Blogging conference and politics : Lesson for lawyer and professional service firm bloggers

Wasn’t sure that a tech conference and politics was a good mix. But did pick up one thing from Senator John Edwards keynote at Gnomedex today.

Discussion, as opposed to speech, with John asking the audience to help him learn more about how technology can be used to empower democracy. He said he learned a lot about blogs, citizen journalism, podcasts and video blogs in recent meetings in Palo Alto. However, with 300 or 400 in room here, we really had more of a town hall meeting with John fielding political questions from audience members.

Best question, and a take away for bloggers, especially lawyers and business professionals, was based on premise that when people speak in a human voice other people can recognize it. Questioner asked if politicians can tell in their heart when they are not talking in a human voice. John said he’s working on it but it’s tough – ‘politicians have been trained to do the wrong thing.’

Boy is that true for law firms, we do not speak with a human voice. Look at law firm websites. Totally out of touch with what is a human voice. Listen to the legalese that flows from lawyers mouths.

If I have learned anything from 10 years of Internet marketing for law firms, it’s so true that when people speak in a human voice other people can recognize it. In addition, those law firms who talk in a human voice get new business, part of the reason being that they stick out like a shining star.

John ended his presentation letting us know that whoever is elected President in ’08 or ’12 will be the one who speaks from the heart, the one who is not plastic and the one who is not giving political spin. The same will be true for law firms and professional firms who blog.

Those who are real and speak with a human voice will be the winners in getting new business.

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