Intervention patterns · Public methodology

Four situations.
Four typical interventions.

SMD is a young firm: we don't publish client cases yet. Instead, here are the four intervention patterns the method addresses, with the levers pulled, the target KPIs, and the contractual commitments SMD systematically makes on each.

Full transparency. This page describes our method, not our track record. The figures shown are mission objectives (contractual targets), not client results on credit. SMD prefers honesty to fake social proof. When the first firms publish their real numbers, we'll add them — anonymised and verifiable.

Lawyers vertical. The four patterns below are calibrated on SMD's experience with law firms. The SCOPE™ method applies the same way to notaries and accountants — the patterns specific to those two professions will be documented as the first engagements come in.

Pattern 01
Family law firm5 to 10 people · metropolitan area6—9 months

Family law firm.
Intervention pattern.

Symptom

The firm has a recent site (redone in the last 24 months) that doesn't convert. The content echoes peers' vocabulary. The specialty pages are an undifferentiated list. Most cases still come from word of mouth — which mechanically plateaus.

lowOrganic traffic
< 1%Site contact rate
SMD method
  • Repositioning toward a narrow sub-specialty (e.g. high-conflict divorce, international inheritance, parental authority)
  • Rewriting the pillar pages with real keyword intent research
  • Rebuilding the conversion funnel: a 3-question qualification form
  • A public commitment to a defined response time (1h to 4h, business days)
  • Setting up multi-channel attribution tracking
Target outcome

The objective of an engagement like this is to take organic traffic from an anecdotal base to a measurable volume, and bring the contact rate to a level that pays back the initial investment. The firm regains control of its acquisition channel.

×2—×4Traffic objective, 8 months
2—4%Target contact rate
< 4hCommitted response time
Commitment, objective, measure — three distinct levels
Contractual commitmentTechnical deliverablesGreen Core Web Vitals (LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1) at delivery · 6 pillar pages written · internal linking · or fixed at no charge100% within SMD control · guarantee clause in the contract
Mission objectiveOrganic trafficObjective: ×2 within 6 months by deploying the method. Depends on Google and your starting point — not a guaranteeTargeted with method · depends on external factors (Google, market, starting point)
Tracking indicatorShared monthly reportingTraffic, Google rankings, contact rate — reported clearly each monthShared measurement · not a promise of results
Pattern 02
Business law firm3 to 8 people · SME/mid-market clients6—12 months

Business law firm.
Intervention pattern.

Symptom

The firm refuses to become a 'sales machine' but notices it's missing the right cases. No CRM, no intake qualification, no reporting. Leads get mixed — good cases and out-of-scope requests handled with the same level of attention.

70—85%Word of mouth
noneQualification system
SMD method
  • Setting up a lightweight CRM (Notion-based or equivalent — not Salesforce)
  • A 4-axis qualification form on the site (scope, urgency, budget, context)
  • Automatic lead sorting with explicit business rules
  • Weekly reporting: one dashboard, five KPIs maximum
  • Keeping word of mouth — the goal isn't to replace it but to complement it
Target outcome

The objective is to diversify the pipeline without commoditising it. Word of mouth stays central, but other channels complement it. The firm gains the ability to choose its cases rather than endure them, without becoming a factory.

40—50%Target word-of-mouth ratio
× 2—3Inbound volume objective
30—40%Take-on rate
Commitment, objective, measure — three distinct levels
Contractual commitmentInfrastructure & processLightweight CRM installed and operational · 4-axis qualification form · 5-KPI dashboard · or fixed at no charge100% within SMD control · guarantee clause in the contract
Mission objectiveChannel diversificationObjective: word of mouth under 60% of flow at 6 months. Depends on the firm’s organic mechanics — not a guaranteeTargeted with method · depends on external factors (Google, market, starting point)
Tracking indicatorAttribution by sourceOn every signing, the origin source is logged. Map updated monthlyShared measurement · not a promise of results
Pattern 03
Niche firm · rare specialty1 to 3 lawyers · technical B2B clients14 days (SCOPE™ only) then autonomy

Niche firm · rare specialty.
Intervention pattern.

Symptom

A firm with deep expertise in a niche (intellectual property, international law, specialised tax). Dated static site. Anecdotal traffic. Referred by peers but unable to capture prospects actively searching for the specialty online.

minimalMeasurable traffic
noneTracking installed
SMD method
  • SCOPE™ only — a 14-day diagnostic, delivered in person
  • A map of the real search intents your clients type
  • Three priorities ranked by impact × feasibility, actionable on your own
  • No long-term commitment — the firm then executes with its own means
  • Optional annual revisit to reassess the trajectory
Target outcome

The SCOPE™-only format suits firms that want to understand without outsourcing. The objective is a file you can act on yourself: what to do, in what order, and why. The ROI of SCOPE™ is usually covered by a single additional case.

14dDiagnostic duration
1Case = ROI covered
100%Autonomy after delivery
Commitment, objective, measure — three distinct levels
Contractual commitmentSCOPE™ deliveryFull file delivered on day 14 (calendar) or a full no-questions refund. Fixed fee, publicly displayed.100% within SMD control · guarantee clause in the contract
Mission objectiveFile actionabilityObjective: a file directly executable by the firm on its own. The outcome depends on post-delivery executionTargeted with method · depends on external factors (Google, market, starting point)
Tracking indicatorOptional 6-month follow-upIf you wish, a free check-in at 6 months to measure where you stand against the fileShared measurement · not a promise of results
Pattern 04
Employment law firm4 to 10 people · litigation and advisory4—8 months

Employment law firm.
Intervention pattern.

Symptom

The site is technically failing: Core Web Vitals in the red, high bounce rate, broken on mobile. The firm pays for Google Ads to send traffic to a site that rejects it. High acquisition cost, low conversion — the economics are broken.

70—85%Bounce rate
> 4sLoad time
SMD method
  • A full technical rebuild (Next.js or a modern equivalent, mobile-first)
  • Rewriting 6 to 8 pillar pages targeting precise intents (settlement agreement, harassment, negotiation)
  • Setting up the SMD pre-qualification form
  • A gradual, measured wind-down of Google Ads — as SEO takes over
  • Controlled handover: as long as SEO doesn’t cover it, the Ads keep running
Target outcome

The objective is to turn a cost (Google Ads) into an investment (SEO + a new site). Over 18 to 24 months, total marketing cost drops while inbound volume rises. The firm leaves the rental logic and enters the asset logic.

< 30%Target bounce rate
< 24hFirst-contact time
−50%Ads budget at 6 months
Commitment, objective, measure — three distinct levels
Contractual commitmentTechnical performanceGreen Core Web Vitals (LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, INP < 200ms) · technical rebuild delivered by day 90 · or fixed at no charge100% within SMD control · guarantee clause in the contract
Mission objectiveGoogle Ads reductionObjective: −50% of Ads budget at 6 months as SEO takes over. Handover decided together, not imposedTargeted with method · depends on external factors (Google, market, starting point)
Tracking indicatorLighthouse + CWV performanceAutomated monthly measurement, shared in the piloting dashboardShared measurement · not a promise of results
Next step

Does your firm
recognise one of these patterns?

SCOPE™ is the entry point: 14 days to check whether your situation matches one of the patterns described, and to set the mission trajectory. Fixed fee, contractual delivery, no commitment to continue.

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