The New Normal in Social Security Disability
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If you feel the work of a disability lawyer keeps getting harder, you’re not alone. Here’s the good news: You’re not alone in creating solutions, either. In this webinar, you'll learn what successful Social Security Disability firms look like today. We’ll present results of our nationwide survey of SSD lawyers. Together, we’ll explore what SSD firms are facing and how you might survive, if not even thrive, in the “New Normal.”
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The New Normal in Social Security Disability
- 1. NATHAN CHAPMAN PRESIDENT @NCHAPMANLA ALEX LUDWIG SR. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE CLARK CASTLE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE © 2016 HSR Group, Inc., d/b/a The Marketing Center ADAPTING TO THE THE NEW NORMAL @TMCNOLA | IN SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY
- 2. TODAY’S WEBINA R APPROVAL RATE1 IMPACTS ON FIRMS2 REWARDS OF WORKING3 4 FUTURE ACTION STEPS5 TODAY’S WEBINAR 6 TOP 10 QUALITIES
- 3. INTERACTIVE POLL WHAT IS YOUR FIRM’S APPROVAL RATE?
- 4. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 0-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% 41-50% 51-60% 61-70% 71-80% 81-90% 91-100% NUMBEROFJUDGES % DECISIONS RESULTING IN AWARD ALJ APPROVAL RATES BASED ON % DECISIONS RESULTING IN AWARD 9/26/15 THROUGH 8/26/16 (source: www.ssa.gov) APPROVAL RATES
- 5. APPROVAL RATES 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 0-33% 34-66% 66-100%NUMBEROFJUDGES % DECISIONS RESULTING IN AWARD ALJ APPROVAL RATES BASED ON % DECISIONS RESULTING IN AWARD 9/26/15 THROUGH 8/26/16 (source: www.ssa.gov)
- 6. NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF SOCIAL SECURITY ATTORNEYS *All results are non-scientific.
- 7. RESPONDENTS BY AGE 24% 65+ 7% 18 - 34 28% 35 - 49 41% 50 - 64
- 9. TMC CLIENTS VS. NON-TMC CLIENTS 52% TMC CLIENTS 30% NON-TMC CLIENTS 18% NO RESPONSE
- 10. APPROVAL RATE CHANGE 80% 9% 11% 5 YEARS AGO Approval rates fall Approval rates rise No change in approval rates 53% 19% 28% 2 YEARS AGO WE’RE IN A SLIGHT REBOUND PHASE
- 11. ACTUAL NATIONAL APPROVAL RATES 58% 5 YEARS AGO 45% 2 YEARS AGO 44% TODAY
- 12. 61% 2% 37% COMPARED TO 5 YEARS AGO, MY FIRM: Is more selective in the cases we take. Is less selective in the cases we take. Just as selective as we were 5 years go. 64% 0% 36% COMPARED TO 2 YEARS AGO, MY FIRM: INTAKE SCREENING SELECTIVITY SELECTIVITY SEEMS STABLE SINCE 2011
- 13. APPROVAL RATE TAKEAWAYS ALJ approval rates probably aren’t going to change. 1 Maybe we hit rock bottom and approval rates have stabilized. 2 3 Selectivity for firms has remained steady over the last 5 years.
- 14. TODAY’S WEBINA R TODAY’S WEBINAR APPROVAL RATE1 IMPACTS ON FIRMS2 REWARDS OF WORKING3 4 FUTURE ACTION STEPS5 6 TOP 10 QUALITIES
- 15. 39% 21% 40% COMPARED TO 2 YEARS AGO, MY FIRM'S COMPETITION HAS: COMPETITION MAY HAVE SLOWED IN THE LAST 2 YEARS 57% 18% 25% COMPARED TO 5 YEARS AGO, MY FIRM'S COMPETITION HAS: Increased. Decreased. Remained the same.
