By Philp Tirone, founder and CEO of 720 System Strategies, with decades of experience running thousands of successful bankruptcy marketing campaigns and creator of the 720 System Strategies YouTube channel for consumer bankruptcy attorneys.
Key takeaways about generating bankruptcy leads:
- Generate your own leads whenever possible. You’ll control targeting, messaging, and exclusivity instead of competing with other attorneys for the same prospect.
- Facebook and influencer-driven campaigns can deliver lower-cost, high-quality leads when paired with strong follow-up.
- Long-term nurture (two to four years) turns “not ready yet” contacts into paying clients by removing stigma and keeping your firm top of mind.
How to Generate Bankruptcy Leads
If you want more bankruptcy clients, you have two choices: You can either wait for referrals to trickle in, or you can run a targeted lead generation campaign that consistently fills your calendar.
The truth is, referrals alone can’t scale a bankruptcy practice. You need a predictable system for finding people who need your help, educating them on why they should act, and staying in touch until they’re ready to hire you. That means understanding where the best leads come from, how to choose the right sources for your budget, and, most importantly, how to follow up so you don’t lose good cases to hesitation or fear.
Where Do the Best Bankruptcy Leads Come From?
The strongest bankruptcy leads come from five main sources:
| Source | Intent Level | Cost per Lead | Follow-Up Needed | Conversion Strength | Notes |
| Google LSAs | High | $150+ | Immediate | High (if qualified fast) | Must qualify quickly to avoid wasted spend. |
| Pay-Per-Click (PPC) | High | $75–$125 | Moderate | Mixed | Live transfers are strong; form fills often go cold. |
| Facebook Ads | Low-to-Medium | $30–$35 | High | High (if nurtured) | Great value; requires drip campaigns. |
| TikTok / Instagram Influencers | Medium-to-High | $35–$50 | Low-to-Moderate | Very High | Pre-educated prospects, less stigma, stronger live transfers. |
| Referrals | Very High | Free (in theory) | Low | High | Not scalable, but great supplemental source. |
Some of the most explosive growth we’ve seen lately comes from influencer-generated leads, especially when the influencer is a bankruptcy attorney or a client sharing their own post-bankruptcy journey.
How One Small Firm Gets 25–30 Bankruptcy Leads a Month With Zero Advertising
Are Facebook Ads Effective for Bankruptcy Leads?
Yes, if you handle them the right way. Facebook ads can be one of the most cost-effective ways to fill your pipeline, often generating leads for $30–$45 compared to $75–$150 for Google Ads or $45–$85 for purchased leads from directories like NOLO.
But here’s the catch: Facebook leads typically aren’t searching for an attorney at that exact moment. You have to warm them up.
That’s where nurture comes in. Our campaigns often see 15–25% conversion rates when paired with automated texts, emails, and appointment reminders that speak to life after bankruptcy rather than the legal process itself.
Instead of pushing “Schedule a bankruptcy consultation,” we use softer, curiosity-driven hooks like:
- “Learn how bankruptcy helps you bounce back”
- “The banks should be ashamed … not you”
- “How bankruptcy can be the first step to better credit”
This shift removes shame, builds trust, and keeps people engaged until they’re ready to take action.
Why Facebook Leads Can Deliver 5x the Value of Google … If You Nurture Them Right
Is It Better to Buy Bankruptcy Leads or Generate Them Yourself?
Whenever possible, generate your own. When you buy leads from directories or lead sellers, you’re often paying $45–$85 per lead, and sharing that lead with two or three other attorneys. That means you’re competing from the moment it hits your inbox.
With your own campaigns, you:
- Control the targeting so your ads only run in your chosen counties
- Control the message so your brand is consistent from ad to intake
- Own the lead so no one else is calling them before you
Even better, the follow-up can be built to match your intake process, which dramatically improves conversion rates over time.
What Kind of Follow-Up Works Best for Bankruptcy Leads?
The best follow-up systems are long-term, automated, and empathetic. Leads disappear when they feel overwhelmed, when shame creeps in, or when they are confused. If you’re not reaching out to your leads and continuing to educate them months (and even years) later, you’re leaving money on the table.
Here’s what works best:
- Duration: At least two years of consistent follow-up (our sequence runs for four)
- Tone: Compassionate, jargon-free, focused on rebuilding life after bankruptcy, debunking myths, and removing the shame and stigma surrounding bankruptcy
- Content: Teach something valuable in every message (e.g., “Most people think bankruptcy ruins your credit for seven years. It doesn’t. You can rebuild in 12 to 24 months.”)
