Leveraging Social Media for Your Law Practice

Leveraging Social Media for
Your Practice
LawPact Conference, Fall 2010

Louellen S. Coker

Founder,
Chief Content Coach

Web: www.yourcontentsolutions.com
Blog: www.yourcontentnotes.com
LinkedIn: louellencoker
Facebook: Content Solutions
Twitter: @ContentNotes

www.yourcontentsolutions.com (972) 987-0567

Our Discussion

What is Why Invest Reaching Introducing ROI
Social in Out: Other and Q&A
Media Social Establish Social Strategies
Marketing? Media? a Blog Media


What is Social Media Marketing?



The Rules Have Changed!

• Marketing means advertising
• Advertising appeals to masses
• Interruption
• One-way
• Selling
• Campaigns with limited shelf-life
• Creative
• Advertisers go for awards, not
results
• Advertising & PR were separate
disciplines



• Marketing means advertising

X
• Advertising appeals to masses
• Interruption
• One-way
• Selling
• Campaigns with limited shelf-life
• Creative
• Advertisers go for awards, not
results
• Advertising & PR were separate
disciplines



• Marketing more than advertising
• PR extends beyond mainstream
• You are what you publish
• Authentic, not spin
• Participation, not propaganda
• Deliver content when it’s needed
• Reaches the underserved
audience
• Not about notoriety, about buyers
seeing your company


Why Traditional Marketing Fails

• Expensive
• Little guys can’t compete
• “Interruption marketing”
is tiresome


~Erica O’Grady

“Word-of-Mouth or Community Based
Marketing that leverages Technology as a
Platform for Conversations.”

~Erica O’Grady

Why Be Present for Online Users?

...91% say consumer
reviews are the #1
aid to buying
decisions
-JC Williams Group

Source: Market Tools, August/September 2009 Insight Report



...87% trust a friend’s
recommendation
over critic reviews
-Marketing Sherpa




...3 times more likely
to trust peer opinions
over advertising for
purchasing decisions
-Jupiter Research




...1 word-of-mouth
conversation has
impact of
200 TV ads
-Buzz Agent



Reach an Unreachable Audience

Sense of Community
Personal Bond
Stories that share who you are
Allow them to share opinions
Helpful tips (no strings attached)

What is Social Media?

Paid
Internet
Advertising

PPC - Search
Marketing

Mobile
Advertising

Sponsorships

Paid Applications



Paid Earned
Internet Social Media
Advertising (Pages & Feeds)

PPC - Search
Word of Mouth
Marketing

Mobile
User Forums
Advertising

News, PR,
Sponsorships
Announcements

Blogger
Paid Applications
Relationships



Paid Earned Owned
Internet Social Media Brand & Product
Advertising (Pages & Feeds) Websites

PPC - Search Mobile Brand &
Word of Mouth
Marketing Product Websites

Mobile Proprietary
User Forums
Advertising Mobile Apps

News, PR, Customer Care
Sponsorships
Announcements Services

Blogger Proprietary Blogs
Paid Applications
Relationships & Digital Content


Facebook is like a Class Reunion
(with a few party crashers)



Facebook Fan Page is like being a
Rock Star



Rock Star

LinkedIn/Avvo is like a Trade Show



Rock Star


Twitter is like a Cocktail Party



Rock Star


Twitter is like a Cocktail Party

YouTube is like Times Square on
New Year’s Eve


Why Invest in Social Media?



Why Should I Care?
• 7% of Americans are on Twitter
• 41% of Americans have Facebook
pages
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Expand your referral sources
• Become the “perceived expert” in
your field
• Re-brand yourself or your business
• The Yellow Pages are dead
• You are already behind the curve

Why Should I Care?


Investing in an online presence will...



1
Generate exposure for your business.
• 65% of entrepreneurs, executives and career
professionals experience increased exposure
through social media marketing efforts



1
Generate exposure for your business.
professionals experience increased exposure
through social media marketing efforts

2 Increase traffic.
professionals reported an increase in traffic to
their websites
• 67% increased e-mail/newsletter lists through
social marketing


3 Build new business partnerships.
professionals who participated in social media
marketing for only a few months closed new
business and established new partnerships.



3 Build new business partnerships.
professionals who participated in social media
marketing for only a few months closed new
business and established new partnerships.

