How PI Firms Dominate Their Local DMA

30%+ share of voice = dominance. Small DMA: $20-35K/month. Major DMA: $75-150K. Multi-year commitment plus distinctive identity. No shortcuts.

Every market has one or two PI firms that dominate. They get the best cases. Command the most recognition. Spend the most efficiently because their brand works for them. Here’s how to become that firm.

What Market Dominance Looks Like

Recognition Metrics

  • Unaided awareness: When asked “name a PI lawyer,” your name comes first
  • Branded search share: You capture most branded searches in your market
  • Referral default: Professionals recommend you without thinking

Business Metrics

  • Case volume exceeds competitors
  • Higher-value cases attracted
  • Lower acquisition costs (brand does the work)
  • Referral network strength

Competitive Position

  • Competitors react to you, not vice versa
  • Pricing power in case selection
  • Talent attraction advantage
  • Partnership opportunities flow to you

The Dominance Formula

Element 1: Sustained Presence

Dominance requires consistency:

  • Continuous advertising (not campaigns with gaps)
  • Multi-year commitment
  • Budget sufficient for frequency

ROAS improves 24% after 90 days of consistent investment. Recognition builds the same way. Time plus consistency.

Element 2: Share of Voice

You must out-present competitors:

Market PositionShare of Voice
InvisibleUnder 10%
Present10-20%
Competitive20-30%
Dominant30%+

Share of voice = your impressions / total market impressions

Element 3: Distinctive Identity

Dominance requires memorability:

  • Recognizable tagline
  • Distinctive visual identity
  • Memorable personality
  • Clear differentiation

Generic firms don’t dominate. Distinctive firms do.

Element 4: Full-Funnel Presence

Dominant firms are everywhere:

  • Television (CTV + broadcast)
  • Search (own branded, competitive generic)
  • Organic (SEO presence)
  • Local (maps, LSAs)
  • Community (sponsorships, presence)

Building Dominance by Market Size

Small Market (DMA 100+)

Opportunity: Easier to dominate with less competition Investment: $20-35K/month sustained Timeline: 12-18 months to strong position

Strategy:

  • Full DMA CTV coverage
  • Complete search protection
  • Community presence
  • Local news/events

Mid-Size Market (DMA 50-100)

Opportunity: Significant but requires more investment Investment: $40-70K/month sustained Timeline: 18-24 months to strong position

Strategy:

  • Targeted CTV with behavioral layers
  • Aggressive search presence
  • SEO investment
  • Multi-channel integration

Major Market (DMA 25-50)

Opportunity: Challenging, requires serious commitment Investment: $75-150K/month sustained Timeline: 24-36 months to strong position

Strategy:

  • Precision CTV targeting
  • Comprehensive search coverage
  • Premium creative investment
  • Integrated system approach

Top Market (DMA 1-25)

Opportunity: Very difficult, requires dominant resources Investment: $150-300K+/month sustained Timeline: 36+ months to challenge incumbents

Strategy:

  • Niche or geographic focus initially
  • Build from position of strength
  • Consider acquisitions
  • Patient capital required

The CTV Advantage for Local Dominance

CTV enables precision broadcast lacked:

Geographic Focus

  • Target your DMA precisely
  • Focus on your service area
  • Avoid waste on unreachable households

Frequency Building

  • Reach households repeatedly
  • Build recognition systematically
  • 90% of households accessible

Measurable Progress

  • Track verified visits
  • Monitor branded search growth
  • Prove ROI, justify investment

Competitive Insight

  • See what competitors can’t target
  • Identify underserved segments
  • Build exclusive advantages

Exclusive Audiences as Moat

True dominance includes defensive positions:

Exclusive audience targeting:

  • Build first-party lookalikes from your clients
  • Lock targeting unavailable to competitors
  • Create unreachable advantage

Market exclusivity:

  • Partner exclusivity agreements
  • Competitors cannot access same targeting
  • Defensible position

See Exclusive CTV Audiences.

The Dominance Timeline

Year 1: Foundation

Year 2: Growth

Year 3+: Dominance

Common Dominance Mistakes

Mistake 1: Insufficient Commitment

$20K/month hoping to dominate a top-25 DMA. Resources must match market.

Mistake 2: Inconsistency

6 months on, 6 months off. Competitors maintain presence while you restart.

Mistake 3: Generic Identity

“Aggressive representation” like everyone else. No memorability, no dominance.

Mistake 4: Channel Silos

Great CTV, no search protection. Competitors capture what you create.

Mistake 5: Short-Term Thinking

Expecting dominance in one year. This is a multi-year investment.

Defending Dominance

Once achieved, protect your position:

Maintain Presence

Don’t cut advertising because “everyone knows us.” Recognition fades without reinforcement.

Monitor Competitors

Watch for new entrants, increased competitor spend, new strategies.

Refresh Creative

Avoid staleness. Update creative while maintaining brand consistency.

Deepen Integration

Continue optimizing system. Efficiency improvements compound.

Protect Flanks

Watch for niche competitors. Geographic or case-type focused challengers.

The Economics of Dominance

Why the investment is worth it:

Lower Long-Term CPL

Brand recognition reduces acquisition costs:

  • More organic searches
  • Higher conversion rates
  • Better referral flow
  • Reduced dependence on paid channels

Higher Case Quality

Dominant firms attract better cases:

  • Larger cases seek established firms
  • Referrals send premium cases
  • Selection ability improves

Competitive Advantage

Dominance is self-reinforcing:

  • Competitors can’t easily catch up
  • Resources attract resources
  • Position compounds

For complete local strategy, see the PI marketing guide.

References