Over the past few years, social media has really taken off as a means of attracting new business. Consider this: 10 years ago, only 7% of the US population was using social media. Today, 76% of Americans are on social networks.
Given this trend, no law firm can afford not to have a social media presence. And yet, so many attorneys are still hesitant about posting to their Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter accounts.
Today, let’s look at three of the excuses lawyers often tell themselves, and why it’s important to overcome them.
Excuse #1: Clients won’t find me on social media anyway.
Last year, 20% of legal consumers who found their attorney online learned about that attorney on social media. That number continues to grow each year as more and more consumers turn to social networks for everything, including legal services.
Excuse #2: No one wants to hear what I have to say.
Remember that people in your community are looking to social media for information about nearly everything in their lives.
Many legal consumers start their search with the idea that they’ll handle the issue on their own. One of the best ways you can use social media is to provide helpful information that guides potential clients to realize that they are better off seeking help from your firm, rather than attempting a DIY legal solution.
Excuse #3: My competition isn’t on social media, so I don’t need to be.
First, it’s unlikely that none of your competition is using social media. According to the American Bar Association, more than 45% of American law firms areusing at least one social network.
More importantly, social media is becoming an increasingly critical component of a complete digital marketing strategy. With the explosion of mobile device capabilities, consumers are truly everywhere, all the time. If you want to attract new clients to your law firm, you need to be visible everywhere, all the time. And that includes being on social media.