- 16. 30% 34% 36% COMPARED TO 2 YEARS AGO, MY FIRM: CASELOADS 35% 38% 27% COMPARED TO 5 YEARS AGO, MY FIRM: Has more cases than before. Has fewer cases than before. Has seen caseload remains steady. CASELOAD VOLUMES ARE EVENLY SPLIT
- 17. IMPACT ON FIRMS TAKEAWAYS 1 Competition up from 5 years ago. Competition has slowed from 2 years ago. 2 Changes in caseload volumes are evenly split between time periods. 3 Caseloads are “more steady” as of 2 years ago. 4
- 18. TODAY’S WEBINAR APPROVAL RATE1 IMPACTS ON FIRMS2 REWARDS OF WORKING3 4 FUTURE ACTION STEPS5 6 TOP 10 QUALITIES
- 19. INTERACTIVE POLL WHAT IS YOUR AVERAGE CASE FEE FOR 2016?
- 21. PERSONAL ENJOYMENT OF DISABILITY LAW 8% 51% 41% PRACTICE ENJOYMENT CHANGE (FROM 2 YEARS AGO) 9% 45% 46% PRACTICE ENJOYMENT CHANGE (FROM 5 YEARS AGO) Increased Decreased No Change HALF THE RESPONDENTS ENJOY SSD LESS ½
- 22. REWARDS OF WORKING TAKEAWAYS 1 2 Average case fee ($3,700) is bigger. Nearly half of attorneys enjoy SSD practice less.
- 23. TODAY’S WEBINA R TODAY’S WEBINAR APPROVAL RATE1 IMPACTS ON FIRMS2 REWARDS OF WORKING3 4 FUTURE ACTION STEPS5 6 TOP 10 QUALITIES
- 24. 30% 21% 49% Better than 2016 Worse than 2016 The same as 2016 WHAT’S YOUR OUTLOOK FOR 2017?
- 25. 52% 12% 36% (NON-TMC CLIENTS ONLY) WHAT’S YOUR OUTLOOK FOR 2017? 45% 45% 10% (TMC CLIENTS ONLY) Same as 2016 Better than 2016 Worse than 2016 TMC CLIENTS HAVE A MORE POSITIVE OUTLOOK
- 26. HOPE IS NOT A PLAN… 2017 OUTLOOK A PLAN IS HOP E
- 27. INTERACTIVE POLL HOW HAS YOUR OUTLOOK FOR 2017 CHANGED BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION?
- 28. EFFECT OF THE 2016 ELECTION ON SSD
- 29. FUTURE TAKEAWAYS 1 79% of respondents were neutral or positive about 2017. 2 TMC respondents nearly 4x more likely to have positive 2017 outlook. With solid marketing, you feel more in control of your future. 3
- 30. TODAY’S WEBINA R TODAY’S WEBINAR APPROVAL RATE1 IMPACTS ON FIRMS2 REWARDS OF WORKING3 4 FUTURE ACTION STEPS5 6 TOP 10 QUALITIES
- 31. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Invested More in Internet Decreased Internet Marketing Increased TV Spend Decreasted TV Spend Hired More Staff Hire More Attorneys Laid Off Staff Laid Off Attorneys Reduced Firm Overhead (Not Including Staff) More Selectivity in Intake Process DiversifiedHired STEPS TAKEN TO BOOST PROFITABILITY SIGNIFICANT SHIFT TO INTERNET MARKETING MARKETING PERSONNEL Decreased
- 32. STEPS TAKEN TO BOOST PROFITABILITY TMC CLIENTS MORE LIKELY TO HIRE ATTORNEYS, LESS LIKELY TO LAY OFF STAFF 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% More Internet Marketing Less Internet Marketing Increased TV Spend Decreased TV Spend Hired More Staff Hired More Attorneys Laid Off Staff Laid Off Attorneys Reduced Firm Overhead (Not Including Staff) More Selectivity in Intake Process Diversified TMC vs. NON-TMC CLIENTS TMC Clients Non-TMC Clients
- 33. ACTION STEPS TAKEAWAYS 1 Significant shift to Internet marketing. 2 TMC clients more likely to hire attorneys, less likely to lay off staff. 4 Non-TMC clients 3x more likely to cut TV, only ones to cut Internet marketing and 4x more likely to have negative 2017 outlook. TMC clients less likely to use case selectivity as a solution. 3
- 34. TACTICS TO SURVIVE & THRIVE
- 35. ADVICE FROM SURVEY RESPONDENTS DIVERSIFY YOUR PRACTICE “ STRESS INITIAL APP FILING AND INTERNET MARKETING “
- 36. YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE BAD CASES. “ TAKE SOME IFFY CASES BECAUSE JUDGES WANT TO DENY SOME. ADVICE FROM SURVEY RESPONDENTS
- 37. ADVICE FROM SURVEY RESPONDENTS CLIENTS MUST MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS PRIVATE BEFORE LEAVING THE INITIAL INTAKE MEETING. “ WARN CLIENTS ALL THE WAYS THEY CAN LOSE THEIR CASE “
- 38. TEXT CLIENTS FOR STATUS UPDATES: - KEEPING DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS - KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON ANY NEWS ABOUT THEIR CASE - ADDRESS CHANGES ADVICE FROM SURVEY RESPONDENTS “ PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR OFFICE TO HOLD VIDEO CONFERENCE HEARINGS.
