If you want to create content that gets widely shared through social media (and you do), humor is often thought to be your best bet. But humor can be risky, as those of us who do any public speaking can attest. As an attorney, you certainly don’t want to appear frivolous or unprofessional. If humor isn’t your schtick, go for anger.
According to a study on the virality of New York Times articles, mentioned in this post, “content that evokes emotion is more viral, even if the emotion is negative, like anxiety or anger.”
If you want to get people talking and sharing, make them feel something. One of the best things you can do in your social media content and your marketing copy is to get people fired up.
Tell them how they are being ripped off. Show them the missed opportunities. Find a bad guy or a cadre of evil-doers and call them out. It’s one thing to get people to understand the issues. If you want people to pick up the phone and call you, or share your content with others, you need to make them feel something.
People in pain usually do something about it. In fact, there is no stronger motivation to act. Yes, you can get people to act by appealing to their desire for gain, but you’ll get a much bigger response when you show them how to stop their pain.
What if they aren’t in pain? They may have a problem but not know it. Your job is to tell them. What’s the problem? What will happen if they ignore it? What might they lose and how will they feel when this occurs?
Dramatize the problem and get them to feel the pain. Only then will they pick up the phone.
Do you think this is manipulative? Is this taking advantage of your prospects’ misfortune? Not at all. If your services are truly in your clients’ best interests, you have a moral and ethical duty to say or do whatever you can to get them act. Anything less is irresponsible.
Does my saying so make you angry? I sure hope so.
Smart marketing by a smart lawyer
Yesterday, I was interviewed live via a new video broadcast service, Spreecast. The interviewer was my friend and fellow attorney, Mitch Jackson. The subject was using Evernote in a law practice and my Evernote for Lawyers ebook. You can watch the replay here.
In the interview, you’ll note my comment to Mitch that his Spreecasts are smart marketing on his part because it allows him to network not only with the experts he interviews but with a large number of attorneys and allied professionals who come to watch. It positions him as a leader and gets his name in front of a lot of people who can either directly refer clients to him or who can lead him to others who can.
Although these Spreecasts are new, I know Mitch has for many years done a great job of networking in this fashion, promoting others’ law practices, books and events to his large network. I also know he gets a lot of referral business.
Smart marketing, and you can do the same thing. It’s called being a connector.
Being a connector can not only help you grow your practice, it is also a great vehicle for learning. I’m sure Mitch will tell you in reading the blogs and books of the experts he interviews, he learns the best ideas and latest techniques, which help him become a better lawyer and a better marketer.
To become a connector you need two things.
First, you need a platform. This can be a blog, a Facebook or LinkedIn Group, a newsletter, your own Spreecast channel, or a local breakfast group. This is where you match up content (writing, speaking, interviews) with your audience. You are the organizer, the master of ceremonies, the interviewer, the publisher. Everything goes through you.
The platform is easy. Just pick something and plant a flag.
The second thing you need might be a little more difficult. It’s not something you sign up for, it’s something you must have within you. To be effective as a connector, you need to truly enjoy helping others. It’s true, the more value you create for others, the more you promote them and champion their practice or product, the more you will benefit. But you must be willing to help others without any agenda, other than the pleasure you get from seeing others succeed.
Mitch has a series of great interviews lined up. Follow his Spreecast Lawyers Group (channel) and invite your friends.