Have you read these?

A smattering of interesting and valuable posts from the blawgosphere and beyond

• “The Decline of Differentiation” from Branding Strategy Insider. Now more than ever, lawyers need to communicate that which differentiates their services from those of their competition. This post describes three marketing errors that are contributing to the commoditization of consumer products. Make sure you’re not committing them too. Why? “Without a clear differentiating idea attached to a brand, all you’re left with to motivate buyers is price.” How long can that be sustained?
  
  
• “An evolving profession: Lawyers describe the commoditization of certain legal services” from Chicago Lawyer Magazine. This is one of the more thoughtful pieces I’ve read on how and why the profession is changing, and what it may look like in the future. You need to know this.
  
  
• “Employee blogs v. ceo blogs: which is best?” from don’t get caught. An interesting discussion about who should be writing corporate blogs. Read it closely and you’ll see that it also provides some basic but crucial guidelines for companies – and law firms – trying to find the best blogging model.
  
  
• “What Documents Should I Post on JD Supra?” from JD Scoop. JD Supra is a great forum for showcasing your written work (I have an account). This post describes how legal professionals are using it, and the types of work they share. Yes, it’s a commercial for JD Supra. But it will also help you think differently about your work, how you could re-purpose it, and in doing so better communicate your skills, experience and expertise.
  
  
• “Finding Your Ceiling” from Some Assembly Required. I read Thom Singer’s work for many reasons. It gives me practical advice that helps me work better. It gives me new ideas that make me smarter. And most of all it inspires me to think about what I am doing, why I am doing it, and how I could add greater value. This post falls into the latter category. Read it. You’ll be inspired too.
  

Have you read these?

A smattering of valuable and interesting posts from the blawgosphere and beyond

• “Meddlesome Clients Often Drive Changes” from Corcoran’s Business of Law blog. Whether or not in-house lawyers allow business managers into the outside counsel selection process, as Corcoran advocates, lawyers and firms pitching to corporate clients would do well to prep for their next meeting as if they were facing managers, not lawyers. This post provides valuable insight on how to do that (and a pretty strong argument for letting business managers into the process of selecting counsel).
  
  
• “The Biggest Mistake PR Pros Make Every Day” from Communications Catalyst. Lawyers, don’t be fooled by the title: this post is written for you, too. There’s nothing particularly novel about this advice, yet we all commit these mistakes more often than we’d like to admit. Read it. It will help you stop making the same mistakes again tomorrow.
  
  
• “20 Ways to Engage Contacts in Social Media” from Sometimes it’s better to be Socially Creative. If you’re reading this blog, you probably already understand that the greatest value of social media is being able to engage with others. This post is chock-full of practical advice on how to maximize that value. Even if you think you’re doing everything right, you’ll learn something when you read this post.
  
  
• “Associates: Get Out There and Focus on Your Passion” from Law Consulting Blog. This is a great story about an IP associate’s successful efforts to raise her visibility. Why? Because although she was very successful at earning respect and recognition, it wasn’t until she identified a specific (and achievable) objective that her efforts produced the result she was seeking.
  
  
• “Matthew Childs: Hang in there! 9 life lessons from rock climbing” from TED.com. I could watch this clip over and over again. Not just for the tips – lessons on rock climbing that do indeed translate well into lessons on life – but for the lesson on giving a great presentation that you’ll get. Study Childs’ style, make your presentations like his, and your audiences will thank you.

Are you watching these videos?

Last week I was at the Legal Marketing Association's annual conference. Incisive Media and ThomsonReuters Legal were also there, interviewing conference attendees about a broad range of legal marketing topics. You should watch all of the interviews from the conference, which provide an interesting perspective on how firms and lawyers are responding to these troubling times. The interviews below feature some of the profession's most thoughtful voices (plus me), who offer valuable insight on legal marketing in today's climate.

Jayne Navarre, LawGravity

Doug Hoover, Hidebrandt International

Tim Corcoran, Altman Weil

Lance Godard, The Godard Group