iStock_000019798838XSmall“Content marketing” is a huge and meaty topic, and it’s one that there are many, many facets to. We could talk about it for years (and I’ve already spent lots of Two for Tuesdays’ posts dissecting various aspects of it).

Today, I’d like to get a little bit back to basics, and look at three questions you probably have about content marketing, based on things I’ve wondered myself, things I’ve been asked, and conversations I’ve had with other legal marketers. Definitely add to the conversation on this one with additional questions you may have in the comments!

What IS content marketing?

We hear this term bandied about a LOT. It sounds fancy and it sounds very marketer-y, so I’m sure lawyers think “Yep, not for me!” and marketers think “Oh please, not something else I’m responsible for!” But the good news for law firms is that they’ve LONG been producers of content, and now we just need to refine the strategy and process a little bit to make it even more effective. Whew!  Continue Reading 3 Questions You Probably Have About Content Marketing

twofortueHeadlines.

If you’re a writer, you need them. But they can often be the bane of our existence. Especially in the legal industry, where we’re trying to balance the technical aspects of legal writing with attention-grabbing catchphrases that can sound a bit trite and silly.

And you want to do all of that in 120 characters or less, so that you can easily share that, plus a link to your content, on all social sites.

Not an easy task! Continue Reading Two Ways to Stop Your Headlines From Sending You Running for Cover

August/September 2015

The ILN is proud to announce our latest firm of the month, Fogler, Rubinoff LLP – Ontario, Canada!

Fogler, Rubinoff LLP is a full service law firm with offices in Toronto, Ontario Canada and Ottawa, Canada. They provide high quality legal services and advice to both established and emerging businesses and to individuals. Established in 1982 by the merger of the law firms of Siegal, Fogler and Rubinoff & Rubinoff, Fogler, Rubinoff LLP traces its roots to 1935 and 1928 respectively. Their long-standing history and reputation is the foundation for their current team, which now includes 112 lawyers strong and a support network of 128 legal and administrative support staff. They are now one of the 20 largest law firms in Toronto, but pride themselves on their entrepreneurial spirit and mid-size firm attitude. They are consistently named one of the Top 10 Ontario Regional Law Firms by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. They are also included in Best Lawyers Canada. Continue Reading Firm of the Month – Fogler, Rubinoff LLP, Canada!

twofortueRecently, we discussed two ways that you could become the MacGyver of content marketing – using great visuals and writing excellent content. I want to continue breaking down Neil Patel’s article this week, to discuss two more ways to “MacGyver” your content – in case you’re still wondering what I mean by that, I’ll reference the Urban Dictionary’s definition:

Someone who can regularly cobble together solutions to problems using only the tools available at hand.”

Your content may not be a problem, but we know that in legal, we’re always being asked to do more with less. So as legal content MacGyvers, we’re taking what we know and creating valuable, substantive themes for consumption that provide a secondary benefit to our reputations.

All right, so let’s jump into our two tips for this week. Continue Reading Two More Ways to MacGyver Your Content Marketing

twofortueConsider today’s Two for Tuesdays to be your summer reading list – and it’s a short one. Sometimes, the best way to communicate someone else’s message is simply by sharing it with you, and that’s what I’m doing today!

When I’m looking for new ideas or inspiration in content marketing, I head straight to the articles section of the Content Marketing Institute. They know what’s going on. While not everything they say will always be applicable for lawyers and law firms, we can almost always extrapolate the message to fit with our day to day content marketing efforts.

One of the things that CMI does that I really like is that they do case studies of brands and their content marketing projects. Sometimes these ideas all feel a bit esoteric until we can see how other companies and firms have implemented it themselves. So the posts I’m sharing with you today in this Two for Tuesdays are just that – case studies for two brands that I hope you’ll check out and be inspired by, and maybe see how their content marketing projects can inspire your own efforts in your practices or firms.

Article One: ‘Will It Blend?’ Company Embarks on New Influencer Marketing Program

Article Two: Marriott’s Influencer Marketing Program Breaks the Mold: A Look at Their Strategy

You may notice a theme here – influencers. Content helps us to empower our audiences (in our cases as lawyers, law firms, legal marketers, etc. those are clients, potential clients, influencers and amplifiers) to share our content and become ambassadors for our reputations, our firms, and our work.

