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	<title>DotCO Law Marketing</title>
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		<title>Laffey, Bucci &#038; Kent LLP win $20,000 DotCO Campaign!</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/08/08/laffey-bucci-kent-llp-win-20000-dotco-campaign/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/08/08/laffey-bucci-kent-llp-win-20000-dotco-campaign/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sean McGinnis]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:32:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1672</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>DotCO Law Marketing spent several days in July attending the American Association for Justice Annual Convention in Chicago, Illinois. We got to reconnect with some old friends and make new ones too, including some new customers! Once again, we sponsored the indoor golf challenge, which was a ton of fun. At the convention, we raffled [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/08/08/laffey-bucci-kent-llp-win-20000-dotco-campaign/">Laffey, Bucci &#038; Kent LLP win $20,000 DotCO Campaign!</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>DotCO Law Marketing spent several days in July attending the American Association for Justice Annual Convention in Chicago, Illinois. We got to reconnect with some old friends and make new ones too, including some new customers!</p>
<p>Once again, we sponsored the indoor golf challenge, which was a ton of fun. At the convention, we raffled off a $20,000 DotCO Campaign to one luck law firm.</p>
<h2>We gave away $20,000 worth of our online advertising!</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Laffey-Bucci-Kent-LLP.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1673" title="Laffey Bucci Kent LLP" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Laffey-Bucci-Kent-LLP-300x189.jpg" alt="Laffey Bucci Kent LLP" width="300" height="189" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Laffey-Bucci-Kent-LLP-300x189.jpg 300w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Laffey-Bucci-Kent-LLP.jpg 337w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>Conference attendees entered the raffle by having their badges scanned at one of our two booths and listening to a 3-5 minute demo about how DotCO can expand your online presence. We also gave new customers who purchased at the convention additional entries for purchasing placements with us while at the convention.</p>
<p>We performed a random drawing this morning and selected a winner.</p>
<p>We selected the Philadelphia law firm of <a href="http://www.laffeybuccikent.com/" target="_blank">Laffey, Bucci &amp; Kent, LLP</a> as our winning firm!</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll be in touch this week to add your listings to the sites of your choosing! Thanks for visiting with us in Chicago!</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/08/08/laffey-bucci-kent-llp-win-20000-dotco-campaign/">Laffey, Bucci &#038; Kent LLP win $20,000 DotCO Campaign!</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>FDA Shares New Plan for most Medical Devices to have Unique Identification Numbers</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/07/05/fda-shares-plan-medical-devices-unique-identification-numbers/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/07/05/fda-shares-plan-medical-devices-unique-identification-numbers/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jul 2012 18:34:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hip impant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medical device]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1557</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>New FDA Plan to Give Medical Devices and Implants Serial Numbers for Easy Public Tracking Featured image courtesy of pinksherbet licensed under creative commons. The FDA has unveiled a new plan to give medical devices, such as hip implants, unique identification numbers. The idea is that a cohesive and publicly accessible database of medical devices can save lives and [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/07/05/fda-shares-plan-medical-devices-unique-identification-numbers/">FDA Shares New Plan for most Medical Devices to have Unique Identification Numbers</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>New FDA Plan to Give Medical Devices and Implants Serial Numbers for Easy Public Tracking</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/5673228685_b1fffed78f_b.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter  wp-image-1564" title="Surgery" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/5673228685_b1fffed78f_b.jpg" alt="Medical Device Products Liability Lawyers" width="574" height="382" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/5673228685_b1fffed78f_b.jpg 1024w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/5673228685_b1fffed78f_b-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 574px) 100vw, 574px" /></a></p>
<p><em>Featured image courtesy of <a title="Pink Sherbet Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pinksherbet/" target="_blank"><strong>pinksherbet</strong></a> licensed under creative commons.</em></p>
