photo-1416339426675-1f96fd81b653Among my friends, it’s no secret that I love Instagram. It’s my favorite social media platform – more than Facebook, more than Twitter. I love looking at everything from beautiful images from talented photographers around the world to photos of friends’ kids and pets and vacations.

And I’m not the only one who feels that way.

It’s this passion for the visual that companies are capitalizing on today in their content marketing, and drawing people in. You may think this only works for big consumer brands like Pepsi or Zappos, but it’s just as effective in offering a well-rounded (and often very professional) look at your practice and law firm as well.  Continue Reading Why Visual Content is the Secret Ingredient

iStock_000024718576SmallToday, I’m bringing you another post from Group Dewey Consulting while I’m traveling for our Regional Meeting of the Americas. This post looks at why the idea of connecting is better than that of networking:

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I’m not a big fan of ‘networking’ -that rite of passage for every professional with aspirations of career changes, promotions or new clients. It has its place, of course. But it’s not the business development panacea many would make it out to be. In fact, I think networking can do more harm than good in some ways. To make my point, here are 7 ways ‘connecting’ is better than ‘networking’.

Networking is about finding ways to know more people.

Connecting is about finding ways to know people more.

My linkedIn profile says that I am connected to 1,560 people. That’s not right. I am ‘networked’ with 1,560 people. But I am not ‘connected’ to them. I can’t be. How could I really ‘know’ that many people? Studies, history, and common sense indicate that the human mind is capable of knowing well only about 150 people. Playing the volume game may serve your ego but it will do little for your happiness, let alone your success. I am ‘connected’ to about 50 to 75 people who I know really well and through whom almost all of my referrals come. Deep connections build communities of people. ‘Communities’ are powerful things. They are made up of groups of people who care about each others’ success, who trust and respect one another and who exchange favors and assistance. Connecting is about finding the people most qualified for you to help and for them to help you, and building connections with those people. It is about building a self supporting ecosystem in which all boats rise together. Continue Reading 7 REASONS NETWORKING IS DEAD – OR SHOULD BE

GravitationalPullAren’t you a lucky group this week, dear readers? I am bringing you TWO guests posts from Eric Dewey of Group Dewey Consulting while I am off for our Regional Meeting of the Americas!

First up, a post about how the very best rainmakers attract clients.

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Top rainmakers seem to attract clients as if they have an irresistible gravitational pull. They don’t ‘sell’. Instead, clients seek them out. While others are prospecting and selling their hearts out, great rainmakers have more work than they can handle, feed lots of other attorneys and often turn down work that they don’t want to do.

How do they do it?

Research shows that the very best rainmakers share six powerful non-selling disciplines that, when used in combination and on a regular basis, creates gravitational pull.

 

Continue Reading Creating Gravitational Pull: How the Very Best Rainmakers Attract Clients

photo-1444703686981-a3abbc4d4fe3Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Legal Marketing Association’s Leadership Conference, as part of my role as Technology Committee Co-Chair for 2016. In preparation for the conference, we were tasked with reading John P. Kotter’s Leading Change. I’ll admit, I was not a huge fan of the book, though it did offer some good advice – I felt that Kotter could have said more with less, and that his Harvard degree gave him too much license for arrogance.

What WAS helpful were the chapter book reports that were presented by members of the LMA’s International Board for 2015/2016, which took us through the salient points of the book. I’ll share my notes with you here and invite you to read the book for further examples and depth.  Continue Reading Leading Change – An LMA Book Report

iStock_000015783236XSmallIt’s tempting to think that content is all about blogging. You hear “content marketing,” and think “we need a blog!”

But content is actually anything that communicates your message to an audience. That can be anything from a Facebook post to an article to an email to a blog post. And yes, it includes video.

Video is an amazing tool, and it’s one that people are paying attention to. Here are some compelling reasons you should be including video in your content marketing mix if you’re not already:

  • By 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic, according to Cisco. (The Guardian)
  • YouTube receives more than one billion unique visitors every month – that’s more than any other channel, apart from Facebook. (The Guardian)
  • If a picture paints 1,000 words then one minute of video is worth 1.8 million, so say Forrester’s researchers. (The Guardian)
  • 75% of executives told Forbes that they watch work-related videos on business websites at least once a week. 50% watch business-related videos on YouTube. 65% visit the marketer’s website after viewing a video. (Video Brewery)
  • 59% of senior executives would rather watch a video than read text according to Forbes Insight. (Video Brewery)

Continue Reading Two Ways to Make the Best of Video Marketing

iStock_000018170510XSmallIf you’re a regular reader of Zen, you’ll know that I love in-house counsel panels.

During the recent Legal Marketing Association’s Technology Conference, we had one of the best in-house counsel panels I’ve seen. Moderated by Wicker Park Group’s Nat Slavin, the panel consisted of:

Lest we return to the office and tell our lawyers that we needed to change our strategy based on what one panelist said during the session, Nat gave a great disclaimer to start, reminding us that it’s still “one size fits one” when it comes to clients. So I share that with you here as well.

That being said, we do still hear a lot of the same themes and ideas, many of which boil down to the point that you need to know your clients and communicate with them regularly and effectively to find out what works best for them and what it is THEY want.  Continue Reading “What is Stopping Our Teams From Changing?” In-House Counsel Ask at LMA Tech Conference

iStock_000007887592XSmallMany of us in legal marketing wait with bated breath for the results of the Greentarget “State of Digital and Content Marketing Survey” every year.

