Year end can be an opportunity to maintain the profile of a law firm

Communicating the firm’s performance at this time of year can be an effective way to maintain the profile of a business; if done the right way it can help with recruitment, staff morale, customer relations, brand awareness and a whole host of other strategic priorities.

Like most other PR opportunities there are some important considerations you should think about before issuing press releases or calling up reporters to tell the story of the last twelve months.It’s essential to anticipate what journalists or publications are going to want to know so here’s the RTS Media countdown of what to expect.

1. Journalists will ask you about your firm’s headcount, turnover and profits (including last year’s) so that they can apply this as a basis for comparison. Secondly, the profit per equity partner is also seen as an essential piece of data so be ready to provide this information if you feel comfortable doing so; reporters will most likely do their own calculations if you avoid the subject…
2. Alongside these figures, reporters are likely to be interested in a law firm’s recruitment policy and whether the management/partnership has any predictions for the year ahead.
3. It’s important to be able to break the firm’s performance down into component parts so that practice areas which are performing well can be highlighted. Obviously this means that departments which may be flat or under performing should also be explained so be ready with a sensible response in that regard.
4. If your press release is short the press might dig out old stories to bulk up the article. Why not furnish them with your latest press releases yourself? Sum up the year’s events including big hires, office openings and so on.
5. Tell your staff at least at the same time that you tell the press.
6. Be honest! Don’t claim to have had a great year if profits are down. Focus on the positives but be realistic if you want to be taken seriously. If figures are down, explain why this has happened e.g. investment in IT, new offices, cost of materials.

If you would like to find out how we can help you get the most out of social networking, contact us for a free consultation.

1)       Finding lists (click on the photos to view them in larger size)

The first rule to using Tweetdeck properly actually has nothing to do with Tweetdeck itself. The trick is to find or build lists in the browser-based twitter application that you can subscribe to or follow. These may be lists of celebrities, or particular types of news – financial, entertainment – all of which can be placed neatly into columns on tweetdeck.

So, step one: use Google to find the types of list that interest you…or take a look at some of the ready-made twitter lists we’ve found here

Every twitter list has its own page so take a look and check it is following the right types of people/accounts by clicking on ‘list members’. If it’s only following 10 accounts it’s probably not the most comprehensive and you might need to keep searching, but as you can see the one below has 146 so it’s a decent size.

 2) Getting started

Once you are happy with the lists you’ve subscribed to, it’s time to put them into columns on Tweetdeck. Assuming you’ve downloaded tweetdeck successfully to your PC/Mac, the default settings will normally have three or four columns with your ‘all friends’ column (this is everyone you follow/the same as your timeline on twitter) as well as a few others such as ‘tweetdeck recommends’ and so on.

 3) Adding/removing columns

To add a column, click on the + button which is one of the three in the top left corner of the window. To delete a column, just hover over the twitter icon at the top right of each column and it will give you the option of deleting. When you choose the + button, you’ll get the following window:

In this window you have three basic choices which are in the light grey section of the window: ‘Search’, ‘Groups/Lists’ & ‘Core’.
In the example below, it’s set on ‘Search’, so simply enter what words, or in this example #hashtag you want to search for on twitter and then press enter. Here we have searched for the popular #hashtag #HIGNFY which people type into tweets when they are talking about the BBC’s Have I Got News For You programme.

4) Putting your lists into columns

You’ve already subscribed to some lists, so now it’s time to put them into tweetdeck. Click on the + button to add a column, and you’ll have the ‘Search’, ‘Groups/Lists’ & ‘Core’ option in the light grey section. Choose ‘Groups/Lists’ and your lists will appear alongside. Click on the list name and it will be put into a column.

5) Here’s one I made earlier…

The aim of using tweetdeck is to get all your twitter searches, lists, favourite topics and conversations into a manageable format. As you see below, there’s a column for the hashtag, one with a list, and another for my mentions so if anyone tweets me I don’t have to get twitter to email me every time it happens. If you would like to find out how we can help you get the most out of social networking, contact us for a free consultation.

