Greentarget, Zeughauser Group and Inside Counsel magazine just released survey data that updates their oft quoted 2010 findings on how corporate, in-house law departments are using social media with The 2012 In-House Counsel New Media Engagement Survey. (News release below.)

Just 19 months ago the ‘power users’ were the under-40 crowd. Today, the survey shows that, hey, even lawyers in their 40′s, 50′s and 60′s—the decision makers—are jumping onto social media more frequently to, in my words, “better understand their choices.”

What’s new?

That’s right, they’re out there listening, reading and evaluating the private practice attorneys who every day conduct a type of dog and pony show as they post to their blogs, Tweet their successes, and network on LinkedIn. But that’s where it sort of ends. Don’t expect to get the GC to engage in Twitter banter with you nor comment on your blog—they’re not engaging as frequently as they are stalking. The survey’s executive summary states that of the 86 percent of the in-house counsel bar that use it at all, 68 percent use it to listen exclusively, while just 32 percent say they both listen and engage with others. So, the majority of in house counsel is essentially invisible and largely prefer to consume content without interacting on new media channels. (Interestingly, this I believe tracks close enough with the North American population in general. The last available (free) social media engagement data reported in 2008 showed that 48% of online U.S. adults were spectators and only 18% creators, 25% joiners and 44% inactive. From Groundswell, by Charline Li, Josh Bernoff for Forrester Research. These numbers have been updated, but I don’t have access to them.)

Lawyers win.

Though not surprising, it looks like the best new media marketing strategy is to credential lawyers as subject matter experts using social media, blogs and even Wikipedia entries rather than waste time trying to brand the whole firm, or so the data suggests: 

By having articles, decisions, opinion columns, background on precedent-setting cases, and similar material featuring firm attorneys cited as references in a Wikipedia entry, firms can showcase the expertise of their attorneys in front of in-house counsel. It is important to note that Wikipedia has very specific rules on how entries are to be edited, and a very active community of editors who do not tolerate the use of Wikipedia as a promotional tool. This further supports the notion that law firms should use Wikipedia to enhance existing articles by adding to the fingerprint of reference material contained within those articles, rather than promoting themselves via firm-focused entries.

Analysis.

The full report does a good job at logging the tally of responses and goes a step further to offer analysis which should be of help to those law firm marketing pros that seek to gain traction in the inner sanctum of corporate law departments with their social media activity. However, after I digest the report I hope to return with my own analysis on how I believe private practice lawyers and law firms can use the data to their advantage. 

At the end of the day, a big shout out to the report creators and sponsors, Greentarget, Zeughauser Group and Inside Counsel magazine and their teams.  I can’t help wondering what goes through the in-house counsel’s mind after being asked about their social media behaviors.  I wonder why they were willing to participate? Do they want to help lawyers and law firms better understand how they hire lawyers and law firms? Are they encouraging them to continue to reveal themselves through social media as a more efficient means; i.e. process improvement tactic? Or, maybe they just want them to know that “you never know who’s watching!”

In my 2010 book published by WEST, social.lawyers: Transforming business development, I tell the story of Robert Thomas who landed two Fortune 100 clients without ever submitting a response to an RFP, simply because the general counsels both reported that (paraphrased) ‘we read your blog, we know what you know and it’s like getting to hear your lawyer think out loud and we like what you’re thinking!’ Pretty cool, huh?

Certainly, no longer is it okay for any lawyer trying to develop new business to be absent from the social web!

Cheers,

NEWS RELEASE from Greentarget

Social Media Adoption by In-House Lawyers Growing, Signaling New Opportunities to Reach Buyers of Legal Services

Second annual In-House Counsel New Media Engagement Survey shows generational usage leveling off; prominent blogs influence hiring decisions; in-house lawyers “invisible users” who consume content without interaction

Chicago, IL January 25, 2012 – A survey released today by communications firm Greentarget, consulting firm Zeughauser Group and InsideCounsel magazine finds that older in-house lawyers—those in their 40s, 50s and 60s—are using social media in far greater numbers than they were in 2010. The survey (#GCSocial on Twitter) highlights key factors that influence hiring decisions among buyers of legal services, and provides new insights for law firms to reach current and prospective clients more effectively through digital communications. The results show dynamic progression from the study’s 2010 figures, the first year the survey was conducted.

“The days of the younger ‘power users’ is quickly fading as older counsel are using social media tools with greater fervor and frequency than they were just 18 months ago,” said John Corey, founding partner of Greentarget. “Whether it the continued emergence of blogs, the untapped potential of LinkedIn or the vast implications of in-house counsel listening quietly rather than actively engaging on the social web, the research provides timely new perspective and guidance on how to implement and measure social media strategies geared to the in-house community.”

The In-House Counsel New Media Engagement Survey measures how corporate lawyers’ use and perceptions of new media have changed and what they are using digital communications to do.

The Highlights:

• Prominent blogs influence the hiring of outside counsel. Eighty-four percent of respondents say they think blogs are credible, and more than half think a prominent blog will influence clients to hire that firm.
• Blogs declined in daily readers from 2010, but an increase in weekly and monthly readers more than made up for it.
• General counsel say they read firm-branded or law firm attorney-authored blogs slightly more often than they read blogs written by professional journalists.
• LinkedIn is the most dynamic example of older lawyers increasing their usage of social media, with the majority of respondents of all ages using it at least weekly.
• Communications between law firms and their clients is slowly but steadily going social, as evidenced by a modest increase in respondents who said they were using new media tools to access content from their outside firms.
• Just seven percent of respondents say they have visited the Wikipedia page of their outside counsel. However, 87 percent say they use the platform to research issues, indicating law firms should consider a different approach to the e-encyclopedia.
• Most in-house counsel listen but do not interact online. This suggests that firms cannot accurately measure the ROI of new media by pursuing dialogue and interaction with client-side lawyers.
• Hardware innovation is influencing legal marketing as a growing percentage of respondents are using mobile devices—smartphones and tablets—to consume industry news content.

