social media for small law firms
DESCRIPTION
Learn why social media is the present and the future of online legal marketing, and how your firm can use tools like Facebook, Twitter and blogs to connect with clients and prospects in a direct, highly effective way.TRANSCRIPT
SOCIAL MEDIA: FISH WHERE THE FISH ARE
A GUIDE TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SMALL LAW FIRMS
AGENDA
• Social Media Importance• Join the Conversation• The Basic Rules• Connect and Re-Connect• Get Started
WORD OF MOUTH IS SHIFTINGJOIN THE CONVERSATION
Off-Line
To Build Relationships, be where the conversation is happening!
According to a recent ABA study asking consumers how they find lawyers:
Source: ABA, “Perspectives on Finding Personal Legal Services,” February 2011
Online
20%would consult
15%would consult
a blog
9%would consult
Officially, social media is “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.”
http://www.wikipedia.org
SOCIAL IS THE “FUTURE OF THE WEB”….AND THE FUTURE IS NOW
• LinkedIn: The platform adds 10 new members every 5 seconds (Business Insider)
• All Fortune 500 executives use LinkedIn (LINKEDiNFLUENCE)
• 45% of members are major decision makers (LINKEDiNFLUENCE)
• Twitter: Twitter’s reach is estimated to double the size of its users (Exact Target)
• Users are the most influential consumers on the web (Exact Target)
• Facebook 42% of consumers use the platform daily (Exact Target)
• 90% of people trust recommendations in their network (Exact Target)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
73% of American adults use the Internet regularly
95% of homes with $75,000+ incomes are online
45% of Internet users, (60 million Americans), say the Internet played a major decision in their lives over the last two years
65% of people begin their search for a lawyer on the internet (1)
Attorney referrals come in multiples – people research before they call (2)
27% in-house counsel consider attorney blogs “most important” in selecting attorneys
56% of private practice attorneys use social media – Up from 15% in 2008
The Internet is now the single biggest source for legal information
Source: 1NYS Bar Assoc. Journal 2009, 2Cone, Business & Social Media Study, September 2008
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
93% OF SOCIAL MEDIA USERS BELIEVE A COMPANY SHOULD HAVE A PRESENCE IN SOCIAL MEDIA.
Cone, Business in Social Media Study, September 2008
NEVER FORGET THE BASIC RULES
1
2
3
4
5
LISTEN
ENGAGE
MEASURE
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
IT’S NOT THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING
RULE #1: LISTEN
RULE #2: ENGAGE
RULE #3: MEASURE
• Allocate time• Allocate people• Use quality tools
RULE #4: YOU GET WHAT
YOU PAY FOR
RULE #5
GET STARTED
Social Media is the new
“Word of Mouth”
Join the Conversation
In practice, social media can be thought of as a broad range of Web properties, tools and apps aimed at helping people:
• Discover
• Share
• Discuss
• Comment
• Critique
• Converse
1. Know state / city bar rules2. Don’t give legal advise3. Always write in the first person – ONLY
speak for yourself4. Don’t cite or reference clients without
permission5. Don’t publish proprietary of confidential
information6. Don’t criticize the Judiciary in any way or
manner7. Include disclaimers such as “The contents
of this website are offered for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.”
8. Don’t use gmail for client confidential emails
SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
CONNECT AND RE-CONNECT
QUALITY IS BETTER THAN QUANTITY!
150 Followers
50 Fans
50 Connections
50 Connections
Approximately 300 Relevant People and Businesses
Social Media Industry & Best Practices / www.findlaw.com
KEY BENEFITS
• Elevate your brand
• Expand your online footprint
• Further establish expertise
• Positively influence conversations
• Establish a referral network
• Increase visibility with SEO benefits
• Engage with your customers
SOCIAL MEDIA
Stop thinking “campaigns” Start thinking “conversations”
LEARN MORELooking to expand your firm? Look to FindLaw. We offer the industry's most comprehensive lineup of marketing tools and resources for small law firms. Our local consultants will work with you to understand your needs and we back it up with uncompromising service and support.
For more information and education on Social Media for small law firms, visit lawyermarketing.com.