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How to create an effective ad for your law firm or legal business
Letting people know about your law firm or legal business is as essential to your success as the skills you bring to the courtroom. Getting clients to use your services can be a daunting task, especially in the midst of stiff competition. You see legal ads and billboards everyday in all forms. So how do you stand out and make your service attractive in the competitive legal landscape? Simple: with clear messages and straightforward, easy to read advertising.
Keep your tone and image professional
As you know, the legal industry is a serious business. Your legal ads should not be funny or witty. You want to position yourself as a powerful, trustworthy professional. To do this, avoid any creative font types or fun images. Instead, use clear, professional images of yourself and your team with standard font types. Think clean and simple. Your clients are looking for someone to help them win a crucial case or advise them on important matters, not someone to have a drink with. Your ads should reflect that.
Think from your potential clients’ perspectives
In an industry with a reputation for overwhelming expenses, you need to show potential clients your human side. They’re going to spend a lot of money on your help through a stressful situation. What makes you want to help them? What sets you or your firm apart from others? If your focus is family law, you probably try to comfort and assure your clients that you can help make things right for their families. This should come through in your ads. Show people what it would really be like to use your services.
Be careful about what you advertise
It’s important to make sure what you’re advertising is legal and ethical. This primarily means that it should be truthful. Anything misleading can land you in legal trouble. You don’t want to be the one needing a lawyer! The American Bar Association also says that you can’t list anything as a specialty unless you’re certified in that area. As you’re creating your ad, check your local government and bar association’s guidelines to make sure you’re meeting their ethical standards. Making sure you are aware of the guidelines is crucial for your legal business.
Use testimonials
Again, the legal industry has a reputation for being, well, greedy. But the good news is that you can combat that! Using truthful testimonials from satisfied clients shows prospective clients that your services work. Testimonials are a powerful way to show people that with your services they’re not just going to waste thousands of dollars on a case without a chance. You need mutual trust in this industry, and testimonials can help build that.
Target the right audiences
Think about the types of people who need your services. Again, if you are a niche lawyer focusing on family law, then be sure to target families only and avoid including general audiences in your campaign. If you are an auto injury attorney, you may want to include broader audiences since drivers make up a large portion of the population. Hyper-targeted campaigns may also be helpful, as they can lead to referrals.
What platforms and formats work best for the legal industry?
Video works well in the legal industry because it allows you to communicate a longer message directly to your audience. While many might simply scroll past a generic legal ad with a picture of a gavel and some text, a video might catch their eye. We highly suggest using video for platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
Don’t forget about a website for your legal business
Make sure you also have a great website that’s easy to navigate. Choosing a lawyer is a big decision, and people are going to want to do their research before they jump in. You can make that process easier with an ad that directs people to a website with clear, important information about your law firm or legal business.
Ready to create the first campaign for your legal business? For more information on determining your ad budget, contact us today or schedule a consultation.
