Is social media REALLY worth the effort?
This past Friday we had a great conversation in my Weekly Voir Dire Conference Call. (CLICK the PLAY button above to listen to the recording of last week’s call) The title of the call was “Overcoming Objections to Social Media and the ‘Grumpy Old Man’ Syndrome.” A young attorney, I believe it was Ilana Deutsch joined us on the call, and asked this question:
“I am a solo attorney, is it REALLY worth the effort to learn social media?”
It is a great question, one that I hear almost daily, and we had some great responses to that and other questions on our call. I have recorded the call, and posted it above, feel free to listen in and hear what the participants had to say. What questions do you have about social media for lawyers?
Join the conversation! We would love to have you join us on our call this coming Friday at 10:00 AM EST entitled, “Pick Your Poison: Choosing the Right Social Media Site”.
Click HERE to sign up for the next call.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
How Does CEO Ed Scanlan find Balance? (Podcast)
(24 minutes)
At the age of 32 Ed Scanlan has become a big name in the legal industry. According to INC. Magazine he has mastered the art of running a company like a start-up. How has that been working for him? Well his company was named to the Crain’s Fast 50, here is an excerpt:
This Chicago-based provider of back-office support services to small law firms claimed its second place spot by doubling its revenue each year since the company started in 2002, posting revenue of $23.9 million in 2008.
What makes Ed Scanlan tick? Listen in to hear him explain: 
1. How he keeps his employees engaged and passionate.
2. What helped Ed and Total Attorneys put on an exceptional legal conference.
3. How companies can embrace social media and reap the benefits.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Stephen Fairley Podcast: Can Social Media Help Lawyers Make More Rain?
Can social media help lawyers make more rain?
Stephen Fairley is the CEO of the Rainmaker Institute, the largest Lawyer Marketing Firm in the Country. Not only is he a law firm marketing expert, he is also an international best selling author.
In this podcast you will also learn:
- The 1 thing keeping attorneys from developing more business.
- What questions lawyers need to ask to create a marketing plan
- One of Mr. Fairley’s proven systems for bringing in more business.
To learn more about the Rainmaker Retreat, got to http://rainmakerretreat.com
To receive a free copy of the first section of Social Media for Lawyers: Twitter Edition CLICK HERE
(40 minutes)
If you live in San Diego, or will be attending the California Bar Convention this week, please come join Stephen Fairley and I along with other bloggers and attorneys for a live tweet-up. There will be some nice prizes, like a free copy of my new book Social Media for Lawyers: Twitter Edition (Valued at $195) as well as a 3-CD set from the Rainmaker Insitute: Becoming a Rainmaker: Business Building Strategies for Lawyers (Valued at $227) We will be meeting up at 5:30 pm on September 11th at the main bar at the Hyatt. Shoot me an email info@adriandayton or an @adriandayton if you would like more details. Hope to see you there in San Diego!!!
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Voir Dire:What Technology Do Lawyers Need? with Niki Black
(31 Minutes)
Niki Black is the author of Criminal Law in New York with Thompson West as well as authoring four different blogs. She is one of the top legal technology experts in the country. Listen in to hear:
- What technology lawyers need
- What technology can be ignored
- How to use social media in an effective way
About Nicole Black
Nicole Black is of counsel to Fiandach & Fiandach, in Rochester, New York. She is also the founder of lawtechTalk.com, where she introduces lawyers to emerging legal technologies and provides legal technology consulting services. She publishes four legal blogs, one of which is “Practicing Law in the 21st Century” http://21stcenturylaw.wordpress.com/
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Voir Dire:No Twitter for Lawyers? Hear marketing pro Larry Bodine’s Take
Recorded June 30th, 2009
Larry Bodine, a legal marketing veteran with over 18 years of experience, recently came out clearly against Twitter claiming it was a waste of time, ineffective, and unable to deliver new business to attorneys. Has he softened on his stance since then? Listen in as Adrian Dayton grills him on the subject in this edition of the Weekly Voir Dire.
