How lawyers are using social media marketing
Lawyers are starting to use social media in a variety of ways only one of which is marketing. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social networking platforms, make it simple to find prospective clients and referral sources, as well as other opportunities to grow your practice.
It's simple to find people online who write for or consult with people in your butt markets and it's simple to approach them ("friend," "follow"). If you're not networking online, you're missing out on a simple, inexpensive, and effective way to grow your practice and otherwise further your career.
I know. I resisted doing so for a very long time.
Then, I learned Facebook and realized it's not just a site for college kids. I spent time watching what others were doing and learned what to do (and what to avoid) to meet more people online and do business with them. I've made a lot of new friends on Facebook and re-connected with some ancient ones from high school and even earlier.
I set up a Twitter tab, but didn't use it. I just didn't "get" it. I do now.
I've been blogging for a couple of years now, and this I do get. I just started working with a lawyer and went to her web site for a quick take on what she's doing. Well, one of the first things I will suggest to her is to add a blog. I believe it is the single most valuable business a lawyer can do to market their law practice online.
If you're new to the world of social media (marketing) I can tell you that the individual components–the various sites and resources that are available to use–are relatively simple to know and commence by, but if you're like me, you won't appreciate their power until you have a better understanding of how they all fit together.
Over the weekend, I read "Crush It!" by Gary Vaynerchuk. The book provides a fascinating look into a larger-than-life personality and a road map for making a brand and monetizing it via social media. I was surprised at how much I knew (and was already doing) but I also learned a lot. More importantly, the book made me reckon about my brand, my "DNA" as Vaynerchuk describes it, something every professional needs to reckon about, no matter what kind of marketing they use.
Another valuable lesson is the substance of being yourself. That's sometimes hard for professionals to do, but it is our authenticity that makes us at once unique and attractive to the people in our niche.
The bottom line is, once you make your own brand and use social media to connect with people in your niche markets, you will not only do a better job of selling yourself to the world, you will also attract a lot of business via the Internet traffic that is a natural byproduct of the social media network.
Educate yourself and get started. Social media is here to stay and if you take it one step at a time, it is not only remunerative, it's a lot of fun.