“By addressing not only where in-house counsel congregate online, but also what they are using digital platforms to do and what kind of content they find most meaningful, this research provides fresh insights into how legal marketers can better adapt and align their new media strategies with marketing and business development,” said Norm Rubenstein, partner of Zeughauser Group

Added Thomas Duggan, Group Publisher, InsideCounsel: “It is fascinating to see how media consumption habits are changing. For instance, blogs—both those that are firm-branded as well as those that are maintained by traditional editorial operations—play an increasingly prominent role as niche media outlets for news and commentary about legal issues.  As the leading publisher serving general counsel and other top in-house legal professionals, we are committed to keeping our finger on the pulse of how the in-house community is using new forms of media to stay informed and connected.”

To download a summary of the research report, click here. For more information, contact John Corey at jcorey@greentarget.net or 312-252-4100.

About the Survey’s Authors

About Greentarget (www.greentarget.com)

Greentarget is a strategic communications firm focused exclusively on the communications needs of highly competitive business-to-business organizations.  We counsel those who counsel the world‘s most sophisticated businesses and direct the conversation among their most important audiences to help deepen the relationships that impact the long-term value of their organizations.

About Zeughauser Group (www.consultzg.com)

Zeughauser Group is the firm of choice for legal industry leaders seeking to increase their competitive advantage and profitability, enhance market position, and strengthen organizational culture.

About InsideCounsel (www.insidecounsel.com) 

InsideCounsel is the premier monthly magazine serving general counsel and other top in-house legal professionals. It is the oldest monthly magazine published exclusively for the in-house community with an editorial mission to provide the strategic tools that general counsel need to better manage their legal departments and fully understand the business risks companies face today.

Sending a digital eCard to a huge database list of “everyone,” without taking a moment to…

• reflect that behind each name is a real person,
• jot a simple note, and
• add a hand written signature…

…is equivalent to diet mashed potatoes.

If you’re going to serve mashed potatoes without the butter, milk, salt, and gravy, why bother. I think eCards, too, miss several critical ingredients. Even the ones that come from an individual’s email address (rather than from info@) seem cold and aloof, no matter how clever the design. It’s impersonal. Besides, who wants diet food over the holidays? We get sooo many emails every day, and there’s a chance your eCard will end up in the spam filter.

Oh the dilemma!

Now, I understand the problems that law firms face during the holiday card season:

1. Lots of cards to send
2. Can’t agree on a design
3. It’s time consuming to sign them all (my secretary can do it)
4. It can get complicated coordinating signatures from multiple lawyers working on a single account
5. Getting it done in time

On the flip side, eCards solve several problems:

1. Your database is set up for email blasts so there’s no extra effort
2. Some people still think they’re cool, especially the animated ones, no matter what design you choose
3. You don’t have to sign them–your digital signature is in your email template–extra marketing points for a link to your website or social network
4. No postage–though there are production costs
5. It’s easy to push send and be done with it

Another point of view

Still, it seems to me that since being a lawyer is a relationship-based profession, taking time at the holidays to send a real card with a personal note and a handwritten signature is not asking too much. (I’ve yet to see an eCard with a personal touch but I hope I’m wrong and someone can share one with us.)

I also know that much has been written and said about whether or not law firms should be sending holiday eCards or not, and from a practical point of view, it is much more efficient. But, I’m wondering, have we lost some of the specialness of holiday greetings in the process? Am I being over sentimental?  Do you have an opinion?

Here’s mine…

Being a very web and technology oriented person, I pondered to myself as I started to carefully choose, address, sign, and jot personal notes on a pile of over 100 paper holiday cards this week. I said to myself,

“This is a lot of work! Shouldn’t I be using a more “contemporary” channel to wish my colleagues, clients, and friends a happy holiday? Just think of all the time I’d save by sending an eCard. Plus, if I sent an eCard, I could include links to my website, promote my blog and encourage recipients to follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn.”

My answer came quickly, loud and clear: NO! You see, as I went through my list, checking it twice, each name caused me to reflect on the individual. It brought to mind the valuable meaning they lent to my business or personal life. Some reminded me of the satisfaction I received working with them, the challenges we met, or the failures we endured. Others made me very thankful for their support over the years and the laughs or tears we shared.

I thought of their careers, their families, and their personal or professional goals of which I sometimes knew. This process made me very thankful to know each one of those names on my list. In fact, looking at the stack, I felt humbled to be associated with such great clients, colleagues, and friends. I would not want to give up this process for anything. I don’t want to send these valuable people diet mashed potatoes.

Then, I visualized the addressee receiving their mail one day, opening the envelope, admiring the card, and taking just a minute to read the note and signature—maybe even thinking “how nice of her to think of me,” and placing it somewhere in their office to add some cheer.

It isn’t every day that an opportunity to send a note to someone who has added meaning to my life—whether in deed, word or income–comes along. This once a year tradition makes it special. I don’t know about you, but getting a real card (birthday or holiday) in the mail always makes me feel a bit more special and I remember the sender fondly.