4 Bring in new qualified leads.
• Over 50% of entrepreneurs, executives, and
career professionals generated qualified
leads after only a few months of
participation in social media marketing.


Why?

• Currently, more people use Facebook more often
and for longer periods of time than Google.

• YouTube is the second most popular search engine
behind Google.

• Over 10% of lawyers have found new clients through
social media alone.

• Most in-house counsels use social media outlets such
as LinkedIn, Avvo, and even blogs when seeking
outside counsel assistance.


Need More Evidence?

If that isn’t convincing enough, then how
about the fact that other lawyers are using it?

• 63% of lawyers use social media for
personal reasons

• 12% of lawyers use it for professional
reasons only

When it comes to competition, you don’t want
to be the last to the party.

Power of Social Networking



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Reaching Current & Potential Clients:
Establish a Blog

What is Why Invest Reaching Introducing
ROI
Social in Out: Other
and Q&A
Media Social Establish Social
Strategies


Ready to get started?


What a Blog IS -

• Content
• Syndication
• Conversation


What a Blog is NOT-

• A newspaper
• Boilerplate
Marketing Materials

• Just about YOU,
YOU, YOU!


Tools You’ll Need


Tools You’ll Need

• Ideas for a username


Tools You’ll Need

• An email address


Tools You’ll Need

• Your zip code


Tools You’ll Need

• Your zip code
• Your street address


Tools You’ll Need

• Your zip code
• A memorable password


Tools You’ll Need

• Your zip code
• A web-friendly logo


Tools You’ll Need

• Your zip code
• A web-friendly logo
• Permission from your decision
makers


Now is the Time!


Home
Page


Home
Page About
Page


Home
Page About Contact
Page Page


Blog Policy
Page
Home
Page About Contact
Page Page


Conversation Starters


Conversation Starters

Website Links


RSS Feed
Conversation Starters Subscribe

Website Links


RSS Feed

Social
Media
Links

Website Links


RSS Feed

Social
Media
Links

Website Links E-newsletter


RSS Feed

Social
Media
Links

Website Links E-newsletter
Site Map


5 Steps to Content Success


1

Strategy


1

Strategy

Establish
Presence 2


1

Strategy

Establish
Presence 2

Expand
Reach

3

1

Strategy

Nurture Establish
Relationships Presence 2
4
Expand
Reach

3

1
5
Properly
Maintain Strategy
Presence

Nurture Establish
Relationships Presence 2
4
Expand
Reach

3

Creating
Great Content


Creating
Great Content
Employment Business Non-
Recent Physicians
Agreements Defamation Competition
Rulings


Creating
Great Content

Recent
Rulings


Creating Bimbo
Bakeries USA,
Great Content Inc. v.
Botticella

American
Mohr v. Bank
Control
of New York
Systems, Inc.
Mellon
v. Boyce Recent
Rulings

Fine v.
Nike
Communications
vs. Woo
Trends, Inc


Creating
Great Content
Bimbo
Bakeries USA,
Inc. v.
Botticella

Recent
Rulings


Creating
Great Content
Precedent
Bimbo
Bakeries USA,
Inc. v. Case Facts
Botticella

How the ruling 
applies in state
Recent government
Rulings
Repercussions 
of the ruling

Elements of
Great Content


Elements of
Great Content
• Scannable


Elements of
Great Content
• Scannable
• Succinct


Elements of
Great Content
• Scannable
• Succinct
• Neat


Elements of
Great Content
• Scannable
• Succinct
• Neat
• Comprehensive


Elements of
Great Content
• Scannable
• Succinct
• Neat
• Comprehensive
• Persuasive


Elements of
Great Content
• Scannable
• Succinct
• Neat
• Comprehensive
• Persuasive
• Breaks Down Complicated Ideas

Introducing Other Social Media

ROI
and Q&A
Strategies


Finding Bull Markets


Finding Bull Markets

• WordPress
• LinkedIn
• Facebook, MySpace
• Slideshare
• YouTube
• Flickr, Picasa
• Twitter


Success Requires a Plan of Action


Success Requires Effort

e ss
u cc
S
t =
o r
E ff


Choose Your Campgrounds Wisely



• Blogs



• Blogs
• Professional Networks



• Blogs
• Social Networks



• Blogs
• Social Networks
• Media Networks



• Blogs
• Social Networks
• Media Networks
• Microblogs


156,000,000+
registered users


5.4 Billion+
updates each
month


31% of users
follow a brand


7,800,000 + brand
recommendations
per month


Active Worldwide Users
X 500,000,000 +


Pieces of Content
Shared Per Month
X 45,000,000,000 +


1,500,000+
Local Businesses with
Active Facebook Pages


Creating more than
5,300,000,000
fans!


