Advertising your services as a professional process server is similar to advertising most other service-oriented businesses. There are multiple methods available and, depending on your market area, some will be better than others. But, no matter where you are or what market you are in, the bottom line is reputation.
Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is unquestionably the best and most effective advertising method. Keep in mind that it is earned and not bought. No amount of money can buy the favorable words a satisfied client will express to other potential clients. On the other hand, no amount of money can repair the damage done by poor service and poor client care. Consistently favorable word of mouth advertising is earned in one or more of the following ways:
- Good service.
- Fair pricing.
- Frequent reporting.
- Truth telling.
- Regular client contacts.
Pro Bono Services
This is another instance in which you earn the advertising instead of buying it. Providing pro bono services bolsters word of mouth advertising because it makes you a visible contributor in your local legal community. Clients, and potential clients, notice these things. A word of caution, however: keep in mind you are in business to make a profit so it is wise to limit your exposure in the pro bono market. Most of your assignments must make money, otherwise, in the not-too-distant future you will no longer be in business or be able to provide any services, pro bono or otherwise.
Finding and volunteering for a recognized local provider of free or low-cost legal services is an excellent way to contribute and build reputation. Most county bar associations have a pro bono section. Making contact with those listed and volunteering your time and skills is beneficial in at least two ways. First, you are able to manage the number of assignments you take on in any given month. Second, the word of mouth advertising you receive will be far superior to other advertising methods.
Print Advertising
Although low-tech, print advertising has its place. Here are a few sources you might consider:
Newsletters
Local bar association
Paralegals
Legal secretaries
Landlords
Collection agencies
Yellow pages
This last, the Yellow pages, still has its uses even in this age of the Internet. A telephone book sits on the desk of nearly every attorney and legal support person in the country. It is generally unwise to buy much more than a bold listing. However, look at what the competition is doing in the same market and attempt to bring your self in line with the average. Also, most Yellow page listings will also result in a listing on that book’s website.
Advertising in newspapers, either dailies or weeklies, is generally ineffective and expensive.
Other types of print advertising are discussed below.
Memberships
Done correctly, becoming a member of local or statewide organizations can be highly effective. These include:
- Legal secretaries
- Paralegals
- Landlords
- Collection agencies
- Process servers
- Private investigators
What does “done correctly” mean? What it does NOT mean is joining for the sole purpose of talking about yourself and your business; rather, it implies joining with the intent to learn what the group is about and to become an active, contributing member. This is similar to the rationale for providing pro bono services: by working to advance the goals of the group or organization you will build a favorable reputation and, in the process, advance your own goal of improving business.
It is vital for any professional process server to belong to state and national process server organizations. These include the Washington State Process Server Association and the National Association of Professional Process Servers. Joining other state associations, usually as an associate member, lets people in those states know about you. Many companies have a policy of giving preferential treatment to other members of their state association.
Internet
Advertising on the Internet changes quickly. Even so, it can be highly effective. There are a large number of lists especially for process servers. You can also gain a great deal of exposure by purchasing advertising on the search engines. The AdWords program by Google is an excellent example of a cost-effective means of increasing your presence on the Internet. Indeed, “presence” is what Internet advertising is all about.
So how do you increase your presence on the Internet without overreaching your advertising budget? Here are a few suggestions:
| (1) | Join process server professional organizations (see above). Nearly all of them will include a listing on their website. |
| (2) | Create an attractive and – even better – useful website. |
| (3) | Purchase as many “listings” as possible on process server web-based lists. At the time of this writing the price for a year’s listing ranged from less than $100 to over $1,000. However, the average appeared to be about $150. Having multiple listings increases your chance of being found when, for instance, a legal secretary types “process server Yakima” into her search engine. |
| (4) | Buy into a program such as AdWords. They tend to be highly flexible in terms of your monetary exposure and allow you to limit your monthly costs with great precision. |
| (5) | Exchange links with professional friends and associates. |
Mass Mailing
Included under this heading are both “snail mail” and spam. Avoid them both. Most mass mailings, whether to attorneys, collection agencies, or other process servers, end up in the trash (whether it be real or virtual trash) within seconds of their arrival. Not only is it a waste of money, but some professionals are put off by the use of these advertising methods and will blacklist anyone using them.
Brochures, Calendars, and Other Miscellaneous Handouts
Promotional and informational materials are needed in most markets. There are an incredible number of “things” on which you can have your name, or your company name, imprinted. These are give aways.
A well done trifold brochure is fairly easy to create using a computer, printer, and inexpensive graphics software. There are numerous preprinted, prefolded papers available which will help you create a common theme to your brochure, stationary, and business cards. Most office supply stores carry a variety of such paper products, as will paper specialty stores. The important phrase here is “well done.” If you have an eye for layout and design then doing these sorts of materials on your own will save considerable expense. However, if you don’t have the needed skills it is wise to contract with a graphic artist to create the materials you need.
There are numerous novelties available which can be purchased preprinted. These include pens, pencils, letter openers, calendars, chewing gum, band aids, etc. An incredible amount of money can be invested in such things where only the salesman ends up making any profit. You must choose carefully with a keen eye towards the cost to benefit ratio of any particular item. For instance, having your company logo printed on chewing gum wrappers, though catchy, may not be a good use of scarce advertising dollars since once the gum is gone the wrapper, along with your logo, is thrown in the trash. On the other hand, a calendar with your logo printed on it will usually stay in view for at least a year.
A Final Word
With all the advertising possibilities available the most important thing to keep in mind is taste. Not your taste but that possessed by your current and potential clients. Use modes of advertising which are likely to be seen by your market. As mentioned above, newspaper advertising, though widely used by many retailers is not effective when used by process servers. The same can be said for radio and television advertising. Instead watch for niche advertising opportunities which are aimed directly at the clients you are wanting to attract.
This quiz is for logged in users only.
This is a rough diagram of a typical courtroom in the state of Washington. Courtrooms vary a great deal from city to city and county to county but they all have the same basic structure.
Â