February 10, 2010 by Lisa Kennelly

LexBlog on the road: Client Development VP Kevin McKeown's travels

After attending LegalTech New York last week, part of the LexBlog executive team headed back to Seattle.

But Kevin McKeown, our EVP of Client Development & Managing Director, headed to Pittsburgh for a chance to meet and touch base with some members of the LexBlog Network — even despite the historic blizzard walloping the East Coast.

Kevin was moved by the feedback he received from clients in NYC and Pittsburgh about their positive experiences with blogging and with LexBlog, and wanted to share slices of stories he was hearing.

Stories like Mike Cassidy of Tucker Arensberg, editor of the Med Law Blog, reporting how he has been getting one new client a week and several media inquiries a year solely because of his blog. Or Peter Mahler of Farrell Fritz, author of New York Business Divorce, telling us his blog is, by far, his best practice development tool. Or Mike Scherpereel, Director of Branding and Communications at Reed Smith, saying he is always learning something new from LexBlog that he uses to help his team of bloggers.

"Our clients rely and depend on every facet and member of the LexBlog organization/team," Kevin said. "We are succeeding in being a partner integral to each client's practice development success. Our clients matter to us and we matter to them. There's a reciprocity of true respect and caring. The benefits are mutual. Together, we are making a difference. That may sound cheesy but that's what I'm feeling."

Experiences like this really drive how the benefits of meeting clients face-to-face, and it's why Kevin and the other members of LexBlog make a point to meet up informally with clients whenever any of us happen to be in their city. Even if there's only time for a coffee or a cocktail, a short face-to-face meeting goes a long way. Hearing your feedback is the best way to improve what we're doing and make sure you're getting the most out of your blogging experience.

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October 20, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Cordell Parvin's Client Development in a Nutshell: slides and recording

Client Development in a Nutshell

We were fortunate enough this morning to have Cordell Parvin join us for a webinar as part of our continuing effort to serve lawyers and law firms on the LexBlog Network.

Cordell, a nationally recognized career and client development coach for lawyers, covered such topics as how clients select an attorney, the importance of creating a business plan, and how to build relationships based on trust, rapport and social media tools.

You can view the recording of Cordell's webinar on our Support site. You can also download the accompanying slides from the presentation by clicking on the image above.

Cordell's blog, Law Consulting Blog, provides a wealth of information on client development. You can subscribe to his blog by email (visit the homepage and sign up) or by RSS.

Additionally, some of the questions answered and topics covered in the webinar are discussed in further detail in past blog posts:

We're very appreciative of Cordell taking the time to share his experience with our clients, and we're hoping to do additional webinars with him in the future.

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August 20, 2009 by Kevin O'Keefe

Twitter for Client Development: LexBlog Client Webinar

It's no secret that I — along with the rest of the LexBlog team — believe that Twitter can be a powerful tool for client development.

Others feel the same way — see my recent post on Twitter client development success stories, in which I feature the responses that poured in from lawyers and legal professionals when I informally polled them on and off-line about their experiences.

Want to know more? Check out the next installment in our free, exclusive client webinar series, "Using Twitter for Client Development". It'll be held Thursday, August 27, at 12pm ET/9am PT.

I'll cover, among other topics:

  • What is Twitter?
  • How is Twitter being used by attorneys and other industry leaders today?
  • Who are some of the "big guns" in the legal industry using Twitter? What are some examples of how they use it?
  • What value does Twitter hold for business professionals/attorneys?
  • Which Twitter applications are worthwhile and which are lame?
  • What are some etiquette tips on using Twitter for professional social networking?

Response to our client invites has already been strong with almost 120 registered guests. To register yourself, visit our Event Center. If you need the password, direct message Support on Twitter or contact our Director of Client Services, Pam Garfield.

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June 25, 2009 by Kevin O'Keefe

Twitter client development success stories - lawyers and legal professionals chime in

In advance of today's talk on Twitter at LegalTech West Coast, I sent out a request on Twitter and also asked some LexBlog clients who use Twitter to share any client development and/or networking success stories.

