New Year’s Resolutions…Not!

I am in agreement, yet again, with my good friend Heather Morse, who admits in a new year’s post that she’s not much for resolutions. Me either, Heather. And I agree that it is no longer OK for lawyers to not to know how online social media work.

Heather’s post about this gives a great catalog of meaningful sites and features that lawyers brush aside at their own peril. There are still some at the law firm where I work that insist that they will never develop a reputation as subject matter experts through social media. Yet, this is only true because they are not participating in social media.

I think of social media as “the people’s public relations.” Where once one had to be known by a reporter or editor, or conference planner, in order to be asked a question, quoted in a story or offered a speaking gig at the next industry conference, now it is much more likely that one of these media and industry professionals will reach out through social media to find the experts known among their networks of sources. If you are not in these collections of virtual connections, you will be virtually invisible.

And while lawyers once looked for the editorial exposure of being quoted in a news story on an issue as enhancing and spreading their reputation, they now have the dynamic duo of blogging and Twitter to develop audiences of interested people who will listen to and look forward to their views.

If you or your firm are making online social media a part of your public relations strategy, here are ten, well, they are not resolutions, let’s call them ten suggestions…strong suggestions for 2012:

1. Set realistic expectations
2. Define your target market
3. Choose tactics carefully
4. Stay on topic, be provocative
5. Don’t overdo it
6. Measure and listen in equal amounts
7. Keep current and be current
8. Reach out and circulate
9. Ask questions, give answers
10. Keep a record

I’ll expand on this list in the weeks ahead, so bear with me.

A shout out to the Minnesota Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association, where I’ll be speaking on social media on March 21, in Minneapolis. Thanks for the invitation!