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

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You can’t replace face-to-face, but you sure can support it. Here’s what to consider this year.

On Tuesday I mentioned that 2011 should be your year to rebel against social media. But that doesn’t mean throw it away. It just means make smarter use of it. Meet someone at a lunch? Add them to your LinkedIn network. Keep tabs on where your clients and contacts are working—then congratulate them (pick up the phone!) when you see they’ve gotten a promotion. Promote your blog (if you have one) on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Offer your articles as downloads on those sites as well. Get to know what applications and sites work for you and your life and make good use of them. Just don’t put all your eggs in one social media basket.

Black Pearl: Here’s a great post from Forbes.com entitled “Social Media Strategies for 2011: Misconceptions Mask Stumbling Points and Opportunities”. Though it speaks to companies, I think you’ll find it interesting! And be sure to read the comments.

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Should you risk a major investment in marketing and business development if you can’t measure the results?

This week we asked: How much are you willing to invest in something you may not be able to measure?

1) Nothing. - 35%

2) A small amount...and let's see what happens. - 50%

3) I'm all in, and I don't need to measure. - 15%

My Thoughts: Not surprising only 15% of you said you would go all in for an initiative that had no way of measuring ROI. On the other hand, a whopping 50% of you said you would be willing to invest a small amount. Great!

Here’s the bottom line (at least in my opinion): It’s silly to miss out on a marketing opportunity as powerful as social media/blogging just because you cannot get a detailed measurement of ROI. The benefits of blogging especially, can be anything from building relationships to gaining recognition to building credibility. Who knows how many clients (or potential clients) Googled you, found credible information (rather than just some directory listings) and hired you. Trust, and belief in your expertise, is unmeasureable.

Seth makes two points in his blog: First that its never a good idea to try and measure the unmeasureable and use that to make decisions. I agree wholeheartedly. The second is trickier. He believes “Small investments in unmeasurable media almost always fail. Go big or stay home.” I disagree. Jumping all-in into an unmeasureable marketing effort will only cause stress and frustration. You have to understand your own comfort level and choose something that you’ll stick to. If that means testing the waters with a Twitter account or working contacts through LinkedIn for a few months then I’m fine with that. Just be sure to be consistent with your efforts. If you’re not comfortable you won’t place a consistent focus on the initiative… and it will fail.

Black Pearl: Here is Seth Godin’s full post “On buying unmeasurable media,” as well as a recent post from Kevin “Do law firms need to measure ROI on social media?”. And yes, I know it’s our second reference to Kevin in 2 weeks, but what can I say? (We must be on the same wavelength lately?)
 

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Since we’ve already started our discussion of blogging and social media I thought I would continue on the path this week. And wouldn’t you know it? Both Kevin O’Keefe and Seth Godin (two of my favorite bloggers) were, unknowingly, right there with me. What they were addressing was the inevitable question of ROI. It’s not unnatural to want to see measurable results when you invest your time (and sometimes money) into social media and blogging. The problem? Measuring results from these two avenues of business development are quite tricky. So what’s the answer… come back on Thursday and we’ll discuss.

Question of the Week: Should you invest time and money in something that can’t produce measurable results?
 

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*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.

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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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Thought it may seem scary at first, making the leap into blogging and social media can bring greater rewards than you ever imagined.

This week we asked: When was the last time you took a risk with your marketing and business development?

1) Within the last month – 13%

2) Within the last 6 months – 18%

3) Within the last year – 20%

4) Within the last 2 years – 46%

5) Within the last 5 years – 3%

My Thoughts: I’m sorry—but not surprised—to see that most readers haven’t taken a risk with their marketing and business development in over a year. I know attorneys are busy people, but taking a risk and trying something new is an important step in not only building relationships and brands but in keeping your marketing efforts fresh and exciting.

The pieces I want to share with you today talk about exactly that. The author, Adrian Dayton, talks about how after a training program with a group of bright attorneys, only half ended up putting the ideas to use and achieving positive results. Why? Because the other half didn’t follow through. Why? Because they were AFRAID of putting themselves out there. Writes Adrian:

“What if nobody likes what I have to say? What if people disagree with me? What if someone at my firm doesn’t like my opinion? What if a client dislikes my blog post? What if I commit and then later get too busy? There are plenty of things to be afraid of, but if you focus on those things you will never make it out of your front door in the morning.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Another one of my favorite bloggers, Seth Godin, approached the issue this week as well. His take? Go with the momentum that propels you toward something great—and don’t be afraid.

“We look at a project launch or a job or another new commitment as something that might get out of control,” he writes. “We're afraid of being part of something that feels like it might be too big for us.”

If we don’t take risks we never open the door to possibilities.  If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would write three books for lawyers… I would have told them they were CRAZY!  I guess crazy is a good thing!

Black Pearl: Here is the rest of Adrian’s post, entitled “The Parable of the Blogger.” I think you’ll find it will make you think hard about the value of taking a risk… and as a bonus, here’s the full post from Seth Godin “Avoiding Momentum.”

