Communications Strategist Dispels Attorneys' Misconceptions About Social Media Marketing

Online, November 11, 2013 (Newswire.com) - "Many attorneys I've talked to don't think social media marketing is a viable strategy for growing a law practice. A few have been fortunate enough to grow by word-of-mouth or by having a profile on law firm marketing sites; but all have struggled to find just the right marketing mix that will consistently attract new, targeted clients," said Nue. "That's a familiar battle cry for most small business owners, though."

Attorneys are a unique group: so much online marketing landscape has been devoted solely to law firm marketing and so little of that is actually devoted to helping them brand themselves the way big companies do. Social media is the platform attorneys can use to brand themselves like thousands of other small business owners who have become global brands.

As with any young technology that has experienced rapid growth, misconceptions have surfaced that discount and discredit the value of blogging and social media marketing as viable tools for attracting new clients. Nue wants to challenge those misconceptions attorneys have and encourage them to forgive the failed experiences they've had or the attempts they've never made. "Don't discount the value of the tools; they must be part of a strategy much the way a hammer and nails play an integral role in the blueprint for building a home," she suggests.

Myth #1 - Blogging Doesn't Work
Blogging is the primary way to crystallize your brand; it lets prospective clients and journalists who cover your topic know who you are and what you stand for. Blogging alone does not bring traffic to your site; gone are the days of 'build it and they will come.' Now you must have a plan to drive traffic to your site to read your blog.

Google just changed its algorithms to reward honest content producers who educate and or entertain site visitors. But the biggest rewards - ranking and traffic - go to those who provide social proof of their value on social media sites like Google Plus and facebook.

Myth #2 - Social Media Marketing Doesn't Work
In social media marketing, messaging is everything - and blogging must be part of your social media strategy. Imagine going to a cocktail party or networking event and announcing that you're an attorney; 'big deal' will likely be the response. But if you're a divorce attorney and you announce, "I help people who want to modify their divorce agreements" you'll probably attract a lot of attention from people who didn't know that was possible but who need your service.

You get acquainted at the 'cocktail party' then invite them to your blog to learn more.

Myth #3 - Attorneys Can't 'Specialize' Because of State Bar Regulations
The bar associations of many states have guidelines governing specialization in up to 21 various practice areas; but none of those guidelines prevents an attorney from blogging about a niche in his or her practice area. This is a great way for an attorney to brand oneself and to stand out from the crowd of other attorneys who focus on the same practice area in your city.

"In my conversations with attorneys, I rarely if ever hear them use the word 'brand' or 'branding,'" says Nue. "So it's important to introduce the concept and help them harness the strategy so they can grow into the powerhouse firms they've always dreamed of becoming"