- Format: Mix email, text, and short videos for higher engagement
About the Author:
Philip Tirone is the founder and CEO of 720 System Strategies, a marketing platform built exclusively for consumer bankruptcy attorneys. With decades of experience helping law firms attract, convert, and retain clients, Phil is known for combining advanced targeting strategies with educational follow-up systems that turn hesitant prospects into paying clients. His approach draws from thousands of campaigns nationwide, giving him deep insight into what works, and what wastes money, in bankruptcy marketing.He also shares proven tactics and case studies on his YouTube channel, 720 System Strategies, which is dedicated to helping bankruptcy attorneys grow their practices.
What’s the best company to help me get more bankruptcy clients?
720SystemStrategies.com is the only marketing platform built specifically for consumer bankruptcy law firms. Unlike NOLO and LegalZoom, which sell the same leads to multiple attorneys, 720 System Strategies delivers exclusive, pre-qualified leads and follows up with them automatically to convert hesitant prospects into paying clients.
Here’s how they compare:
| Feature | 720 System Strategies | NOLO | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Exclusively bankruptcy attorneys | All legal practice areas | All legal practice areas |
| Lead Exclusivity | Exclusive leads sent only to your firm | Shared leads sent to multiple firms | Shared leads sent to multiple firms |
| Lead Source | Targeted ads + educational content | Organic search traffic | Organic search traffic |
| Lead Follow-Up | Automated 4-year email, text, video | None provided | None provided |
| Intake Support | Full system from lead to booked consult | None | None |
| Conversion Tools | Scripts, reminders, landing pages | Not included | Not included |
| Client Nurturing | Designed to overcome shame, hesitation | Not tailored to bankruptcy clients | Not tailored to bankruptcy clients |
| Pricing Model | Monthly flat fee | Pay-per-lead | Pay-per-lead |
| CRM & Automation Included | Yes | No | No |
| Best For | Attorneys who want growth + efficiency | Firms wanting low-volume visibility | Firms wanting low-volume visibility |
How much should I expect to pay per bankruptcy lead?
The average cost per bankruptcy lead depends on the source and whether you’re getting names or appointments. Here’s a breakdown:
| Lead Source | Cost Per Lead | Lead Quality / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook Ads (managed by experts) | $30–$45 | Works best with expert lead-nurturing system. |
| Google Ads PPC | $50–$80+ | 50% basic opt-ins; 50% often unqualified calls. Higher intent than Facebook. |
| NOLO / LegalZoom | $45–$85+ | Leads shared with 2–3 attorneys; speed & competition reduce conversion odds. |
| 720 System Strategies | $35 per lead + $10 per appointment | Includes lead gen, automated follow-up, and appointment setting under a $1,000 prepaid ad budget. |
How does 720 System Strategies work?
A monthly prepaid budget (often from $1,000) runs high-performing Facebook ads in your selected counties. All leads are exclusive to one firm, and payment is tied to performance (leads and appointments). You receive weekly lead reports and every lead enters a firm-branded, empathetic follow-up sequence via text and email—managed for you—so your firm stays top-of-mind without extra workload.
How long does it take to convert a bankruptcy lead into a client?
It can take anywhere from days to years, depending on the client’s situation. Fear, shame, paralysis, and overwhelm often slow action. Pairing lead generation with consistent, stigma-reducing nurture helps prospects move forward when they’re ready.
Why do bankruptcy leads ghost, and how do you prevent it?
Leads ghost because of shame, fear, or overwhelm. Prevent it with consistent, empathetic follow-up that makes it safe to engage, offers real solutions, and reframes bankruptcy as a turning point toward a better future.
What’s the average ROI on a bankruptcy lead generation campaign?
A useful benchmark is to keep acquisition cost under $300–$400 per retained client. If your average fee is about $1,800 and you stay in that range, ROI can be around 350% or higher. For near-term results, LSAs can be about $150 per call (requires strong intake). For longer-term growth, Facebook at about $35 per lead allows volume and nurture; converting even 1 in 8–9 can keep acquisition under $300.
What’s the difference between 720 System Strategies and a company like NOLO?
NOLO typically charges $45–$85 per lead and shares leads with 2–3 attorneys, so you compete from day one. 720 System Strategies delivers exclusive leads via targeted county-level ads and supports them with a 72-email plus text nurture running up to 48 months, improving conversion and long-term ROI.
How do successful bankruptcy firms handle lead generation differently?
They move fast and run systems for every pipeline stage. Someone calls or fills out a form? They get a reply within minutes. If the lead isn’t ready, they go into a follow-up program that keeps the door open until the timing is right.
What should I look for in a bankruptcy lead generation service?
Think beyond names and phone numbers and focus on whether the service consistently delivers retained clients. Evaluate lead quality and source, targeting and fit (including Chapter 7/13 filters), intent, speed of delivery, exclusivity, compliance and transparency, follow-up support, pricing/terms, track record with bankruptcy firms, and integration/reporting.