1.  The Golden Rule.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  This does apply to Twitter.  If someone takes the time to respond to your tweet, thank them or agree with them or something.  Be courteous and reply.

2.  Retweet what other Twitterers are saying.  Retweet the great quotes or profound thoughts that resonate with you.  Retweet some of the funny stuff.  Retweet other people’s questions so they reach a wider audience.  Retweet good blog posts.

3.  Tweet about an excellent blog post or article you just read and include the link, whether you know if they’re on Twitter or not.  These type of tweets are helpful to others and it’s also good karma.

4.  Thank someone when they’ve retweeted (RT) your tweet.  If several people have retweeted something you posted, you can thank them in one post (remember always put the @ before their Twitter name) or single them out with one person thanked per posting.

5.  Don’t tweet the same message over and over again.  Similarly, don’t tweet 20 times in a 3 minute period. It clogs up people’s Twitter streams and they won’t appreciate it.  In fact, they’ll probably un-follow you.

For some additional Do’s and Don’ts, take a look at Steven Matthews’ 29 Lawyer Twitter Practices.

We also provide Google Adwords Management services for a variety of other businesses!

1. Twitter Search –

With Twitter’s search function, you just type in a word or phrase descriptive of the type of people you want to follow. So, if you are a divorce attorney seeking to connect with other divorce attorneys, simply type that phrase into the search box. Take a look at the profiles that return and determine who you want to follow. While this option is not as targeted as some of the other resources on the list, it’s a good page to bookmark when you want to do a more general search.

2. Twellow –

Twellow is another great way of finding people to interact with. People here are categorized into all different areas and you can search for those with similar interests to your own. When you click on a category, Twellow displays a list of people in that category and they are ordered by the number of followers they have. If you are already logged into Twitter via the web, you will be able to follow people directly from the screens where the profiles are displayed.

3. JDScoop -

JDScoop maintains a list of over 750 lawyers and legal professionals using Twitter. Although you can’t sort this list, it can be used as a means to find and build a group of legal industry Twitterers to follow. You can also request to be added to the list by leaving a comment.

4. LexTweet -

LexTweet is an actual directory of lawyers, legal marketers and other legal professionals using Twitter that aggregates Twitter streams. Here, you can find people to follow as well as submit your profile for inclusion.

5. Legal Birds -

Legal Birds is another great directory of lawyers and legal professionals using Twitter and aggregates the Twitter streams of those in the directory. You can search for attorneys by practice area, keyword and location. You can also submit your Twitter profile here for inclusion.

6.  Big Law Lawyers on Twitter -

Here is a list of anyone currently or formerly with a major law firm who is posting on Twitter primarily about business law topics.

7. Blog for Profit -

Here’s another big list of solo practioners and legal professionals.  It’s not searchable, but you can request inclusion on the list by leaving a comment.

8. TweetLaw -

This is a Twitter feed aggregator, directory and social network tool for legal professionals on Twitter. Tweetlaw is best used to identify Twitter users from a particular area of law or with a specific professional interest.  Another useful Tweetlaw feature is that it allows all users who register to fill out ample profiles, which is a great way to stake another digital marker on the web and fill in the blanks between tweets.

9. State Bar Associations

Here is a list of bar association Twitter feeds.

Once you’ve connected with a few people, start Tweeting about your day-to-day law practice, legal updates in your practice area, and news of interest to you and your followers.

Book publishing is always a personal choice. It’s one of those “if-it-feels-good-do-it” things that you just “know” you want to do. But what about “need-to-do”? Will your name as author on the cover of a manual or other publication help establish your platform? further your career? draw in potential clients? Do you want to be considered an expert in your field? A book goes a long way to build your reputation and make you the professional people are seeking.

I know how to write a sentence and say what needs to be said, so why do I need an editor?

The bottom line is this: None of us is capable of editing the final draft of his or her own work. Why? We know it too well. Also, we understand all the “backstory” or research that went into it.  Readers, however, enjoys none of these advantages. The trained eyes of an editor will catch problems involving clarity, terminology, or transition that might confuse or stumble a lay reader.

Writing an understandable sentence with all the appropriate parts is a great beginning. However, it’s just that—a beginning. Sentence structures and lengths need to be varied. Strong verbs breathe life into mundane topics and action scenes. Elimination of adverbs tightens the prose. Heavy topics should be punctuated with an occasional breath of “fresh air” in order not to exhaust the reader.

