This is the first in what I hope will be a series of articles for the Southwest Florida Social Media Club’s blog on the use of social media in the legal field and, in particular, how attorneys can use social media tools to promote their personal practices. Although my background is in legal marketing, much of what we will discuss in this series will be pertinent to others that are looking to promote a professional services practice.

The focus of this article is on LinkedIn, a tool used by millions of professionals around the world to establish or enhance their professional network. Unlike other social networking platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn is business oriented and used principally by professionals to make connections. Professionals using LinkedIn also use this tool to educate their network and the general public about their background and experience and how they and their respective firms can add value to existing and prospective clients. Some detailed information on the LinkedIn service and usage can be found on the LinkedIn site in their Learning Center by clicking here. There is also an interesting YouTube video that provides a concise overview of this tool.

So how exactly can LinkedIn be helpful? John Remsen, an authority on law firm marketing, has a great quote:

“Numerous surveys and studies tell us that clients hire lawyers (not law firms) and they hire lawyers they know, like and trust. Marketing legal services is all about being known, liked and trusted by people in the position to hire or refer you. But relationships don’t happen by accident. They must be grown and cultivated over time.” (emphasis added)

This concept of clients hiring attorneys that they know like and trust rather than the firm itself is, based on my experience, very true of the legal profession and most professions including accounting, financial services, real estate, etc. As we’ll see, LinkedIn is an excellent platform to build trust and credibility within your professional network and with prospective clients.

KNOWN, LIKED & TRUSTED: LinkedIn is an invitation to look into the more personal side of an individual, allowing the attorney or other professional to be seen holistically. Where your approved “firm” bio is controlled for content and style, your LinkedIn profile can be more relaxed and allows the attorney to decide how much they want to reveal about themselves. LinkedIn is the perfect place where an attorney can bring together their outside interests with their professional background and experience, making them more human and likeable.

Imagine, after reading an attorney’s bio, a prospective client can go to LinkedIn and learn more about you. Immediately, a potential client can see if they are 2 or 3 degrees separated, and know how they are connected to you. This prospective client might also find out information that might not come up in an initial meeting, which could be helpful in establishing trust:

• “You belong to a cycling club, so do I.”
• “You answered a question and I agree with your response.”
• “We’re both members of a Group on X-political/social issues.”
• “Wow, you know my brother-in-law, what a coincidence.”

Before the first meeting, and without asking a question, LinkedIn can kick off the whole “know, like, trust” process.

In closing, if you are in the legal profession or in professional services where you’re being compensated on a fee basis for your advice, building trust is critical to attracting new clients to your practice and your firm. It is been proven that people will work with lawyers and other professionals that they know like and trust and not necessarily because of the reputation of the firm. Upwards of 40 million professionals using LinkedIn globally are proving on a daily basis that this platform is an efficient, cost effective way for professionals such as lawyers to enhance their credibility and begin building trust with new prospective clients. Professional social media and social networking tools such as LinkedIn can no longer be ignored for those in the legal field and other professional where building and maintaining trust is critical.

VALUE: I’ll end with a true story.

One of my LinkedIn connections in California, and fellow legal marketing director, has also been encouraging attorneys to join LinkedIn. One of her attorneys connected with a potential client he used to work for, and to someone he knew in college, who just happens to be president of a local corporation. The prospective client is looking for new job and this attorney wrote a recommendation on LinkedIn. Turns out, his fellow alumnus is looking for someone at his company and asked for an introduction. It’s too early to tell if her attorney made the connection happen, but he definitely added VALUE to both those relationships, all in the first week.

If you are LinkedIn, be sure to regularly browse your connections to see who their connections are. Be sure also to browse LinkedIn groups and alumni associations to connect with like-minded professionals and old friends. You may be surprised how valuable LinkedIn in can be!

Written by: Gail Lamarche

Gail is the Director of Marketing at Henderson Franklin in Fort Myers, FL. She is responsible for all advertising, branding, business and client development initiatives and programs. Gail also coordinates the firm’s events, newsletters, press releases, seminars and sponsorships. More on Gail’s background, experience and Henderson Franklin can of course be found on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/gaillamarche. You can also follow her on Twitter at @gaillamarche.