Being a lawyer by degree, articled and called to the bar and having spent my fair share of time in and around law firms I can say that the words digital or social do not really enter the marketing of most law firms. Of course every firm has a web presence and a few have even taken a leading role with iPhone apps, but the foray into real digital or social marketing has been slow if at all. Given that so much of today’s modern digital marketing is about creating content you would think that law firms which do this incredibly well would be all over blogs and sharing links across the social web but there is little activity. So my small piece of advice to law firms is this, start small and start with Facebook for recruiting. You really cannot go wrong and the effort while not large in scale will pay dividends in the form of a connection with top notch law school talent.
Attracting and retaining top talent is a challenge for any business but it is an especially important point for law firms to pay attention to right now. Top students are all using Facebook everyday, if they come to work at a place that tells them they cannot use Facebook they will immediately feel a disconnect between the old and new of the firm. Further, if you only have a passing attempt at a Facebook presence for your law firm now, step it up immediately. Top students are going to visit your website and learn lawyer bios, they will be able to tell you why your firm fits with them but I guarantee they will all feel a deeper and more immediate connection with your firm if you use Facebook as your landing page (print this on all your materials, both the firm website and your Facebook url) and get personal.
Facebook is not a place to repeat the content on your corporate website or in your printed brochures (are you really sure you still need to print these), students are smart and they will read all of that. Use Facebook as a place where you tell the students what life is like as a student at the firm. Share pictures from charity and other firm events. Rotate a current student each month to answer questions and respond to wall posts – I guarantee they will feel a tremendous sense of responsibility and will enjoy your trust in the brand to them. At the end of the day start small and think about how you can make Facebook the place that your corporate website cannot be, the place where the best and brightest students will also know behind the LLP are people and good, fun people at that.
Share your culture, make Facebook your landing page for recruiting, get people to “like” you…you will not be disappointed.
Photo credit – Associate Press
