*Special Friday Post
Seeing as though we've spent the week discussing the various benefits of social media I was excited to run across this Mashable post entitled: "How Lawyers May Use Social Media in the Future." I think it's further evidence (no pun intended) that all attorneys need to start considering the topic...and dip a toe in the water.
By now most of us are at least minimal participants in both of these social networking behemoths—but are we making the most of our presence?
This week we asked: Have you ever brought in business from a social networking site?
1) Yes, from friends on Facebook. - 15%
2) Yes, from colleagues on LinkedIn. - 42%
3) No, never from either one. - 43%
My Thoughts: Not surprising most of you who have received business online did so as a result of LinkedIn (about 42%) but a good 15% of you said you received at least one referral from Facebook. What does this mean? I think it’s fairly clear that LinkedIn is a winner when it comes to professional needs. It’s a great place to discuss business-oriented issues, to see where past colleagues are working now, and it’s easier to navigate when it comes to joining groups and protecting privacy. I recently came across as great article that I’ve posted in the Black Pearl section below called “LinkedIn Group versus Facebook Group,” (thanks Kevin O’Keefe). I encourage you to read it and better understand just how important keeping up your LinkedIn presence can be.
But here’s another quick thought. Facebook has merits all its own. The people you connect with are usually friends (new ones and old ones) and family or acquaintances from around your non-work life (your church or temple, schools, community organizations)…in other words people who have a PERSONAL connection to you. And that small tie to you builds instant trust. And trust spurs referrals. As my friend Mr. O’Keefe so eloquently put it:
“There's no question I'm going to continue to play with Facebook. Making friends and nurturing relationships is the stuff that life is made of. From 30 years in business, I know that friendship drives business development.”
Where was your last online-generated referral from? Let us know in the comments section!
Black Pearl: Here’s Kevin O’Keefe’s take on the situation (LinkedIn Groups Versus Facebook Groups) as well as a direct link to the original article from Search Engine Journal (click here).
By now I would guess over half of you have seen “The Social Network,” a movie (for those not aware of it) about the creation and subsequent evolution of the phenomenon known as Facebook. I would also guess that more than half of you have personal Facebook pages, mostly used for keeping in touch with old friends and classmates, and perhaps family that live far away. But how does Facebook impact your business? And if it doesn’t, should it? It seems its closest competitor when it comes to networking would be LinkedIn, a site dedicated more to your professional life than to vacation pictures and idle chatter. But should we discount Facebook as a serious referral source? Come back Thursday and we’ll discuss.
Question of the Week: Can Facebook compete with LinkedIn when it comes to bringing in business?
Whatever your interests outside of the law office, there are marketing and business development lessons to be learned everywhere. So keep your eyes and ears open…as well as your mind.
This week we asked: Have you ever taken and adapted marketing advice from another industry?
1) Yes. - 45%
2) No. - 55%
My Thoughts: Only 45% of you have taken and adapted marketing advice from other industries. Time to think outside your world! As I mentioned on Tuesday, The Gap logo debacle really got me thinking about how marketing and business development rules are truly immune to industry. The Gap’s plight was covered by media outlets and bloggers from the worlds of fashion, news, business, advertising, branding, and more. Then, on the heels of that news I came across a fabulous post relating marketing lessons to a rock-and-roll legend (see the Black Pearl below) and it truly hit home.
So what’s the lesson here? The lesson is that marketing and business development doesn’t have to be a chore. It can incorporate issues and ideas that you find interesting in your everyday life. You just have to keep an open mind.
Something a little different this week… I would love to hear your thoughts on finding marketing inspiration in unusual places. See something great and put it to use? Post your comments below!
Black Pearl: Here’s a great piece entitled “What Bruce Springsteen Can Teach Lawyers about Law Firm Marketing” (click here) via Elizabeth Ferris (read about her here). It has some great advice on how to stay relevant to your clients!
Building on last week’s focus on The Gap and their new (and now scrapped) logo, I started thinking about how many marketing and business development lessons we can learn from companies that exist outside of our own industry. Because my focus is squarely on marketing on a daily basis, I have the advantage of pulling ideas and inspiration from everywhere…but not everyone has that mindset, and it’s a shame. In fact, sometimes looking at success stories from those outside the law arena can spark creative inspiration for your own firm…not to mention that people and industries that exist outside our work life but within our hobbies and interests (Sports? Music? Film?) can sometimes be even more relatable than other law firms.
Question of the Week: What other industries can you look to for marketing and business development inspiration?
Old sayings ring true for a reason. They make sense. If you’re logo is strong, highly visible and easily recognizable, it’s never a good idea to change it up. (But, if it is not all those things... get to work.)
