In the competitive world of law, it is obvious but necessary to state that effective advertising is crucial for attracting clients and establishing a reputable practice. Since I wanted to advertise more, I began looking at the competition more closely online and in print. My Facebook feed algorithm has never been the same since and it would appear that I am constantly in trouble as I have been looking at ads marketing lawyers from all fields of practice.
Being inundated with law firm advertisements aside, I quickly learned that small law firms often face unique challenges when creating appealing advertisements. Specifically, the biggest hurdle I had was that I had no idea what I was doing. I can certainly sell my services but moonlighting as a graphic designer came with a steep learning curve.
To be clear, I could easily have hired a web designer to assist me on this at the outset which would have been the expeditious and smartest thing to do, but where is the fun in that! Besides, how could I learn about the ins and outs about this business without even trying? So, I decided to try my hand at this since no one will be better than getting out my firm’s message than me.
Needless to say, I quickly learned that this would be more complex than preparing my business cards. Since the last substantive print advertisements I worked on was for my wedding over six years ago, I knew that this would be a daunting but rewarding challenge.
Skill Issue
I remember using Canva a long time ago for my wedding invitations but still decided to go in another direction even six years later. I started using Adobe Express since it comes with other software that I have, and that was a mistake. For me, Adobe Express is nothing short of rage inducing. I do not recommend it and Canva was awesome by comparison.
I then turned to Vista Print which is where I designed and ordered my business cards for my small business. For the simplicity of the design that I was aiming for, this worked best with my “developing” graphic design skills.
After sinking too many hours into a template that was not completely right, I had three different templates that got gradually better, but none were perfect. If I was going to show this advertisement to the public, I wanted it to look respectable and attractive to my potential clients.
Knowing When To Hold 'Em or Fold 'Em
I took all of the above steps, as I was going to start advertising online and in print and needed graphics of different sizes and shapes. Thankfully, the advertising company that I signed up with offered to help me at a nominal cost. Despite learning a lot about graphic design, I knew that it was time to put my aspirations of graphic design domination aside for now and pay for expert guidance. After working at small firms for my entire career, I know all too well the value of good advice, especially when it will be profitable for you in the future.
If anything, my experience set the groundwork for developing a new skill and I learned more about online and web advertising in the process. For young lawyers or new solo or small firms, I highly recommend looking around at what is in the market to help you and your business get to the next level.
About the author
Andrew Sudano is the principal and owner of Sudano Law PC. He practices family and child protection law. He can be found at www.sudanolaw.ca.
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