- 39. TODAY’S WEBINAR APPROVAL RATE1 IMPACTS ON FIRMS2 REWARDS OF WORKING3 4 FUTURE ACTION STEPS5 6 TOP 10 QUALITIES
- 40. 10 QUALITIES OF TODAY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SSD FIRMS
- 41. 1 SOME LUCK 2 MULTIPLE ODARs 3 STRONG EMPHASIS ON INITIAL APPS “We have a full-time staff member who completes initial apps for clients 40 hrs/week.” 10 QUALITIES OF TODAY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SSD FIRMS
- 42. 4 ELECTRONIC SIGNUPS 5 MANAGING PARTNER MANAGES INTAKE PROCESS “Having attorneys available to immediately take and screen new callers as they come in is important” 10 QUALITIES OF TODAY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SSD FIRMS
- 43. 6 TV MOST EVERY WEEK OF THE YEAR 7 STRONG LEAD GEN OPTIMIZED WEBSITE SOPHISTICATED PAY-PER-CLICK PROGRAM 8 10 QUALITIES OF TODAY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SSD FIRMS
- 44. 9 AGENCY (TMC) MANAGES BOTH DIGITAL AND TV FOR MAXIMUM SYNERGY 10 QUALITIES OF TODAY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SSD FIRMS PUBLIC SPEAKING “Speak at support groups, disability conferences and doctor offices to add credibility. People recognize us as the ‘lawyers from the commercials’ and it leads to more referrals.” 10
- 45. TURN YOUR WEBSITE INTO A REVENUE-GENERATING MACHINE WEBINAR COMING IN JANUARY!
- 46. QUESTIONS?
Editor's Notes
- Introduce survey and say it will become an annual initiative.
- Mostly 35+
- Large representation
- 80% say approval rates are not what they were 5 years ago. Roughly half are saying approval rates are the same or better than 2 years ago. Roughly 20% is saying things are better. Conclusion: Maybe we hit bottom and are in the rebound.
- Discussion: What do you think about approval rates falling, but selectivity not following suit?
- Perception that competition has increased (58% from 5 years; 40% from 2 years). May have slowed in the last two years.
- Item 3: Up for 1/3; down for a 1/3; steady for a 1/3.
- Mention “Pre-Election”
- Nathan’s thoughts on the election. Maybe: We don’t know what Trump will do with SSD. No guarantee that a Dem president is better for SSD attorneys. Bad economies are good for SSD attorneys – joke: decide who has worst economic policy and vote for them. Since we don’t know the future, let’s talk about what people have done to-date. Pivot back to survey.
- TMC much more likely to invest more in digital marketing. TMC only ones likely to use TV more. Non-TMC clients were only ones who cut digital. TMC a little more likely to hire attorneys and less likely to layoff staff. TMC more likely to reduce firm overhead. TMC less likely to be more selective.
- Diversification. Spend time now or after you close your doors?
- Trying to cut way to happiness rarely makes you happy.
- You saw what our thoughts were about the future administration, but what are the Marketing Center’s thoughts about 2017 and beyond? When you can’t control ALJ approval rates, what exactly can marketing do to grow your practice? I get many leads right now, a lot are junk, how can improve the ones that are coming in?