Why remain invisible to nearly 500+ million LinkedIn professionals?
Of all social media sites, LinkedIn remains the most popular social network used by attorneys, according to the ABA 2014 Technology Legal Survey.
LinkedIn has grown dramatically from its nascent beginnings to attract professionals from many business categories and recently was acquired by Microsoft. It’s a virtual fast lane, outpacing Facebook in relative percentage growth in professional users.
Be Visible. Yes You.
When asked, attorney Michael J. Napoleone at RichmanGreer remains visible in several ways: “I have found LinkedIn to be an effective resource for growing my professional network through introductions, posting updates of what I am working on, sharing articles I have written that might be a resource to others, and connecting on a more professional level than through other social media platforms.”
In-house counsel at 68% usage
And legal professionals have become more active on LinkedIn, according to a 2015 survey by Zeughauser Group and Green Target. Key findings from the report show that 68% of in-house counsel used LinkedIn for professional purposes in the last week, up from 62% last year. For in-house counsel, their top reasons for visiting are “professional networking with colleagues, connecting with outside counsel and getting professional and business news.”
75% search for lawyers online, first.
Statistics shared recently by LexisNexis cite that 75% of your future clients or potential referral sources are searching online before making their move. Your activity can lead to all sorts of benefits—new clients, speaking engagements, invitations for non-profit board stewardship, among others.
Amplify your worth with a great profile.
Scott L. Malouf, a social media and e-discovery attorney at ScottMalouf, offers: “an up-to-date, detailed profile demonstrates your deep experience. When meeting a new potential client, you can skip the lengthy elevator pitch and focus on listening to the potential client’s needs. Then, you follow up with a LinkedIn request, possibly highlighting aspects interesting to the potential client.”
Expand your legal influence.
Connecting with referral sources is an important aspect of attracting new casework.
Stephen Zaloom, J.D., LL.M of Jeck, Harris, Raynor and Jones, P.A. believes in the utility of leveraging LinkedIn groups: “I’m a member of alumni groups for my field of law, whether national or regional in nature. When useful articles are posted with hyperlinks, I may tweet them and share them on LinkedIn to find them later on.”
Colossal Wins
Your efforts will consistently build online recognition for your name and your firm – all thanks to the free SEO conducted by LinkedIn on your behalf. Not a penny to be spent. And your LinkedIn content is mobile-friendly, viewable on any device.
Key Takeaways:
- If you regularly attend business receptions, you understand the intrinsic value of expanding your personal network through consistent engagement of new colleagues. Consider a daily or weekly schedule of 15 minutes with a cup of coffee to boost your LinkedIn activity; you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the feedback you receive.
- Authenticity breeds like and trust. That’s where good client relationships live. Be authentic and share value in the form of quality information.
- Be consistent and stay involved. You’re starting a conversation with your peers, with people you don’t know and with others who seek to draw a larger truth out of your comments or idea.
