Law Technology

Nike: Social Media and Lawyers

By Loi Laing

In our culture, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who is not familiar with the ubiquitous footwear and sportswear company Nike. More than 20 years ago, an ad executive named Dan Wieden came up with the phrase “Just Do It” and that trademark in addition to the Swoosh logo, has become the epitome of a brand. Nike is constantly reinventing itself and has gone from print ads in the 70s, to embracing every aspect of the media. The phrase coined by Dan Wieden all those years ago fuels ads that are not so much about the product being advertised, but rather the individual wearing it. When you see a Nike ad, the focus is always on the person. Whether in sports or life, we are encouraged by Nike to Just Do It. There is no thought process involved for the procrastinators of the world. There is no time to waste with the ifs, buts or what ifs. “Just doing it” moves us from contemplation to action.

How on earth does this apply to lawyers is what you may be thinking right about now. You know I’ve got some outlandish notions, but as usual, just hear me out. Lawyers are among the least represented in social media forums; whether it’s Twitter or Facebook or any of the others that come to mind, we’re seemingly the profession that’s among the last to arrive at the party. (Most lawyers are not in the techie-defined “early adopters” bunch.) In speaking with my fellow attorneys and observing the conversations that play out online, a part of the reason for this late adapting is at the very heart of our nature as attorneys-at-law. We tend to reserve judgment, weigh all sides of an argument and take our time to formulate a cohesive strategy. Sometimes this is just with regard to what to wear to work. You get the idea…However, we are living in a time where technology far outpaces our ability to wear our “lawyer hats” in every possible situation. It is my very personal opinion that social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook are a call to action and here are my reasons why:

1. Everybody’s doing it.

Well not everybody, but almost everybody. For example, Facebook has enough people to be its own country. I could take this opportunity to bombard you with statistics that show how immensely popular social media has become, but you’re lawyers so you can look it up.

2. Your clients may be doing it.

I know for a fact that my clients are, so it borders on the verge of malpractice if you’re not paying attention to what is being said about your clients and the possible ramifications of such conversation. I use Twitter, Google Alerts and Facebook to keep up with what is being said about the clients I represent. (The divorce and insurance lawyers also seem to have caught on to this notion quite nicely.)

3. Your future clients are definitely doing it.

All it takes is one quick flip through New Company or Entrepreneur magazine and you’ll notice that the business people of this world keep getting younger and younger as the years go by. Yes, it may be a little depressing for those of us who were only twiddling our thumbs at the age where some of these entrepreneurs are making gazillions of dollars. I’m ancient enough to remember life without the Internet, but these kids have no concept of such an existence.

4. Your employees are doing it.

So whether it’s behind your back, under your nose, or quietly in the bathroom stall, the people who work for you are a part of the conversation. They are utilizing social media tools and instead of blocking access, we need to come up with ideas to get our employees involved in representing law firms beyond passing out business cards.

5. Doing it just feels good.

The thing that drives social media is content. Whether it’s sharing your thoughts and ideas, or being exposed to concepts that are completely new to you, just being a part of the conversation satisfies a deep-rooted human need, and that is to be heard.

Instead of staying bogged down and arguing the merits of the actual tools (with other attorneys), just focus on what you are trying to accomplish by social networking. Everything isn’t for everybody, as the old saying goes. You may try a couple on for size and decide that one just works better for you, whether it’s tweeting, blogging, or Facebooking.

There are also tons of newly-minted social media experts and consultants just waiting for the opportunity to guide the legal profession on optimal ways to utilize this new media to our advantage. By all means, after you’ve completed your cost-benefit analysis feel free to hire one to show you how it’s done.

However, for now just stop lolly-gagging and strategizing about whether social media fits into your marketing mix and like Nike says, “Just Do It!”

Related posts:

1. Twitter, Fists, Thin-Slicing and the Law
2. How Cyber-Stalking Can Get You a Job
3. What Kind of Value Do You Provide?

Full post as published by Social Media Law Student on December 01, 2009 (boomark / email).