This document provides tips for lawyers on using social media. It recommends focusing social media efforts on LinkedIn as the leading professional network. It outlines how lawyers can use social media to stay informed in their field, attract and brand themselves to clients, attract potential employees, expand their referral network, keep up with competitors, and find employment opportunities. Specific tips include completing profiles, joining groups, posting valuable content, and using recommendations to differentiate their expertise and services. The overall aim is to become known, liked and trusted online.
The Ultimate Guide to Drafting Your Separation Agreement with a Template
Social media for lawyers by Jason Elias eliasrecruitment.com and bulletpoints.com.au
1. Social Media for Lawyers
Practical tips and tricks
By Jason Elias
Director Elias Recruitment &
Co-founder Bulletpoints.com.au
2. What is Social Media?
Social media is the
interaction among people
in which they create,
share or exchange
information and ideas in
virtual communities and
networks.
3. How to use Social Media?
• Keep informed
• Client attraction
• Personal and company
branding
• Attracting staff
• Getting referrals from other
professionals
• Keeping up with competition
• Clients will research you
• Employment opportunities
5. Keeping Informed
Set up a news feed eg Google alerts for your speciality
Follow hashtags on twitter
Subscribe to industry blogs
Follow Linked In “Pulse”
Join Linked In Groups eg Australian Legal Community
6. Back one horse
• Linked In leads all other social networks in
professional usage and perceived credibility
(88%)
• 2012 Greentarget Inhouse Counsel Survey
8. Client Attraction
• Clients are being more selective
and do research on service providers (incl lawyers)
• Being known as an expert through good LI profile,
blog or profile on groups increases visibility and
likelihood of engagement
• Experts can charge a premium or be more
selective with clients
9. Branding
• Legal services market has never been more
competitive
• Your brand is your differentiator
• Social media lets you broadcast your Unique
Selling Proposition
• Promote your expertise
• Use recommendations and referrals esp on
Linked In.
10. Linked In Profile
• Make sure your profile stands out. If anyone
Googles your name, Linked In (or YouTube)
entries appear first due to indexing
• Profiles Should be complete incl professional
photo
• Profile is not a CV, what is your aim, sell
yourself to your audience
11. Profiles
• Maximise your subheading – divorce specialist
• List projects you have worked on
• List memberships of Law society, Industry
Associations
• List awards and achievements
• Cover the type of matters you do eg successfully
acquired $12 million IT startup
• Have a vanity address
au.linkedin.com/yournamevanity
13. Company pages
• Keep your branding consistent
• Give people a reason to come eg resources
like whitepapers, newsletters, powerpoints
• Call to action
• Add links to your email signature
15. Groups
• You can join 50 groups- use this
• Join groups that will be useful for you- think
laterally eg interest groups, industry, expats
• Contribute, don’t just watch- comment
• Add content, esp original material if not share
resources you found interesting
• Connect with users
• Don’t just sell, add-value, be an expert
17. Attracting Staff
• Gen Y have grown up online
• They don’t book a trip, see a movie
• or change jobs without checking online
• Your social media presence and comments
about you could make the difference as to
whether a candidate joins you or a competitor.
• Jobseekers will check your Linked in profile
before meeting you.
18. Referral Network
• Word of mouth has always been best source
of referrals. Social media exponentially
expands reach of Word of Mouth
• A strong social media presence will result in
more referrals (not all worth pursuing)
• I get 2-3 calls a day from people through
Linked In
• Value of testimonials not LI endorsements
19. Be proactive
• Invite contacts after you have attended a
function
• See who has viewed your profile
• Use your quota of inmails
• Comment on posts
by others
• Be visible
22. Employment Opportunities
• Linked in is mainly a recruitment tool. It
supplements and updates a database.
• If you are an employed solicitor it is a way
employers and recruiters can pitch you
opportunities
• Display your mobile and personal email
23. What not to do
• Troll
• Bad photos
• Oversell
• Forget to add value
24. Questions?
Feel free to contact me for information related
to :
Social Media
Recruitment
Continuing Legal Education
Jason Elias BA (Asian Studies) LLB FRCSA
jason@eliasrecruitment.com