LinkedIn is reportedly the most popular business social networking site used by attorneys. In fact, a recent report shows that 70% of corporate counsel use LinkedIn as a tool, and half rely on it. Executives from every Fortune 500 company are using LinkedIn.
To help law firms attract and retain more clients using LinkedIn, I have identified ten different opportunities attorneys should take advantage of.
10 Ways Law Firms Can Use LinkedIn to Attract and Retain More Business
1. Build relationships with potential clients - If you deal with corporate business, small business or real estate issues then you can use LinkedIn to network with potential clients - and educate them so they will want to come to you with their problems.
2. Build relationships with potential referral sources - For example, an attorney who specializes in social security law can network with partners or employees at general practice firms so they can pass business on to you. Business lawyers can network with accountants and business advisors. Lawyers that work in the real estate industry can connect with realtors who can refer business to them. Elder care attorneys can network with assisted living homes and care giving service providers and associations who can refer business to them.
3. Create a community of like-minded professionals - For example if you are a real estate attorney educate a group of real estate agent so they can refer business to you or use you if their clients need your advice. Within this group, you need to create conversations and link prospects, referral sources and the media back to your blog or website where they can get even more information. Notice, your LinkedIn group is part of the lead generation funnel.
4. Build relationships with the media - 92% of all media professionals are on LinkedIn, which is more than any other social networking site. That means editors, journalists and reporters of local, regional and national publications and other media types are available to you on LinkedIn. You can reach out to these individuals and invite them to your group so they can see the type of information you can offer their readers, listeners or viewers.
5. Spread your content and prove you are a thought leader - Placing your content, expertise and messages in front of targeted prospects is the absolute best way to attract new clients and referral sources. That's why you need to join groups where your prospects are going to for information you can provide and engage in conversations.
rn6. Nurture relationships with existing clients
Your marketing and relationship building efforts should not stop once someone becomes a client. That's why attorneys should have a group specifically for providing ongoing, exclusive content and information just for clients where they can answer more specific questions. This will help you with client retention.
7. Perform market research that you can promote with articles and press releases
Recently a client of mine who is a workplace communication expert conducted on LinkedIn a study of CEOs, Presidents, Vice Presidents and manager. From his research he found that 44% of the executives surveyed were unhappy with their employees' performance and their own communication style. Using his survey questions he was also able to uncover what problems they were encountering.
With this knowledge he then created:
* A report that showcased the results.
* Press release to reveal the results and position him as a thought leader.
* Webinars to discuss solutions to the problems his audience were encounteringrn* Articles and LinkedIn discussions to promote the study, the report and the eventrn* A complete marketing and PR plan and strategy based off this study
8. Build an extensive network of connections who can be expert witnesses for your clients. By building a relationship on LinkedIn with connections who can be expert witnesses for issues relating to your law specialty, you give prospects and clients a reason to hire you. Now, you are combining your expert knowledge in the industry with support that other law firms may not be able to offer.
9. Stay up-to-date on what's happening in your industry - Join groups that your peers, colleagues and competitors belong to. This will help you way stay current on trends, problems, concerns and even cases in your industry. You will be able to see what others are talking about and what they have to share. And, you can use this as an idea bank for articles and press releases that you can write to promote your law firm.
10. Showcase your attorney's abilities - Every attorney in your practice should have a LinkedIn profile and there should be a link to it on the company website. This will enable clients or prospects to reach out to your practice in another way and on a more personal level. And, the lawyers will be able to update their LinkedIn profiles to showcase their skills, abilities, articles that were published and media mentions without having to pay expensive webmaster fees.
Now, as I said earlier, LinkedIn is reportedly the most popular business social networking site used by attorneys. In fact, a LinkedIn search for the keyword "legal" gave me more than 1 million results. However, only a small percentage of these attorneys are using LinkedIn to its fullest potential for bringing in more clients, referrals and publicity. The question is:
Are you willing to breakthrough the pack - and become part of that small percentage who of attorneys who are using LinkedIn effectively to market their law firms?