Professionals dissing marketing potential of MySpace out of touch
5 weeks week ago I wrote about how Pittsburgh Attorney Anicia Ogonosky had 10 prospective clients contact her within 5 days as a result of opening a MySpace account.
In the next two Blawg Reviews, weekly highlights of law blogs done by leading law blogers, what Ogonosky did at MySpace was quickly dismissed.
From David Maister, a leading law firm practice consultant, "No comment. Decide for yourself what you think about it."
From Patent Baristas:
Kevin O’Keefe at Real Lawyers Have Blogs likes that the legallyblondepa has a cute MySpace page. He believes that there is a lot to be learned about being real and transparent on the net. Even the Pittsburgh Tribune Review’s David Conti seems smitten with bare shoulders writing that the site 'shows a brighter side. Beside the smiling photo of her in a strapless top and information on her body type, dating status and zodiac sign (Taurus), Web surfers will find answers to questions about bankruptcy and links to a free legal consultation.' Whatever.
Before hearing of Ogonosky I was quick to dismiss MySpace for lawyers as well. I'm now speaking with 20 to 30 year olds to learn more about MySpace for lawyer marketig. I also found out the average age of MySpace account olders was over 35.
I then ran across Guy Kawasaki's post that traditional advertising may be dead. One of the reasons being young people's fascination with MySpace and FaceBook.
Its easy to dismiss what you do not understand or use. But in this case, lawyers have a lot to learn from younger people.
I am not using MySpace myself for marketing nor would I feel comfortable today advising lawyers how to use MySpace. But for young lawyers in certain practice areas, I wouldn't dismiss it.
The attitude demonstrated by these two legal marketers is exactly what turns off young professionals - blowing off a phenomenon that is part of young people's everyday lives with a 'no comment' and a 'whatever'.
I applaud legallyblondepa for marketing her services in an innovative, targeted way.
As for these leading legal marketers, I would have love to been a fly on the wall someone asked them about the 'blawg' phenomenon before they had their own - I wonder if they dismissed them with a 'no comment' and a 'whatever' as well.
To be clear: I have and had no problems with using MySpace. For me the (eternal) debatable issue was how appropriate it was and is to use personal looks and appeaarance as one of the bases of one's marketing appeal. Do we all have to sell "sex appeal?"
Understood David, but legallyblondepa was a play on the movie and the young hip look was not using sex to sell. In the newspaper article and radio interview playable at her MySpace site, she explained all of that.
When you bounce around MySpace, this 'hipness,' and personal looks plays a big role, probably just the same as it would be at a social function of 20 and 30 something professionals. If that's who I am as a person I'm sure as heck not going to put on the 'I cannot look and act like you' cause I'm a lawyer.
The public dislikes lawyers. And as a profession we just do not seem to care. Or at least we're not doing anything to improve our reputation.
The reputation of the profession is worse today than it was when I was in law school in the '70's. With online networking spreading the word about lawyers even more, we ought to be able to push our reputation through the floor in the next few years.
Kevin,
If MySpace is where the people are, I don't have a problem with using it for advertising / marketing.
However, being a trial lawyer, I would not put up anything that I wouldn't want a trial judge or jury to see.
Doing bankruptcy is one thing. Trial work is another. I wouldn't be against a myspace profile with my name, but I would be careful that the content showed me as open and accessible as opposed to wild.
Couldn't agree more Dave, I wouldn't put anything on the net I wouldn't want people to see.
But MySpace is what it is, a place where young people are networking and meeting each other. I don't know enough about MySpace to advise a professional how to network there. But my guess is, like anywhere, you can do so appropriately.
Myspace is just another medium to get a message out to the public.
The florida supreme court has openly stated that they want all websites and blogs to meet their draconian advertising rules. I am sure that the conservative elements of the legal profession will continue to complain that all advertising is the demise of the legal profession. The fact that florida has 82000 lawyers has no part in the "demise".
The problem facing most lawyers today is that the people who teach, in general do not practice. Therefore, unlike the medical profession which maintains a strict control on the supply of doctors, the legal profession cannot control the supply.
answer. Keep on advertisng, blogging etc
I feel like a fog, not that it matters. I've pretty much been doing nothing , but eh. Today was a loss. I haven't gotten much done for a while.
Drivers who run red lights should be punished severly