In Black And White : Legal Marketing Strategies & Insights : Paula Black & Associates : Law Firm Marketing, Branding and Positioning

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For the second part of this special post I went to a true success story from the Lexblog network, Delaware Corporate and Commercial Litigation Blog’s Francis Pileggi. With over five-and-a-half years of blogging under his belt, Francis continues to reap the rewards of having a well-recognized blog. So how did he do it?

Take control of your image.

“[In 2004], I came to the realization that people who wanted to find more information about lawyers went online and Googled them. I realized that lawyers who care about their image should be concerned what people find when they do a Google search and I wanted influence over it. I wanted to make sure that the first 5 or 10 things they saw on a Google search would be the best 5 or 10 things about me. I decided I needed to increase my Internet presence and the best way to do that was through a blog.”

Enjoy the process.

“For me it was a natural evolution. I’ve always written a lot of articles. It’s not likely you’re going to do well with a blog unless you write a lot. You have to enjoy writing and want to write frequently and extensively. It’s a lot of work but it’s a labor of love.”

Speak to the right audience.

“It’s developed into something bigger than I ever anticipated. I’ve developed a following among lawyers… and judges. It’s become required reading for some law clerks… Now I am on a first-name basis with all of the nationally recognized corporate law professors and other corporate law experts.”

All rewards are not financial.

“I’ve gotten a substantial amount of business from it, no question about it. [The blog] has improved my professional stature. It’s made me a better lawyer. Now I’m not just reading cases, I’m summarizing them and I’m using it for my own research.”

Blogging is not an option anymore.

“If you really want to be well known in a specific area… then you should be blogging on that topic. It identifies you as someone who is serious about that subject matter.” 

Thanks so much to Francis for his invaluable insight.  Next week we will focus on two more bloggers who have proven that you can get business from your blog! 

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It may not be the most frequently ASKED question by my clients, but I can guarantee you it’s certainly the most frequently thought.  So rather than give you theory—I want to give you results. This week we’ll take a break from the norm to look at two successful bloggers, the results they’ve achieved and how they got to where they are. First up: Adrianos Facchetti of California Defamation Law Blog.
 
Adrianos estimates that an astounding one-half to two-thirds of his business comes from his blog, which has been steadily growing since he launched in September of 2008. I spoke to him by phone last week and here’s what we can all learn from him...

Don’t underestimate the power of a blog. 

“I get calls from people all over the U.S., people in 30 countries read my blog and I get asked all the time to work on matters as co-counsel. I recently got my first legitimate 7-figure case. I wouldn’t have been contacted if it weren’t for my blog.”

Find your place.

“You have to pick a really specific niche [to be successful]. Choose something very specific and be known as the person who does that specific thing.”

A blog can affect your practice.

“[If it weren’t for the blog] I think my practice would be more scattered. I would probably just be a general litigator, taking everything I could. The blog forced me to learn even more about my subject. I was practicing defamation law before, but this allowed me to get my information in front of more people and gain credibility.”

Be patient.

“I didn’t get any clients from the blog for a long time. At least until six months after I started. This last 12 months is when it’s really kicked up a notch.”

Thank you Adrianos for your insights. Let us all remember that results don't happen overnight. If you know your stuff your credibility will shine through and your niche market will find you.