Plus or minus

While I realize there may be a time and a place for both types of greetings, I would think an attorney in the relationship business would jump on this opportunity to prepare and send a personal greeting to each of the 100 most important people in their contact database, just to let them know they were thinking of them. It would, IMHO, dull the constant dripping of every day email communications that seem to only deliver briefs, bills or bad news, right?

Will you be sending “real” holiday cards this year?

How can we help you?

How can we help you? That was the message preceding a “request for information” form in the Contact Us section of a noteworthy B2B company website I recently visited. Ten days ago I filled out that form and requested specific information or a return phone call regarding a webdesign project I am directing for a client. I still haven’t heard from the company.

Sure, I could have picked up the phone, there was a main number listed, but I was already on the website, the form was handy, seemed sincere, and I was trying to save a little time. Additionally, (1) I wanted the information and hoped that the right person to answer my query would call me directly (I wrote a detailed message) and save some steps, and (2) I often wonder about the effectiveness of the info@ email address which many of these Contact Us forms go to so I decided to test it among four prospective design firms. In this first case I got the answer to #2: not very.

Meanwhile, I received a confirmation from this company stating that I had been added to their email newsletter distribution list, this despite the fact that I unchecked the box that would sign me up to receive “educational materials.” Obviously a glitch in their system? Or not. Worse was the impression this experience has left in my mind: (1) This company actually sells their expertise for online marketing strategy (isn’t the contact us form an important part of the lead generation process?),  and (2) eNewsletter advice and modules are also in their offerings, so why didn’t their opt out work properly?

At the end of the day, they lost not only a prospect—not responding to an info@ inquiry is a bad move for anyone—but the glitch also put a dent in their overall image. For example, when I told my client that we had not heard back from this company he was shocked. He asked, “in this market how can it be that a company does not even want to entertain a new business opportunity?” I had no answer for him. But I can be pretty sure that should this company’s name come up in a discussion among his colleagues where he’d likely have some influence to make a referral, he’d relay our story.

Technology is a game changer.

Technology is a game changer, and I’m not referring to shiny new stuff like social media, but rather something as simple as a basic business tool: EMAIL! Why would you relegate one of the most valuable, and essentially free, technology tools to a low interest priority?

There are more than a dozen, if not more, pay-per-lead generation directory sites that lawyers and law firms subscribe to on the web today–paying good money for each lead the site generates. The reason these are becoming more popular is simple, more people go to the web when searching for services and products than ever before, getting leads from this traffic is valuable. But the fact is, you actually have a decent lead generator on your own site too but how many firms are giving it due respect? Frankly, in my mind it begs the question: Why would a high profile company (or law firm) pay top dollar for a fancy and informative website but not have a functional lead generation tool on it?  The simple Contact Us form on your website will do, as long as you manage it properly, right?

Do you use an info@yourlawfirm.com mailbox for web inquiries?

So I ask, knowing that many many law firms use an info@ourlawfirm.com mail address on their websites, is this a risk you’re willing to take? How do you manage your Contact Us mail? Who responds to your info@ mailbox?

I wonder how many law firms have an info@ inbox full of unanswered inquiries? I wonder how many of those info@ boxes are monitored by overworked legal secretaries or marketing coordinators who do not have the time to respond or even comprehend the value of an online lead?

Build good will.

Granted, many online leads turn out to be a bad fit or a dead end, but that shouldn’t stop a law firm or company from leveraging the opportunity to build good will (you never know who they might know) by simply sending a brief note in response. Even if you’re not interested or you’re not capable of accepting their case, shouldn’t someone write a quick note to explain that?

The end of the story.

The end of my story is that I filled out four online forms on design agency sites. Of the four, three responded. Of those three, one said they’d get back to me, and didn’t, one wrote asking me for a convenient time to talk and further discuss my needs, and one picked up the phone and called me about 30 minutes after I hit submit. Of the two that made further contact, one, after vetting the project with their team, politely declined the project (via email) saying they didn’t have the bandwidth to start the project until next spring, which was too late for us. The other one, the one that called promptly, is preparing a bid for us and frankly, based on responsiveness alone and grasp for the value of lead generation via their website, has a pretty good chance of getting the work if all goes well, because those two attributes mirror our own objectives!

POST UPDATE:

Today, January 2, 2012, I received a “generic” response to the web inquiry I had sent to design firm one, almost 2 full months from the day I submitted it. Is that an acceptable response time? No, it is not. Meanwhile, my client and I identified another solution.

I need your help.

I’d like to hear from readers about your experience using or managing Contact Us forms. How effective is an info@yourlawfirm.com email address for communicating with prospects or generating leads. How many leads generated via email turn into business engagements? Any other thoughts?

Post Script: (If you are a design agency, don’t even think about spamming the comments with a link to your company site. I will delete it. Thanks!)

Listening to a law firm administrator explain how he handles internally sensitive issues at his law firm over a business dinner one evening, I remarked, “You’re a benevolent dictator! Sounds like it’s working for you! Management by consensus may be an easier path, but it is a sure path to confusion, or worse, inaction, right?” He agreed, but added that it wasn’t for the weak of heart because it did not come easy. A few days later I was contacted by book publicist Kevin Small, requesting a review of an advance copy of a new book, The Benevolent Dictator, by Michael Feuer, co-founder of OfficeMax and founder of Max-Wellness. What a coincidence! I eagerly agreed and dove into the book with relish, hoping to glean some nuggets to be passed along to my clients and colleagues in the legal profession. I was not disappointed. I hope you’ll too find lots of encouragement and ideas. Then, share them with the readers of the VMO blog.