September 2010:
144,200,000 +
viewers


Users:
100+ videos
per viewer


Most Searched:
Google #1,
YouTube #2


Those statistics are great!

But how can they apply to me?

facebook


What YOU Can Do With 140 characters?


What YOU Can Do With 140 characters?
• Promote contests
• Share timely information
• Spread useful links
• Personify your brand
• Build credibility and influence
• Follow competitors


What YOU Can Do With Facebook, Avvo,
YouTube and LinkedIn


What YOU Can Do With Facebook, Avvo,
YouTube and LinkedIn
• Create online profiles
• Share photos, videos, and audio links
• Send private message and instant message
• Learn more about people and organizations
• Join groups and gain fans


Social Media Dos

www.yourcontentsolutions.com
phone: (940) 3849407

Social Media Dos

• Sound like someone who just
happens to work at your
company

phone: (940) 3849407

Social Media Dos

company
• Put a friendly face on your
product

phone: (940) 3849407

Social Media Dos

company
product
• Answer and pose questions

phone: (940) 3849407

Social Media Dos

company
product
• Answer and pose questions
• Announce sales, deals, news
and updates, and build buzz for
big releases or events
phone: (940) 3849407

Social Media Dos


Social Media Dos

• Create a page to promote your
brand


Social Media Dos

brand
• Point your friends to your
company blog or
contest


Social Media Dos

brand
company blog or
contest
• Encourage a discussion and
participate frequently


Social Media Dos

brand
company blog or
contest
• Encourage a discussion and
participate frequently
• Explore targeted advertising
opportunities

Social Media Don’ts



• Sound like a press
release



release
• Spam with constant links
to your company
website, either in tweets
or private messages



release
• Spam with constant links
to your company
website, either in tweets
or private messages
• Create a page and fail to
maintain it



• Try a hard sell approach



• Censor comments



• Censor comments
• Spam your fans/friends
with frequent private
messages -- you’ll drive
them away.


Feel Like You’re Being Stalked?

Stalking is a good thing!


You DON’T sell
your firm through
social networking



You DON’T sell
your firm through
social networking

You DO create
relationships that
are ultimately
beneficial


Return of Investment and Strategies

ROI
and Q&A
Strategies


Biggest Fears

• Losing control
• Time/ROI
• Leaking secrets
• Making sense of it all
• Branding


Losing Control

• Signing up for EVERY social media site
• Being inconsistent
• Focusing too much on BUZZ
• Focusing too much on the
“virtual” world
• Bankrupting your social capital


Success Requires Focus
on Your Community


Be Consistent


Be Consistent

• Find your message
and stick to it


Be Consistent

and stick to it
• Focus your efforts
on keywords, key
target


Be Consistent

and stick to it
• Focus your efforts
on keywords, key
target
• Have a look and feel
your customers
recognize


Don’t Be Overwhelmed



• Set reasonable goals




• Schedule a time to socialize





• You can manage your time






• Just do it!






• Just do it!

• Branding


Update
TweetDeck
Co-Tweet
Seesmic
Hootsuite
TwitterFeed
Disqus
FriendFeed
ping.FM


Update RSS
TweetDeck Alltop
Co-Tweet AddThis
Seesmic MuckRack
Hootsuite Tweetake
TwitterFeed Google Reader
Disqus
FriendFeed
ping.FM


Update RSS Listen &
Connect
TweetDeck Alltop
Co-Tweet AddThis Monittor
Seesmic MuckRack TweetGrid
Hootsuite Tweetake Mr. Tweet
TwitterFeed Google Reader Twitter Karma
Disqus Refollow
FriendFeed Twellow
ping.FM Wefollow


