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Prospecting the Social Media Gold Rush
Understanding and utilizing social media in professional marketing is critical today given that nearly every American is connected to at least one (and often several) social media networks. Ponder these metrics:
No wonder there is such a big fuss in marketing circles over the use of social media in business and practice development. Yet, in a recent study by Hootsuite, a leading social media content management company, more than half of business respondents said they struggle to use social media effectively. And 58% said they find it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of their social media investments. Lessons for Professionals to Succeed in Social Media
Here’s what we’ve learned and what several leading practitioners* say about successful social media marketing for professionals: Lesson 1: Silver Bullets Only Work on Werewolves The hype that surrounds social media often leads many to think that it is a marketing silver bullet that will generate immediate results with minimal personal effort. That belies the essence of the “social” in “social media,” which really should be seen as a way for professionals to accelerate what they already do naturally to build an offline referral network with engagement and trust. Main Takeaway: Results require dedicated time and resources. Lesson 2: The “Give to Get” Principle Let’s face it: Most people are focused on themselves and how to overcome the challenges they face in their personal and business lives. If you barge onto any social platform and lead with the big sell first rather than listening for ways you can provide useful information and show you care, the result will be crickets … or worse. Main Takeaway: Add value before you ask. Lesson 3: Be Real, Why Don’t You
Social media authenticity is often the biggest lift for litigation professionals. “Keeping your distance” is considered an unwritten rule of corporate/client/claimant confidentiality and central to the professional mystique.
Which Platforms
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This 30,000-foot overview is just the preamble to a much more detailed discussion about how professionals, and especially those of us in the settlement profession, use (or don’t use) social media. You’ve no doubt seen the tableau of social icons for many other platforms out there, including YouTube, Snapchat, Pinterest and many more. There is also a raft of advanced tools within each platform that further enrich the visitor brand experience, especially around video and live streaming.
Enough though for now, as we would like to end this discussion where we started: by asking you to tell us about your social media experience. Click here and take our two-minute survey. We’ll share the results in our next newsletter. And we’re raffling off gift cards for a free Starbucks. You might need the extra dose of caffeine to follow, like, connect, hashtag, post and otherwise navigate your way successfully along the social media highway!
* Mitch Jackson, trial lawyer and social media pioneer; Bob Burg, co-author of the "Go-Giver" book series; Kim Garst, Forbes Top 10 Social Media Power Influencers; Bryan Kramer, social business strategist; Joey Vitale, attorney and small business consultant; David Meerman Scott, author "The New Rules of Marketing & PR."