A Lawyer’s Guide to Social Networking
By Terrie S. Wheeler
Twheeler@MarketYourLawPractice.com
With all of the new social networking sites popping up, sites like MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook have been joined by hundreds of others. If you print this link you will have over ten pages of social networking sites listed on Wikipedia.org alone including the name, description, number of users, registration requirements, and global ranking. Wikipedia defines Social Networking as:
A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services. Social networking has encouraged new ways to communicate and share information. Social networking websites are being used regularly by millions of people.
Social networking has changed the way we build relationships by opening a previously one-on-one interpersonal process – - into the electronic world of global cyberspace. Professionals are jumping onto the bandwagon too, and because of this, we would like to provide a few practical tips on your journey to not just understanding, but utilizing and benefiting from this amazing – - and free – - technology.
A Few To-Do’s as You Get Started
Build a Solid Profile – each site allows users to build a personal profile. Spend time ensuring your profile accurately represents who you are as a professional, includes your photo, and is well written and free of typographical errors.
Invite your Contacts to Join You – extend invitations to your best contacts asking them to join you. Your social networking efforts should be built around your current business relationships
Update your Status Daily – Most social networking sites ask questions like “What are you working on?” or “What are you thinking?” Make sure you focus on your professional reputation when you update these little snippets.
Stick to Business – If you join a personal site like FaceBook or MySpace, make sure you keep your updates focused on the activities you are pursuing as a professional, not on what you drank and with whom last Saturday night
Manage your Privacy Settings – every social networking site allows you complete access over who can see your profile. You can even control what parts of your profile certain people can see.
Choose your Friends Wisely – Social networking sites all have a process where you invite someone to connect with you online. Then, the recipient of the request needs to affirmatively acknowledge their desire to add you (or vice versa) to their contacts. Don’t randomly connect with people, be strategic and only connect with those you know or met professionally.
Look into Aggregator Services – there are web-based services like www.delicious.com that will take your status updates and automatically disseminate your update to all sites you are a member of. Make your social networking time as efficient as possible!
Join a Group and Interact – sites like LinkedIn allow you to join affinity groups. Research groups that attract others like you including, Legal Marketing (5,000 members), Legal Blogging, (2,700 members).
Add an RSS Feed of your Blog to your Social Networking Page – if you also decide to join the “blogosphere,” make sure you add a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed to your blog on your Facebook or LinkedIn profiles.
Additional Resources on Social Networking:
Link: Social Networking Sites on Wikipedia
Book: The New Rules of Marketing and PR, November 2008, David Meerman Scott
Book: World Wide Rave, March 2009, David Meerman Scott
Book: Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day, October 2008, Dave Evans and Susan Bratton
10 Ways to Use LinkedIn, Guy Kawasaki
www.Delicious.com – Social bookmarking site
www.Digg.com – Social bookmarking site
www.Ping.fm.com – Social media communicator to multiple sites
www.Wordpress.com – blog spot
www.Typepad.com – blog spot
Visit www.MarketYourLawPractice.com
Visit www.PSM-Marketing.com
Visit my LinkedIn Profile
Visit my Facebook Profile Visit me on Twitter Visit my Lens on Squidoo
No comments yet.
Leave a Reply
About MYLP
Unique Web-Based Tool to Help Lawyers Develop New Business
ESQCoach, Terrie Wheeler has been helping lawyers attract new clients for more than 24 years. In 1996, she founded Professional Services Marketing, Inc. (PSM), helping professionals develop Targeted Strategies for Business Growth. In January 2011 Terrie merged PSM with Ingenuity Marketing Group in Saint Paul, MN.
Launched in 2007, www.MarketYourLawPractice.com (MYLP), is an innovative web-based marketing coaching tool for lawyers which replicates ESQCoach Terrie Wheeler’s individual marketing coaching process. Today, MYLP is helping lawyers across the US and in the UK develop new business, retain and grow current client relationships, increase their name recognition and more effectively communicate with clients.
Numerous bar associations across the country, including New York, California, New Jersey, Ohio, Vermont, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and others, have recognized MYLP as a cost-effective marketing coaching and training tool for lawyers and have partnered with MYLP to offer the tool as a valuable member benefit.
MYLP was recently launched internationally in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Visit www.MarketYourLawPractice.co.uk, developed with our UK business partner, James Dunning of Geotrupes Consulting.
Join our Linkedin Group: The Legal Network - created just for lawyers and in-house marketing professionals to compare best marketing practices.
We have also launched a sister product for financial advisors, www.MarketYourFinancialPractice.com, and are marketing the site nationally to financial advisory firms.
For more information, contact Terrie: ESQCoach@MarketYourLawPractice.com
Share this blog
RSS Feed
