But, of course, we really want them to. We can use this information to update our website; draft newsletters, press releases and blogs; and create other important collateral materials and social media content. Commentators regularly proclaim that Content Is King, but they fail to explain how to systematically squeeze that information out of your lawyers’ heads.
It can help to create some internal “Wait, what about my win?” competitiveness among the lawyers. Most of the news will tend to be supplied by a small group of aggressive self-promoters, so you may want to regulate the flow of their material to help protect them from themselves.
You’ll need to nudge them. Below is a memo I like to occasionally circulate among the lawyers and paralegals to encourage and remind them to keep marketing updated. Feel free to use it, if it’d help.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE: Increasing Our Internal Communication
It is important to maintain a steady flow of information throughout the firm — to be aware of what we’re all doing — to help market our firm and sell one another’s services. More communication leads to stronger links among the different lawyers and across practice areas, resulting in a healthier firm and more opportunities to expand our client relationships. We would like to regularly report on new clients, success stories, unusual representations, new hires and the firm’s ongoing marketing activities.
We can use this information to update our website; draft newsletters, press releases and blogs; and create other important collateral materials and social media content.
This is to request that you bring to our attention the cases, transactions, matters and representations that can help keep us all informed about your activities.
Further, we would like to enhance the firm’s external image and increase our firm’s name recognition in the minds of the general legal and business public. To make the most effective use of the media, we must feed them information as quickly as possible while it is still newsworthy. By informing us of a probable significant event before it occurs, we can have our resources ready to move when the news breaks.
When you are approaching a crucial point in a case or matter, or receive a favorable result of any type, call [NAME] at extension [XXXX]. We can easily handle client sensitivities and confidentiality issues, but we cannot freshen a stale story.
Examples of this information include:
Your cooperation is appreciated!