Even though people can stream music and podcasts in their cars, most drivers still listen to the radio. That is likely to change, but for the time being, radio advertising is still a worthwhile strategy for many law firms.

Radio advertising allows you to reach a lot of people in your local area who may one day need a lawyer.  Despite all the talk and media coverage about streaming, it does not yet reach as broad an audience as traditional forms of advertising, like TV and radio. Streaming is still a supplement to Americans’ media consumption habits; it has not replaced the old habits.

PMP has been helping law firms across North America advertise on the radio for more than 15 years. In that time, we have identified strategies that work and help ensure a favorable return on investment.

Below, we discuss the world of radio advertising for lawyers and how your law firm could benefit. If you have questions about your marketing strategies or want to learn more about how PMP could help your firm grow, contact us.

Why Radio Advertising Still Works For Law Firms

It is important to note that radio advertising is never going to be the primary way your law firm attracts potential clients. Radio marketing can be an effective supplement to your other marketing efforts because:

• It can connect your law firm with people who live locally. If they one day need a lawyer, they will likely prefer one who is located close by.
• People often listen to the same station each day, either because they like the music or one of the hosts. This gives you multiple opportunities to reach these people.
• Radio advertising is often a lot cheaper than TV commercials or pay-per-click advertising. Some stations charge a flat rate based on the time of day you want to advertise.
• Radio advertising helps to supplement your other marketing efforts. You often need to engage potential clients multiple times before they think of you when they need a lawyer.
• Radio advertising has built-in credibility, as radio has traditionally been viewed as a trustworthy source of information.
• You can customize your radio ad campaigns by station, time of day and location, giving you a better chance at reaching the people who may one day need your services.
• Some law firms may mistakenly think that radio advertising for lawyers is dead, causing them to abandon it. This could give you more airtime because the market is less competitive.

Strategies For Success With Radio Advertising

As with any other form of advertising, you need quality content to get the attention of your potential clients.

Before you begin creating content, you need to determine if radio advertising would be a good strategy for your firm. You need to identify the main characteristics of your potential clients and compare this to the audiences of local radio stations. If there are stations with a base of listeners that resemble your pool of potential clients, you should strongly consider radio advertising.

Here are some other keys to success with law firm radio advertising:

Spend What You Need To Reach Your Target Audience

You should not just look for the lowest price. You need to invest enough money to reach your target audience. If you only look to save money, your ads are likely to be on at times when few people are listening. There is little point in spending money to promote your law firm on the radio if the people you want to reach are not going to hear it.

Radio stations have detailed analytics about who is listening and how many are listening at different times. You can make use of this data to determine the best time to advertise.

The morning and afternoon drive times typically have the most listeners. There are fewer listeners in the middle of the day and the evening. The late-night hours from midnight to 6 a.m. have the fewest listeners.

It is also important to spend enough money to run your ads multiple times. When people hear an ad multiple times, it helps create stronger brand recognition.

Hire Experienced Professionals to Craft Your Radio Ad Campaigns

There are many factors to consider when creating radio ads. Hiring experienced marketing professionals helps to ensure you do not miss important details that could turn off potential clients.

For example, the marketing professionals you hire can determine what types of ads to run, such as 15, 30 or 60 second spots. Law firms can also sponsor programs, segments or radio time slots. Another option is to provide a script to be read by an on-air personality.

While there are many keys to success with your ads, the quality of the script may be the most important. The content needs to be engaging and have a clear message that sticks with listeners after they hear it. It is critical to remember that law firm advertising should be about what potential clients need. Listeners are not going to be able to write down information from your ad, so they need to hear your firm name enough times that it will be easy to remember.

At PMP, we have helped law firms across North America advertise on the radio and in many other mediums. We know how to craft compelling, clear messages that your potential clients are more likely to remember.

Track Your Campaign’s Performance

As with other forms of law firm advertising, marketing your firm on the radio is not something you can just set and forget. You may need to run your ads more frequently or adjust the time slots when your ads run. You also need to check with the stations to make sure you are getting the impressions that were agreed upon.

Another key step is to survey your clients to determine how they heard about your firm. You do not need every client to say he or she heard about your law firm on the radio to know you are getting a return on your investment. However, once your radio ads are running, you should start hearing some clients say they remember hearing your ad on the radio, such as when they were on the way to work or taking their kids to school.

If you have questions about your marketing strategies or you are looking for ways to get more potential clients to contact your firm, PMP may be able to help. Our experienced advertising services professionals have detailed knowledge of how to reach our clients’ target markets.