This book is a gem. There are practical lessons that we already know but will benefit from re-visiting and others that were entirely new to me. Here’s the short list of what this book has to offer:

• Always be prepared to turn to Plan B…and sometimes C and D.
• Learn how to make every dollar last
• Manage by the three P’s: Persistence, Perspiration, and Performance
• Pot stirring 101: The key to continuous reinvention
• How to put lightning back in the bottle again and again

One of my favorite chapters.

Anyone who has a role in launching ideas in their law firm will totally relate to Chapter Six: “GOYA—The only way to really test an idea.”

“You should… begin by undertaking a process in which I’m a big believer: GOYA, or, Get Off Your Ass. …Take that idea and start testing it. …Go to places where people shop and buy. Walk around and watch how they do it. You envision how your idea would make it better, easier, and faster for people to do something that they’re currently doing poorly, with difficulty, or slowly. You see if your concept has legs.”

Now, you might argue that in the law firm it’s not about shopping and buying. And I would counter: It is! Nothing will get you to the table quicker than if you truly understand how your clients (i.e, partners, management, bosses, etc.) work in order to get them to buy into a new idea.

Have you ever been on the line for a client’s success, been responsible to bring in a million dollars in revenue, or felt the demands on the one commodity lawyers have to sell—time? If not, before you present that new idea walk a mile in a lawyer’s shoes—it ain’t easy. How busy lawyers juggle multiple clients, stay up to date on the law, and find time to develop new business can be a herculean task! (Not to mention family, philanthropy and oh yeah, personal time.) A CEO, COO or CMO (Director, Administrator or manager–whatever your title) with an idea and only a vague concept of the impact the idea will have on the practicing lawyer is certain to be less effective. The Benevolent Dictator will inspire you!

When Communicating, Cut to the Chase.

“One size never fits all, and events must dictate your tactics. This means that as the boss, you must instinctively understand when to be an observer and when you must get your hands very dirty, very quickly—in order to survive, succeed, or excel.”

Assertions that start with a negative followed by a litany of unpleasant consequences will be counter productive. (Avoid being forced to focus only on the risk factors!)

“It’s certainly true that you must tell your team members what they need to know, not just what they want to hear. Sprinkling perfume on a smelly problem doesn’t make the fragrance better. …But, starting with statements like, ‘If we don’t increase sales in the next month, we might have to let go of many of you,’ or, ‘We either save money on expenses, or we go down the tubes’ …is counter productive.”

It’s common sense, but we get into bad habits. Feuer suggests that you can jump start acceptance by explaining the issue and the anticipated fix by using a logical, positive tone and focusing on the good rather than the bad. However….

“If some of your people ignored this first sweet-laced mandate, then home in on those who might need a trip to the woodshed to understand what you really meant. Target your second message to the noncompliant laggards with the old school, stronger-style message, as in, “What part of ‘no’ didn’t you understand? If all else fails…a ton of bricks will get the job done, too.”

Ah…the Benevolent Dictator! I love Feuer’s writing style and I think you will too. There’s great advice on handling crisis, growing your company (i.e. law firm), and gaining trust and respect from your employees (and your own bosses!). Seriously, I know I recommend a number of business books from time to time, but this one is a must read. Truly practical, sensible advice that everyone in the legal profession needs to read—lawyers, managing partners, marketing partners, administrators, COOs, IT, Human Resources, and of course CMOs!  Do yourself a favor. READ THIS BOOK. Then come back and drop a note about a nugget you found and share the wealth!

Michael Feuer co-founded OfficeMax in 1988, starting with one store and $20,000 of his own money. During a 16-year span, Feuer, as CEO, grew the company to almost 1,000 stores worldwide with annual sales of approximately $5 billion before selling this retail giant for almost $1.5 billion in December 2003. In 2010, Feuer launched another retail concept, Max-Wellness, a first of its kind chain featuring more than 7,000 products for head-to-toe care. Feuer serves on a number of corporate and philanthropic boards and is a frequent speaker on business, marketing and building entrepreneurial enterprises. “The Benevolent Dictator,” chronicles his step-by-step strategy to build business and create wealth. Published by John Wiley & Sons in late spring 2011.

ISBN: 978-1-1180-0391-6
Hardcover/US $24.95

Order from The Benevolent Dictator website @ $16.95.

Raise your hand: How many of you are stuck in the PUSHING TOO MUCH INFORMATION trap of social media? Right, just as I expected…too many.

Pushing information on social media is like using a garden rake to comb your hair. It’s the wrong tool for the job.

Just today, while explaining the finer details of a successful Twitter presence to a #lawyer, I emphasized the old don’t-toot-your-own-horn let others toot it for you approach to social media. To be interesting, be interested—and not just about what you think. It is most important to stimulate the conversation and draw attention to the ideas of others, inserting your expertise and opinion where it adds value, or entertainment in some cases.

Still, we forget: As witnessed by the incessant stream of look at me Tweets (including those with links to perhaps interesting articles, but no commentary) showing up in my Twitter stream because I follow a lot of law firms and lawyers. That is PUSHING. Cringe. It is pushing your own boat against stream instead of letting the stream lead.

I’ve said it before, here and here, social media is supposed to be social. When you are in a social situation, to establish new relationships you must be aware of those around you at that very moment. You will do best to draw them into a conversation—and yes, that usually means you have to place a higher degree of focus on who you’re speaking to and what matters to them rather than shining a light on yourself. Let others raise your profile. It will deliver greater benefits and it’s really not that hard.

