Miami Legal Business Development | Branding | Law Firm Coaching | Paula Black

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Continuing on the subject of trust… let’s be honest: You can’t trust what you don’t see. And in the age of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, face-to-face contact sets you apart and builds… yep, trust. Are you more likely to refer business to a LinkedIn contact or the person you had breakfast with last week? That’s what I thought. Building trust, trust enough to refer you potential clients, takes time and it doesn’t happen solely online. So this year start to think about how you can rebel. Go to an event. Schedule a lunch (via phone!). Take a colleague out for coffee. Then support those face-to-face meetings with your social media. Here’s a quick and interesting piece about how to do just that. (Hint: check out the comments.)

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Throughout the year I try to find Black Pearls, informative resources, that I can pass on to my readers. As I mentioned on Tuesday, here are a few I thought were not only incredibly important to creating and maintaining initiatives, but interesting as well. Enjoy!

Blogs—“Start a blog to grow your practice,” Kevin O’Keefe

Twitter—“Twitter Power,” by Joel Comm

LinkedIn and Facebook—“LinkedIn Group versus Facebook Group,” via Search Engine Journal

Article Posting—“Be A Celebrity in Your Own World,” by Paula Black

Client Service—“Flip the Funnel,” by Joseph Jaffe

Referrals—“Missed Opportunities: Not Asking Clients for Referrals,” by Donna Erickson

And more:

Find A Niche— "Discover, and Market, Your Niche Law Practice" by Ann Macaulay

Looking Outside the Law— "What Bruce Springsteen Can Teach Lawyers about Law Firm Marketing" by Elizabeth Ferris

Your Brand— "Make the Logo Bigger: 10 Rebranding Disasters" by Bianca Male

Video— "The Lawyer's Video Studio"

Attitude— "If you need to, got to or have to- You won't" by Cordell Parvin

Email and Newsletter— "5 Reasons Why No One Is Reading Your Email Newsletter" by Sean D'Souza

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If you’ve been following this blog for the past year and a half, you probably know that I am constantly handing out ideas for simple (but impactful) initiatives. In an effort to help you get a jump start on 2011’s planning, I’ve decided to take this week to revisit some important initiatives and re-link to some of the best Black Pearls from 2010. So go over the list below and see what you’ve implemented and what you need to get moving on. On Thursday I’ll post links to some of my favorite resources for each one…

• Blogs—a fantastic way to increase visibility and credibility
• Twitter—build relationships with industry insiders, colleagues and media
• LinkedIn and Facebook—see who you’re connected to…and who they’re connected to!
• Article Posting—great for building a strong internet presence (and a great marketing tool for potential clients)
• Client Service—an important, and often forgotten, piece of business development
• Referrals—other attorneys, your friends and family…they’re all strong sources of business

What have you implemented this year and what will you focus on in 2011? It’s time to start thinking.

Black Pearl: When it comes to Marketing and Business Development I can't say it enough...Do Something Every Single Day. "Create A Marketing Habit"...that is the foundation of success.
 

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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).

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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? 

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Marketers are always looking for new and innovative ways to create business development opportunities. But what advice should we reconsider?

This week we asked: How long have you been following legal marketing trends and ideas?

1, More than 5 years - 32%

2. 4-5 years - 0%

3. 1-3 years - 9%

4. Less than a year - 59%

My Thoughts: 68% of you are relatively new to the legal marketing world, having just come into the realm in the last three years. For you, social media like blogs and Twitter may be the norm—32% of you know it wasn’t always that way. Here are a few ideas from the past that may not have a place in the future...

Your website is your only online presence. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook, as well as the plethora of blogs and article directories give attorneys a direct connection to potential clients and establish their credibility. While a firm website is important in that it can outline basic information and firm vision, a more personal and specific line of communication such as a blog can help attorneys truly show what sets them apart from the competition.

Cards should only be sent for winter holidays. To truly stand out in a sea of holiday cards, I always advise my clients to send either Thanksgiving or New Year's cards. (For the adventurous there is always July 4th as well!). The lesson here is to think outside the box. Don't want to send holiday cards at all? Have a reception instead; send clients a card with an interesting article that relates to their business; or even keep a calendar of birthdays and the like. Communicate all year round...not just when you think you have to.

