No, not that kind of trial. Trial as in the way many apps are sold in the App store: “Download our app and try it before you buy it”. Customers try the app, see how it works, decide they like it and buy it. For many developers, a free trial results in more sales and higher profits. That’s why so many companies offer them.
And then there’s the legal world. Most lawyers don’t let anyone try before they buy. Clients either hire them or they don’t.
The risk is on the client and if a competitor offers any kind of free trial, many clients will hire them instead.
But that doesn’t mean lawyers should always offer a free trial, or even free consultations. They work for some practices and niches but may not work for yours. Or they might work but you might not be comfortable offering them.
Fortunately, there are other ways to get clients to try you before they hire you. And you may already use some of them.
Trial can be accomplished through free seminars, a newsletter, writing articles, blogs, and books. You might offer free downloads (forms, checklists, case studies, or other resources) on your website. You might do podcasts or videos or get interviewed by experts or influencers on their podcast or channel.
Prospective clients read or hear you speak about their legal situation or their industry, learn about solutions and opportunities that are available to them, and get a sense for what it would be like hiring or working with you.
They get a sample of what you offer, even though they haven’t actually hired you.
If they like what you say, and how you present it, they are more inclined to hire you than they might be if you required them to pay you first.
Free content, free consultations, free seminars, or even just a brief conversation with you could help let clients (and referral sources) try you before they buy you.
If it does, you might have a great way to bring in a lot of new business, and you don’t need an app to do it.
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