An alternative to networking

I thought I’d use this month’s practice notes to look at a way you can increase your visibility and reach a large
and varied list of prospective clients without even having
to speak to anyone: getting published in the trade press.

First off, we’re not talking about getting into the local
free ad rags; we’re talking
about editorial content in the specialist titles that serve the sectors you want to work in.

We’re also not talking about a sales pitch for your firm or your practice. We’re talking about making a serious comment on the issues your clients – and many more prospective clients of a similar profile – really face
in their business or personal lives. You need to be relevant, current, and practical.

Added value

I cannot stress enough that
your proposed article has to
add value to the publication, and that means it needs to deliver value for the reader.
Your content needs to leave
the reader knowing more than they did when they started reading it because you’ve shown them an alternative
way of doing something or
a way of doing things that
will save them time, money,
and hassle.

It should present opinion
and advice on the approaches the reader could take in certain situations, underlining the fact that you not only understand the issues your readers face
but also how to solve them.

One thing I’ve learned while working alongside the legal profession is that there is quite literally a magazine for every sector, and that variety is
not limited to commercial practice areas; there is also a diversity of personal interest magazines that will satisfy the marketing demands of any private client practice.

In the old days you’d have
to take a trip to the business section of the local library to find them. Now there’s the internet, and all you need to
do is type in the sector you’re interested in, plus ‘magazines’ and ‘UK’, and you’re away.
You will also have access to
the editor’s email address (and even if it’s not on the magazine’s website, LinkedIn is only a
click away).

Boost visibility

Obviously the key factor behind having anything published is delivering value for your chosen readership.

If your editorial does tick the ‘relevant’, ‘current’, and ‘practical’ boxes, the chances are you
will be asked to write again in
the future.

Moreover, as your aim is to boost your visibility, there are a number of other things you can do with the content:

• Add it to your website: This needs to be done as a PDF so visitors can download it in its original form if they want to, and then as text so that it positively influences your site’s search engine optimisation (SEO);
• Email it out to your contacts in that area: As an agency we do a lot of content-based marketing, but nothing garners the level of response a relevant ‘saw this and thought of you’ type email or (even better) hard copy clipping achieves. Of course, if you are going to do that you need to have the publishers’ permission, to add the publishers’ details, and to make sure you are sending it out when they are happy for you to do so, as some will want a month or more in terms of exclusivity;
• ‘Social media’ it: Add it as an update (with a link to your article on the magazine’s website if available) and tweet the link. Better still, add it as a post on LinkedIn because that way your contacts are told you’ve published it;
• Save it and send it: Use the PDF as a credibility builder and attach it to follow up emails after you’ve met someone within that sector to show them you are doing more than just talking about your sector credentials. Much of the client’s decision when choosing a solicitor relies on your ability to mitigate the risk of giving you their work. Showing you are embedded in the fabric of your chosen sectors will help move this process along; and
• Use it to win more publishing opportunities and speaking slots: Once people see you know what you’re talking about in terms of legal advice and sector knowledge, they will be more inclined to offer you more editorial slots and even the opportunity of speaking at recognised industry events. Both will help you promote yourself and will boost your visibility without a single networking event, which is right back to where we started. SJ

Douglas McPherson is a director at Size 10 1/2 Boots