Content continues to be king for professionals trying to build their profile. However, not all content is insightful and understanding what your audience wants is the key to developing content that adds value.

I regularly listen to a very well-produced podcast that comes out weekly. I like what the personalities have to say and although I don’t always listen to the entire podcast I do listen to each new episode. During a recent episode, the conversation turned to the quality of reporting done as part of the podcast.

One of the presenters said that the podcast is really only good . . . [more]

Beyond your wildest dreams—First, you have to dare to dream!

Sometimes there is a fine line between pain and pleasure… dreams and nightmares. We have all had that experience of not being sure. I have worked with many clients that I have coaxed out on to thin ice to find that they were quite safe being there… and now very comfortable staying there.

What are your dreams? I have asked many a lawyer that question and I get answers like… “Be a great lawyer.” To me, that isn’t a dream… that is reality… generally they are already a great lawyer. . . . [more]

On-line reviews have become incredibly important for professionals to build their client base. Entire industries have been built on the notion that one person’s experience – even someone you do not know – is a tool used to judge ones abilities. We do it all the time with restaurants, stores, apps, and on and on. More and more on-line reviews are being used when people choose service providers.

It used to be when you needed a lawyer, you would reach out to someone you know and hope they knew someone. This may have led you to a tax lawyer when . . . [more]

We always look forward to the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center’s Annual Legal Technology Survey Report on the use of technology in the legal profession. The summary of the “Marketing and Communication” portion of the 2019 survey was recently published. It was written by our good friend Allison Shields and contains some fascinating (and worrisome) statistics.

Respondents to the 2019 Survey segment covering websites and law firm marketing were mostly solos or from smaller firms, consisting of 27% solos, 29% lawyers in firms of 2-9 lawyers, 18% from firms of 10-49 lawyers, 11% from firms of between 100-499 . . . [more]

In my experience, lawyers hate to be wrong. And they keep track of when anyone else is. Attending a lawyer meeting, you can almost see the chalk board above each head keeping track. Power is won or lost on those points and for a moment, they become almost more important than legal knowledge, business wisdom, and marketplace reputation. So, lawyers tend to withhold opinions until they know they can defend them. And once an opinion is set, it can be hard to change it because that would be admitting that the previous opinion is no longer right (and therefore, must . . . [more]

Most professionals agree that thought leadership is an effective form of marketing. It helps you get known publically for your expertise, the research required helps with personal development and publishing articles helps other people find experts which can lead to new files and additional marketing opportunities.

However, does the value of thought leadership differ based on your practice and target audience?

The basic premise of thought leadership is to provide free and thoughtful insight in areas you practice and is of most importance to your audience. The concept is simple and has been discussed at length. For example, a corporate . . . [more]

Lawyer time is valuable… and so is client time. When a lawyer has decided to meet with a client in a non-billable capacity, they are well-served by taking the time to ensure both parties receive maximum value in the exchange.

Contrary to popular belief, this value isn’t achieved by just showing up. By way of example, I worked with a lawyer who had been asked by their firm to create an annual business plan. The plan was filled with various action items under goals (or just headings, really) like “education” and “client service”. Under the heading of “business development”, they . . . [more]

The use of video in marketing has changed the way people search and buy services. Not surprising there are a number of factors that help viewers connect with material including video length but maybe somewhat surprising orientation also does. As the use of video continues to evolve and we get better at sharing information there are some ways to ensure your content stands out.

YouTube continues to be the number one video channel used by marketers. And although it is primarily used by more seasoned social media users, the ability to get on and start building your profile is relatively . . . [more]

We are not good at asking people for testimonial. Many of us feel awkward asking someone else for their opinion and yet what is the first thing we do when checking out a restaurant or an Airbnb or a new vacuum cleaner? We look to see what others have said about it.

In the past I have written about Super Fans. These are clients that will promote you at any opportunity, that help drive referrals, and are not just satisfied with your work but are truly loyal to you. We love Super Fans! As great as these clients are . . . [more]

“We don’t believe in digital marketing. We believe in marketing in a digital world.” – Clive Sirkin, CMO of Kimberly Clark

And a digital world it is. We live in a world where three year olds have their own tablets (and operate them quite expertly, thank you very much) and people can work on a project across the globe from their kitchen table in their pajamas. While it is an exciting time, it is also a very challenging time to reach people and to stand out effectively in the crowd. Understanding Mr. Sirkin’s quote is a great first step. The . . . [more]

Business decisions – especially those involving marketing and branding – require careful consideration. But they also require timely action. Are law firms hurting themselves by being too slow and cumbersome in making business decisions?

Within administrative and outside provider circles, law firms are notorious for their slow reactions and lengthy decision-making processes. It is for this reason that so many administrators who are hired from outside of law firms fail to last more than two years in this difficult environment. And increasingly, I’m hearing about consultants and suppliers who are opting to steer away from law firms as clients.

Generally, . . . [more]

We all know the power of personal branding – what it is that makes you unique, stand out or differentiate from the rest. We know that personal branding is huge in our business. The question is how can we help clients make that connection to you? Your brand is a great place to start.

Personal branding is about you. More specifically it is about embracing aspects of who you are rather than changing who you are. Often I hear lawyers talk building their brand while failing to realise that what they are trying to achieve is not part of their . . . [more]