Constant Content : Legal Ghostwriting & Content : Janet Raasch : Copy for Lawyers & Attorneys, Law Firm Business Development

The Legal Marketing Association provides guidance on marketing, business development and communications within the legal profession.  This article summarizes a presentation by Betsi Roach, executive director of the LMA, on important themes that emerged at the 25th annual LMA Conference held last month, as well as recent LMA developments.  This excerpt covered the third of four conference tracks:  Improving visibility.  This ia part four of a six-part article.  For a link to the entire article, see below.

“As professional marketers, we devote much of our time to improving the visibility of a lawyer, an industry or practice group, or a law firm within a targeted market,” said Roach

“The first session in this track focused on social media – and how to use these robust yet cost-effective tools to distribute content, raise visibility and build a network of new leads.  Also covered were social media policies and ethical concerns,” said Roach.

Winners of the 2011 LMA Your Honor awards participated in a panel to discuss the strategy and tactics of their cutting-edge campaigns.  Other sessions discussed the processes and value of various legal directories, rankings and “pay to play” opportunities; ways in which law firm professionals can assist the firm’s clients manage negative publicity and maximize positive publicity; and how small and mid-sized law firms can “do more with less” in their marketing budgets.

For the full article:  LMA Conference Synopsis: Improving Visibility

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“Pitching” to the traditional broadcast media

Here is part two of my article on broadcast journalism for lawyers and law firms:

When “pitching” news to the traditional broadcast media, remember that it has to be real news – and not self-promotion.  News is information that a station’s viewers or listeners need to know in order to make good decisions about their personal and business lives.  Always emphasize how your story will be of value to viewers or listeners.

 

In other words, news is important to people outside the law firm – not inside the firm. It often contains an additional element of new, first, best or most.

 

News that an associate has made partner, for example, is not likely to generate coverage.  That happens all the time.  News that the new partner is a deaf, orphaned, immigrant associate who worked his or her way through college and law school in the mail room at your firm might generate interest.

 

Make the story as easy as possible for the reporter.  Never mail a press release.  Call or email the right reporter with your story idea.  If the reporter expresses interest, send additional information.  New on the scene is the electronic press release, which includes not only background, but also direct email links to your experts as well as online links to photos, audio, video and other related news stories and Web sites.  Imagine how helpful this material can be to a reporter rushing to complete a story on deadline!

 

Broadcast news directors and reporters like to produce exclusives – stories that none of the competitors can cover.  Offer exclusives – and honor them.

 

Once the station has expressed interest in your pitch, time is of the essence.  Broadcast news directors and reporters face multiple deadlines each and every day (with Internet publishing, the deadline has become “right now”), and are driven to feature their stories in a timely fashion – preferably sooner than anyone else.  Make sure that you are actually available, at work or at home, in person or by phone (in the case of radio) to do the interview on deadline.

 

Think like a broadcast reporter.  Television stations like stories that offer more than “talking heads.”  They can be attracted to a story that includes a good visual setting, physical activity and interesting props.  Radio stations find “value added” in stories with interesting sound effects (like an IP case involving recorded music).

 

Finally, know what you are going to say and who is going to say it – even before “pitching” the broadcast media.  Practice in advance the 30-second “sound bites” you will use.  Videotape and review them.  Work with a media expert if necessary.

Here is a link to the complete article:

Lawyers and law firms:  Broadcast your expertise, build your reputation

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Recently, I posted an article on broadcast journalism in the Internet age.  The article was based on a panel discussion and I felt, after I'd written it, that I wanted to expand the article to include points not made by the panelists.  So I wrote another article on the subject of lawyers, law firms and broadcast journalism.  Here is the introduction (the entire article will appear over the next few days):

“Hey, you’re that lawyer!  The lawyer from the TV news about that case last night!  The lawyer who was interviewed on public radio regarding that issue last week!  The lawyer on the podcast about pending industry regulation that I downloaded and listened to last month!  You’re obviously the expert.  Let’s talk.”

 

Under national and state bar ethics rules, lawyers usually cannot call themselves experts in a given subject area.  But they can use broadcast media to position themselves as experts in the eyes of consumers of legal services.

 

Until recently, it took a lot of work with a public relations expert for a lawyer to appear on television or radio as an expert.  Broadcasters owned and controlled the airwaves, and access was limited.

 

Over the past ten years, with the advent of the Internet, the rules of the game have changed completely.  Today, users own and control the Internet, and access is unlimited.  There are many more opportunities to “broadcast” your expertise than ever before.

Upcoming sections include:

       "Pitching" to the traditional broadcast media

       "Catching" from the traditional broadcast media

       "Self-broadcasting" in the world of social media

For the impatient, here's a link to the entire article:

Lawyers and law firms:  Broadcast your expertise, build your reputation

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Reporters, editors and publishers from the mainstream media now rely on social media to learn about breaking news -- and to locate resources for the stories they write and publish.  In this Sept. 24 Webinar, Kevin O'Keefe of Lexblog discusses how lawyers and law firms can use social media to create and nurture relationships with mainstream media. 

In this Webinar, O'Keefe discusses how to use social media to listen -- to clients, prospective clients, referral sources and influencers (reporters, bloggers, associations and publishers).

Once you have listened carefully and know what interests these parties, you can use social media to create a relationship and give reporters, editors and publishers the information they need to know in order to do their jobs.  If you've done your homework, they will appreciate your input.

In addition, O'Keefe discusses the correct way to cite and build upon the work of others in your own blog and in social networks -- and let them know how your efforts have increased their circulation.  He also discusses the role played by Twitter in "getting out the news" about your practice or firm.

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Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications just posted an nice video (just short of 15 minutes) on his blog (www.pr-squared.com), in which he discusses the value of content marketing.  He describes content marketing as what you bring to the neighborhood pot luck.  If your neighbors are all lean vegetarians, you won't make a very positive impression showing up with a big platter of meat.  Do your research and provide a dish (content) that appeals to your neighbors (target audience).  He also discusses how social media allow entities -- like law firms -- to present content directly to the interested end-user -- completely bypassing the gatekeepers of the mainstream media.  The video itself is also a good example of how easy it is to record and post a presentation.  Here's the link:

Content Marketing

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Any time the name of a lawyer or a law firm shows up in the media, it is usually the consequence of either advertising or public /media relations.  The two are very different -- in cost and in impact.  In this April 2008 article, Cheryl Bame of Bame Public Relations (LosAngeles) discusses media relations opportunities for lawyers and law firms. 

Good news, bad news:  How lawyers and law firms can maximzie media relations

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Few important legal decisions take place in a vacuum.  Decision-makers are influenced not only by the information they hear in the courtroom or in the boardroom, but also by what they hear, read and observe in the surrounding environment -- the court of public opinion.  In this November 2006 article, a panel of specialists discusses how lawyers and law firms can influence outcomes via issue-oriented research and communications.

When resolving your clients' legal issues, don't forget the court of public opinion

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Like most businesses, law firms have an approach/avoidance conflict when it comes to dealing with the news media.  When a firm has good news to tell, it actively seeks the attention of reporters and editors.  When the news is not so good, it often prefers to avoid a reporter's professional scrutiny.  In this May 2004 article, Lisa Simon and Larry Holdren present as overview of effective media relations skills for lawyers and law firms.

Working it:  Using the media to convey your message -- in good times and in bad

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