If you’re reading this, you are likely on LinkedIn or my website, which means you are already attuned to marketing (and likely a pretty amazing person.)
But being an active user of LinkedIn and being an impactful user of LinkedIn are two different things.
A recent study by the BTI Consulting Group reports that 83% of in-house attorneys are active on LinkedIn at least once a week, and the majority of those are checking it daily. With potential clients using LinkedIn to check other lawyers’ credentials, stay current on their industry or practice, and build their network with people who matter to them, why aren’t more law firm lawyers and other professionals investing their time on the platform?
What does investing in LinkedIn mean?
I often tell my clients to think of your activity on LinkedIn in three parts.
1. Improving your profile page, ensuring it reflects your talents and Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Explore all of the features, including creator mode.
2. Connecting with people you know or would like to know. Reach out to those who you want as clients and referral sources by sending a personal note when inviting them to connect.
3. Providing valuable content that offers your followers something that will help make their jobs easier or add interest to their day.
Where do you start?
Consistency is king (and queen.) Don’t feel it’s time to stop posting because you’ve grown followers. Be sure to have a content plan to continue showing up regularly.
If you are in a leadership position at a law firm, ensure that all of your lawyers are trained to use LinkedIn effectively, have the proper security settings, and are familiar with the firm’s resources in social media. Many firms use products to help create and share customized firm content with their lawyers, making it even easier to have a partnership share content.
Leaders, pay attention to your company pages. They are particularly impactful for law firms to use and share information and insight into their culture.
Company pages are a great way to attract recruits and clients.
When used correctly, LinkedIn can help build and reinforce a brand, create conversations with potential clients, and assist in lead generation.
Smaller firms and individual lawyers should use LinkedIn and engage with their contacts, and use that ability to their advantage. It is a low-cost (staff and time) way to market and a tool where strategy can outsmart size. The BTI study shows that while large groups of followers are helpful, “boosting engagement will drive more inbound leads and connections.”
Don’t leave out this important ingredient.