While there’s nothing wrong with pushing information—there’s always luck and timing—expecting meaningful results for the precious investment of resources diminishes greatly when you do not understand and act upon the classic tenants of social behavior and what motivates people to engage.

Later today I read a timely blog post by David Aaker on Harvard Business Review’s The Conversation, “Secrets of Social Media Revealed 50 Years Ago.” I’m sharing this link with you because I hope that you’ll be enlightened and inspired, like I was, by Aaker’s observations on how the findings of Ernest Dichter, who 50 years ago outlined the key elements of word of mouth persuasion. These elements apply so aptly to social media today.

“…[in] the absence of exceptionally entertaining communication, in order to employ social media effectively a brand needs to deliver extraordinary functional, self-expressive, or social benefits.”

Okay…stop here. How many law firms deliver extraordinarily functional or self expressive benefits. Not many. We’re all sort of “just a law firm on the Internet.” With a few exceptions: IMHO. That leaves us with delivering social benefits, agree?

“Listeners…[want] the speaker to be interested in the listener and his or her well-being without a bias. Is the speaker’s intention to sell a product or help me? What is the speaker’s relationship to me?

…[A] firm should promote a dialogue because a listener will be more likely to accept judgments from someone with whom there is an interaction going on. With a dialogue, it is much easier to communicate expertise, interest in the subject matter, and the right motivation because there is a chance to build up a relationship and use reassuring cues. In contrast, a one time, one-way communication will have a harder time demonstrating credibility and motivation.

Aaker concludes that:

“It is amazing that the nearly forgotten theory and practice of word-of-mouth communication and influence from five decades and more ago can be so relevant today.”

I encourage all marketing professionals involved in their entity’s social media outreach, as well as individual attorneys, to read the full article and take the points made to heart and action.

David Aaker is the Vice-Chairman of Prophet and the author of Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant and the davidaaker.com blog on branding. There is some terrific stuff here…check it out!

The other day, I added a “new” Friend to my Facebook network, someone I see maybe once a year at a professional gathering. I thought: This is great. Can it get any easier to stay in touch and up to speed on what’s going on in her life so that the next time we meet we can immediately ease into a relevant conversation? No, it can’t. I love what Facebook brings to the flow of my professional (and personal) life.

Does anyone still use a Rolodex?

Then I thought, how much better than the previous, one-dimensional Rolodex era! As a marketing director in the era of the ROLODEX, I would sometimes suggest to lawyers that they go through their Rolodex contacts once a week and choose someone to call up just to say,

“Hello, how are you doing? I was thinking about you and thought to give you a call.”

This suggestion was more often than not met with three objections: (1) I don’t have time (2) I don’t feel comfortable doing that, and (3) what would I say after hello?

My counter objection went like this:

“But, you have to stay in touch with people who have engaged you or who can refer business your way. How else do you expect them to think of you when they DO need your services again or have been asked to recommend an attorney? Using your Rolodex to prompt a touch point is a simple method; please just try it.”

While a few adventurous souls would give my advice the old college try, most would soon revert back to opting for the chance meeting at a lunch spot or charity event. Oh well. Can’t say I didn’t try, right?

Client Relationship Management?

Then came CRM (Client Relationship Management). It promised to change the amount of work involved in keeping tabs on our contacts. It’s easy; you put contact information into the database, you time and date stamp every touch point, newsletter, or event invitation for that contact and mark it for a follow up reminder. An excellent system, only one problem, some systems are less than user friendly, adding an extra step to the attorney’s workflow. (I’m not gong to suggest a law firm doesn’t need a CRM – they do – but for other reasons, not personal networking.)

FACEBOOK for Lawyers?

Fast forward to social networking. When I first suggested that lawyers try moving their business network online to Facebook (not LinkedIn—the safe choice), I was met with three objections: (1) I don’t have time (2) I don’t feel comfortable doing that, and (3) what would I say? (Funny, same objections – what’s the pattern here?)  For most, the idea of a LinkedIn presence seemed respectable, but Facebook—isn’t that for college kids? Well, yeah, it can be for young adults with wide social circles, but that’s the beauty of it. The technology is place for developing and maintaining wide social networks and it is available for anyone to leverage!

With a little common sense, and little effort, you can post one to many communications, saving steps, letting your network know what you’re up to—and it’s totally acceptable.

PRACTICE POINTER: No one will think less of you because you are using Facebook! IN FACT, it may soon be just the opposite –

“Why aren’t you my “Friend” on Facebook yet? Why don’t we connect on Facebook? I’d love to keep in touch more frequently and since you’re a thousand miles away, this is the next best thing!”

Genius! You can hone in on the people in your network, that are otherwise so easily neglected, by commenting on one of their posts. A simple “like” is all it takes sometimes.  And, you can easily step it up to the next level with a one-to-one conversation via chat or onsite email when someone appears in your news stream that presents an opportunity to get more personal. All without leaving the site and fuddling with extra steps. (Note #1: Facebook is not the place to give legal advice – or anything resembling it. This is not the place to discuss a client’s case or a judge’s ruling – even in a private Facebook email or chat. This is strictly social!) (Note #2: Some CRM’s are integrating your social networks now, and if so, you may do well to investigate and learn how to use them.)

Privacy Settings.