This week we asked: Have you ever considered changing your firm logo?
1) Yes - 30%
2) No - 70%
My Thoughts: 70% of you said you’ve never considered changing your firm logo. Good thinking! Repetition, Repetition, Repetition is the key to any good marketing strategy, but you can’t repeat what you keep changing.
I think it’s pretty clear what I think of The Gap’s sudden redesign. Not a great move. Not only does it alienate loyal clients, it prevents new ones from recognizing the brand and connecting with it.
According to AdAge’s article, “The logo is pervasive in American culture, appearing on some 1,200 stores in North America. Gap also operates nearly 300 stores in Europe and Asia. Gap is the 84th most-valuable brand in the world, according to Interbrand's 2010 study.”
That’s a powerful brand. Why mess with it? Forget the rules of branding, strategy and marketing. Think emotion. People become emotionally attached to what they know (Hello New Coke, Tropicana, and a slew of others…), and are put off when a new version is introduced.
Brand equity is a powerful thing, and something that I see way too many law firms treat casually. Respect the power of your brand and the look and feel that surrounds it. If the question comes up, ask yourself and your firm members WHY you need to change it. If the reason is legit (and there are some reasons that are), then go for it. But if it’s change for change’s sake, step back and reconsider. Believe in the power of your brand and stay true to it. Your clients—and your wallet—will thank you.
Black Pearl: A few quick and interesting posts about the Gap debacle from AdAge (see link above) and BrandChannel.com (http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2010/10/06/Gap-Rebrands-Itself-Into-Oblivion.aspx). Plus, here’s The Gap’s response (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marka-hansen/the-gaps-new-logo_b_754981.html) and a great piece from MSNBC on the worst rebranding disasters (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36398773/ns/business-us_business/).
P.S. Just this week The Gap reverted back to its original logo. Read more here.
In case you’ve been buried under briefings in your office for the past 10 days, last week The Gap introduced a new logo (click here to view it http://www.gap.com/). Though they rolled out the new design with little to no fanfare, it was promptly rejected by most (ok, almost all) viewers, clients, experts and bloggers. In fact, over the past week there have been countless articles about the changeover. So, does bad branding equal great PR? Maybe. But, in the end, they still have to live with the change and continue to explain themselves to their customers. If they can recognize them…
Question of the Week: Does new always mean better?
Just because you keep bios in a consistent format doesn’t mean they have to be carbon copies. Play to your strengths but stick to your brand.
This week we asked: Are your firm bios consistent?
1) Yes - 45%
2) No - 55%
My Thoughts: More than half of you were not convinced that your firm bios were truly consistent. Time to change that. Even in smaller firms, keeping bios in the same format looks more professional, more branded and more cohesive.
The best way to ensure that bios look uniform is to charge one person with the task of organization and upkeep. Be it a marketing director, administrator, secretary or even receptionist, identify someone to take charge of the project and keep it on track.
Tip #1: The first step in a revamp is to create a questionnaire (click here to download ours) and use existing bios to fill in the information. Then send those questionnaires back to each individual attorney so that they can fill in any blanks or update outdated information.
Tip #2: Pick a format and stick to it. In what order do you want to present the information? Will you put dates on Bar Admissions? Undergraduate information before JD or vice versa? Will you separate membership listings in charitable organizations from professional organizations? All questions you should consider.
Tip #3: Look at your head shots. Do they look like they were photographed by the same person? Are they outdated? If you answered no to the first question and yes to the second you may want to look into investing in some new photos. Never underestimate the power of a strong head shot.
Black Pearl: Just because you’re an accomplished attorney it doesn’t mean you can’t have a sense of humor. Not all attorney bios are as serious as you may think. While you don’t have to take it as far as this guy (http://nylawblog.typepad.com/legalantics/2008/09/best-lawyer-bio.html), there are small ways to incorporate a sense of personality. My team and I came across D.C.-based Beverage & Diamond by accident and were impressed and inspired by their “Professionals” section. Take a look at the way they used photography to punch up their bios while still remaining, well… professional. (http://www.bdlaw.com/attorneys.html)
Whenever I begin working with a new firm, one of the biggest challenges my team and I tackle (once the branding and positioning has been determined) is collecting and refining the firm biographies. Inevitably all of them will be formatted differently, many will contain out of date information and none of the head shots will have been taken by the same photographer. Sound familiar? Organizing, updating and creating consistency with your firm bios is a project, but one that can reap true rewards for your entire firm. So how do you go about it? Check back Thursday and I’ll share some insight.
Question of the Week: Do your firm bios reflect a unity within your firm and your branding?
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