If you’re a local or regional law firm, you’ve probably noticed it: national firms with big budgets are showing up in your market via traditional television, streaming, outdoor, radio and everywhere else your potential clients look.
It can feel like they’re impossible to compete with. But the truth is, national firms don’t win just because they’re bigger. They win because they follow their own playbook, and once you understand it, you can fight back.
How National Firms Are Targeting Your Clients, and How to Fight Back:
1. They show up everywhere, all the time
National firms aim to feel unavoidable. They aim to be everywhere…TV, radio, search, social…so they feel familiar. The goal isn’t always better ads. It’s repetition. When people see the same name over and over, it starts to feel familiar and trustworthy.
2. They make themselves look local
National firms often use local phone numbers, city names, and location-specific ads. To the average consumer, it’s hard to tell who’s actually based in the community.
3. They stay consistent when others pull back
Because they have larger teams and long-term plans, national firms keep advertising even when markets get tough, while local firms often pause or change direction.
Understanding this is the first step to securing and defending your brand awareness.
Here are three ways local and regional firms can stand out:
1. Lean into real local trust
Local firms have something national brands can’t fake: real community roots. Highlight your local experience, your team, and your connection to the people you serve.
2. Be smarter, not louder, with your advertising
Instead of trying to be everywhere, local firms win by being strategic. You need to be in the right places at the right times. Focus on the media and messages that bring in your best cases.
3. Win with the client experience
Fast response times, real conversations, and personal attention make a big difference. When the experience matches the promise in your ads, people choose you.
The playing field levels when local firms use smart strategy; knowing their audience, staying consistent, choosing the right media, and making sure intake supports it all. Local firms don’t need national budgets to compete. They need focus, clarity, and a strategy built for their firm in their market.