how lawyers can harness the power of social media
DESCRIPTION
Based on the book, Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, this presentation shares some practical, goal-centric ways that lawyers can use social media to find jobs, network and seek out new opportunities.TRANSCRIPT
How Lawyers
Can Harness the
Power of Social Media
Carolyn Elefant, Cornell Law 1988
Cornell Law School Webinar
October 5, 2010
WHAT IS
Social Media?
Social media encompasses those
technologies that facilitate
interactive information sharing,
user generated content and
collaboration and are frequently
hosted on third party platforms.
Or, it’s a fancy word for the conversations taking place
24/7 online
WHY
Social Media?
Because your clients are using it.
35 million update Facebook profiles once a day
As of Aug 2010, time on Facebook exceeded Google
YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google
13% of lawyers found clients directly through social media
Because in-house counsel & CEOs are using it
Factors considered by in-house
counsel in hiring lawyers:
Blogs published by lawyers: 27 percent
Rankings and directories: 25 percent
Twitter feeds from lawyers: 22 percent
Endorsements and connections on
LinkedIn: 18 percent
Source: Green marketing net
Because your competitors are using it
63% of large firm lawyers personally maintain a presence in an online community/social network. [ABA Tech Report 2010]
12% of lawyers using social media for professional reasons
48% of AmLaw 200 firms blog [Lexblog State of Blogging 2010]
Because it is fundamentally changing the way the world
communicates “I simply cannot see how major changes in
the way we communicate, collaborate,
network and trade are somehow irrelevant
for lawyers and their clients. Nor, given
the sheer scale of [social networking]
systems and the levels of their usage can I
conceive that this is a passing fad.”
--Richard Susskind, The End of Lawyers?
How to use Social Media?
Communication: Blogs, Twitter
CV: Avvo, Justia, LinkedIn
Community: Facebook, MHConnect
Content: JDSupra, YouTube
Crossovers: MeetUp, FacebookFanPage
Step 1: Understand Categories of Platforms
Communication
Join the conversation!
CV
profile sites + testimonials + client feedback
Community Sites
open v. closed
All lawyer v. everyone
Content
Sharing Sites
User generated
Step 2:What are your goals?
Examples:-Finding a job-Finding clients-Establishing reputation-Competitive intelligence
Less Time More Time
Profess-ional
Mixed Use
WaterCooler
Guides, Q & A
STEP 3: Select Tools - Professional v. Personal
Less Time More Time
Business
Mixed Use
Consumer
Guides, Q & A
STEP 3: Select Tools -Target Clients
Engage:
Sample Strategy 1
Finding a Job
Create a profile (and make it captivating!)
Characteristics of a Captivating Profile
Powerful active verbs
Paint a full picture with words
MUST include a photo!
Link to papers, articles, blog posts
Feed content from other sources with syndication and convergence tools
Start with a LinkedIn Search
Join LinkedIn Groups or create one!
Check out the blogs on your area of interest
Do some real time search to find up to the minute trends & stay informed
Which contact is more persuasive?
The scattershot approach?
Or this? Dear Ms. Jones,I am a Cornell Law School graduate, class of 2002. I've been tracking issues in fashion law for several years and hope to find a legal position in this area. I'm interested in learning from Cornell alumni such as yourself about how you started and came to prominence in this industry. I recently wrote an article on fashion and copyright issues which you can link to at JD Supra. I'm sure that you are familiar with these issues but my article includes links to recent caselaw and articles, so I am hopeful that it may serve as a useful resource.Please let me know if I may I contact you with a few questions via email, or set up a meeting to chat about this further at your convenience.
Sample Strategy 2:
Becoming a recognized authority in your field in
60 Days*
*Caveat: This slide assumes you already have expertise in this area, but haven't yet exploited it. If no expertise, go out and establish it and return later.
Step 1: Create content (a blog or an ebook Step 2: Upload content docstoc + JD Supra Step 3: Announce blog or ebook to other bloggers
Step 4: Set up RSS reader to follow field Step 5: Follow trends & converse on Twitter
Step 6: identify relevant reporters via Twitter & send ebook
Step 7: Conduct webinar on issues, record and upload to Slideshare or YouTube
Step 8: Repeat, repeat, repeat and create, create content!
Case Study:
How Social Media For Lawyers Came Into Being
Through Social Media
Nicole Black
Carolyn Elefant
Final Step: Measure Success
What’s your metric?
Found leads or job?
More clients?
More website traffic?
More media interviews?
More speaking invitations?
Feeling less isolated?
Where to find me on social
media:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynelefant
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/The-Law-Offices-of-Carolyn-Elefant/108962382030
http://twitter.com/carolynelefant