Today, I have a guest blogger.  Gail Jordan, a legal advertising consultant based in the Greater Cincinnati area.

But they are lowering (many times significantly) the fee for their print telephone directories if you participate in their local paid online product. It’s no secret that Yellow Page print most often will cost more if you do not let them (directory companies) do what they want with YOUR business information – like placing it on their IYP product.  Could this be viewed as coercion?

I don’t know about you, but I am extremely uncomfortable with how they are approaching the transition from print to online.

It’s my opinion that they are conditioning you to continue the monthly-paying habit, so when print is someday ruled obsolete you will easily transition to their online product without a complaint.

In fact, I’ve seen several huge increases for renewal rates for online yellow page listings.  Will law firms soon be looking at fees for the local online product that are equal to the print product?  I don’t know, but I do know this.  The yellow page industry does have a survival battle plan.

So, if you’re a yellow page print customer, would you purchase space on the local online product if the yellow page print product was not discounted?  Many would not because the local IYP’s are still in their infancy.

And the local online products are relatively new so many are not sure of its significance or the impact it will have for local online searches.

Will the local online product become an effective marketing tool for attorneys like the print product has been in the past?  Perhaps.

But today, it’s a flip of the coin.

I’ve recently removed several law firms I work with from the local IYP product they were tied to.

The end result – none of them suffered any decline in business after removing them from the local online product.

Yet I have also had success with a national IYP (superpages.com) in NY.

My advice is this.  Be wary when your local yellow page rep calls.  IYP is not yet ready for prime time and you might get yourself in a long term contract you regret.

The Yellow Pages suck. I hear it every day….I read about it every day.

And it’s from every type of business you can think of.

And for Attorneys that use the yellow pages, the complaints are becoming a loud roar and many are canceling their ads.

But for many practice areas, that can be a huge mistake.

Why? Because your potential clients are STILL using this resource to find an attorney when they need one.

Here’s a breakdown of where the “average” law firm get new clients in today’s market:

• Referrals – an average of 50%
• Internet – an average of 30%
• Yellow Pages – an average of 20%

Look at the numbers. The fact is that your potential clients still use the yellow pages/yellow books.

So why doesn’t it work like it used to?

One reason, and it’s obvious – the Internet has taken a large bite out of the Yellow Pages effectiveness.

The second reason – your ad sucks.

And it’s not just yours. Just glancing through my own yellow pages reveals just how bad the ads are.

Everyone one of them looks the same…..and says the same thing. Your ad just blends in with all the others.

And there are a large number of attorneys that have ads in mutliple categories…and use the same ad for each, which is a definite no-no.

Hell, it’s no wonder they don’t get any phone calls from those ads.

Here’s what they should be doing with their Yellow Pages ad….

First, make the ad different. The human eye is trained to recognize differences, and in a book where all the ads look alike, the one that looks different will “catch” the human eye. Make your ad different, and you’ll “catch” the human eye – you know, the people looking for an attorney to help them.

And two, make sure you grab them by the neck….and make them pay attention to your ad. And you do that by talking to them….not at them. If the Headline for a Divorce Attorney ad in the Atlanta yellow book reads….

Atlanta Divorce Attorney….

The ad is “talking at them”.

If the ad said…..

Are You Thinking About A Divorce?

the ad is talking with them. It’s asking a question. Ask a potential client a question and you’re halfway home.

And lastly, the rest of your ad must answer the potential clients main question – and that question is “what are you going to do for me?” Are you going to “listen to them”? Are you going to promptly return their calls? Are you going to make sure they and their children are protected?

If the potential client can’t see the benefit that you offer, i.e. what’s in it for them, you will not get the client.

Getting clients from the yellow pages still works…if you do all three of these things correctly. Do that, and you’re competitors won’t get the client….you will.