The response has been pretty overwhelming — attorneys and legal professionals from firms large and small have shared their positive stories of what an active Twitter presence has done for them.

Here are some of their stories and anecdotes:

See more stories and details after the jump:

Adrianos Facchetti:

1.  Got a speaking gig at the Los Angeles County Bar Association 6/25:  "Social Media For Lawyers:  A Roadmap to Success."

2.  Got another potential speaking gig which is the planning stages and will be held in San Diego in October (can't share details on it yet).

3.  Met an older attorney who is now my mentor and put me in contact with a writer at the ABA Journal (I actually spoke to the reporter today).

4.  Same attorney above and I will probably be writing a piece in the Los Angeles Daily Journal later this summer.

5. Met a consultant who wants to speak with me regarding teaching young lawyers (like myself) how to get started with a practice when they get out of law school.

Chris Cheatham:

I have been on Twitter a fairly short time but I am completely convinced it is an extremely powerful networking tool.
 
I write about green building legal issues.  My prospective clients are in the green building industry.  Through twitter, I have met the following:

1.  Elaine Lipman Barnes (@elbarneshouse).  Elaine is one of the original green builders and now manages a $1 billion green schools fund in Ohio for the State.  One Billion.  I made direct contact and have since had conversations with someone who manages a one billion dollar green building fund.  I even did an interview blog post on Elaine:  http://www.greenbuildinglawupdate.com/tags/elaine-lipman-barnes/
 
2.  Ron Sims. Ron Sims (@ronsims) was the King County Executive. As you all so nicely mentioned on your blog, Ron tweeted that he liked my blog and had shared it with all of his King County attorney's and staff. By the way, Ron is now serving in some executive role in the Obama White House. Not a bad connection to make through Twitter.
 
3. This one might be my favorite. When I first started my blog, I sat down with my fiancee, who knew more about green building than I and asked her who I would want to talk to if I could talk to anyone in the industry.  She mentioned Rob Watson, the Father of LEED. Rob helped establish the United States Green Building Council, he is on the Council's executive committee and Rob is also in China as some sort of green building ambassador. Anyways, I quoted him in one of my blog posts from a previous interview he had done.  I then realized he was on the twitter as @kilrwatt.  So I asked him to take a look at the post. He had some criticisms, which resulted in an email exchange to clarify some points.  All of a sudden, through Twitter, I was talking to the Father of LEED about one of my blog posts. Here is the string of posts I did from my interview with Rob.

Jayne Juvan:

I started using Twitter only weeks ago. The first week following my launch, a gentleman spoke at our firm about social networking and highlighted both my blog and the fact that I'm on twitter to all attorneys in our firm. Since then, I've been the twitter "go to" person, answering questions for many of my colleagues, even including our firm's executive chairman. Additionally, even more so than my blog, I've used twitter to demonstrate that I'm knowledgeable about business news and the economic crisis, as well as developments in corporate law. I work with private equity funds in health care, but also am very interested in financial regulation. I've since received several calls from acquaintances wishing to discuss the state of the economy. I've been stopped at the elevator and on the side walk to talk about my tweets. And today, I landed a new client because of my blog and my twitter page!  I was linked up with an old high school friend who was on my speech and debate team, we found that we have a lot in common, and we've decided that we may collaborate in the future. Twitter and blogging are both very powerful, and I couldn't imagine my practice without them and without LexBlog!
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April 15, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

LexBlog Client Webinar on RSS tomorrow

The next installment of LexBlog's Client Webinar Series is tomorrow, April 16, on the topic of The Effective Use of RSS for Client Development, at 12 p.m. ET/ 9 a.m. PT.

You can register here. (For registration information, direct message Support on Twitter or contact Stacey.)

In this webinar, LexBlog CEO Kevin O'Keefe will personally discuss the following topics:

  • How to use a RSS newsreader
  • How to subscribe to particular sources by RSS
  • How to subscribe to particular subjects by RSS
  • How to reference content discovered in RSS feeds
  • How to use RSS to conduct word of mouth marketing
  • How to use RSS feeds to further enhance your reputation
  • How to use RSS feeds to market your blog

We like to call RSS the "secret sauce" of blogging. Using a news feed reader and RSS can help take your blog to the next level. We hope to see you tomorrow.

