
Part 3: Position the consultation as the next obvious step
Minutes 2 to 4. Goal: take the consultation from a maybe to a yes by making it the natural action.
Example: “That helps me understand. What we typically do at this point is set you up with a 30-minute consultation with one of our attorneys. They’ll walk you through your options, what filing would look like, and whether you even need to file. There’s no obligation after that. We have openings this Thursday at 2 or Friday at 10, which works better?”
Why this works: it does not ask “would you like to book a consultation?” It assumes the consultation. It also gives a binary choice (Thursday or Friday), which is far more likely to close than an open question (“when works for you?”). The mention of “no obligation after that” defuses the buying resistance specific to cold leads.
Part 4: Handle the price question if it comes up
Optional, but happens on 40 percent of PPC calls. Goal: neutralize the price question without losing the consultation.
Example: “That’s a great question. Our consultation fee is $150, and we apply that fee to your retainer if you decide to work with us. The reason it’s not free is that our attorneys spend the full 30 minutes giving you specific legal advice, which is the same advice we’d be giving you as a client. Most people find it’s worth $150 to walk out knowing exactly where they stand. Do you want to lock in Thursday or Friday?”
Why this works: it answers the price question directly (do not dodge), justifies the price with a benefit, and immediately re-closes on the consultation. Most intake teams answer the price question and then go quiet. The script keeps the momentum.
Part 5: Confirm and set the next contact
Last 60 seconds of the call. Goal: lock in the booking and reduce no-shows.
Example: “Perfect, I have you down for Thursday at 2 PM with Attorney Williams. You’ll get a confirmation email in the next five minutes and a reminder text the morning of the consultation. If anything changes, just reply to that text and we’ll reschedule. Anything else I can answer right now?”
Why this works: it confirms specifics (day, time, attorney name), sets expectations for the next contact, and offers a low-friction way to reschedule. PPC leads no-show at higher rates than referral leads; the explicit confirmation step cuts no-shows by 30 to 40 percent.
The script is not magic. It just removes friction at every step where most intake conversations stall. Hesitation kills PPC bookings faster than anything else.
Common Objections and How to Handle Them
Objection: “I just have a quick question, I don’t think I need a consultation”
Response: “I totally understand. The thing is, most quick questions in family law have answers that depend on facts your situation has but I don’t know yet. The consultation is where you get an actual answer based on your specific facts. If after the consultation you decide you don’t need our help, that’s totally fine. Want to grab Thursday at 2?”
Objection: “Let me think about it and call back”
Response: “Of course. While we’re on the phone, can I tentatively hold a spot for you? That way if you decide to move forward, you don’t have to play phone tag. If you decide not to, just reply to the confirmation email and the slot opens back up. Thursday at 2 or Friday at 10?”
Objection: “How much will the whole case cost?”
Response: “That’s the most important question, and the honest answer is it depends on the complexity of your situation. The consultation is where the attorney can give you a realistic range based on your specifics. We don’t quote case fees on the phone because we don’t want to mislead you. Thursday at 2 works to get you that answer?”
Objection: “I’m calling around to compare”
Response: “That’s smart. Most people we work with talked to two or three firms first. What I’d suggest is doing the consultation with us, then deciding. The consultation gives you something concrete to compare, not just a phone impression. Thursday at 2?”
Training Your Team in One Sitting
This script is trainable in 90 minutes. Here is how to roll it out.
Minute 0 to 15: Walk through the structure
Read the full script with the team. Explain why each part exists. Take questions. Most intake people will push back on at least one piece (usually the assumed-close in Part 3). Hear them out, then ask them to try it the new way for 30 days before judging.
Minute 15 to 45: Role-play
Pair up. One person plays the caller, one plays the intake. Run through three scenarios: a clear-fit lead, an out-of-jurisdiction lead, and a tire-kicker who asks about price. Switch roles. Repeat.
Minute 45 to 75: Listen to actual calls
Pull three or four recent PPC call recordings. Listen as a team. Identify where the existing approach matched the new script, where it diverged, and what the diverging moments cost. Most teams find at least one moment per call where they accidentally killed momentum.
Minute 75 to 90: Commit to the rollout
Agree on the start date (usually the following Monday), the success metric (booked consultations per qualified lead), and the review cadence (weekly for the first month, then monthly). Print the script. Tape it to the intake desk.
What to Measure After the Rollout
Track these four metrics weekly for the first month, then monthly.
- Booked consultation rate (consultations / qualified leads): should rise 20 to 40 percent within 30 days
- Time on call (PPC leads only): should stay stable or drop; if it rises significantly, intake is straying from the script
- No-show rate: should drop 20 to 40 percent in 30 days
- Cost per booked consultation: should drop 25 to 35 percent within 30 days as more of the same leads convert
If you do not see movement in three of these four metrics within 30 days, the script is not being followed consistently. Listen to calls again, identify the drift, retrain.
Why This Connects to Marketing
A working intake script multiplies marketing budget. Same ad spend, more booked consultations, more signed retainers. We covered the full intake-marketing connection in our companion guide on law firm intake and marketing alignment, which goes deeper into how the two functions should report and meet together.
The script alone gets you 70 percent of the conversion improvement. The full alignment framework gets you the other 30 percent and makes the gains stick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use the same script for SEO and referral leads?
No. SEO and referral leads have different psychology than PPC leads. Referral leads need less qualification and more relationship-building. SEO leads sit in between. Use this PPC script for paid leads, and a slightly different script for organic and referral leads. Most firms run two or three scripts in parallel.
How long until I see results from a new script?
Booked consultation rate usually moves within 14 days. No-show rate takes 30 days because you need a full cycle of bookings. Cost per signed client takes 60 to 90 days because retainer decisions lag.
What if my intake team refuses to use a script?
Reframe it as a framework, not a script. Most intake people resist memorized lines but accept structural guidance. Position it as “here is the order things should happen in” rather than “here is what to say word for word.” Comply with the structure, adapt the words to their voice.
Can a virtual receptionist service use this script?
Yes, and they should. Most virtual receptionist services will accept a custom script if you provide it. Have them practice the role-play scenarios in Section 4 before going live. Without the role-play, they will read the script flatly and conversion will not improve.
Get Help Implementing the Script
If your PPC leads are converting at less than half the rate of your referral leads, your intake script is the highest-leverage change you can make. We help law firms adapt this script to their practice area, train the intake team, and measure the rollout. Most firms see measurable conversion improvement within 30 days.
Want help training your intake team on a PPC-specific script?
Book your free 15-min strategy call at getgoinginbusiness.com
Related: Why Your Law Firm’s Intake Team and Marketing Team Aren’t Aligned →

