Posted on 3 August 2011
Integrated Marketing, Practice Groups, Social Media, Thought Leadership
This is the second post in a six part series which looks at how success in digital marketing for law firms is achieved by matching tools and techniques to the personality of each individual in a team.
For me the law is more a calling than a job. I love the intricacies and details of my practice area and although I enjoy clients I have to admit that I often study just for the love of it. The book I wrote on my practice area is considered the leading text on the subject and you would find a copy on the desk of all our competitors - a thought that always make me smile!
My opinion is sought far and wide and I am regularly published in the leading publications for our industry. Although I am not a natural networker, I am well-known within my specialism and at conferences people often come looking for me. Because of this I’ve built quite an extensive address book.
Although I have a lot of contacts, I would feel quite uncomfortable reaching out to people I don’t know well without a good reason. I see marketing as a necessary evil rather than something I really want to engage with, but I do get an enormous sense of achievement when my work spreads. If marketing can help my work reach a wider audience I would probably put a bit more effort in.
Strategies for Thought-leaders
Newsletter
Newsletters are the primary tool of the thought leader. Start by emailing your extensive contact list explaining that you are going to start publishing a monthly newsletter and ask if they would like to receive it. Create a mailing list from all those that say yes. In marketing we call this a “permission asset” but you might like to think of it as a nice way to ensure that those you send your newsletter to really want to read it.
Try to plan your newsletters for the year ahead and write them in your diary. Include the topic of each article and give yourself a target word-count. You may like to write a skeleton outline for each newsletter too, this will give you a head start and help you keep to your schedule even if you find yourself suddenly busy with client work or other responsibilities.
Blogs
Many of the thought leaders we work with have trouble making the transition from writing books and long articles to the typically shorter form of a blog post. We encourage you to think of a blog as a form of sketch book. It is a place to write and develop ideas which might later become full articles, perhaps combined with several other post on a similar topic. They are a great way to get feedback on you thinking and they a very effective way of optimising your website for search engines.
Social Media
Thought leaders can make good use of social media as a broadcast medium. Don’t worry about engaging you followers too much initially; you are an expert and it is OK to be a little aloof. Focus on creating compelling content that other people will want to spread. If you have conversationalists or avid networkers in your team, ask them to help get your material out in the wider world. Services like Twitter can also be useful for monitoring your industry and providing ideas to inspire your writing.
Working with Others
If you are marketing a firm alone, choose the tools that suit your personality and pour your effort in to using them the very best way you can. However, you can multiply your own efforts and those of members of your team by working together.
Working with Presenters
Presenters need material and thought-leaders produce material. Share your content with presenters in return for subscriptions to your newsletters and credit that will help to raise your profile. Presenters can also be a good source of customer feedback that can help you write material that meets customer needs.
Working with Conversationalists
Of all the personality types, the conversationalist is closest to the customer. Conversationalists can use your content to start a discussion and can return valuable client feedback and ideas for new content based on the real concerns of the market.
Working with Veterans
Veterans are a rich source of contacts and can usefully help to build an audience for your material. Someone who has been around for a while may also be able to give historical context, adding richness to your work.
Working with Rainmakers
Rainmakers are always making contact with potential clients and your content gives them an excuse to pick up the phone. Opportunities that don’t result in an immediate sale can be added to your mailing list, increasing the likely hood of future in-bound enquiries.