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April 9, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Upcoming LexBlog Webinar on Using RSS for Client Development

The next installment in our monthly Client Webinar Series is just a week away. This month's topic: The Effective Use of RSS for Client Development.

The webinar - held exclusively for clients - will take place next Thursday, April 16, at 9 a.m. PST/12 p.m. EST. Mark your calendars and register now. (For registration information, direct message Support on Twitter or contact Stacey.)

Though RSS is the secret sauce of blogging, it's often misunderstood and certainly underutilized. In this webinar, LexBlog CEO Kevin O'Keefe will cover:

  • How to use a RSS newsreader
  • How to subscribe to particular sources by RSS
  • How to subscribe to particular subjects by RSS
  • How to reference content discovered in RSS feeds
  • How to use RSS to conduct word of mouth marketing
  • How to use RSS feeds to further enhance your reputation
  • How to use RSS feeds to market your blog

Recent webinars have drawn close to 100 attendees. Don't get left behind; learn how RSS can take your blog and your client development to the next level.

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February 13, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

A law consultant's take on blogging and client development

In today's economy, everyone is trying to find ways to develop business while keeping an eye on the bottom line. That includes lawyers, of course, and new LexBlog client Cordell Parvin has a recent post on his business development and law career planning blog about just that.

Parvin, a long-time construction lawyer who now serves as a consultant, coach and motivational speaker, has been successfully blogging for sometime, but just joined the LexBlog network.

On his blog, he lists 16 Ideas for Rainmaking in the Recession. Some particularly resonate as ways the Internet can help cut costs, like using webinars in presentations to reduce a budget while simultaneously reaching a larger audience.

One of Parvin's ideas is focusing on the importance of relationships to build a network of clients.

At least 60% of the legal work available is based in large part on relationships. I believe 10% of legal work is by the company and whoever is perceived to be the best will be hired. I believe 30% is commodity work that goes to whomever is willing to do it most cheaply. That leaves 60%. Go after that work.

This is exactly what LexBlog encourages our clients and other bloggers and legal professionals to do via social networking. I asked Parvin in an email what he tells lawyers about blogging and social networking.

"I tell them to do it," Parvin says, "and to work on creating networks of clients, prospective clients and referral sources by being a leader and innovator."

Parvin tells lawyers that blogs give them an opportunity to offer solutions before clients even know there is a problem.

"It is the lawyer and the firm's opportunity to differentiate themselves by figuring things out and sharing helpful information before anyone else," Parvin says.

He cited as an example Kevin O'Neill, a partner at Patton Boggs law firm in Washington D.C., who Parvin coaches. O'Neill started a public policy podcast at Parvin's suggestion, and eventually that podcast turned into an Internet radio show on the Voice America Business network that attracts several thousand listeners.

Parvin says that the way client development works is different now from when he first started out as a lawyer.

"When I first started practicing law I was told, 'client development, you just do good work, get a Martindale AV rating, become active in the Bar or community and wait for the phone to ring'," he says. "I was also told: 'It's not what you know, but who you know.' In those days clients were local, loyal and there were far fewer lawyers.

"Now is it not what you know or who you know, it is who knows what you know," Parvin adds. "Blogging for a lawyer is the best way to show he/she is the expert. It is one of the best ways to connect your target market. To use a Seth Godin book title: It is the way to lead your 'Tribe'."

Parvin believes the future of lawyers blogging will include web site bios with videos of lawyers speaking, as well as video podcasts. In short, the relationship building can begin as soon as a potential client clicks to a lawyer's blog or website and can actually see and hear the lawyer.

"I like video podcasts because it is a way to connect regularly with your target market," Parvin says, "and they get to know you and see you and hopefully find a connection and rapport with you. It is also a way to start building trust before the potential client has even met you."

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