So often on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIN I feel like I am preaching to the choir. The individuals that spend time using these platforms already believe in their power, they have seen it first hand. Unfortunately, so often the cantankerous managing partner that is just starting to buy into the hype of this whole “interweb” deal – seems a mile away from accepting social media.
You can’t create a shift in the thinking of your firm by yourself, especially if you don’t have buy-in from the highest levels. That’s not to say that everyone needs to be using Twitter, but you need to present a unified front for your firm to enter this space in a meaningful way.
Here are some of the biggest myths and misconceptions that I have heard over the last 6 months from upper level management, CMO’s, and partners in charge of marketing with regards to the use of social media for lawyers:
1. If our associates use social media they will post unsavory pictures, and get our firm in trouble.
2. Nobody we do business with is using social media.
3. We only market when there is a clear return on investment (ROI). There is no ROI for social media.
4. We don’t have time to LEARN how to use social media
5. We don’t have time to use social media
6. We can’t afford to make changes/ add blogs to our websites.
7. Our IT department handles our social media.
8. We will get in trouble for violating the solicitation rules if we market using social media.
You get the idea, maybe you have heard these same excuses and justifications for ignoring this powerful new tool.
To implement a meaningful social media strategy within your firm, you need to help your attorneys get over these issues. This Friday at 10:00 AM EST, I will be hosting a free conference call: Overcoming Common Objections to Social Media, and the “Grumpy Old Man” Syndrome Click HERE to receive details for this Friday’s conference call.
Please join us on the call for answers to these questions, and any others callers might have. The call will be just 30 minutes long.
Adrian Dayton, esq is an attorney and author of Social Media for Lawyers: Twitter Edition published by the ARK Group and available through Amazon.com. Grab a free copy of the first chapter and intro here:
4 Comments. Leave new
Adrian, I’m glad you are discussing this topic. Firms need to stop treating their attorneys like children. If they are worthy of practicing law with the brilliance their clients expect of them, are they not worthy of understanding a few simple guidelines and goals? This is insulting to say the least. Regarding ROI, yes, it is good for firms to focus on profitable marketing tactics, but be careful not to shut communication down because of unrealistic expectations. Social Media allow attorneys to further the discussion, to communicate and develop relationships at an efficient pace because of the ”one to many” nature of the tools. If you aren’t measuring ROI on telephone calls, business networking at conferences and receptions, attendance at community events, and other networking vehicles, should you be so demanding of tools that also serve these purposes?
And how are people supposed to figure out the # for the conference call?
Here is the link to sign up for the conference call: https://adriandayton.com/conferencecall/
Thorne,
Great question- to get conference call instructions, simply click on the link “Overcoming Common Objections” and follow the instructions to be emailed the number. Email me info@adriandayton.com if you have any problems.