I read an interesting article from the ABA’s Litigation News Section entitled Using Social Networking Sites to Connect to Clients, Lawyers and Others. What struck me about the article was about how online marketing really isn’t any different than other forms of marketing. As the article says, you get what you put into it. There some great observations from Kevin Quinley and Dan Kohane in the article.

Quinley likens marketing to planting seeds; some will fail, but some will grow, and persistence and dedication are vital to success. Kohane describes some lawyer marketing attempts as shooting off a flare that is bright, but fades and is forgotten. Both see online social networking as a valuable tool to increase visibility, but only if the litigator takes the time to use it and keep up with it. Quinley recommends at least five minutes a week to keep the content and tools timely and sharp. Kohane says he spends some time each day checking to keep his online effort current. Both said independently of the other that those who make a consistent effort project to others that they are the type of professional with whom others want to associate.

In my experience, many lawyers and other professionals set up Web sites, blogs, LinkedIn profiles, Twitter profiles and Facebook accounts without long-term game plan. In today’s crowded social media marketplace, business will not come just because you have have the technology. Consistency is more important than quantity when it comes to posts. You also must get engaged and interact with individuals in your target market. Spitting out information isn’t likely to get you far.

Whether it’s social media or using tools such as NotifyWorks, it’s critical to be patient, consistent and to consider your marketing and networking efforts a marathon rather than a sprint.

Related articles

• Say goodbye to marketing online : Social networks are for networking (kevin.lexblog.com)

Read an interesting post from Kevin O’Keefe of LexBlog on how Law Firm Blogging is Still in its Infancy. The post details a LexisNexis survey of 110 “leading” law firms from around the globe. I chuckle a little bit at the “leading” because it’s pretty clear to me in the blogging and social media space, smaller law firms are doing the leading and the global large firms are doing the following. But as O’Keefe points out in another post, about 75% of the AmLaw 200 are blogging.

I’ve been blogging for almost six years now at www.rushonbusiness.com. The thing I’ve loved about blogging is that it has placed me on playing field once reserved only for the heavy hitters in big firms. Through blogging, I’ve appeared in the Wall St. Journal multiple times, the Des Moines Register carries my blog feed on its Web site and a steady stream of clients have come through my doors over the years.

No survey required for me to know that blogging can have a very positive impact on a law practice.