Page 65 - Leaders in Legal Business - PDF - Final
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since the advent of email. This statement might seem far-reaching to some, but it was not that
long ago that firms introduced email as a new way of communicating with the outside world via
a simple keyboard and computer. What was exciting to some was overwhelming and scary to
others. This newfangled method of communicating with clients changed communication forever.
So too has the development of social media and the use of social networking, not only for
attorneys and administrators, but also, more importantly, for our clients. Instead of the
introduction of one tool (email), we now see the introduction of an entire set of tools, or media,
that enable us to reach out and touch many people at a moment’s notice, as well as to listen and
learn from them.
This ability to communicate with the masses has opened up new opportunities for
lawyers, whether they are solo practitioners or are one of 7,000 professionals in a firm. You now
have tools at your disposal that provide ways for you to show your clients, potential clients,
referral sources, media, and other important parties what makes you qualified in the areas in
which you practice and what makes you different than other lawyers with whom you compete.
Even more important is that these tools allow you to see what is important to your clients
and prospects; the issues that have an impact on them; the changes they are facing on a daily
basis; and for you to then stay in touch with, if not ahead of, what they need and how you might
fit into that equation. With this much opportunity, these are not tools to take lightly.
What Can Social Media Do for Me?
Let’s take a look at a few of the main opportunities that social media present to you.
Positioning
It doesn’t take long to realize that human beings are bombarded by thousands of
messages every day and are finding it increasingly difficult to wade through all of those
messages. You face a great deal of competition for that coveted space in the minds of your
clients and potential clients, which is referred to as the position you would like to take in their
minds when they have a need for services like yours. No two attorneys have the same goals, so
where you might want to be thought of as having the position as the top lawyer in your practice
area, one of your competitors might be fighting to take over what he perceives to be the second
position in the minds of his clients. He might feel that is better than where he currently resides
when it comes to being called to the table in your and his practice area.
The Level Playing Field
Social media can be the great equalizer because it can help accomplish your positioning
goals. The playing field has now become more level than ever before. Just because you come
from a firm of 2,000 lawyers with an amazing industry team that is devoted to taking care of the
largest brands on Earth does not mean you will come across that way online. Conversely, just
because you are one of 10 lawyers in a boutique firm tucked away in a corner in a tiny suburb of
Minneapolis, Minnesota, this definitely does not mean that you can’t showcase the skills and
personality that exist in your firm in such a way that your potential clients take notice.
You have
an opportunity to stand out if you and your firm take charge of your online presence, and if you
commit to learning and using these tools that seem much more daunting than they really are.
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long ago that firms introduced email as a new way of communicating with the outside world via
a simple keyboard and computer. What was exciting to some was overwhelming and scary to
others. This newfangled method of communicating with clients changed communication forever.
So too has the development of social media and the use of social networking, not only for
attorneys and administrators, but also, more importantly, for our clients. Instead of the
introduction of one tool (email), we now see the introduction of an entire set of tools, or media,
that enable us to reach out and touch many people at a moment’s notice, as well as to listen and
learn from them.
This ability to communicate with the masses has opened up new opportunities for
lawyers, whether they are solo practitioners or are one of 7,000 professionals in a firm. You now
have tools at your disposal that provide ways for you to show your clients, potential clients,
referral sources, media, and other important parties what makes you qualified in the areas in
which you practice and what makes you different than other lawyers with whom you compete.
Even more important is that these tools allow you to see what is important to your clients
and prospects; the issues that have an impact on them; the changes they are facing on a daily
basis; and for you to then stay in touch with, if not ahead of, what they need and how you might
fit into that equation. With this much opportunity, these are not tools to take lightly.
What Can Social Media Do for Me?
Let’s take a look at a few of the main opportunities that social media present to you.
Positioning
It doesn’t take long to realize that human beings are bombarded by thousands of
messages every day and are finding it increasingly difficult to wade through all of those
messages. You face a great deal of competition for that coveted space in the minds of your
clients and potential clients, which is referred to as the position you would like to take in their
minds when they have a need for services like yours. No two attorneys have the same goals, so
where you might want to be thought of as having the position as the top lawyer in your practice
area, one of your competitors might be fighting to take over what he perceives to be the second
position in the minds of his clients. He might feel that is better than where he currently resides
when it comes to being called to the table in your and his practice area.
The Level Playing Field
Social media can be the great equalizer because it can help accomplish your positioning
goals. The playing field has now become more level than ever before. Just because you come
from a firm of 2,000 lawyers with an amazing industry team that is devoted to taking care of the
largest brands on Earth does not mean you will come across that way online. Conversely, just
because you are one of 10 lawyers in a boutique firm tucked away in a corner in a tiny suburb of
Minneapolis, Minnesota, this definitely does not mean that you can’t showcase the skills and
personality that exist in your firm in such a way that your potential clients take notice.
You have
an opportunity to stand out if you and your firm take charge of your online presence, and if you
commit to learning and using these tools that seem much more daunting than they really are.
51