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Taking risks is always an integral part of achieving great success. Whether it’s narrowing your client base or simply re-branding your firm, doing something new can often be a little scary. One of the things I’ve found to cause the most anxiety in my attorneys when it comes to marketing and business development risks is their entrance into the world of blogging and social media. Putting your ideas, opinions and thoughts out into the world can be an intimidating task, but one that can help you reap incredible rewards. While reading through my usual blog lists I came across a great piece on why the fear of social media can often prevent attorneys from moving forward in their marketing and business development strategy. But first, think about this…

Question of the week: Do you take risks with your marketing and business development?

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Working with a ghostblogger can be a great, collaborative experience for many busy attorneys--but the key is just that... COLLABORATE!

This week we asked: Do you write your own blog?

1. Yes, every word comes from me - 55%

2. Somewhat, I collaborate with a ghostwriter - 35%

3. No, I give direction but the writing is done by someone else - 10%

My Thoughts: Almost 90% of you either write your blog yourself or collaborate closely with your ghostwriter. Fantastic.

My main advice to clients who want to work with ghostblogger is just that…be involved! No matter who puts the actual words on paper (or on screen), the voice, tone and ideas should come directly from you.

A few of my clients have recently begun working with ghostwriters with great results. Though you must still dedicate your time to overseeing the content, these professionals can help shape your words and post on a regular basis. My advice if you’re planning to go this route? Stick with someone in the legal arena, whether it be a lawyer, former lawyer, paralegal or law student; find someone you connect with—even though it’s someone else writing it should still reflect your tone and your opinion, and all content should be directed by you; and be clear on the arrangement from the beginning by setting a schedule for how many posts you expect per week or per month. I also think the lawyer needs to be the one fielding comments and responses, and generally connecting with readers.

On the other end of the spectrum is LexBlog’s own fearless leader Kevin O’Keefe, who his own definite view of ghostblogging. I recently read a post by Kevin that included the following statement:

“But the very essence of social media precludes ghostwriting. Social media is not about producing content. Social media is about engaging others so as to build and nurture meaningful relationships. Engagement that requires listening to your audience and offering value to the conversation.”

I agree with the statement, but not the context. I truly believe that you can engage and nurture relationships even if you are not the only hand in the blog. In fact, I called Kevin and had a discussion about this very issue. My point? Rather than negate the power of a ghostblogger, we should look at the ways to make that arrangement work to the benefit of the lawyer. If the question is: "to blog or not to blog?" the answer is simple... do what you have to do to blog. 

Black Pearl: For more thoughts from Kevin, read the rest of his post on ghostblogging.  

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Ghostblogging has come under a bit of scrutiny lately (we’ll discuss that on Thursday) but in my mind it’s a great alternative. Better to be a part of the social media world than write off all the opportunities that can arise from it simply because you are afraid of the time commitment. Working with a collaborator can be a great experience, but (of course) there’s nothing like your own ideas going straight from brain to paper (or screen in this case). The true challenge is finding the right balance.

Question of the week: Do you write your own blog?

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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?

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There are 4 simple ways that you can dramatically increase your visibility-- and credibility-- in the circles you want to be known.

This week we asked: In the past six months I have:

Written an article - 51%
Given a speech - 19%
Made use of social media - 4%
Started a book - 0%
Done nothing to increase my visibility - 26%

My thoughts: It’s great that 74% of you have done SOMETHING over the past six months to increase visibility. It all ties into building your personal brand!

For those of you who have yet to read my E-book “Be A Celebrity In Your Own World,” I thought I would go over a few quick points in the 4-step plan. For more in-depth discussion, click the link in the Black Pearl below—it’s a quick and easy read.  For those who have already read it, I'm curious to know what actions you've taken since then and how you've seen your visibility improve.

• First, articles—write them on a regular basis and post them. If you post one article in 10 directories every week for a year and it’s picked up 4 times a week… that’s 728 content-driven spots on the Internet bearing your name and your expertise. Just make sure it gels with your personal brand.

• Second, speeches and seminars—Let your brand come through in person by forging face-to-face relationships. Create speeches from the content of your articles.

• Third, social media—no matter what you’re feelings on the subject you don’t want to be the only one left out. At the very least get your profile on LinkedIn, for the more social media-savvy consider a blog (more on this topic next week!).

• Finally, the book—it doesn’t have to be long, or even published by a major publishing house. It will give you instant credibility and is an incredible marketing tool.

The thing to remember with all of these strategies is this: do everything through the prism of your own personal branding. Make sure that everything that is put out into the world reflects the visual and verbal ideas that you’ve set up and that it speaks directly to your target market.

As my colleague Peter Russin of Meland Russin & Budwick said:

“One's ability to generate business depends in large part on reputation and visibility. Reputations are built via hard work and providing intelligent,creative, ethical, caring advice to clients. Visibility is achieved by being involved in professional and charitable organizations, going to public functions, and publishing well-written material.”

Black Pearl:  As I mentioned above,  download my free e-book “How To Be A Celebrity In Your Own World.” It’s short and informative and will spell out, in detail, the strategies I’ve covered in this post.