Taking Aim at the Media

Published in Los Angeles Daily Journal June 29, 2009

By Cheryl Bame and Renée Barrett

Have you ever asked yourself why your competitors are always quoted in the media, why the media has profiled other law practices and not yours or why people seem to be talking about the accomplishments of other firms? The answer is simple. Your competition has a public relations program and uses it to generate exposure in the marketplace.

Successful public relations programs can not only increase a law firm's visibility, or positions a lawyer as an authority on a topic or issue, but using all avenues of public relations effectively often positively impacts the bottom line. And, isn't that the measure of all business development and marketing initiatives?

There are many different types of public relations activities and tools, from writing articles, speaking at industry events to being quoted in traditional media outlets. Social media relations is one of the hottest and most quickly evolving areas of public relations. A successful social media campaign is similar to a strategy in the sport of archery, both necessitates focus, quality tools and precision for results.

In the past, traditional media such as newspapers, magazines and television were enough to promote yourself and your practice. With the rise of the interactive Web, traditional media has adopted supplementary efforts online to remain relevant and so should you. PR in a Web 2.0 world means learning to integrate social tools like blogs (Web sites where short entries are posted regularly), wikis (the Hawaiian word for "fast," these Web sites allow users to contribute and update to multiple time-saving documents) and online social networking (ecosystems were ideas and relationships grow online) to create an integrated PR approach for dispersing content. Social media is growing faster than traditional media because it creates relationships, sparks conversations, generates greater word of mouth and produces results that are measurable.

National newspapers and many firms are beginning to create separate blog content on their sites so that they can publish and distribute news quickly through e-mail or RSS (really simple syndication) subscriptions. Wikipedia, the most famous wiki site, probably already has an entry relating to your firm that may or may not have been edited by your staff. You may receive invitations to join online social networking sites but are confused as to why accepting such invitations would be beneficial. If you can't tell the difference between these ecosystems, here's a quick overview of the most popular social networking sites:

LinkedIn is the most professionally recognized site, with an emphasis on career bios and extended network. LinkedIn's ecosystem is like a boardroom and Q-andAs allows for extended connections to interact.

Facebook is the most socially challenging site and prompts a professional/personal identity crisis. Facebook's ecosystem is like that of happy hour and the relaxed conversation inspires members to catch up regularly, exchange news (professional and/or personal), share photos and tell stories.

Plaxo manages your address book, calendar and tasks online. Plaxo's ecosystem in a backup office in the cloud where in addition to accessing information, your contacts update their own contact information.

Twitter is the most misunderstood site and broadcasts messages in 140 characters or less. Twitter's ecosystem is like that of a convention as attendees learn, share ideas, build relationship and spread the word about what they do. The bonus is search engine optimization is organically improved.

You've probably heard about the above sites and may even use them, but not many people in the legal professional are skilled at incorporating social media effectively into their PR efforts because most don't understand how it can benefit their practice and as a result get overwhelmed. If you do nothing else in the social web, join at least one online social network, as it will become the foundation of all your social Web and PR efforts. All four social networks share the ability to broadcast a short message through a status box, which can reinforce offline media efforts. Using a URL shortening service like www.bit.ly allows the distribution of a link or press release. Much like an arrow, traditional media efforts will go further with the integration of a bow like social media.

Social media is free publicity that, when done right, leads to being top of mind among business and industry leaders, reporters and other media outlets. Accept those invitations that have been piling up, fill out a robust profile, step up to the virtual mic and feed your network great information because on or off line content is still king.

Random acts of traditional and social media will produce random results. And, successful public relations rarely happen by accident. When you don't know who you are targeting and haven't crafted your message, you will in no way achieve the results that can be generated by deliberate traditional and social media attention. Developing your public relations strategy should follow a business development or marketing plan that outlines a clear understanding of who and what you want to promote as well as who you are trying to reach.

Similar to an archer aiming for the bull's-eye, you need to know whom you are attempting to target. Have you asked yourself the following questions: Who are your clients? What industries are relevant to your services? What keeps your clients up at night?

When you have the answers, research which social networking tools your targets are using. What Web sites are on your clients' daily reading list? Which blogs do they monitor to get their daily news or industry updates? Do they have a company blog, Facebook fan page or use LinkedIn or Twitter to communicate their updates? After all, you want to be seen in the media by your clients or potential clients as the go-to authority in your profession. Are you invisible? Using social media will make you visible.

Now that you know who you are trying to reach, what do you plan to say? What is your point of view? What are the newsworthy stories that your audience cares about? Once you zero in on why your audience should care, it should be relatively easy to develop your message. Of course, clients will want you to offer a point of view that reflects their opinions or industry notions. Are you working on any cases that may be interesting? Are you following any news trends or issues that the media is or should be following? Answering these questions will give you great material to reach out to the media, comment on a blog or respond to questions on a social networking site. Comment on issues that are relevant to your practice and clients. Having a third-party endorsement, which the media delivers, can position an attorney as an expert. When the traditional media won't give you ink, then directly engage your audience using your social media voice.

Not everyone needs to start a blog to be heard. Many blogs already exist that could benefit from your unique insights. Did the Wall Street Journal cover a change to a law that you understand? Why not visit its site and leave an insightful comment with a link to your bio? Is there a case you are handling with preventative tips that you could share? If yes, then instead of telling people what you are eating, why not offer a status update that serves up some nuggets of wisdom? The overall goal is to comment on your area of practice in the target media outlet that your clients or potential clients read or monitor. In either environment, think before you speak. Speak intelligently to your audience, as your comments will live long past the publish date. Do no harm with your words, as you have a professional reputation of many years to protect.

Broker solid information. Share relevant information with the community. You are proclaiming what others should know and read. Inaccurate information, bad taste and attacking behavior are just some of the reasons people will turn their backs to you.

Build relationships - it's not all about you. Care about the readers and be helpful before seeking their assistance or reminding them how great you are. Nobody likes to be talked down to, but people love a reason to start a conversation.

Educate and engage your audience as if you were a reporter. When you do, people will appreciate your thoughts and you will generate new awareness as to who you are and what you can do for them. Just as an archer practices over and over to become skilled at the sport, repetition will make you comfortable and skilled at how to use social media to your advantage.

Using public relations to grow your practice can be accomplished once you understand who you want to target, what you want to say, and which tools position you closer to the bull's-eye.

Today's business climate is extremely competitive,e and getting a leg up on the competition can be achieved by increasing your exposure in the marketplace. All of this effort takes time, which in today's market is a hot commodity. Be smart and take advantage of the diverse online tools, even using a couple advantageously can push your messages further and faster than ever before.

There will always be an avenue for great content. If you take the time to participate in one or two social media sites and use them well, you will evolve into a go-to authority on your expertise. Social media has developed a platform to increase a firm's visibility and keep its attorneys top-of-mind like never before. Use them properly, and prepare to reap all of the rewards that come with hitting a bull's eye.

Cheryl Bame is a public relations professional and principal of Bame Public Relations. She is member-at-large of the Los Angeles chapter of the Legal Marketing Association. Renée Barrett is a social media strategist and principal of Awareness, Action, Accountability, and co-chair of sponsor relations of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association.