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 easy to find prospective clients and referral sources, as well as other opportunities to grow your practice.

It's easy to find people online who write for or consult with people in your target markets and it's easy 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 discovered 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 old ones from high school and even earlier.

I set up a Twitter account, 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 thing 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 understand and begin using, 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 bigger-than-life personality and a road map for creating 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 think about my brand, my "DNA" as Vaynerchuk describes it, something every professional needs to think about, no matter what kind of marketing they use.

Another valuable lesson is the importance of being yourself. That's sometimes hard for professionals to do, but it is our authenticity that makes us simultaneously unique and attractive to the people in our niche.

The bottom line is, once you create 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.

This isn't an attorney but he offers a cogent explanation of how social medial should fit into an attorney's marketing mix. What's that? You don't have a mix? Oh my, you really should have a mix. . .

Experts tell us that 85 percent of success in the business and professional worlds is accomplished through personal contacts and word of mouth. The more people you know, then, the more chances you have of meeting people who can and will further your career.

One of the best ways to develop more personal contacts is by networking within organizations. Bar associations, community and charitable groups, and organizations in your target markets provide opportunities to meet prospective referral sources and clients, as well as others who can provide introductions, information, and advice.

Begin by selecting one or two candidate groups that contain people it would be helpful for you to know in the years ahead. Attend a meeting or two, introduce yourself, and decide if it would be useful for you to join. If you decide to join, attend every meeting and
begin the process of making yourself known.

One of the best ways to do that is to volunteer to work on an important committee within the organization. Choose one that has members on it that you would like to get to know or that is engaged in activities that will bring you into contact with key people both inside and outside the organization.

Your work on committees will require time and effort, but over the long term, the relationships you develop can provide everything you need to ensure a lifetime of success.

Today, networking online has become popular. I'll address that in a future post.

A personal injury attorney wrote and asked me if I have a strategy for bringing in bigger cases. I was a personal injury attorney for most of my legal career and when I look back at what I did, I have to say that I did not have that strategy. In fact, I intentionally focused on bringing in a volume of smaller cases.

My thinking was that quantity would bring quality. Bring in thousands of clients over a period of years and you are bound to have some big cases in the mix. And that was certainly true for me. But I also recall thinking, as every personal injury attorney does, that one day, I'll get a case that will bring me millions of dollars in fees and I'll be able to retire if I want to. But in twenty years, that never happened. Big cases, yes, but not a single practice-making monster.

But there's something else I understood and that was that I was not one of the big boys. The biggest cases are almost always handled by the biggest names and most of the time, they are referred there by other attorneys. I wasn't prepared to compete in that arena. I didn't have the expertise and, more importantly, I didn't have the passion for developing it.

The best strategy for getting the biggest cases is to become one of the best lawyers. Win bigger and bigger verdicts, develop your skills and your reputation amongst the bar, and when you have the respect of your colleagues, you will get their referrals.

Another way to get big cases is the one adopted by a lot of attorneys who aren't one of the best and that is to appear to be. They swing a big stick with multiple full page yellow page ads and TV commercials, they sponsor charitable events attended by centers of influence in their community, they network with the right people, send press releases celebrating their victories, and otherwise promote themselves so that they appear to be one of the biggest and one of the best. And by and large, it works.

To do this, you need money and some marketing skills, but most of all, you need drive. The biggest promoters have big, healthy egos. They are driven as much by the desire for attention as the desire for money. I'm not taking anything away from them. They are usually good enough to serve their clients well and smart enough to bring in one of the best when they aren't.

If you're not one of the best and you aren't willing or able to become one, and if you're not willing to do what the big promoters do, there is an alternative: target niche markets. Become the biggest fish in a small market where word of mouth is strong and limited resources (and hubris) can go a long way. Become the attorney everyone in that market thinks of when they think of injuries. Network in that market, write for that market, serve that market and the centers of influence in it, and over time, you'll get big cases. Do it well enough and long enough and you may even get one of the very biggest.

Q: How do I bring in quality clients fast? I think the best way to bring in a steady stream of [type of] clients is to find a good referral source. What should I do?

