Market Masters Legal – TV Advertising Blog

In my very first blog post I described what I believe to be a common marketing mistake that law firms make.  That is asking the question “How did you hear about us?” when someone first contacts the firm.  I heard from a number of people who agreed, disagreed and/or wanted to know how to acquire this useful information.

To clarify my point, I did not say that one should never ask this question, but only that it should not be among the first ones that are asked.  So, when can you do it?  One licensee sent me this comment:

“I ask this specific question at the end of the first telephone contact with the client – after Intake has finished the intake and has passed the call through to me for further assessment and making an appointment- and also in my initial meeting with the client when I am signing them up.  Not the FIRST question…………And what usually ensues is a bit of a conversation with the new client about the many ways in which he/she has heard about our law firm.  Very often, one way they have heard about us is from another person.  Of course, they almost always say they are familiar with the TV ads……I find that the clients like being asked that question b/c it shows that I care about what the “thought process” was by which they ended up calling us.”

Excellent.

Establish rapport, cover their problems, make them feel like you will be taking care of them, and then ask the question in an “organic” way.  The information you receive in this fashion will be more accurate and valuable than hitting them with it up front.

Which  Approach To Lawyer Advertising Is Best?

Dignified or Memorable.

Dignified, by far, has been the approach of choice.  Lawyers on camera communicating how much they understand and care about those in need.  The belief is that this type of advertising will hit home with people in a way that will make them feel good about the firm and want to do business with them.  The problem with most ads in this category, in our opinion, is that they are weak at generating response and are easily forgotten.

There is a minority of attorneys who have chosen to take a more aggressive approach.  Hard hitting ads filled with visual and/or audio gimmicks that practically scream at the consumer. Most lawyers would not choose this strategy, and in fact abhor it.  While they lack dignity, they are memorable (even if it is for the wrong reasons).

There is a third choice.

Without question, the hardest thing to do is to consistently advertise in a way that is both memorable and dignified.  However, we believe it is the only way to maximize response among those currently in need of a lawyer, while building positive equity with the larger segment of the market at any given time that does not yet have the need.  Translation – more cases and better cases.  With Market Masters-Legal you do not have to choose one or the other.  You get both.