Focus on Yourself

There are several personal injury lawyers in my area who spend a great deal of money advertising their firms. TV ads, radio ads, billboards, digital – You see these ads all over.
 
One lawyer/firm in particular spends the most – has for years – and also happens to have a very catchy (and well known) slogan. If you live in my area, you know the slogan, and lawyer/firm that goes with it.

Competing lawyers/firms have noticeably begun to spend more on their advertising, I suspect in an effort to “keep up” with this large-spending, catchy slogan firm. Four of these competing firms have made a conscious effort to hint at/reference the competing lawyer’s catchy slogan in THEIR ads, basically saying, “We’re not ‘that guy,’ We’re better!”
 
Now, I have not spoken to any of these lawyers/firms, but I can guess how each of them view their current advertising strategy. The four competing firms all think they’re SO clever for the manner in which they’ve “attacked” the “catchy slogan” lawyer/firm, a “We showed him” mentality, while the “catchy slogan” lawyer/firm is likely laughing at them for all of the free advertising they have provided.
 
Each ad placed by one of these competing firms is really an ad for them AND the catchy slogan guy they are trying to overtake. Unless you have never heard of ANY of these lawyers/firms, it would be impossible not to realize firm B is trying to put down firm A. When you see the ad, you think of BOTH firms, not just the one.
 
My recommendation, for anyone listening (lawyers or small business owners) … Drop the “clever” innuendos and focus on your firm/business, and why consumers should choose it over another. Your ads should promote your business, and the unique attributes and strengths your business has to offer.
 
Focus on yourself, make it all about you. Do your best to NOT conjure up thoughts of competitors. Don’t spend your ads dollars to promote you and your competitor – That’s a little counter-productive, don’t you think?