A: Referrals are the BEST source of quality clients, but they are usually not the FASTEST. It takes time to build relationships, earn trust, develop a reputation.

If you can compensate those sources (i.e., referral fees to other attorneys, if permissible), or work out other kinds of alliances (paid advertising, cross-promotions) where the source has a more immediate incentive for working with you, then you could get some quick business.

Of course your clients are the first place to look. They should be willing to refer, but they may not be able.

Generally speaking, nothing is faster than advertising (except publicity, but you have limited control with that). Cost is obviously an issue. You could try writing for targeted publications and speaking and networking at targeted events. You'll get access to the right markets, at no cost, plus the unspoken endorsement of the meeting holder or publication, and if you get your message in front of the right people, you will get clients.

Remember that you are always marketing to at least two separate markets: prospective clients and prospective referral sources. One is not necessarily better than another, nor faster.

Q: How do I know if I'm targeting the right market?

A: A market is only as good as your ability to communicate with it. Do prospects have an organization you can join? Meetings you can speak at? Publications you can write for or advertise in? Can you find centers of influence in that market with whom you can network?

Most lawyers look at their services first and then look for people who need those services. Better is to find a market with a need, then look for ways you can satisfy that need.

Start with professionals and business contacts you already know. What markets do they serve? What unresolved needs do those markets have? Find the market first, then work backwards.

You'll have greater success giving people what they WANT, which may or may not be what they NEED. Find out what people want and then look for ways to help them get it.

At last count, 564 subscribers to The Prosperous Lawyer newsletter have downloaded the free ebook from websmartlawyer.com I mentioned a few days ago. Apparently, a lot of lawyers have or want to have a web site to help them build their practice. If you didn't get your copy, here is the link.

In reading the author's discussion of search engines, optimizing web pages, and generating search traffic, I started thinking about how all lawyers should have a web site but many undoubtedly hesitate to get one because of the enormity of the task of generating search engine traffic. If you feel that way, forget about search engines for the time being and get a web site anyway because it provides other valuable benefits.

A web site is a mechanism for prospective clients and referral sources to get to know, like, and trust you. It sells you and your services and operates 24/7, at almost no cost to you. Browsers can spend as much time as they want, getting to "know" you through your web site, learning more about what you do, and for whom you do it, and discovering everything else they might like to know that could bring them closer to calling and making an appointment.

Your web site can be (should be) a resource of valuable information, helping clients and prospects to better understand their legal situation and the options that are available to them, as well as demonstrating your experience in helping others with similar issues. This can result in new business, repeat business, and referrals.

Your web site allows you to "cross sell" your other services to clients who may not know "what else" you do.

It provides a mechanism for building your email list, allowing you to communicate more frequently (and at less cost) with clients, prospects and referral sources.

And it is a resource for networking with other professionals. Your clients may be among the 25% of Amercians who don't use the Internet, but I assure you, your prospective referral sources are not. Your web site and online newsletter give you a reason to reach out to those professionals, perhaps to have them write "guest articles" for your newsletter or blog, or to participate in an online survey.

Now don't get me wrong, you do want search engine traffic. It's free, it's targeted, and it's a brilliant way to build your practice. But there are other ways to get visitors to your web site, beyond search engines. Here are a baker's dozen:

1. Put your website on your business card, stationery, brochures, and in your email signature. (I hope you're not still using your personal email address. Instead of lawyerjoe[at]sbcglobal.net, it's much more professional looking to use yourname[at]yourdomain.com. It also allows you to "brand" your domain with every email you send. If you don't already have your own domain name, get one immediately.)
2. Use a "resource box" at the end of articles you write; list your contact information, including your web site
3. Put your web site address in your bio, and your introduction for speaking engagements
4. Write articles and post them in online article directories (e.g., www.ezinearticles.com, et. al.)
5. Post comments on others' blogs or in online forums or list servs, and link to your web site
6. Write press releases and submit to www.PRlog.com or www.PRWeb.com
7. Advertise offline: newspapers, magazines, TV/Radio, direct mail, etc.
8. Advertise online: ezines, Google Adwords & other PPC, www.craigslist.com, etc.
9. Provide an appropriate testimonial for a product or service you use, with a link to your site
10. Submit your site to online niche directories
11. Buy a domain name related to your niche that is already receiving traffic and forward it to your site.
12. Create an Amazon.com profile and submit reviews for books and other products
13. Create an ebook and list in on the free ebook sites; contact others who serve your target market and offer to provide this as a free resource to their clients (just like the author at websmartlawyer.com)

