Are you planning a 2012 advertising campaign? We’ve been down that road before, and it can be bumpy. Here are 10 lawyer advertising tips I’ve picked up as we’ve rolled along.

1. Comply with the rules in your state for lawyer advertising. In our state, for instance, we are required to include our address in every advertisement. That’s not something that ad agencies necessarily know. You’ve got to check on the rules on your own since it’s your law license that’s on the line. In some states, you can have your state bar review your advertisements  in advance.

2. Use a professional media buyer to purchase your advertisements. There are brokers who specialize in this field, and they are often free to you since they’re paid by the media outlet. These folks are experts, and there is plenty of need for expertise in this arena.

3. Make your ads about your prospects and their problems. Don’t let your ego drive you to make the ad about you. Remember, prospects care about themselves, not you.

4. Expect some results immediately. Ad sellers will tell you the ads take time to work, and that’s true. But if you get no response, then your ad probably isn’t working. Expect existing clients, friends, and family to notice your ads and comment on them. Expect some calls. If you hear nothing at all, it’s probably not working. Expect a reaction.

5. Expect your peers to give you grief about your ads. Even in this day and age of overwhelming attorney advertising, some of your peers will tease you about your ads. That’s good—at least you know the ads are running and someone is seeing them. Don’t let the teasing get you down.

6. If the most prominent part of the ad is your name or the firm name, you’re likely doing it wrong. Revisit tip number 3. This isn’t about your ego. It’s about generating revenue.

7. Look at your ad and replace your name with the name of your competitor. If the ad still works, you’re not distinguishing yourself. What’s special about you and your approach that’s different from the competition? Be different.

8. Whether you’re advertising on the radio, in the newspaper, or on TV, have someone other than the people working for the media outlet create the ads for you. All of the ads created by the same person tend to look the same. You want your ad to stand out. Use someone different.

9. Don’t worry about changing the ads. Develop a good ad and stick to it. Your prospective customers aren’t paying attention until they need your service. The ad isn’t getting old because they aren’t noticing it until they have a need to notice it.

10. Be creative about where you run your ads. Go where the customers are and avoid the shotgun approach. You don’t need to pay for ads in major publications and media outlets if small publications better meet your needs. Think about ads in professional directories (e.g., the real estate association directory), specialty publications (e.g., triathlon magazines), and narrow channels (e.g., the one-armed golfer channel). You don’t need to reach everyone—just those people in need of your services.

Advertising is challenging. You’ll get an expensive education along the way. Hopefully, these tips will save you a bit of money and time.