Why every client should want an attorney who blogs
That's the title of a wonderful post from Columbus business attorney Teri Rasmussen.
Not only does Teri's Ohio business law blog draw more traffic then her 30 person law firm website after only three months and draw referrals at an 'exponentially expanding rate,' Teri is convinced that blogging has made her a far better and more useful lawyer to her current and prospective clients.
Here's why (abbreviated from original post):
- Knowledge Entrepreneur. A blogging lawyer researches those extra questions of clients that they don't quite know the answer to because she knows she can offer such info to prospective clients via her blog. Blogging lawyers are naturally curious and love to learn new stuff, all the more beneficial to a client.
- Communication 101. By reading a lawyer's blog a client will have a good idea whether they're going to be able to understand a word the lawyers says or writes about. In most cases, it doesn't much matter how brilliant the lawyer is if a client cannot understand them and communicate effectively with the lawyer.
- Authenticity and 'Real Voice'. Blogs show a little personality. When clients read a lawyers blog they get at bit of a 'sneak preview' of what the lawyer is really like.
- Quality and Competence. A client can actually assess the quality and competence of their lawyer to be. They can take what the lawyer has written and ask their favorite friend attorney (who you don't want to hire because you don't want to mix personal and business or for some other reason), CPA, financial advisor, etc., what they think - or even research us on the web by seeing what other folks have to say about the same topic, or even about we've said about particular subjects. Without a blog clients generally can never really evaluate whether their lawyer actually knows anything so they try to select a lawyer based on irrelevant factors.
- Commitment to 'the Law' Made Practical. Most of us would rather deal with someone who isn't just 'in it for the money'. We all believe that someone who ultimately cares about the product or service being provided 'just because' it's what they enjoy doing will offer superior service. Well, no one cares more about 'the law' 'in the real world' than lawyers who blog. We really are the folks who became lawyers because we were philosophically attracted to the questions law poses and tries to address every day. However, unlike law school professors called to teach, at the same time we desperately yearned to be always 'relevant'.
The day is going to come when clients, especially the most informed and desirable clients, expect lawyers to blog. Lawyers and legal publishers who dismiss blogs today will find it's going to come back to bite them.
That is so true on almost any if not all subject matters.