Yellow Pages Still Worth It?

I just returned from the Great Legal Marketing Super Conference 2009, and as is usually the case, there were many discussions about whether or not advertising in the Yellow Pages is a viable option any longer for law firms.

My take on this is that the Yellow Pages can still be an effective advertising medium for lawyers in certain areas, but only if they take an entirely new approach. One of the biggest problems with most lawyer ads in the Yellow Pages is that they all look identical. If you still have a book around the office, take a moment to thumb through it, and you'll see exactly what I am talking about. Page after page of "No Recovery, No Fee" or "We'll Fight for You", pictures of serious-looking attorneys, long lists of practice areas, and boasts about many years of experience.

There is absolutely no differentiation, and you can see why it would be so hard for a prospective client to find you among the crowd. Plus, the Yellow Pages rep isn't doing you any favors, either, because they simply want you to sign up for that double truck ad that looks just like the one your competitor is doing. It's really kind of a crazy, frustrating system when you think about it.

But, there is a better way.

If you make the decision to invest in the Yellow Pages, do yourself a favor and follow these tips:

• Focus on just one type of client you are seeking or on one practice specialty (people are more likely to consider you an expert in that one specialty than if you list 20 practice specialties). It doesn't mean that you should restrict your practice to one specialty, but your marketing should give the impression that you are focused on just one.
• Develop a compelling headline that speaks to a prospective client rather than boasts about your firm.
• Offer a free report, or better yet, a free book (again, the expert factor is huge with this).
• Give people two or three easy ways to respond to get your free information, including a pre-recorded message that's available 24 hours a day.
• Use a unique phone number and Web landing page dedicated to just the Yellow Pages ad.
• Track your results.

Following the tips listed above will differentiate you from 99% of the lawyers out there and go a long way toward helping you develop a truly effective Yellow Pages ad. Plus, you'll enjoy the satisfaction of getting a real return on your marketing investment rather than just making a donation to your local Yellow Pages rep each year.

For additional information about effective Yellow Pages advertising, take a look at www.yellowpagesprofit.com.