There’s a great discussion over on LinkedIn’s Marketing the Law Firm group about the value of advertising in/on the Yellow Pages. I support most of the ideas or comments made there and suggest you take a look at the discussion.

I have never been big on advertising, period. It does not make my top 10 list of effective marketing or business development techniques. Some claim that the yellow pages still works (mostly those who are selling that expensive service I expect), and if it does for you, great.

I just don’t think ads, as a rule, are a very effective way to sell legal services, and less so in the yellow pages. Think about it, ads unlike public relations where you are quoted in the press, are self-serving statements (even if they do have pretty pictures) about what a great law firm you have and the fantastic service you provide to clients. Furthermore, yellow pages are damn expensive and you are just one of tons of lawyers listed in your market. Who really uses the yellow pages today anyway – especially the online version?

Just think about it, how do you look for products or services in 2012. Don’t you just type into Google or Yahoo search engines what you are looking for? Or maybe you go to the closet in your hallway and dig out last year’s phonebook? Right! Do you – or really think other people – go search for a yellow pages website, and then type in the product or service needed? NOT!

I’ve never done that! And truly can’t remember the last time I even opened the printed version to look up a telephone number. So my advice, save your money. Spend it the type of things that work in today’s world. The yellow pages are a waste IMHO.