Take a look at what these companies are doing to achieve that, and think of how you and your firm could do the same thing – perhaps not in the same way, but how could you replicate the results (as they like to say on the Mythbusters)?  Feel free to share your suggestions in the comments!

111HWe’ve talked a lot about networking here at Zen, and covered a lot of the traditional ideas:

  • Use social media to prime your contacts before an event.
  • Don’t skip anything.
  • Don’t hang around with only the people you know.
  • Use the event organizers to help introduce you to people.

And more.

But these are fairly straightforward, right?

What if we turned networking on its head and gave you a few totally unconventional ways to network? These aren’t things you’d necessarily have  to advertise to anyone that you were doing, but they would challenge you out of a networking rut if you’re used to attending a certain organization’s events and talking to the same people, or networking in the same way.  Continue Reading The Unconventional Guide to Networking

twofortueIt’s time for another Two for Tuesdays, and I’ve just read an EXCELLENT article from Neil Patel over at the Content Marketing Institute. It’s quite a meaty one, so we’re going to dissect it a little bit over the next couple of weeks so that you, too, can become a MacGyver of content marketing (and really, who doesn’t want that?).

Patel is looking at five obvious content marketing strategies that most companies overlook, and despite the fact that law firms have been doing this content marketing thing much longer than most companies, they’re still very guilty of these things themselves. It’s a real shame, because if you can get these right, there’s huge opportunity to connect with clients, potential clients, influencers and amplifiers and get your message out there.

Today, we’ll look at two of these strategies in depth to discuss why they’re as important for law firms and lawyers as for any other company, and how you can be taking better advantage of them. Continue Reading Two Ways to Become the MacGyver of Content Marketing

eDLHCtzRR0yfFtU0BQar_sylwiabartyzel_themapToday, I had the pleasure of attending (via Skype along with the LMA NJ City Group) the Metro New York’s presentation of “Legal Marketing Goes Global: Maximizing International Success for your Firm.” The session was a panel discussion (with questions from the audience throughout) that featured moderator Bob Robertson, the Director of Strategic Business Development at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP, and panelists, Howard Kravitz, the US Marketing Leader for PwC and Joanne Southern, the Chief Marketing Officer for Proskauer.

Without going through the entire panel discussion (which was excellent), I do want to offer some key takeaways that I thought were particularly poignant and valuable:  Continue Reading Legal Marketing Goes Global – A Panel Recap

twofortueNobody handles content marketing perfectly.

It’s not an exact science, and for the most part, it’s an ever-adapting process that we are constantly refining based on our current goals and audience needs.

But there are a couple of areas where lawyers and law firms go astray with content marketing, and that’s what we’re going to talk about in today’s Two for Tuesdays post.  Continue Reading The Two Biggest Content Marketing Blunders Lawyers Make

We’re delighted to announce that our firm of the month for July/August is Anad & Noraini, Malaysia!

July/August 2015

ILN Firm of the Month – Anad & Noraini – Malaysia!

The ILN is proud to announce our latest firm of the month, Anad & Noraini – Malaysia!

Anad & Noraini was established in 1975 by Tan Sri Dato’ James Foong under the name of James Foong & Company. Occupying a mere 500 sq. ft. at the basement of Yee Seng Building at No. 15, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur and with a supporting staff of 2, the firm has grown to a partnership of 3 partners, 4 qualified lawyers and about 20 supporting staff in 1990.  In 1990 the name of the firm changed to Anad & Associates and in 1994 it was changed to Anad & Noraini. The firm has grown to 3 partners, 2 senior legal assistants and 10 legal assistants and 35 supporting staff. In March 2013, the firm opened a branch in Johor Bahru in the State of Johor, which is next to Singapore. That branch caters to the needs of overseas investors in real estate in the Iskandar region of Johore. Continue Reading Firm of the Month – Anad & Noraini, Malaysia!