So why aren’t we all building lists? You can’t seriously want to follow thousands of voices all at once…

Twitter lists are the only means of cutting through all that noise so that you can focus on the sources of most interest to you. Here’s a few instructions on how to make them work best.You’ll notice a twitter widget running at the bottom of this blog post – this is ‘Legaltweets‘; a list of hundreds of lawyers, barristers, journalists and commentators who tweet about legal topics. By following this list, you can keep up with the latest headlines and gossip from across the industry. Click where it says ‘join the conversation’ and that will take you to the list’s home page. Subscribe to the list and then depending on what software you use to access twitter, you’ll have a ready-made stream of legal tweeters and never have to find another one to follow again…If it’s one of my lists and you want to be included on it, let me know and I’ll add you if appropriate.

There’s lots of lists to choose from; here’s a small selection of my favourites.

• Personal injury tweets
• Insurancetweets
• Members of Parliament 
• City desk journalists

Trust is implicit between a ghost writer and their subject

GHOST WRITING IS one of the true marks of an experienced communications professional. The ability to speak on behalf of your client; to project his or her voice in writing so that their knowledge, opinions and profile are enhanced is an extremely valuable skill.

If you are thinking of bringing a ghost writer in to support your public relations strategy, here are a few things you should consider before you hand over the pen…

Find a professional you can trust

Trust is essential in the relationship between a ghost writer and their subject. As displayed to rather gruesome effect in the Roman Polanski 2010 film The Ghost, the writer is expected to understand the voice of their client intimately. While the movie presents a somewhat far fetched example of the typical relationship it illustrates the point that a ghost writer will very often be given the keys to the safe; feel free to make them sign a confidentiality agreement but understand that it’s rarely in the ghost writer’s interest to be indiscreet.

Expect the best

Ghost writers will typically come from a background in journalism and should be able to demonstrate an objective, critical eye for topics that matter. Using those skills the writer should quickly be able to grasp complex issues and concerns that are relevant to you or the subject on whose behalf they’ll be writing. The aim must always be to build a coherent argument that supports your message; it is the ghost writer’s job to understand quickly what that message will be and convert that into persuasive prose.

Agree the fee up front

Depending upon your relationship with the writer, fees can either be charged based on time spent for the work or on the basis of word count. The latter is often a simpler option owing to the fact that unlimited redrafts may be required.

Demand unlimited redrafts

Be sure only to publish exactly what you are comfortable with and bearing that in mind a ghost writer should always be expected to draft and re-draft their articles until you are completely happy. This may be required more often at the beginning of a relationship with a writer; the more often you work with them the easier it can be for everyone to begin singing from the same song sheet.

Work within the deadline

If you’ve hired a practising journalist they should be familiar with publishing deadlines. As such their first drafts should be completed well in advance of the date on which you are expected to deliver the finished article – also known as the copy deadline. Clients such as law firms often have numerous layers of approval required before external communications material can be published so this approach is a must for clients as much as it is for the writer.

Exploit the writer’s skill

You’ve hired a ghost writer to make you look and sound good so allow them to express themselves through prose. A ghost writer can be a powerful asset to any external communications strategy, creating articles, speeches or presentations that compel an audience into action.

THE BAR STANDARDS Board decision to fine David Harris £2500 for incriminating tweets appears to

have prompted the legal profession into another round of navel gazing about social media, but could the industry’s progress be damaged unnecessarily by this debate?

Just as the true nature or initial point of an issue can be lost within a debate between friends, it appears that the same could have happened after Legal Futures reported how well known legal twitterers including @charonQC (AKA Mike Semple Piggot) were ‘exasperated’ at the regulator’s decision to fine a lawyer for bringing the profession into disrepute via an anonymous twitter account.

Fair opinions these are but were a social media sceptic to read such tirades it’s not inconceivable this could discourage use of online networks, just when they are beginning to be understood and exploited by law firms.

Once placed into context the story of Mr Harris is not one that really applies to many law firms who use twitter or other social networks and should be taken with a pinch of salt. Harris was fined £2,500 in relation to 19 tweets sent from an anonymous account @GeekLawyer suggesting acts of neglect within his work and attempting to bribe judges.

Such behaviour is somewhat far fetched in the imagination of most lawyers, familiar as they are of the consequences of most things. Overlooking the fact that these tweets were posted on an anonymous account we all know there are some things that just shouldn’t be publicised, it’s common sense. It is also worth bringing to attention the fact that Mr Harris was disbarred shortly after the incident. Despite rumours that his tweeting was the cause we’re told that it was for an unrelated matter.

