As South Florida public relations and marketing professionals, one of the most important aspects of our job is ensuring that our client’s reputation—in the media, online and in the general public—is secure. However, whereas reputation management used to be important mainly for large companies and executives, now younger adults are realizing that their online reputation is something they must be aware of, and control as much as possible.

In a recent USA Today article, a survey of more than 2,200 adults 18 and older found that 44 percent of young adult Internet users ages 18 to 29 say they actively limit the amount of information available about them, compared to 33 percent of those ages 30 to 49. These results are definitely a contrast to the old mentality that young adults are more open online, sharing more photos and personal details.

Some reasons for this shifting mentality are the increased social media offerings, from Facebook to LinkedIn and Twitter. Once someone engages in any of these sites, unless they take the proactive precautions to protect their privacy, most information is left open to Internet browsers—the standard privacy settings for many of these sites. Because younger adults are the main demographic for most social networking sites and use them regularly, it would stand to reason that they engage in online reputation management more frequently.

The full article is available at http://bit.ly/a91j2h and outlines some of the other survey results, including younger adult’s trust of social media for news gathering. Online reputation management will only become more important as these social media sites evolve and must be a part of any integrated public relations campaign.

Florida law firm marketers know that marketing a law firm is a skilled task, and all law firms are NOT created equal. What works for one large law firm might not work for a small or solo law firm.  Deborah Hrbek and Jill Miller, each an attorney in a small or solo practice, authored a comprehensive article on this subject for American Lawyer Media, which brings up quite a few relevant issues and suggestions.

The most important point this article makes is, for a small or solo firm, business development is as important as client service—and both must be managed efficiently and effectively for a firm to succeed.  You can’t rely on the business you have to always be there.  You have to be constantly looking toward the next matter and obtaining the next client.  Identify your key markets and go after them, even if you have a steady client flow. The best time to look for business is when you have business – the busy attorney is always more attractive.   When you have a good business flow, you are less ‘desperate’ – and can be more selective, and more successful.

Both authors are attorneys in New York.  Despite the obvious differences in climate and billing scale, New York has a similar competitive legal environment as South Florida.  They suggest that, in a crowded marketplace, you need to create a brand, stick by the brand—and stand out.  According to Hrbek and Miller, small firms have the unique opportunity to leverage inherent benefits in small firms including personalized service and accessibility. Use these items to your benefit in your branding and have one or two key points of differentiation from your competition. More will clutter your branding attempts.

Finally, they stress the importance of customer service and authenticity. Small firms have to arguably be more accountable and accessible than larger firms, because of the personalized approach. It’s the compelling reason companies use smaller and solo firms, so capitalize on this opportunity to the best of your ability.  Make it the hallmark of your firm. Remember, being smart is what gets you in the door, but how you handle the matter is what keeps you there.

The full article is available at http://bit.ly/c1nSUWl and outlines additional considerations in marketing a solo or small firm practice, that apply equally to New York and South Florida law firm marketing. The key is to find your niche, find your target audience and go for it—all while remembering that business development and client service should always play a large role in the practice.

Going green is on the forefront of everyone’s mind, but for South Florida based Atlas Paper Mills, going green is more than a trend – it’s a business.

Featured on the cover of Saturday’s Business section in the Miami Herald, Atlas discussed its history and how they transform 140 tons of discarded office paper, used orange juice cartons and coated book stock into 220 million rolls of toilet paper. Click here to download the article

By Jennifer Clarin, Boardroom Communications

One of the keys to developing an attorney’s practice is getting involved in outside organizations where existing and potential contacts and clients referral sources might be found. These groups may fall into one of the following categories: industry, charitable or civic.

Sometimes we join and become involved in an organization just to solidify a relationship with one important contact. Other times, it is to hone in on a specific industry, high-end board of directors or a cause related to a specific practice area. There is no question that getting out there provides the opportunity to garner precious face-time with potential clients and referral sources that you might not know otherwise.

When our law firm marketing consultants sit down with attorneys, they help them map out where most of their business comes from, which is a tremendous help in determining the right organization to join. Take a look at your last 10 new client matters and determine where the relationships originated. It’s likely there are common patterns. If there is a specific organization that delivers new business, consider seeking a leadership position, joining a committee, sponsoring an event or placing an ad in the monthly eNews blast. (more…)