Skip to content

Tom Kane of Legal Marketing Blog [LexBlog Q & A]

January 16, 2008

Today, we return to the legal marketing realm with a LexBlog client who is specialist in the field: Tom Kane.

Tom, a former practicing attorney with 17 years marketing experience, currently runs Kane Consulting Inc. and publishes the Legal Marketing Blog. He is also the author of

Letters for Lawyers: Essential Communications for Clients, Prospects, and Others.

1. Rob La Gatta: When exactly did you launch your Legal Marketing Blog, and what compelled you to take a gamble on what was previously considered a somewhat risky medium for legal professionals to get involved with?

Tom Kane: I began my blog on January 5, 2005.

As to why? You know, I don’t know. I heard about blogs as the up-and-coming thing, and then had several conversations with Kevin and decided to try it. I enjoy writing, but I didn’t know how much until I started writing my blog. It has energized me about other serious writing, which I have been thinking about for years.

2. Rob La Gatta: What do you think is the most important impact blogs have had on the legal marketing industry?

Tom Kane: There are so many legal marketing related blogs out there – some good, some not as good; some newsy and gossipy, others with helpful information like providing marketing tips, strategies, etc; ones that really try to be helpful vs. others that seem to be primarily sales pitches.

The point is that the plethora of legal marketing sites out there have been helpful in getting many law firms into marketing. Many small to medium size firms have traditionally been reluctant to get serious about law firm marketing, or if they were doing anything, it was minimal. Blogging has helped them identify consultants who can help them. That’s a good thing.

3. Rob La Gatta: In the middle of the holiday season, you wrote a blog entry titled “Work your network during the holidays.” Do you believe that your professional network has grown through the use of your blog?

Tom Kane: Without a question. I have gotten to know better a number of other professional marketers, who I really didn’t know all that well or at all until I began blogging. There is one consultant up in the Mid-Atlantic who I have never met and who I think is very good. She has asked me for permission to use some of my stuff, and I have used hers. Links between marketing professionals has been fruitful in helping each other, I believe.

4. Rob La Gatta: For you, what has been the most rewarding result of blogging, and what was the biggest challenge you faced along the way?

Tom Kane: The publicity and comments I have received as a result my blog, and of course the calls that have resulted in new clients. The biggest challenge was finding the time to blog, and forcing myself to stay with it. It wasn’t easy at times, but definitely worth it.

I originally thought you needed to do a blog every other day. Then, I realized that over the weekend was a waste. Lawyers on a Monday are likely to have more important things on their plate than taking the time to read a blog either by RSS feed or by email, so I cut back, taking their time constraints into consideration. I went to 3 per week, and then two per week, which I think is enough after three years of blogging. I guess I have nearly 600 entries – mostly marketing tips – at this point, and I feel really good about that.

5. Rob La Gatta: If you were approached by a lawyer just about to start his or her first blog, what is the one most important bit of advice you’d offer them? Why?

Tom Kane: As Nike says, “Just Do It”…if you enjoy writing, it is fun and you can make a difference.

Oh yeah, and it really does lead to new work.

Interested in hearing more? Recent LexBlog Q & A posts:

Or, see our full list of legal blog interviews.

Posted in: