It's About Relationships

I just got back from the Legal Marketing Association's Annual Conference and I'm still trying to process the whirlwind of sessions and networking opportunities that I was able to be a part of.  I'll post a series of re-caps from the individual sessions over the next few days, but I wanted to start with my feelings about the conference as a whole.  For me, the main theme of this conference was relationships.  Perhaps I'm biased to look for that as a theme, since that's an essential part of our ILN conferences, but I was struck by how important it was during LMA10.

One of the things that's been drilled into me during client panels since I joined the ILN five and a half years ago is that "clients hire lawyers, not law firms," essentially saying that it's all about relationships.  This was backed up once again by the client panel on Friday morning when the panelists talked about how important chemistry is when choosing a lawyer to hire.  But this principle doesn't just apply to law firms - everyone makes purchasing decisions based on chemistry.  For example, if I'm looking for a new web designer for our group's website, I'm going to want to work with someone I trust, someone who understands my personality and how I work, as well as what I want to communicate through the site.  If I'm interviewing people for that work, I'm already going to weed out anyone I think doesn't have the appropriate skills, so it's assumed that the finalists will all be talented.  So it comes down to chemistry - who can I work with?  That applies both in my personal and my professional life and I've talked to others who feel the same, so when working with my own clients, I always try to think about how I would want to be approached. 

But why wait until you need to hire someone to network and form relationships with people in your own industry?  I have gained and continue to gain so much from the relationships I have formed with other talented, passionate people in the legal marketing industry and last week's conference showed me that very clearly.  Social media also played a large role in enhancing my experience, and was best explained by Heather Milligan over on her blog.  By connecting with people through social media like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and then taking those relationships offline by meeting my contacts in person, I am able to build friendships that inspire me professionally, support me personally, and give me a collective expertise to draw on among people I already trust. 

I've come away with a lot of good ideas and excitement about future projects thanks to the LMA conference and the people I interacted with there.  But overwhelmingly for me, my greatest takeaway was about the relationships - whether you're connecting online through social media, in person at a conference or cocktail party, or over the phone, it's all about engaging people and finding that right chemistry.  Not only can it lead to business (and it doesn't have to), but it enhances my life in many other intangible ways.  Nancy Myrland's video about connecting with legal marketing Twitter contacts does a great job of summing this up. 

I'll also mention that relationship-building doesn't end when you get back on the plane to come home - you've got to continue to connect and follow up with the new contacts that you've made.  Heather talked about that today and has some great tips for what to do when you return from a conference.

**(Photo from Nancy Myrland)

To Tweet or Not to Tweet? Why Lawyers Should Pay Attention to Twitter

Last week, Tanya Prinz, a legal marketer on Twitter, wondered whether an attorney's time is better spent on current client development than on exploring social media. With thirty to forty percent of law firms blocking social networking sites, it's a question I was interested in exploring further. First, I posted it to my Twitter followers. The general consensus is one I support as well, that you can and should do both. Professional Marketing Advisor, Nancy Myrland said "If you believe in marketing, then both." She later commented that "as time goes by & usage grows, we WILL be spending time with current clients when we spend time on Social Media." Lawyer and Vice President of Exemplar Law Partners, Steven Shapiro agreed, saying "are the two mutually exclusive? You can do customer development through social media."

Relationship building and communication are key to successful business development, both in terms of working with current clients and attracting new ones. Social networking is simply another tool that can be used to build and maintain relationships. While it will never replace face to face contact, social media, such as Twitter, is worth exploring for lawyers. But why?

- People hire lawyers they know and like: Social networking is another way for lawyers to show clients and potential clients who they are and to highlight their professional accomplishments in a way that is accessible. Along these lines, as Bob Ambrogi comments in his "Tweet 16" on why lawyers should use Twitter, social media allows you to:

"Mold your image: Those who post regularly to Twitter provide others a glimpse of their daily lives. That glimpse can help shape your public image. Do your posts paint you as a high-powered professional — now writing an appellate brief, now preparing for a deposition — or as a trivia-obsessed slacker, now breaking for lunch, now off for drinks? By thinking before you post, you can shape how others see you."