As our recent Social Media Legal Survey has shown there are many legal professionals who utilize social media. It is a great way to promote your firm, interact with clients and manage reputation. So far this is one of the first high profile errors that has occurred with its usage and as such should not be the sole reason to disregard it completely.

Mr Sharpe, who tweets as @TMT_Lawyer one of the most prominent legal social media pioneers said, “I would hope that a sensible approach continues to be adopted, so that lawyers on Twitter or who use other forms of social media are not deterred by the Harris decision from sensible debate; there is a contra-argument that it does not serve the profession at all for lawyers to retreat from the public domain.”

Check out our simple dos and don’ts guide to social media for businesses, which is in line with general best practise guidelines.

Solicitors and barristers face the prospect of appearing on national radio or TV with equal measures of enthusiasm and sheer dread.

However a broadcast interview, whether live or pre-recorded, is an opportunity not to be missed. Well prepared and armed with a few basic techniques it can easily be worth the effort.

Dress code

Ouch

Let’s start with the basics (unfortunately an element that many forget): What to wear. Very bright clothes and striking patterns should be avoided. More importantly: don’t wrap up too warm! Studios are deceptively hot places and sweat patches are just not flattering.

Pre-show

Before the interview you should never go off the record, remember that you are representing your firm and do not want to fall into divulging inappropriate material. Take a few minutes to acclimatise and become comfortable in the environment before you start a conversation.

Always ask what the first question will be. Though you will have done a little preparation for the interview a lot of people are caught off guard. Sometimes it is worth asking for a list of questions to be asked a few days before so that you’re comfortable with the style of questions asked.

Now onto the broadcast specifics, there are several pre-show pieces of advice you will be given by the presenter or producer. The more you appear on shows the more natural these will become although at first they may seem a little strange.

To set the sound levels you will be asked mundane questions such as ‘what did you have for breakfast?’ before you go on air. The lengthier the answers you give the quicker this is over as you’re voice is uninterrupted and the producer has a chance to adjust the mic to you. Whilst doing this however there are some things to note: don’t lean into the mic or turn your head towards it. Sit comfortably as you would during the interview and talk normally. The idea is that the levels are adjusted to you not the other way around.

Look into my eyes…

If you’re appearing on camera you’ll be told to look at the presenter at all times rather than into the camera. Of course it seems strange not to look into a camera pointed directly at you, like the proverbial elephant in the room. However when you’re watching TV at home it would seem extremely strange and uncomfortable if an interviewee would turn to the camera and talk directly to you, which is why you’re asked to focus on the presenter.

Always make sure you have a glass of water available before you begin, that way if you need to pause for a moment or your mouth goes slightly dry you have the opportunity to solve the situation and make yourself comfortable again. Think of it the same as having a glass of water available in meetings and conferences.

During the interview

During the interview you should stay calm and relaxed. The best way to come across well is to be comfortable, the only way you will do that is by being yourself.

If the interview is pre-recorded for a show that will be aired later remember that you can always stop and retake. Take in the key points of the interview and rehearse your answers before hand.

Try not to go into too much industry jargon, not everyone watching or listening may understand what you’re saying. Keep the language simple and your answers short as though you’re talking to a teenager who has no prior knowledge of the topic being discussed.

A slight animation and energy as you discuss the topic will go a long way to engaging with the audience but be careful not to go over the top. Imagine that you’ve had 3 or 4 drinks and are slightly bubblier.

It is important however to be aware of the puppet effect. You do not want to be seen as being controlled or directed by the presenter or by the firm or topic, which you’re representing. The easiest way to do this is to relax. Sit back in your chair and imagine that you have a pet in your lap. Again the main message is stay relaxed.

When you’re being interviewed it’s easy to get carried away in the topic. Remember to keep your key point until the end, that’s the last impression that the viewers / listeners will have of you and is the best time to make your point. The best advice you can be given is to enjoy the experience and the adrenaline it creates.

After the Interview

As you’re not controlling the recording equipment you don’t know when mics and cameras have been turned off. To avoid situations like Gordon Brown’s comment about Gillian Duffy maintain your position and composure after the interview has finished and wait to be told the interview is over. With many TV interviews an extra 60 seconds are recorded at the end of the interview in order to produce a good edit.

Interview Language

There are a lot of lead-ins that can be used during interviews. Everyone has their favourite and is usually used to explain and outline the current situation or topic that you’re discussing.

