Target and Pursue Using LinkedIn
What a coincidence. Last night I presented “Social Media: Part of Today’s Client Development and Retention Toolkit” for the Montgomery County Paralegal Association. I was delighted to be greeted by a huge crowd eager to find out how these tools might be applied to the benefit of their firm’s client development efforts. (Yes, they spelled my name wrong and got the seminar title wrong, but those in attendance were not disappointed.)
Unlike most of the attorneys who attend this presentation, most of those in the audience were already extensively using Social Media on a personal basis. Almost everyone had a FaceBook page, most had profiles on LinkedIn, a few tweeted, and most everyone subscribed to one or more blogs. One person (actually, the program sponsor, from Harris Investigations), stood alone as having created a FaceBook page for his dog. My dogs, and their FaceBook friend, Curtis D. Ellis, will be sending friend requests shortly!
One point I worked hard to drive home involved the crowded marketplace in which legal professionals navigate nowadays. It’s hard to get the attention of prospects when so many other attorneys are trying to get their attention at the same time. And the concept of being “out there” in order to establish relationships with prospects and referral sources has taken on a whole new meaning with the use of Social Media. It enables one to be “out there” way beyond what would have been possible, both time-wise and geographically, without these tools.
I spoke about the “new normal” in marketing, which I describe as “target and pursue” — identify the ideal client or referral source, and then find ways to reach out and touch them in a meaningful (and metaphorical) way. I emphasized the importance of LinkedIn as a tool for strategic intelligence. It enables one to identify the key players in the industry or specific company one wishes to pursue, and to track relationships in order to find a point in common, who can provide an introduction.
Today, the AttorneyAtWork blog posted “Let Me Introduce You: One of Many Things LinkedIn Is Good For” and it directly addresses the same topic in the same way. The fact that the blog post was written by marketing expert Merrilyn Astin Tarlton made me feel pretty darned good about the messages I delivered in my presentation. It was worth the trip in driving rain, to provide valuable information for such an appreciative group.
Marketing & Strategic Planning | admin | 
October 20, 2011 9:09 pm
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