The Yellow Pages is a dying animal, yet over 70% of the bankruptcy lawyers I recently surveyed still use the medium to get out the message. I suspect that many do so because they still think it’s how people look for lawyers, but I’ll leave a Yellow Pages post to another day.
In addition, I recognize that some far-flung places may still have limited Internet access or people who are still used to thumbing through their Yellow Pages to find solutions to their problems.
Assuming you do use Yellow Pages for your practice, it’s important to do it correctly.
It’s got to be done right or it’s a waste of resources. So here, reluctantly, is my list of the best ways to maximize the value of your Yellow Pages ads.
- Put Your Picture On The Ad. It doesn’t matter if you’re old or young, skinny or fat, bald or sporting the latest ‘do. If you don’t have your smiling face there then you aren’t personalizing the ad. Studies have shown time and time again that people react to people much better than to words. Give your prospect a face to put to the solution.
- List Your Website. Even if you’ve got a double-truck ad, there’s very little space for people to gain a ton of information. Send them to your information-rich website so they can immerse themselves in the subject matter. This brings you a more informed potential client and is more likely to bring in an actual, paying client.
- Toll-Free Numbers. People with bill problems are looking to save money. And if your competitor foots the bill for the phone call but you don’t, they win. Yes, even if everyone in town has an unlimited calling plan. It’s the appearance of saving money that counts, just as much as the fact.
- Headlines Are Key. Most people who are looking in the Yellow Pages either (a) don’t want to file for bankruptcy in spite of where they’re looking, or (b) dont know they need to file for bankruptcy but merely know what solution they seek. Address the solution in a way they can understand, and in a manner that is as simple as possible.
- Hire A Graphic Designer. You’re spending a lot of money on a Yellow Pages ad, and you’re locked in for a year. If you let the Yellow Pages folks design your ad they’ll make it look like everyone else’s – and that makes you blend in. Bringing on a designer who understands direct response print advertising will get you more bang for your buck.
- Negotiate Like Crazy. Ad reps have closing dates for their books, and get a little . . . shall we say, desperate . . . as that deadline approaches. Couple this with the well-known fact that Yellow Pages are being used less frequently than ever before as people turn to the Internet for more information. Use this to your advantage and cut a deal like never before.
- Avoid The Same Old, Same Old. Every lawyer’s ad says the same thing. Say it differently, say it simply, and you’ll avoid being seen as hum-drum.
The trick here is to treat your Yellow Pages ad just like any other effective direct response ad you’d place in a newspaper or magazine. There’s got to be a persuasive headline, visual effects, and a call to action. Without those basic elements your Yellow Pages ad will just float along with all the others, and get promptly lost.