Building on Greentarget’s inaugural study in 2010, [it gives us] the latest insights on how corporate general counsel – your clients – are engaging in social media and law firm-generated content.”

We also learn how our “legal marketing peers are evolving their own content and digital strategies to build relationships and fuel business development.”

During LMA’s Technology Conference this year, we were treated to a preview of the survey, which is officially released on November 18th, with Greentarget’s own John Corey. You’ll want to check back on their website on the 18th for the full report (and you can register now to make sure you get a copy on the day it’s released), but we learned some interesting things. Continue Reading Preview: 2015 State of Digital and Content Marketing Survey

12080125_10153722408697792_7221889797601040086_oLast week, I had the great pleasure of presenting with Laura Toledo of Nilan Johnson Lewis and Adrian Lurssen of JD Supra during the Legal Marketing Association’s Technology Conference. Our panel focused on “Crafting your online story: Demystifying the process behind content marketing.”

It was a great interactive session, with questions from the audience and a back and forth dialogue with my two smart co-panelists. Although we covered a LOT of ground in the session, there was one piece of our presentation that we dropped out for time constraints – it’s still an important one, so I’d like to address it here.

The answer to the question “Who are your best sources?” may seem like an obvious one, but some of the ways in which you’ll go about finding the answers, while simple, are not always so black and white. Your best sources of content are going to be your clients, your readers, and the media. Let’s break these down.  Continue Reading Who Are Your Best Sources of Content?

October/November 2015

The ILN is proud to announce our latest firm of the month, Goldman Antonetti & Córdova, LLC – San Juan, Puerto Rico!

Goldman Antonetti & Córdova, LLC is a full service law firm with established practices in counseling and litigation in corporate, tort, banking, tax, labor and employment, immigration, environmental, and commercial law. Their attorneys have a broad range of legal, governmental and practical expertise in various areas of practice and counsel and represent local, national and international companies, financial institutions, insurance entities, service organizations, retail enterprises, government instrumentalities, trade and professional associations, hotels and restaurants, non-profit institutions and individuals. The firm is active on behalf of clients before federal and Puerto Rico courts, before government agencies, and in domestic and foreign negotiations and transactions.

Their firm offers clients the personalized, cost-efficient services of smaller firms. The firm’s success today is owed to the continuing commitment of their attorneys reinforced by the dedication of its members to the practice of law with the highest regard to ethical standards and professional responsibility.

They have expanded and diversified over the years, maintaining their commitment to excellent, cost-efficient legal services. The worlds of business and law have become increasingly intermingled, changing the practice of law as a result. To be effective in its work on behalf of its clients, the firm provides top quality legal services and the skills and credibility necessary to obtain favorable consideration by policymakers and regulators.

GAC has offices in the American International Plaza Building in the heart of Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico’s financial district. The firm is organized into four departments: Corporate & Banking, Tax, Labor & Employment, and Litigation & Trial Practice.

Main Contacts at Goldman Antonetti & Córdova, LLC and More…

Learn More…

Full descriptions of Goldman Antonetti & Córdova, LLC’s
services, expertise, and lawyer profiles
are available on their ILN profile.

 Carlos A. Rodríguez-Vidal

Carlos A. Rodríguez-Vidal

Email:
crodriguez-vidal@gaclaw.com

Telephone: +1 (787) 759-4117

Practice Groups: Antitrust & Trade Regulation; Civil & Commercial Litigation; Construction Law & Dispute Resolution; Franchising & Distribution

 Luis D. Ortiz-Abreu

Luis D. Ortiz-Abreu

Email:
lortiz@gaclaw.com

Telephone: +1 (787) 759-4110

Practice Groups: Labor & Employment Law and Litigation; Immigration; Workers’ Compensation Defense

ILN Executive Director, Alan Griffiths says…

“Goldman Antonetti & Córdova, LLC welcomes us next month to San Juan, Puerto Rico for our 2015 Regional Meeting of the Americas. We’re looking forward to seeing a showcase of their firm, enjoying their warm hospitality, and strengthening the relationships that are the hallmark of our Network.”

iStock_000021185501SmallIt’s no secret that I love social media – I was an early adopter, and I still regularly engage on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And it’s even less of a secret that I love content marketing, if 9 months’ worth of Two for Tuesdays’ posts have given you any indication.

The connection between the two is a fairly clear one – social media provides an excellent array of distribution channels for you to deliver your content to your intended audiences. That’s a lot of marketing-speak, I know, but basically, all I’m saying is that if you want to get the words, thoughts, and ideas that showcase what a smart, talented and passionate lawyer or legal professional you are in front of the people that matter to you, an important way to make that happen is by being in the same places they are.

We’re all pretty familiar with the standard ways to do this: You publish a blog post or an article, you grab the title or maybe you’re even more advanced and you say something unique about the piece, and you share it on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. with a trackable link and some hashtagged keywords. Maybe you share it again later in the day or in the week to make sure that it was seen by the right people, and you’ve checked back to engage with anyone who commented or shared it with their own audiences. Continue Reading Use Social Media to Ignite Your Content Marketing