THE LAWYER’S GUIDE TO MARKETING ON THE INTERNET, 2nd EDITION
By Gregory H. Siskind, Deborah McMurray and Richard P. Klau
American Bar Association, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60611
$79.95; Law Practice Management section members $69.95
248 pages; ISBN 1-59031-118-3 (2002).
The first edition of The Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet was written in 1996 – an eon ago as measured in Internet time. While the earlier book focused on the benefits and drawbacks of marketing on the Internet, this edition assumes that the Internet is an essential part of every law firm’s marketing strategy. The authors believe that to be successful in Internet marketing, “you don’t have to be fluent in geek speak and whiz around with the latest gadgets and technology toys.” Instead, they argue, you must understand the basics of technology and what it can do to improve your practice and client relationships.
Marketing is just as important – if not more so – than it was seven years ago. Competition for clients is fierce. Major personal injury law firms advertise extensively on television and radio, mass tort firms solicit clients in all major newspapers, and full-page ads in the yellow page section of telephone books are commonplace.
In 1996, most lawyers had only a passing relationship with the Internet. Legal web sites were a novelty, not the standard. Today, of course, computers have become almost as common as televisions in the U.S. and many individuals and businesses use the Internet extensively at work and home. It is common for clients to initially search for a lawyer on the Internet and successful web sites generate substantial business.
This book does more than just update the content of the first edition, it also explores the latest technologies, such as: webinars, extranets, instant messaging, wireless devices and weblogs or “blogs.” Each of these topics is explained in easy-to-understand language and the emphasis is on what is worthwhile, as opposed to simply cutting edge technology that may not improve the bottom line.
The authors are well qualified: Gregory H. Siskind is an immigration lawyer in Memphis, Tennessee and was one of the authors of the earlier edition. He was one of the first lawyers in the country to establish a World Wide Web site for his law firm (www.visalaw.com), and is the author of several books. His online Immigration Bulletin is electronically distributed to over 30,000 subscribers each week.
Deborah McMurray is a legal marketing consultant and trains lawyers and other professionals in the areas of client relationship management and communications. She developed interactive communications training programs that have been used nationally by Merrill Lynch, as well as major law firms and legal departments.
Rick Klau has co-authored several books about law and technology and writes a column for Law Practice Management magazine. He is a frequent speaker at law, technology, and marketing conferences, has written numerous articles, and been interviewed in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, American Lawyer, The National Law Journal and other major publications.
With the experience these authors possess, it would be easy for them to speak in technical jargon or focus heavily on the latest whiz-bang technology, gizmos or gadgets. To their credit, the authors take care to introduce and explain new developments and use a non-technical writing style suitable for the novice and expert alike.
No matter what your online marketing needs, this book has something for you. Information-packed chapters deal with choosing web site consultants (for both large and small firms), developing an Internet marketing plan, web site design advice and the ethical issues of online marketing. As the authors note, in the early days it was enough for lawyers to choose an Internet Service Provider and “a savvy 16-year-old to build the site.” Today’s technology is more sophisticated, and experts on the back end of your web site will help you determine what strategies will best serve your online marketing needs.
The authors do more than just suggest what should go into an effective web site; they give you plenty of examples. In an appendix, they provide a review of the top 250 law firm web sites for the National Law Journal, plus an additional 50 law firm sites noted for their excellence by InternetMarketingAttorney.com. In other appendixes, they provide a sample web hosting agreement and sample web site redesign RFPs (request for proposals).
Everyone knows that the three most important factors for an effective web site are: content, content, and content. The authors acknowledge that “content was king in 1996 and it still is. Current, relevant content will make your site compelling to visitors – they’ll be eager to return. Outdated, dusty content suggests that your firm is just that.”
Not satisfied to just tell you that content is important, however, the authors go on to explain and provide examples of promotional content, informational content, interactive content, navigational content and ways to leverage your content with extranets, multilingual sites, proper formatting for handheld devices and other ways to make your site stand out from the crowd.
The book has only a couple of shortcomings. First, there should be a greater emphasis on small firms and solo practitioners. More information could have been provided about low cost options for establishing or redesigning a relatively simple web site for small firms and solos.
Second, other than a mention that it is a highly specialized area, web site promotion received little attention in the book. Search engine optimization – or where your firm comes up in a search engine request – is vitally important. No matter how great your content or how well your site is designed, if you don’t turn up in the top choices of popular search engines, then your site is ineffective.
Great information. Thanks for the read.
Posted by: Lynn | November 29, 2007 at 10:32 PM