Kodachrome

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school it’s a wonder I can think at all.”

That’s the first line from Paul Simon’s song Kodachrome. Although 40 years since the summer of ’73 when Kodachrome peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 100, I’ve never been able to get that tune or lyric out of my mind.

Lately I think of Kodachrome most “When I think back on all the crap lawyers learn from legal marketers, it’s a wonder lawyers can think at all.”

Some legal marketers don’t know how lawyers grow their practices. Some legal marketers intentionally keep lawyers in the dark.

Either way it’s a shame. A shame that marketers act with no dignity in serving a profession that deserves, or at least should demand, dignity. A shame that otherwise intelligent people believe the crap taught to them.

I speak, present, and do webinars. A lot.

Everywhere I go lawyers tell me they get their best work by virtue of relationships and by virtue of their word of mouth reputation.

When I’m done presenting lawyers come up and tell me I was the first one who explained to them that the Internet for business development is all about relationships and growing your word of mouth reputation. Just accelerated.

Happened in Hawaii 3 weeks ago, in Vancouver 2 weeks ago, at UW Law School on Monday, and via emails following a webinar with 140 lawyers this morning.

Wow. No one else talks about the Internet being about relationships and your word of mouth reputation?

There are others of course. I’ve heard folks like Ambrogi and Elefant talk to lawyers about the Internet and how used properly it can grow a lawyer’s reputation and relationships. But lawyers aren’t hearing the message.

We have huge companies with boatloads of sales people knocking at law firms’ doors all across the country. We’ve got the large to the small legal marketing companies putting up booths at legal conferences across the country. We’ve got legal marketers speaking to lawyers at conferences and webinars across the country.

And few, if any, teach lawyers that the Internet is all about relationships and a strong word of mouth reputation. Something lawyers understand. Something lawyers value.

What do most legal marketers teach lawyers the Internet is all about?

• Terribly expensive websites that most people don’t trust.
• SEO after the terribly expensive websites cannot be found.
• Analytics, as opposed to being recognized as a subject matter expert and obtaining quality clients.
• Blogs with canned content written by legal marketers, some with posts in lawyers’ names so as to mislead the public.
• Premium social media services where legal marketers post your blog content and articles to Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
• Premium Plus social media services where legal marketers go get followers, friends, connections and likes for you on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Do lawyers truly understand these things? No, but after years of crap, it’s a wonder lawyers can think at all.

Kodachrome.