Let me tell you where we are right now….
Let me tell you exactly what happened….
Let me tell you exactly what the situation is..

There are also many easy ways to change interview topics. If you’re uncomfortable with the topic of questioning or just want to reiterate a point the simple phrases below can be used to subtly divert back to what you want to discuss.

Let me say again….
I think it’s important to note that our key focus….That may be the opinion of certain people, however…

Throughout the interview it is important to note the interviewer’s cues but that doesn’t mean that you have to wait for a pause to respond. Once you start talking the interviewer will stop to hear what you are saying and reiterate their question if they feel the answer was too broad or disagree with what you said.

Always responding to the interviewer promotes confidence in a very simple way. “Good Morning John” or “Thank you” when you’re introduced shows that you’re alert and listening. Strong short sentences in reply are a key interview technique with emphasis on natural but clear enunciation of all the points you want to make.

Any key points and phrases that you want to get across to both the interviewer and the public should be consistent and clear. Try not to rush or slur familiar phrases in the hurry to get your point across. It’s important to stay clear, concise and confident.

When the need to apologise arises it can be tricky to communicate this effectively. Make sure you introduce the apology with an explanation of the circumstance or situation and be sure to illustrate empathy for the effected party’s inconvenience or appreciation of their frustration earlier in the interview.

All of the things you say can be emphasised by the body language you use. For example lean forward slightly in a more engaging position opposed to sitting back with folded arms for a more positive note.

Much a like to our own easy to use guide the Law Society covers the benefits of social media, for example improving the profile of the firm, engaging with clients and improving customer satisfaction and the fact that use of social media might be a legitimate expectation of some clients in future.

More interestingly however the report highlights the legal risks to individuals and law firms through the use of social media.

The SRA Code states that firms must keep the affairs of the client confidential, unless required by law or consent. The Law Society’s report states that social media itself presents a challenge to this particular action as information shared between the firm and client may be disclosed, intentionally, inadvertently or through association, to the public resulting in a breech of client confidentiality.

We are also reminded that unless privacy settings are adhered to and majority of information is inaccessible to the public any information, comments or opinions posted on social media sites may be produced as evidence during litigation, most commonly for defamation.

As our most recent research, the Social Media Legal Survey 2011 confirmed, many law firms tend to opt for the use of LinkedIn rather than Twitter and Facebook.

Industry trade publication Legal Futures‘ recent article on social media guidance explained that this may have been because it is now seen as a “mainstream application for lawyers.” But despite promoting the use of LinkedIn it also highlighted the Law Society Guidelines which call attention to the dangers of social media within the legal profession by identifying that connecting with a client on LinkedIn could breach confidentiality simply by acknowledging the link.

We believe that used cautiously with correct advice and training, social media can be a useful platform for any business and once used to their full potential can influence and maintain reputations.

On the day the UK Solicitors’ Regulation Authority opened its doors to new licence applications for alternative business structures, which will allow non-lawyers to own and manage legal services firms, Consumer Focus welcomed the change. 

Mike O’Connor, Chief Executive of Consumer Focus, said: ‘It is good to see this opening up of legal services.  The prospect of one-stop-shop legal services, coupled with robust consumer protection, should offer people greater convenience and more choice.

‘We may see more innovation in the way that services are delivered and would like to see increased choice lead to more competitive pricing.’

Mr O’Connor’s comments echo the findings of the Legal Services Survey 2011 which RTS Media conducted in order to test consumers’ interest in a liberalised marketplace. The survey found that 26% of consumers would go to a high street brand not commonly associated with providing legal advice if it were on offer; a significant figure considering the high street market is in its infancy.

For my part, while consumers could benefit from improved access and lower prices, this represents one of the most significant changes to the legal market in its history and practitioners face a huge challenge. It is essential that we view the Legal Services Act as an opportunity for law firms to embrace a new legal services landscape; providing them with a chance to reaffirm who they are and what they can offer clients.

If you are interested in discussing how to market or promote your law firm or practice within the liberalised market, contact us.

The survey commissioned by Lexis Nexis of 110 law firms around the world showed that LinkedIn was by far the most popular social media site that law firms used with 85 of the firms surveyed saying they use it. Twitter and lastly Facebook followed this with the results confirming similar findings uncovered by RTS Media’s 2011 Social Media Legal Survey. 