Facebook is not the scary place that it was once thought to be—though there are some safe guards you MUST not ignore. By all means, don’t act like a stooge on Facebook: Only share G rated photos and don’t allow others to tag you in their photos that you do not believe represent your interests well. (If someone in your network does tag you—make sure your My Account/ Notifications settings are set to alert you to when you are tagged in a photo (see illustration)—simply go to the offending photo and remove the tag. They will not be able to add it back in even if they try.)

Also, don’t share your birth DATE (your month and day is okay if you don’t mind getting swamped with well wishes on your birthday!), lock down your profile and privacy settings to Only Friends, and don’t post controversial links to polarizing articles that may compromise future business opportunities. Be wary of third-party applications and games –you really don’t need them. AND, don’t friend judges, or others who may come back to haunt you merely by association. (More Facebook tips here.)

Bottom Line:

Treat your engagement with others on Facebook a little like you would the people you interact with socially at the country club, neighborhood, church, synagogue, or your kids’ school. Be reserved, but be personable. Otherwise, go for it! The results can be significant. I recently heard yet another story of a lawyer who picked up a VERY, VERY significant matter as a result of their activity on Facebook.

Facebook is a multidimensional Rolodex that you can fill with all the people you’ve encountered at various points and intersections of your life—you seldom know exactly where your next piece of business might come from. Make sure that your Facebook Friends are aware of your knowledge base, your accomplishments, interests, and yes, even what you were cooking on the barbeque at your Memorial Day picnic! It’s okay. People like to do business with people they know and trust.  Today, more of those relationships are budding on Facebook. What are you waiting for?

If you need help navigating social networks, drop me a note.

Terri L. Sjodin is a speech geek. Her experience on her speech and debate teams in high school and college laid the groundwork for her 2011 book, “Small Message, Big Impact: How to put the power of the elevator speech effect to work for you.”

Persuasive and instructional, Ms. Sjodin nails it.

(Disclaimer #1: I was given an advance copy to review. Disclaimer # 2: I got into reviewing business books quite accidentally—I entered my name in a call out on Twitter to review a then forthcoming book by Tony Hsieh who leads one of my favorite online retail businesses; Zappos. It was a great experience. I have since been offered the opportunity to review other critical new business books, and have accepted the challenge for three reasons: (1) I believe that my reviews can be of some help to my readers in sorting through the pile of biz books being published daily (2) I believe lawyers who want to connect with their clients need to read books written by CEO’s, and others who are actually in business, and (3) reviewing books has forced me to read them! I am intrigued by the vast knowledge being transferred, for the small cost of a book, and now consume them voraciously—I used to buy business books, flip through them, retrieve a nugget and then put them on the shelf for another day. Thus, you will find a category on the VMO devoted to business book reviews.)

My Review: Small Message, Big Impact.

Closed office, open office: What’s the difference?

“Quite frankly, I have never entered an office that had a bright flashing neon sign proclaiming: Open to vendors and solicitors. Come on in!”

No matter if you’re in direct sales or developing new business for your law practice via relationships, it takes time and creativity to get through the door, says Sjodin. Enter, the advanced Elevator Speech.

What is the Elevator Speech?

“It is the short conversational message you share with the dream client in the middle of a busy airport—or the elevator.” Ms. Sjodin proposes that the compelling and carefully crafted elevator speech has the power to bridge the gap between nice ideas in theory and concrete results. Handled properly, the elevator speech can evolve from a simple thirty-second commercial to a true competitive benchmark.

Sound interesting? Sure, I think so.  But, how do we do that?

Most seasoned rainmakers know their 30-second brand statement or value proposition; they’ve done it a million times in the cocktail circuit (and created an awesome Twitter bio in just 160 characters from it). Still, Ms. Sjodin proposes that today’s elevator speech has several characteristics that should not be overlooked:

• It can be formal or informal.
• The actual length is approximately two to three minutes depending on circumstances.
• It is a clear, brief message with intention.
• It has a sole function, which is to intrigue a listener and obtain his or her interest, therefore winning the speaker the chance to offer a longer, more detailed presentation at a later time.
• It has structure.
• It has a close.
• It is a tool that helps you earn the right to be heard.
• It can, most important of all, initiate a sequence of events resulting in dramatic and amazing opportunities, both large and small, far into the future.

What’s in the book?

Lush with plenty of real life stories and examples, “Small Message, Big Impact” is a convincing read. It takes readers to the place where they can explore their own message, formulate it, structure it appropriately, and deploy it in practice. There are tips on refining and engaging: This is NOT your father’s elevator speech.

Sjodin explains the nuances of transition, body language, tone, and more. She has advice on dressing the part, fear, and earning the right to be heard. The best part about the book is that you never think you’re getting advice from someone who has not been in the trenches. She’s been there. And it is that perspective that I think makes this book most valuable—do as I say and as I do!

The book is not only helpful for those serendipitous moments when you meet up with a prospect in the airport, fundraising event or …the elevator.  It teaches you how to manage multiple talking points and to communicate more complex ideas as well: There is counsel and guidance for anyone who presents to the public; speeches, presentations and other performances. And, it is padded with practical exercises in a friendly format.

I speak to public groups and law firms often. This book has given me a new way of looking at my messages, how best to deliver them to varied audiences, communicate complex ideas and ultimately has helped me shift my otherwise predictable 30-second elevator speech into a more productive tool for reaching and intriguing listeners.

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press, Small Message, Big Impact by Terri L. Sjodin is a slam-dunk, no brainer for lawyers who want to improve their chances of being heard by those who engage them. Available June 1, 2011.