Editors review topic development, flow, continuity, and a host of grammatical elements that make the final product a polished professional publication. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. You never know when that first impression may be your written word.

I still think I can polish my own manuscript. Can I get a “quick” edit rather than the full-blown service?

Editing comes packaged and “a la carte.” A writer can choose just the amount of editing needed to make his/her manuscript press-ready without paying for any additional services. Ask us about this option.

How does the publishing process work?

Once a book is edited, it needs an appropriate cover and interior layout and design. The final files are then assigned an ISBN number and sent to the writer in PDF format for approval before going to the printer. Typically, the printer overnights a proof of the final product (an actual finished book) to the writer for one last approval, and then books can be ordered. Delivery time on the books is generally less than two weeks. We offer both POD (print on demand) and offset printing, depending on the number of books you desire. We can do all the prep work in-house at a very reasonable cost, and there is never any mark-up on the price of the books. The amount we charge you is the same amount the printer charges us.

Do you have questions that are not addressed here? Contact Us and we’ll be happy to answer them.

First, if you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to create a Twitter account at http://twitter.com. Just click on the green “Sign up now” button on the home page. The sign up process is fairly simple and straightforward.

You’ll first need to enter your real full name. Next, you need to enter a username. Give this some thought. You want to choose something that is easily recognizable and promotes your practice. Using your name is a good idea, particularly if someone uses the search feature on Twitter to look for you.  A well known firm name is another example,  or, if you are a divorce attorney in Arizona, you might select AZDivorceLaw or AZDivorceAtty. You are limited to 15 characters, so be concise. Enter a password, email address, and the captcha image to verify that you are human, and you’re done. It’s now time to personalize your account.

Once your account is created, go to settings tab at the top of the page to add some character to your profile. After all, Twitter is a social platform. The more people know about you, the more likely they’ll follow and engage in conversation with you. So add a picture, your website or blog address, your location and bio information.

Your bio is limited to 160 characters so use them wisely. As with your username, you want it to be descriptive. We suggest that you identify your practice area first, then some of your personal interests or hobbies and possibly some humor.

Your practice area will get you targeted followers as people will do searches for specific areas of the law.  Personal information in your bio helps people decide if they might like you and have something in common with you.  Humor is because people like to laugh. The key here is to provide as much information as possible that is relevant to the kind of audience you want to attract.

The third step in the process is to customize your background. Don’t settle for the dull and boring default backgrounds provided by Twitter. A custom background will help you stand apart from the rest and, in many cases, allows you to add even more information about you and your practice. While there are some professional services available, there are a couple of free, easy to use services I like. Take a look at Twitter Backgrounds and Twit Backs.

With everything setup as you like, it’s now time to start following other people. In my next post, I’ll provide some resources to help you find like minded people to follow. In the meantime, feel free to follow us at http://twitter.com/blawghouse.

BlawgHouse has launched a new forum on LinkedIn where you can discuss how to publish and market your law book. Feel free to jump right in and post your questions and share your ideas. You can reach this forum by clicking the following link: Law Book Publishing Forum.

One of the most popular uses of Twitter was during the 2008 presidential election.  Barack Obama effectively used Twitter to inform supporters of his appearances, fundraisers, opinions etc. CNN uses Twitter to post breaking news.  Others use Twitter for purely social reasons.  Even Oprah has a Twitter account.  But, as with most social media platforms, there are naysayers claiming that Twitter is a colossal waste of precious time.

Despite the negative feedback, Twitter has attracted over 3 million registered users.  So, what does this mean for lawyers?

Lawyers can now leverage one of the most powerful online platforms to communicate with colleagues, clients, potential clients, referral sources and other like minded individuals.  In particular, lawyers can use Twitter to:

• expand their network.
• comment on legal issues and trends in their practice area.
• build their reputation.
• showcase their expertise by linking to content they have published.
• receive news updates relevant to their practice area.

Twitter’s value lies in a combination of “broadcasting” information and engaging in conversations with others.  But, before you jump in feet first, remember that the Rules of Professional Conduct apply.

Despite the informality of Twitter, lawyers must refrain from sending tweets that may appear to be legal advice or characterized as a solicitation of legal work.  In a recent article by Jones Day partner Steven Bennett in the New York State Bar Association Journal, he recommends that lawyers establish Twitter protocols to avoid any claims of professional misconduct.

By planning both your time and purpose, Twitter can be an effective tool.  It’s a great way to market your practice and build your network if you do it right and manage your time.  Go on with a purpose, follow the rules of professional conduct and you’ll soon enjoy the benefits of Twitter.