Despite such high numbers, significant portions of these firms have registered only a company page. Rather than using the network to engage with others and employ it to improve recruitment, reputation management or expanding the client base it is simply being neglected or used just as a presence in the social media world.

According to the Lexis Nexis Survey, North America was unsurprisingly the leading area in which law firms are engaging in the use of social media. Europe, the U.K. and other EU-based firms are following closely behind with high levels of usage earmarked in capitals such as Amsterdam, but lower usage from law firms in Paris or Zurich.

In Johannesburg, law firms tended to be more proactive when it came to social media and were visible on twitter, facebook and LinkedIn. Latin American firms on the other hand have registered but appeared to have no notable active engagement according to this research. Firms in the Middle East were only audited as using LinkedIn although this may be attributed to the use of local language networks such as Orkurt and QQ over the predominantly English speaking networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

“The most interesting aspect that came out of this survey was the focus on the dangers of ‘dabbling’ with social media,” says Christina Savage, director of legal PR and marketing specialists RTS Media. “This shows that half-hearted engagement in social media leaves clients and followers lacking the information they need and as such those people will usually go and find another source, potentially losing a percentage of followers to rival firms that regularly update their social media.”

As Britain’s most powerful brands further encroach on the legal services market, firms yet to embrace modern website marketing techniques and content philosophies are almost certain to find themselves banished to the dark corners of Google’s page 7.

But what does SEO actually mean and does it have to be outsourced to expensive techies? Certainly some practice managers are feeling left in the dark about what their SEO money has bought them each month.

DIY SEO

Search Engine Optimisation simply means organising your website in a way which encourages the likes of Google, Bing and Yahoo to index its content and deem it relevant to your target audience. In doing so you will receive a favourable page rank when potential clients enter the words ‘law firm’, ‘personal injury’ or ‘litigation’.

Where SEO was previously about buying links and article placements on specialist websites, recent developments have moved the focus back onto making improvements on the website itself (on-site SEO). As Google’s controversial Panda update caused website rankings to tumble the importance of quality content could no longer be ignored. War was instantly declared on shallow and low-quality content with Google announcing that a further 500 improvements were on the cards. Informative content, news and opinion now plays a vital role in the ranking position of law firm websites.

So back to the question of whether only experts are capable of harnessing the power of SEO. In short, no. There are plenty of things that can easily be managed and improved in-house by, for example, the IT or marketing manager.

Here are our top ten 10 SEO tips:

1. Always use a clearly defined headline on every page, and only use it once. This key phrase should be relevant to the rest of the content.
2. Use internal links. It helps search engines navigate your website and index its content.
3. Keep the page structure simple. Pages that take 3, 4 or 5 clicks to get to are deemed less important by search engines and, let’s face it, probably also by clients.
4. Avoid linking away from your site. Each link you give away detracts an SEO point from your site and gives it to someone else which is essentially how Google PageRank values websites.
5. Write clear, informative and unique page titles. These are what shows up in the bar at the top of your browser and what displays to users of search engines.
6. Use Meta Tags. Although Google claims to no longer factor them into their algorithms, other search engines still do. Not everyone uses Google.
7. Include a blog or news section. Aside from being a simple and easy way to add fresh content, case updates and opinion articles to your site, the additional pages allow you to reinforce key messages. And remember to include links back to relevant product and service pages.
8. Add a sitemap. It’s easy to do and aside from helping users navigate your site it is essentially what most large search engines use in mapping out your website to quickly identify and index pages.
9. Don’t ignore social media. Although relatively new in an SEO context there is no question that a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and other platforms will add (or detract) weight to your website. And of course it helps customers find and recommend your business.
10. Focus on quality. Don’t try to outsmart search engines by flooding your website with key words and irrelevant content. It doesn’t work and, more importantly, what’s the point getting found if visitors leave your website immediately because it is unwelcoming, poorly presented or too salesy.

Cyberspace is becoming infused with social media content and the ever evolving algorithms of Google, Bing and Yahoo are certain to keep website managers on their toes. But whatever their developers conjure up next, quality news and well structured, informative content will remain at the core of internet search principles.

RTS Media offers SEO Workshops that are designed to help customers learn the right ways to optimise their sites and be self sufficient. Contact us now for a quote. Tailored half day sessions cost from as little as £495