June 4 2007 Legal Blog Roundup

However, for most of us, Internet use is still limited to browsing, reading, and sometimes writing content. The Internet provides powerful marketing tools, but most of us lack the motivation to internalize and use them.

There is nothing so highly technical about Internet marketing that a lawyer cannot understand it. And it's a shame if you remain content to watch market leaders reap success using the same tools that are within your reach.



Grant D. Griffiths, in his blog, Home Office Lawyer, has two excellent posts on the subject of Internet marketing. In his May 22 post entitled "Why Every Lawyer Should Advertise in Search Engines," guest blogger Todd Henley says, "If you are a practicing lawyer, whether from your home, garage, or a New York City skyscraper—you need to be advertising in search engines." He goes on to say that just having a website that can be easily found using a search engine does not matter. What matters, says Henley, is whether your clients, including your potential clients, can find your website easily. Henley, who founded the Internet Marketing Blog, goes on to explain how to do what matters. Reading a post on email marketing further down the page along with his May 22 post will provide you with a full overview of the subject and prepare you to implement Internet marketing strategies.

Change is the only constant in this world, but the legal community as a whole is far behind other professional communities when it comes to accepting and utilizing technological changes. We are reluctant to give up dress that was appropriate in the 16th century. We are reluctant to give up legal aphorisms that were relevant in the time of the Roman Empire. We do accept some changes, but only after leaders have already approved of them and they have become socially acceptable. We rarely consider adaptability to change a quality of a successful leader.

Arnie Herz, who writes Legal Sanity, has a May 23 post on "innovation and the legal profession." You will find the post interesting, but more interesting are his linked posts on "what will drive change in law firm culture" and "whether law firms can change to meet lawyer-user demand."

This year, I have resolved to plan ahead, start setting my goals for 2008, and form plans and strategies that will allow me to realize them. And I definitely intend to sharpen my Internet marketing skills and put them to good use. How about you?