Market Masters Legal – TV Advertising Blog

“Keep It Simple Stupid” or “Make It Super Sophisticated”?

My latest travels took me to visit with our licensees in Columbia, SC.  Frankly, it was long overdue, but I was welcomed warmly and enjoyed their true southern hospitality.  One of the most important things they wanted to accomplish was for me to see, first hand, the primary potential client base from which they need to draw in order to be successful.   So, they loaded me into their car and took me to Pig On The Ridge, an annual barbecue competition that draws from all around.  It gave me an opportunity to see, meet and speak with many good people that comprise what they consider to be their target demographic.  The point of this (beyond enjoying barbecue and my first taste of boiled peanuts) was that we all can get caught up in trying to look and be as sophisticated as possible in what we say and do as law firms.  It is natural to want to be impressive.  However, our licensees in Columbia correctly recognize the critical importance of communicating to their clientele on their level in a manner that they will best receive it.

The late American journalist, H.L. Mencken once said, “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”  I suppose that his intention is open to debate.  But one interpretation can certainly be that keeping it simple and direct, while still being impactful, is never a bad strategy.  In fact, it is the best strategy.  Nothing puts you in a better position to do that than the TV commercials produced by Market Masters-Legal …Period.  How is that for simple and direct?

Insurance Adjusters.

I just received a great email from one of our licensees.

“Yesterday I ran into an adjuster from an old client of ours, (name of company).  It was (name) and (name) may remember him.  He told me our TV ads were the best of any of the law firms.”

You know what?  This actually happens all the time.  Adjusters tell our licensees that they really like the TV commercials that we produce for them, and that they think they are the best ones they have seen.

No argument here.

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.