Unique instruction in this book for serious law firm marketers, technologists, administrators, personnel directors, etc. who want to get their ideas to “come across better” and be heard (and heeded) more often. Guy Kawasaki, known for his dynamic thought leadership, delivers what I believe will be helpful for lawyers who want to move beyond mere persuasion and upgrade their communication skills to “enchantment.” Frankly speaking, the lessons in this book almost have to impact success in the boardroom, the courtroom, and the marketplace. Bottom line: this book is just stuffed with practical tips that anyone who thrives on seeing their ideas grow to fruition can employ.  (Suggestions for purchasing a copy can be found here.)

Format

Before I get into the “enchanting” content in this book, I have to say that I’m glad I own the hardcover version and not an eReader version. (Disclosure: I was sent an early review copy by Guy’s team.) Not that I don’t love reading books on my Kindle, I do, but this one would lose too much in the conversion to the flowing format of an eReader. You see, it is full of great photos that illustrate enchanting people, and it has nice lists and tons of bulleted ideas that are laid out precisely upon each page. It’s just the kind of book that feels right paging through it, stopping here and there; then flipping back to an early chapter. Some books are just better in paper.

Okay, so with that out of the way, what’s inside that’s enchanting?

How do I do that?

Simply, the book delivers a classic message…if you are truly passionate about something, good things will happen; you will attract others, i.e., “win friends and influence people.” (-Dale Carnegie) No big revelation here. Right? We’ve all heard it before. BUT, how do you do that? Before I read this book I’d probably say, “Wing it!” Now, this book was like finding the treasure map. EUREKA!  And, that’s what makes “Enchantment” special. It tells you how to do it.

Real practical stuff.

This book is packed with really, really practical things that you can do right now. Stuff about what great “enchanters” do better than anyone else, how to overcome those who resist your great ideas, and suggestions for keeping the love alive—how to help people internalize your cause, reciprocate, fulfill their commitments to you—how to make enchantment endure.

Guy offers psychological and social proof for the mechanics of enchantment—assigning labels, using data, enchanting all the influencers, framing the competition, invoking reciprocity, and catalyzing commitment and consistency. Did you ever think about how something becomes more attractive when you can identify with members of a group? (Think Harley Davidson, Apple Computers, sports teams, etc.) It’s even more amazing at the highest-level when people will go beyond identifying to believing! At that point things begin to happen. In the book you’ll learn how when ideas are communicated using the techniques of enchantment they are more likely to breathe, live, and be believed.

Technology

Perhaps one of the most immediately useful chapters is about how to use push technology to be enchanting; i.e., email, PowerPoint, and Twitter. Assuming you’ve got the likability part in place—you know how to enchant—you can use the latest technologies to push your messages out and build an ecosystem around your cause or idea.  Oh, and don’t neglect pull technology.  Here he offers great advice and tips for bringing people to your story via websites, blogs, Facebook, Linkedin and YouTube, to name a few.

Who will benefit?

This will be a valuable book for visionaries and entrepreneurs who typically succeed or fail based on their ability to be enchanting. BUT it is also for leaders of larger organizations who want to enchant employees to impact greater success for the company. AND, for employees within those organizations who desire to make a difference yet need some guidance on how to be enchanting so that others will more readily accept their ideas.

Best Take-Away

After reading Guy’s book, I have to say I have changed my thinking (and doing) on a number of points he makes. But at the end of the day, probably the most important thing I’ve learned from the pages of this book is how POWERFUL enchantment can be. I believe it is an important skill to possess in today’s changing marketplace where anything is possible. I believe that when you finish reading “Enchantment” you’ll be convinced, and equipped too! So let me know what you think.

Pick up a copy, read it and enchant me!!!

Conversations in the Marketplace

In the purest sense the social Web is a very large marketplace populated by people who come and go for the purpose of engaging in conversations about things they do, make, think about, and care about, and of course to buy or sell things. The majority of your conversations in any marketplace will occur in smaller gatherings of people who share interests, ideas, or work together to solve problems and help one another. And that’s also how business gets done in this very large online marketplace, within these smaller communities.

On the social Web our conversations happen through posts. They can be blog posts, social-networking posts, or a comment post on a news article. They can be status-update posts, video or podcast posts, photos, or just about anything that makes connection and community. If your posts have an authentic voice, relevancy and value, they will enable relationships and trust; i.e. community. So, how do we find community?

Connection and Community

I learned about the role of community in business while growing up in a small Pennsylvania town where my extended family owned a modest but successful grocery store and a produce-distribution company. I vividly remember the day when my mother and father had finally scraped together enough money to buy the grocery store outright from my great-uncle. From then on, my father was the head butcher and my mother was found wherever she was needed most in the store. My grandmother worked wrapping meats and cheeses and dished up pickles from the barrel. My brothers and I counted cans on inventory days or stocked shelves, swept floors, carried out people’s groceries to their cars, and my favorite, arranged the candy shelves. Pretty much everyone my parents knew, and more, came to my family’s store at least once a week to shop for their groceries and buy meats from my dad.  What I now realize is that while groceries were vital, people came to our family store in large part because it met their need for connection. Going grocery shopping was a social event where they found a community.

There was always a fresh pot of coffee behind the butcher counter, along with a baked good or two (shoe-fly pie or sticky buns) that a customer brought in for our family or that my dad took off the shelf to share with others. The women would shop and the men would talk. The bread man, the milkman, the potato chip man and the produce-truck guy (this was before women were liberated!) were all regular fixtures, hanging around the butcher counter long after their deliveries were made. The store was small, nothing close to the mega supermarkets we know today. Still, it could take hours for a family to move through the aisles, and not just because the aisles were narrow. It was because everyone would stop and chat with their friends, neighbors, our family and our employees. Shopping at Cassel’s Food Store was community; it was an event, an experience and a place of connection, and yes, things were bought and sold.