Update RSS Listen & Image
Connect
TweetDeck Alltop Tube Mogul
Co-Tweet AddThis Monittor Ustream
Seesmic MuckRack TweetGrid JustinTV
Hootsuite Tweetake Mr. Tweet Twitcam
TwitterFeed Google Reader Twitter Karma Blip.TV
Disqus Refollow Twitpic
FriendFeed Twellow
ping.FM Wefollow


Nurturing Your Community



• Make PEOPLE important



• Stop focusing on the inﬂuencers



• Treat everyone like a VIP



• Treat everyone like a VIP
• Stand out from those around you



• Show a genuine interest in your
community members



• Show a genuine interest in your
community members
• Promote and support the
things your community cares about,
too!


Whuffie


social capital

Whuffie


social capital

reputation
Whuffie


social capital

reputation
Whuffie

access


social capital

reputation
Whuffie

access

reciprocity/favors

social capital

reputation
Whuffie

accomplishments
access

reciprocity/favors

social capital

trust reputation
Whuffie

accomplishments
access

reciprocity/favors

reputation social capital

trust reputation
Whuffie

accomplishments
access

reciprocity/favors

Guidelines


Guidelines

• Get over yourself


Guidelines

• Don’t think you’re going
to solve every problem


Guidelines

• Integrate social media
into your current
marketing mix


Guidelines

• Integrate social media
into your current
marketing mix
• Relax, be the brand (aka
your friendly self)


Guidelines (continued)



• Be a risk taker, yet be
careful



careful
• Add value and be helpful



careful
• Be open be open and
honest



careful
• Be open be open and
honest
• Pay attention to your
community


Pay Attention!
They’ll let you
know when
they’re not
happy!


Recovery


Recovery

• Respond rapidly


Recovery

• Respond rapidly
• Acknowledge your mistake


Recovery

• Respond rapidly
• Think out loud


Recovery

• Respond rapidly
• Think out loud
• Connect with peers


Recovery

• Respond rapidly
• Think out loud
• Show you’re human


Recovery

• Respond rapidly
• Think out loud
• Show you’re human
• Feature those you serve


Question & Answer Session

ROI
and Q&A
Strategies
Marketing ? Media? a Blog Media


Creative Cross-Pollination of Content
Engagingly Integrated. User Driven. Strategically Deployed.

Writing Design Web Solutions

www.yourcontentsolutions.com | 972-987-0567

Works Consulted

• Coker, Louellen S. Setting Up a WordPress.com Hosted Blog. http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mM3t4B-AJs
• Content Solutions. Content Notes. http://www.yourcontentnotes.com
• Hunt, Tara. The Whufﬁe Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to
Build Your Business.
• Lupin, Jonah. 6 Reasons Every Small Business Should Be Blogging... Are You
Missing the Boat? http:/ /blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/1676/6-
Reasons-Every-Small-Business-Should-Be-Blogging-Are-You-Missing-the-
Boat.aspx
• Marketing Profs, LLC. Formulate Your Content Strategy in 10 Simple Steps.
http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2010/3873/formulate-your-
content-strategy-in-10-simple-steps
• Mirchindani, Roshni. Fortune 100 Giants Making Splashes in Social Media.
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5662/Fortune-100-Giants-
Making-Splashes-in-Social-Media.aspx


Works Consulted

• Mirman, Ellie. Don’t Know What to Blog About? Ask Someone Else. http://
blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/4249/Don-t-Know-What-to-Blog-
About-Ask-Someone-Else.aspx
• Morejon, Roy. Facebook Hits Half-a-Billion Users. http://roymorejon.com/
facebook-hits-half-a-billion-users/.
• Morris, Tee. All a Twitter.
• My Free SEO Tips. http:/ /www.myfreeseotips.com/2009/09/twitter-
explodes-in-india.
• Pilkington, Nikki. Why Small Businesses Should Blog More.
• Rowse, Darren. 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.
• Rowse, Darren and Chris Garret. ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your
Way to a Six-Figure Income.
• Sponder, Steve. Content Strategy for Social Media. http:/ /
blog.stevesponder.com/lets-create-awesome-content
• Women Business Owners of Denton County Blog. http/ /
www.wbodc.wordpress.com.

Leveraging Social Media for Your Law Practice

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