Is a blog considered advertising? The Virginia State Bar seems to think it is, and has brought misconduct charges against attorney and blogger Horace Hunter for refusing to include a disclaimer. Most state rules regarding attorney advertising are similar to Virginia’s, including the requirement of a disclaimer on advertising to avoid misleading the public. So if you have a legal blog, you might want to consider whether your blog is legal.

Blogs fall into a bit of a gray area, because, in many cases, bloggers are not directly selling from their blogs. These bloggers—Mr. Hunter claims to fall into this category—are simply imparting information and offering opinions on news within their field and about themselves or their company.

On the other hand, bloggers also often hope their blogs will encourage readers to hire them at some time in the future. The Virginia State Bar says Mr. Hunter falls into this category, arguing that discussions of past cases on his blog suggest he is using the blog to attract new business.

Unfortunately, the main criterion for labeling a blog as advertising seems to be intent, which is a notoriously slippery beast, since content can be interpreted in multiple ways. For example:

• Do you intend for your article to help your readers understand the implications of a recent ruling, or are you hoping it will demonstrate to them that they should hire you for similar cases?
• Did you announce your promotion because you are proud and excited? Or because you are hoping it will encourage more people to hire you?

Gyi Tsakalakis analyzed this issue in more detail, including defining “blog” and “advertising,” in “Legal Blogging vs. Advertising & Marketing.”

If you write a legal blog, it’s worth considering how your local bar association will interpret it.

Information in this post gathered in association with Chicago Business Lawyers.

Do you know what a one-sheet is? Do you know that having one can help you market your law firm? A one-sheet is a one-page marketing piece used by music bands. Other industries use a similar document, too. And you can use a one-sheet as an easy way to market your law firm to potential clients and even boost referrals.

The advantage of a one-sheet, as opposed to other types of marketing materials, is that it’s short and to the point. People are more likely to read something short. If they’re interested in your firm based on the one-sheet, then they’ll be more motivated to look for more detailed information.

Kate Battle discusses how to structure a one-sheet for a law firm in “Creating a One-Sheet for Your Law Firm.” Here’s an overview of her format:

1. Create a header, similar to a letterhead, with your firm’s name, the names of your attorneys and their practice areas, and your main contact information. Also include your fee structure.

2. Next, write one paragraph with a brief overview of your firm’s history and your unique selling proposition.

3. Then get more specific, with information about your attorneys and their achievements.

4. Next, share one or more tidbits of newsworthy information or testimonials from happy clients.

5. Finish by providing URLs where people can find out more about you. This could be a list of recent articles or publications, events your law firm is holding, or even social media profiles of your attorneys, as long as they are professional profiles, like those on LinkedIn.

Remember, keep it to one page. Then print some hard copies and keep the digital file easily accessible for attaching to emails. Now you can provide potentials clients and referral sources with a snapshot of your services.

Information in this post gathered in association with a Boca Raton divorce lawyer.

Photo courtesy of FOTOCROMO

You know that phrase, “It’s who you know”? Well, it applies to marketing as much as any other area of your professional life. I was listening to a discussion between two prominent members of the religious community on WABC’s Religion on the Line program this past Sunday. To prove a point he was making, one of these gentlemen referred to a local criminal defense law firm Abramson & Morak several times within the show. Talk about free publicity! The law firm was enough in the forefront of this man’s mind to be used as a quick example to prove a point – maybe because one of the attorneys was his lawyer, or a golf buddy, or perhaps part of the same social or professional networking circle.

How many community leaders or people of influence are within your personal or professional circles? Each of them is a potential marketer for your firm or practice. Informal networking at PTA meetings, church or synagogue functions, your child’s soccer games, or anything else that puts you in touch with influential people, can end up being as or more powerful than more “official” forms of networking. Due to its less forced and more organic feel, informal networking can feel like an endorsement to potential clients, and therefore translate more quickly into a solid business lead.

A few recommendations: when you’re out socially have a few business cards on you just in case. Few things are worse than someone who’s constantly thrusting their business angle on you, but if it comes up naturally in conversation that you’re a lawyer, and that you handle xyz type of law, you’ll have a card handy. Also, make sure your friends, acquaintances and other social contacts know you practice law. Lastly, get to know the parents on your kid’s soccer team, the guy you commute with, the members of your clubs and other social circles. If any of them have influence within the community (or have an even broader reach), why not let them know what you do for a living? It could lead to free marketing and business.

Just a short post to acknowledge what a great thing I think the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization has become. I remember when they started at shows back in 2002 with a mission much like what they display today:

Our purpose is to provide a foundation for industry growth through building stronger relationships, fostering awareness, providing education, promoting the industry, generating research, and creating a better understanding of search and its role in marketing.

I’ve been a SEMPO member for a few years now and my 9-5 is a SEMPO Circle agency but, until recently, I hadn’t gotten certified. That’s been corrected! In a vainglorious post, I’ll proudly display their widget:

One thing that I always recommend to my clients is that they put a unique call tracking number on their website. In today’s post, I’d like to outline what a call tracking number is and why it’s an essential part of marketing.

What is a Call Tracking Number?

A Call Tracking Number is a dedicated phone number that can be placed on a website and/or online or offline advertisements. When a potential customer calls the tracking phone number, it will automatically forward to whatever phone number you choose.

Why Would a Call Tracking Number Benefit Me?

Using a call tracking number is one of the best ways to track your advertising expenses. Typically, on a monthly basis, you will receive a report as to how many people dialed in via your tracking number. You can now compare your advertising costs, to the leads generated. Ultimately, this can help you when determining your ROI.

Where Else Can I Place a Call Tracking Number?

Call tracking numbers can be placed on:

• Websites
• Print Ads
• Online Ads
• Blog Posts
• Local Listing
• Profile Pages
• Landing Pages

Are Lawyers Using Call Tracking Numbers?

Being that I am in the field of Legal Marketing, we have made this concept available to many attorneys who have purchased websites with us.

Many of our clients have taken advantage of this tracking service, regardless of the area of practice. Participating clients have been from practice areas such as LA car accident attorneys to Ohio bankruptcy lawyers. Attorneys are spending valuable dollars on a monthly basis to expand their business. Legal marketers are placing call tracking ads anywhere they can to track their efforts. More recently, lawyers have been placing call tracking numbers on there articles on the lawyers.com Law Blog.

Return on investment is what online marketing is all about – without effective tracking of the phone calls generated by a law firm website, the attorneys will never know if their website investment is paying off.

Popular Call Tracking Providers

• ATG (eStara)
• CallSource.com
• Telecapture