Law firms don't have taglines. Though it's still met with a bit of resistance from some, a lot of firms have accepted the benefits of having a tagline. Whether it's simple, clever, funny or descriptive, a tagline can do wonders for helping firms not only show their points of differentiation, but establish their position and their firm culture among potential clients. Two other options to consider? First, a tagline doesn't always have to be attached to a logo. It can simply be a strong positioning statement or headline that sums up a firm's vision and point of differentiation. Second, it can be as simple as using "Trial Attorneys" versus "Attorneys at Law." It can set you apart and make clear your place in the legal field.

All you need is a capabilities brochure. While a beautiful and informative brochure can make for a great leave-behind, the secret is really in the content. Stop telling clients what you CAN do and show them what you've done. A results-driven brochure can incorporate case studies, statistics about the firm (and its lawyers) and the backgrounds of its attorneys.

Your bio should be about what you've done. Sure, clients want to know about your cases and clients... but what they really want to know is how those cases and clients apply to them. Refrain from compiling lists and instead focus on how your experience can be of service to a specific industry or group of clients. Make them understand why you're the best at what you do and use those clients and cases as examples.

Legal marketing wisdom changes on a constant basis. As new methods of communication continue to crop up, the marketing opportunities for lawyers and firms continue to multiply. My best advice? Read books, subscribe to blogs and follow legal marketing news for the latest trends and ideas.

Many in the legal profession are hesitant to enter the world of social media.  Take a look what Kevin O'Keefe of Lexblog has to say on the subject:

"Law firms have more to gain from social media than other business. Social media is based upon on engagement, networking, reputation building, and relationships. The exact keys to business development success in the law.

Social media provides a golden opportunity for law firms to gain an edge on their competitors. It'll be interesting to see what firms take advantage of the opportunity by keeping pace with their client companies when it comes to social media spending."

Black Pearl: To prove my point, check out this article about why SEO may be outdated (already??)....

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Whether you have an in-house marketing professional to help and guide you or not, it’s never a bad idea to look around at what others are doing and suggesting. Finding a marketing mentor is easier than ever these days—social media outlets such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter give us a direct method of communication with almost anyone. And it doesn’t even have to be that far-reaching. The senior partner/rainmaker down the hall can often take that role...you just have to ask.

Question of the week: Do you have a marketing mentor?  

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Whether it’s a blog or Twitter page, make sure your presence online is a true extension of the personal brand that you’re working to build.

The question this week was: My social media is a [fill in the blank] representation of my personal brand:

Great - 20%
Good - 40%
So-so - 0%
Weak - 0%
Nonexistent - 40%

My Thoughts: Kudos to those of you who have already recognized the importance of seeing your personal brand reflected in your social media. For the 40% of you, today is the day to rethink what goes out into the world.

As I’ve mentioned before (many, many times!) everything that you do should bear the stamp of your personal branding. Think about the market you have decided to focus on and tailor your online presence to attract them. What does your LinkedIn say about you? Does your firm have a LinkedIn page? If you tweet, what does your Twitter page look like? Does your picture reflect your visual brand? Is your logo clear and recognizeable? Are your tweets geared at drawing in the clients you want? Create a filter in your mind for everything you write and make sure your topics and tweets fit that criteria before you post them.

Now let’s talk about blogs. Look around at mine. It’s very clearly branded with my signature black. Even the title reflects my brand—both in the “black and white” and the meaning behind it. I give simple, straightforward advice; black is my signature color. That’s a personal brand. Content is the same idea… stick to what your target audience wants to know and don’t get off track.

As my colleague Glenn Callison of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr says:

"Keeping everybody on message is what our culture is all about.  It's very easy to throw marketing dollars at a variety of events and social functions.  However, trying to pull it together so there is a consistent message to build brand identity... that's the real challenge."

Black Pearl: Twitter power by Joel Comm is a great book about the power of social media.  It's a great way for those new to Twitter (and even those already using it!) to truly understand how to make the most of their time online. 
 

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Social media has become a major talking point in the realm of marketing and business development. Today, almost every professional has a LinkedIn profile, if not a blog, twitter account and yes, even Facebook page. Whether or not you choose to participate in any of the above, you should know that everything that’s put out into the world needs to reflect your personal brand.

Question of the week: Does your social media reflect your personal brand?