I remember watching Dad interact with his customers, carefully explaining the special cuts of meat and how they might be prepared, or proudly pulling out a fresh piece of fish from the ice-packed display that came in that morning from the New Jersey coast. My mother would often give customers a sample of cheese or ring bologna while they watched my dad make fresh sausage with a hand meat-grinder. Customers conversed with each other about recipes they had tried or suggestions for side dishes, and before you could say Quakertown, another order of meat or fish was sold to test it out. When new products showed up on the shelves, customers would seek out the opinions of employees who had earned their trust over the years.  Arriving at the check-out register they were entertained by the very chatty and personable Mr. White—who worked that register his entire life—offering them bits of news, gossip and town history while ringing up their purchases. He’d often comment on how fresh the green beans looked that day and wouldn’t they go good with this or that, prompting the customer to take one more run to the produce department before their bill was tallied.

People came to my family’s grocery store to buy groceries, sure, but also to connect with others and learn about new things while drinking a cup of coffee and eating homemade cakes. (Think Facebook!) Occasionally, they’d drop a nickel in my hand after I’d carted their groceries to their car two blocks away on a Saturday afternoon when I would have rather been at the movies with friends. Still, I’ll never regret my frozen fingers or forget the lesson my family and friends taught me while growing up in the family business: Humans seek connection. They seek community.

As modern and hip as the Netizens of the social Web may perceive themselves to be, it is the feeling of the old-time marketplace—a valued place where people find connection and earn trust in order to buy and sell their goods and services—that brings them back again and again.[1] In that old-time marketplace, people with intersecting interests, both buyers and sellers, had conversations with each other without the filter of the media, incessant advertisements, or the shading of public relations. Likewise, uncorrupted community and connection are what most people on the social Web want today—even in the midst of our go-go modern world—as evidenced in its astounding growth. Whether bricks and mortar or digits, people want to be a part of a community. I believe, as do many others, that the social Web is growing because it meets our basic human desire for community and connection.

How important are your online communities? Are they valuable to you or are you just going through the motions? Sure, some people get business simply because they do something uniquely sought after and don’t need to build connections and community, but they are the exception not the rule. There is a connection between commonalities, relationship, and trust, and it’s vital to doing business in 2011.

As social media channels grow and the “what should we be doing” buzz slowly moves across the legal marketing industry, more legal marketing professionals and law firm leaders are asking, do we need to hire an agency? If you’re big enough or serious enough, you probably do. And according to some of the heavy hitters in corporate America, maybe even more than one if you want to touch all the bases.

Big Brands Weigh in on Social Agencies

In a post by Kate Kay at ClickZ, the big brands weigh in.

“Depending on the agency and the need, we leverage them and their strengths,” said Singh of the social agencies Pepsi works with, noting that he has yet to find one agency that fulfills all his social marketing needs. “We shop by skill on the agency side,” he added.

Scott Monty, Ford Motor Company’s pioneering head of social media, told the social marketing panel’s audience, “We’re very methodical and very aggressive about our social media” efforts. He said Ford has a social media agency at the corporate level and works with Team Detroit – a joint venture of WPP agencies including JWT, Mindshare, Ogilvy, Wunderman, and Y&R – in crafting social campaigns.

Ian Schafer, CEO of Deep Focus, an agency that handles social media strategy for companies and brands including HBO, Diageo, and Bing, suggested that social agencies have varying approaches. Some, he said, are more focused on scale, reach, and frequency, while others are focused on engagement.

Microsoft is also learning as it goes when it comes to integrating social agency services. “We’re really starting to blend the ideas of our agencies and our media partners,” said Eric Hadley, general manager, for Microsoft’s online services division. He said the company typically writes quarterly or annual briefs, and brings in its agency partners to help decide who should handle specific projects. Hadley continued, “If you have the media agencies in silos it doesn’t work.”

Law Firm Marketing

The legal profession is typically slow to adopt, but most larger law firms (say 60+ attorneys) who are serious about promoting their brand do have public relations or marketing design agencies on retainer or in-house. And, within the past year, most of those agencies have added a social media service line or “expertise” to their offerings, but is that enough?  It may be wise to step back and take a hard look at how well they are covering all the bases and if it might be to your advantage to test additional options.

Where are law firms headed in the social media space?

Frankly, the argument is no longer about whether or not your clients and prospects are there, as recent statistics show that 80% on the U.S. online population is engaged in social media one way or another. Rather, the issue is that despite the massive scale and promise of social media, it is much more subtle than traditional marketing and business development communications. So, with all this new activity and subtlety, how do we keep all the balls in the air, how can we cut through the noise, and probably most important is what are we ultimately doing with all this activity? Do you need an agency or maybe two or three to handle your strategy and some of your tactics?

It’s no longer a novelty to launch a blog, build a mobile app or create a Facebook fan page.  It’s time to move on to questions like:

• How do we integrate all this connectivity with our CRM system? What does social CRM mean to the law firm organization?
• How can we use our activity to position ourselves favorably against the competition? Is creating our own social network an option?
• How can we use social to streamline our processes of recruiting and marketing and client service? Will virtual tools give us a new type of workforce – one with less overhead?

What other ideas do you see in the future for social media programs in law firms?