Did you know Google Adwords has a feature which allows you to select any combination of locations, enabling you to target your legal marketing campaigns to regions, cities and custom areas? If you want to target a particular city like Miami or Los Angeles you could do so. You can select a particular location if you know the coordinates (that’s right it will accept longitude and latitude coordinates you input if you know them), choose a point on a map and specify a radius around where you want your ads to appear or create your own custom shape on the map.

If your law practice works with a specific language group not only can you select a specific Geographic location but you can go as far as targeting a specific language as well,  like French speakers in Los Angeles or Spanish speakers in Denver, etc. According to Google, “the AdWords system looks at a user’s Google interface language setting to see if it matches one of the languages that your campaign targets. For example, only users whose Google interface language is Spanish will see ads in a campaign targeted to Spanish”.

Yahoo Search Marketing also allows you to run ads in specific zip codes. You select the zip codes where you want your ad to appear and your selected regions will appear shaded on the map with a flag to indicate the targeted region.

This type of local geographic targeting, while not perfect, is more relevant to potential clients looking for your services in the geographic area you serve and helps you with your legal advertising budget by helping you avoid spending money on ads that appear in areas where you do not do business.

Your target audience consists of people who are likely in need of your legal services. For example, if you offer legal services to start up businesses, then you want to target only those people thinking about creating a business or who are in the process of doing so.  If you are a divorce attorney, you want to target those people thinking about or going through a divorce.  Similarly, if you are a motorcycle injury attorney, you would target only those people who have been injured in a motorcycle accident.

Get the idea?

Because the Internet has fostered a much more sophisticated consumer base, they know exactly what they want before they purchase it.  Thus, generalization is no longer effective.  People want to know that you have worked with others like them, that you understand their specific problems and concerns, and that you can craft a solution to fit their needs.

When you become laser targeted, you can better assess your prospect’s concerns and create a better marketing message to address them.  The interactivity and dynamic nature of a law blog is idea to connect with your target audience.  Through it, you can provide free guides that address and/or explain their concerns, e.g., How to Start a Small Business, or market a seminar on a common issue among your prospects, e.g., Corporations vs LLC’s.

If you don’t have a clear idea of who you’d like to target, you’ll be spinning your wheels with a law blog.  Instead of speaking directly to a highly specific group of people, you’ll speak to no one.  And speaking to no one usually means you’ll get no responses.

To make the most out of your blogging experience, take the time to identify your target audience first.  You’ll then be able to tailor your content specifically to address their needs and take full advantage of a tool that can increase your profits and grow your practice.

If you’re new to the blogging world, you may not be quite sure of what a blog actually is or how it differs from a traditional website.  So, let’s start with a definition.

The word “blog” is short for “weblog,” and is a website that contains a chronological “log” of opinions, ideas, information or commentary on an almost any imaginable subject.  The term “blawg” is a combination of the words “law” and “blog” and represents a law related weblog typically written by legal professionals.

Law related blogs first began to hit the scene around 2002, publishing commentary on a wide range of legal topics.  If a subject involves the law, chances are that someone is blogging about it.

Lawyers and legal professionals are taking advantage of the blog platform because it can be a successful addition to their overall marketing and professional development plan.  In particular, blogs have become extremely popular for at least three good reasons.

1.    Blogs Can Help Establish Your Expertise

A blog can give you a place on the Internet that reflects you, your accomplishments and your interest.  And because of their ease of use, you can publish news and events in your practice area as quickly as you can write an e-mail.  All you do is write a title, write the body of your message and then hit the publish button.

Additionally, blogs open up your professional network.  You become visible to other lawyers across the nation, which can open up referral and collaborative opportunities.

2.    Blogs are Popular with the Search Engines

Search engines love blogs.  Because they are frequently updated, search engines typically list them very high in their search results.  This means that blogs are likely to get more traffic than traditional sites because more people can find them quickly and easily in search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN.

3.    Blogs are Interactive

Most blogs have comments enabled, allowing readers to express their own thoughts on a particular blog post.  When other people “join the conversation,” you can end up with a very exciting collection of thoughts from people all over the world.

As you can see, blogs can be a useful marketing tool.  If you’re contemplating a blog for your law practice, now’s the time to get started.  According to an ABA Journal report in 2008, only 8% of the lawyers surveyed are blogging.  This means you can position yourself and establish your credibility in your practice area before your competitors do.