A potential client calls, schedules a consultation, comes in and meets with you, and then retains you. How long did it take from the time of the call to the time of the retainer?

On average, how long does it take for all of your clients? Can you accelerate the process? Can you improve one part of the conversion process?

Figuring it out requires data, and that’s where a “Prospect to Client Tracking Spreadsheet” comes into play.

Note the name of every prospect when he or she calls. Record the date of the call, the date of the consult, and the date of the retainer. Count the days between each step in the process.

Start looking for patterns. Graph each step. You might even get fancy and record who took the call and whether some of your staff set up consults with a higher rate of retention than others. Of course, you should ask all prospective clients how they came to call your office—how were they referred?

This data—this spreadsheet—is the cornerstone of improving your practice scientifically. You’ve got to start recording data somewhere, and this is the best place to start.

Once you’ve got some data, you’ll start seeing the potential for improvement. You can’t win the game if you don’t know the score. Create your scoreboard today.