Top Lawyer Coach, LLC

Social Media are Great Tools for Reaching Out to Potential Clients and Promoting Your Practice!

When you think about social media, your child's Facebook or MySpace account probably comes to mind.

These days, however, social media are a lot more than just status updates and virtual games.  They are MARKETING TOOLS!

Social media marketing is hot right now. Law firms are using it to connect with colleagues, potential clients, and to promote their companies.

If your firm doesn't have a social media presence yet, here's some advice for connecting to your market.

1. Understand the difference between personal and professional networking.

Remember, there are times when you'll be using social networking sites for business - not pleasure. Keep your posts professional and focus on topics potential clients will pick up on. Also, be sure to show a little personality in your posts. You want to appear likeable because most clients steer clear of anyone too one-dimensional or boring.

2. Interact on the social networks.

One of the simplest ways to interact online is to engage in conversations with potential clients using the status update features on Facebook and LinkedIn. Use these platforms to engage with others, maintain professional and personal relationships and promote your practice and accomplishments.

You can post:

• your firm’s most recent blog posts.
• occasional updates about your professional activities and accomplishments.
• links to interesting news stories relevant to your areas of practice.
• comments on your connections’ recent activities.

By interacting and providing useful and relevant information, you are able to keep your law firm on your potential clients’ and referrers’ “radar.”

Another way to connect with potential clients and referrers is through LinkedIn Groups. First, join local and regional groups that are likely to have potential clients as members. Then, interact with other group members, and get to know them and learn about their business concerns. Finally, consider moving the online relationship to an offline one by suggesting a business lunch.

3. Join the chatter on Twitter.

There is a lot going on over at Twitter - especially for those attorneys who want to build a national client base.

The key to Twitter success—or success with any social media platform, for that matter—is to set aside a small block of time each day to participate. When you do interact, be genuine, honest, kind and generous.

Social media experts offer this guide for tweeting:

• 50% of tweets should include links to articles, blogs posts, and other online content. This percentage should also include "retweets," or reposts from other users.
• 30% of tweets should be replies to other users' tweets. This is your chance to ENGAGE your followers.
• 10% of tweets should consist of self-promotion, including your firm's blog posts and information about your professional activities and accomplishments.
• The final 10% of tweets can focus on personal interest and hobbies. Doing this will humanize you, making you more interesting to your followers and potential clients.

Needless to say social media have a lot to offer you and your firm.

Get your feet wet first on LinkedIn and Facebook, then take the plunge on Twitter. In the end, you'll want to have an effective online presence and, perhaps, an edge in generating new business.

Adapted from article Marketing Your Practice Today: How to Use Social Media to Network and Build Relationships by Carolyn Elefant and Nicole Black.