It's just over a month since I began blogging. Here's a quick self-evaluation:

THINGS I HAVE DONE WELL

1. Posted good content (Positive comments attest thereto)
   
2. Posted regularly (nearly five days a week)
3. Built traffic, subscribers (RSS and newsletter), made new friends
4. New customers for Referral Magic and The Lawyers' Marketing Toolkit without paid advertising

THINGS I NEED TO IMPROVE/DO MORE

1. Reach out to other bloggers (Comment on their posts, point my readers to their good content)
2. Improve search engine rankings for certain key words
3. Learn more about "nettiquite"–what's the proper way to quote others, post comments on other blogs (i.e., can you link to yours?), etc.
   
4. Learn more about "social networking" sites and how I can use them to build traffic and develop relationships with prospective promotion partners and mentors.

An excellent article on doshdosh.com, "How to influence social media users" presents a step-by-step plan for doing just that and has applicability to any kind of online networking.

Many of the web sites mentioned I've never heard of let alone visited, but they influence millions. So much to learn in this new world. . .

One of the best ways to get from where you are to where you want to go is getting help from someone who has done what you want to do. Make a list of areas you would like help with or areas where you would like to grow. Three key areas for lawyers in private practice would be

• Substantive practice areas
• Marketing
• Administration/management

Specific areas you might want to key on might be

• Technology/internet
• Employee relations
• Taxes/record keeping
• Risk management/insurance
• Retirement planning/investments

And so on.

Here's an approach you can take:

"Hello, Mr. Jones, my name is Robert Lawyer. We haven't met and I know you're a busy man, so I'll be brief. I'm a sole practictioner in the area of estate planning. I know you've built a very successful estate practice over the last twenty-five years. I've been practicing for four years now and I'm ready to take things to a higher level and I would appreciate it if you would consider being my mentor. All that would mean is spending ten minutes with me on the phone once a month, so I could ask you a few questions. I'd really appreciate it. Would you be open to that?"

Be prepared to give your mentors something in return. At the very least, give them feedback on how their advice has worked out for you. Look for information and resources that can benefit them and share it with them.

Eventually, find others whom you can mentor. There's no better way to pay tribute to your mentors than to follow in their footsteps.

To create a successful, referral-based law practice, you only need strong relationships with a few good referral sources — people who can and will provide you with a lifetime of referrals. 

When I say "prospect" I don't mean "talk to." You have to do much more than that speak to someone a couple of times before they start referring or before you will know if they are even a candidate. You have to spend time together, getting to know each other, building mutual trust, socializing, bonding, possibly having your spouses meet (and approve each other!)

It is a courtship; you spend quality time, face-to-face, belly-to-belly, getting to know people on a personal, intimate level. Without these "high-touch" activities, you will never be able to develop the kinds of strong relationships you want and need, even if you do meet someone who is otherwise "right".

Technology, or high-tech, will never replace high-touch. Building relationships takes time and effort and emotional involvement. But high-tech can help you in two important ways.

First, you can use high-tech to find candidates and initiate contact. The Internet is your database, email and telephone your reaching out methods. Networking online is not as effective as networking in person, but it sure is efficient. Use it to find people who appear to be good candidates by virture of their business and their openness to "meet" new people (you). Eventually, invite those candidates to meet in person or otherwise take the next step towards building a relationship.

Second, use high-tech to stay in touch with candidates who aren't ready to take the next step. Times change, people change, relationships change, and you want to be on their radar screen when they do become ready.

And that's the biggest lesson for today: networking is not about who you know, it's about who they can lead you to.