You will also find out:
- How firms can stick their toe in the social media pool
- The most effective strategies for developing more business if your firm has a current area of strength
- A great solution for verifying a return on investment from marketing dollars
- The keys to a productive marketing strategy for lawyers and other professionals (hint: you need a plan)
About Larry Bodine
Larry Bodine
Check out Larry Bodine’s blog: http://blog.larrybodine.com where you can order a copy of his new white paper Thinking Like a Rainmaker.
Follow Larry Bodine on Twitter
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Voir Dire:Learn How To Build Your Practice from the #1 LinkedIn Lawyer
Everybody is on LinkedIn (or should be), but most people aren’t really DOING much on there. They build a profile, and there they sit. In today’s Voir Dire we are going to ask David A Barrett, the #1 lawyer on LinkedIn:
- How can LinkedIn users start building relationships
- With Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIN- why Dave Barrett loves LinkedIn so much
- What he recommends to law firms just diving in to social media.
About David Barrett, Esq.
David A Barrett, Esq has over 10,000 connections across the country and across the world, and growing. Listen to find out how he has become a rainmaker by combining the powers of social media with traditional networking.
Please join ME on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/adriandayton
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Voir Dire:Can A Blog Bring in Business?
Some say that blogs bring in business, but others (like Scott Greenfield) say blogs may bring traffic, but that doesn’t translate to new clients.
On this podcast Grant Griffiths (former lawyer- turned full time blogger) will tell us what the naysayers are missing. Listen to hear:
- The #1 mistake made by bloggers trying to turn a profit
- The perfect recipe for a post that will drive traffic to your site
- How lawyers and other professionals can get started blogging from zero
To learn 5 new secrets to making your Web 2.0 activities profitable- enter your information here for a free copy of the Rainmaker Alert.
About Grant Griffiths
- See Grant’s blog at http://www.blogforprofit.com/
- Follow Grant Griffiths on Twitter
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Voir Dire: Alexis Neely Shares Her Secrets
Just over a year ago Alexis Neely sold her million dollar law practice, and she has already moved on to a new million dollar venture. What’s her secret?
She Graduated from Georgetown first in her class, joined a top law firm- but soon realized the lifestyle of the large law firms just wasn’t for her. How did she get from there, to where she is now?
Tune in for the Weekly Voir Dire to find out what helped her ditch the big firm life to build not only a successful business, but to live a more fulfilling life.
You will also learn:
- Secrets for solo practitioners that can’t seem to keep their head above water.
- Advice on using social media the right way to grow your practice
- An offer for $22,500 of free tools for building your practice that Alexis has put together to make her business successful.
About Alexis Neely
- Check out more about what Alexis Neeley is doing at:
http://lawbusinessrevolution.com- Follow Alexis Neely on Twitter
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Jeff Carr of FMC Technologies Goes on the Record
“One of the saddest statistics you see is the depth of unhappiness in the profession today. I attribute that to ridiculous demands on law firm life…”
Jeff Carr, VP and General Counsel of FMC Technologies discusses:
- How he took a $1.8 Billion company to a $4.6 Billion company without increasing litigation costs.
- How he compares modern day lawyers to tailors that could use computers and sewing machines, but instead are stitching by hand.
- How law school could be radically changed to better prepare students to become counselors.
- His thoughts on social media and the Wikipedia of law that he predicts will turn the old law model on its head.
Here are a few quotes from the interview:
“Lawyers are great at research and writing and arguing- but when it comes to translating that into real world actionable advice… not so much.”
“Law firms are not organized like a rational economic enterprise.”
“I foresee technology leveraging and standardizing content so I don’t pay over and over for the same content.”
“My favorite research tool is Google.”
“The most efficient person in the world is a single parent that has to deal with their kids, and provide for them as well. They will find the most efficient way to get what needs to be done, done- yet our profession doesn’t reward that.”
About Jeff Carr
Jeff Carr is the Vice President and General Counsel of FMC Technologies.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Voir Dire:Can Large Law Firms Benefit from Social Media?
“Large law firms will never go for social media.”
How many times have I heard this?
Well, in this interview I asked Melanie Green (@melaniegreen for those on Twitter) how she was able to implement social media at her international firm of over 300 attorneys. Listen to find out how Melanie and her team are making it happen.
About Melanie Green
Melanie Green is Director of Business Development and Marketing at Baker & Daniels.
Follow Melanie Green on Twitter
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