Posting on a site like Twitter, or making your professional background transparent on LinkedIn, can make you approachable to clients and potential clients, making them more comfortable coming to you when they need help solving a problem.

- Clients want lawyers who are internet savvy: Having a profile on a website like LinkedIn and participating in the Twitter conversation is one way to show this. I asked my Twitter friends whether they agreed, and lawyer Jason Santarcangelo thought that client interest in social media is a great reason to tweet. He said, "Rule #1 Google. #2 Have friends-tweeting-a great place 2 learn from & connect w/others." Law firm management consultant Tim Corcoran added "Clients want to be understood. If twitter helps, do it." International business development and marketing consultant, Lance Godard, commented that "clients want lawyers who are smart/communicate well. If they can use twitter well, it's a good way to show that internet savvy." Twitter can do more than just connect people though. In Lance's recent 22Tweets interview, lawyer Ben Qualley said that he uses Twitter "both to interact directly with local people, and on a national level, to keep up with the ever-changing practice of law." He added, "I have learned so much in a short time from my colleagues on Twitter, and have strengthened local relationships." Not only can Twitter help to create a network of relationships, but it and other social media sites can keep you up-to-date on what's hot in the legal industry and what your clients might be talking about as well.

- On the internet, everyone can be the same size: Social media tools like Twitter can level the playing field for small to mid-sized businesses. As Susan Ward says in Web 2.0 Won't Eat Your Mouse, "The simplicity and user-friendliness of many of the new tools give small firms and solo practitioners an opportunity to catapult themselves into the forefront of the Internet Olympics, working smarter, faster and yes, stronger." Bob Ambrogi points out that even with only 140-characters, Twitter enables users to circulate firm news and press releases, acts as an online watercooler where participants can comment on industry news, ask questions, and share articles, and helps attorneys keep up on what's topical in the legal industry. Twitter can even be used to promote events for firms with small marketing budgets. With the current economic crisis, free tools like Twitter and LinkedIn can offer creative solutions to tighter and tighter budgets.

- Connect with colleagues, friends, college and law school classmates and build your network: While it might be awkward to call someone you haven't spoken to in ten or twenty years, it would be acceptable to send someone a quick email to connect on a social networking site like LinkedIn or Facebook, which could lead to business development. In Ben Qualley's 22Tweets interview, he said "A soft-sell has always been our approach. We are friends with many of our clients before they ever set foot in the door." Social media is an easy way of expanding your network of friends by connecting with colleagues and former classmates online. But Twitter can also help you to develop a new network, which can help you in your business. In the past few months, I've had the opportunity to talk with Kevin O'Keefe, LexBlog's President & Founder, who will be a featured speaker at the ILN's 2009 Annual Meeting. I've also begun working with legal thinker, innovational speaker and jack of all trades, Matt Homann of LexThink, who is helping us to create a unique experience for our 2009 Annual Meeting attendees. Nancy Myrland is assisting us with our internal marketing efforts. Through networking with these and other talented, passionate individuals, I am able to serve my network of attorneys better. Twitter has also been a source of referrals for some attorneys, and a way for them to increase their profile - Tony Colleluori learned of a CLE panel in need of DMV lawyers with high profile cases through a direct message he received on Twitter. Attorney Charles Thomas said "My whole practice just exploded when I got on Twitter!" With endorsements like these, it's easy to see how participating effectively in the Twitter conversation is a smart move to help your business.

- Twittering is mobile: Social networking can be done from anywhere at any time, so it's a flexible way to add to your business development efforts! Applications such as TweetDeck make Twitter more manageable for busy professionals, enabling you to weed out the chatter and participate in the conversations you're really interested in. Applications such as TwitterFon for iPhone and TwitterBerry for Blackberry, among others, allow you to tweet on the go, and never be far from your network. While most conversations happen during business hours, Monday through Friday, you can always find someone to chat to, allowing you to build your network at 3am while in your pajamas, if that's what works best for you!

Learning about Twitter, building your network, and effectively participating in the conversation does take some time, but the benefits far outweigh the investment!