<p>The FDA has unveiled a new plan to give medical devices, such as hip implants, unique identification numbers. The idea is that a cohesive and publicly accessible database of medical devices can save lives and avoid serious injury. As of now, there is really no way for a manufacturer or doctor to know which devices are dangerous. Furthermore, in cases where there is a problem with a device, it is difficult for anyone to figure out if the problem is constrained to a specific manufacturing batch or if it is widespread. The new system would allow open access to a database of the devices, with information such as the manufacturing date, batch number, and expiration date.</p>
<p>Access to this database would be essential for patients, doctors, manufacturers, and lawyers. Patients would now have the ability to monitor their device&#8217;s specific serial number for recalls and advisories. Doctors and hospitals could run a check on any device before it is used or implanted to make sure that no problems had been found with that device in general or that batch specifically. Manufacturers would better be able to track their devices, leading to more efficient recalls and better monitoring over time. Lawyers would be able to use batch information to show that there was a manufacturing defect with a group of devices, or that a hospital could have known that a device was faulty before surgery.</p>
<p>This system will now go into a phase of public scrutiny and comment, where all parties can share their concerns. If and when it is approved, it will be phased in over the course of years, with the riskiest devices being addresses first. Anything sold over the counter is likely to be excluded. No patient information will be included in the database, rather, the identification numbers would be stored in each patient&#8217;s individual medical records.</p>
<p>The FDA has published a full <a title="FDA Medical Device Tracking System Proposal" href="http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2012-16621_PI.pdf" target="_blank">Rule Proposal</a> as well as a <a title="FDA Medical Device Numbering Press Release" href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm310505.htm" target="_blank">Press Release</a>. The public comment period will last 120 days. While the estimated cost of implementing the program could approach $70 million per year, there could eventually be a large reduction in the number of products liability lawsuits, which, at least for the companies being sued, would help offset this cost. Hospitals may feel the stress of having one more thing to monitor, but they will be lowering their chances of being sued every time they check the database.</p>
<p>Other legal ramifications of this system are yet to be seen. We would love to hear your thoughts on how this database could affect products liability law or medical malpractice law. Share your comments below.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/07/05/fda-shares-plan-medical-devices-unique-identification-numbers/">FDA Shares New Plan for most Medical Devices to have Unique Identification Numbers</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>10 Social Media and Marketing Gurus that Your Law Firm Should Follow on Twitter</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/15/10-social-media-marketing-gurus-law-firm-follow/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/15/10-social-media-marketing-gurus-law-firm-follow/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:32:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1308</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>10 Social Media and Marketing Gurus that Your Law Firm Should Follow on Twitter Featured image courtesy of Rosaura Ochoa licensed under creative commons. If your law firm is on Twitter, and it should be, there are many useful feeds to follow. We are interested in the ones that will help your law firm market itself. To that [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/15/10-social-media-marketing-gurus-law-firm-follow/">10 Social Media and Marketing Gurus that Your Law Firm Should Follow on Twitter</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>10 Social Media and Marketing Gurus that Your Law Firm Should Follow on Twitter</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3939487692_0486e3e87e_z.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter  wp-image-1320" title="Twitter" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3939487692_0486e3e87e_z.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="432" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3939487692_0486e3e87e_z.jpg 640w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3939487692_0486e3e87e_z-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" /></a></p>
<p><em>Featured image courtesy of <strong><a title="Rosaura Ochoa" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosauraochoa/" target="_blank">Rosaura Ochoa</a></strong> licensed under creative commons.</em></p>
<p>If your law firm is on Twitter, and <a title="Which Social Media Networks are Right for Your Law Firm?" href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/06/social-media-networks-law-firm/" target="_blank">it should be</a>, there are many useful feeds to follow. We are interested in the ones that will help your law firm market itself. To that end, we have compiled a list of useful Twitter accounts focused on marketing and social media. We have mentioned some of these earlier in an article about <a title="7 Twitter Users Your Law Firm Needs to be Following Now" href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/01/27/7-twitter-users-firm/">legal Twitter feeds</a>, but we feel that anything repeated was worth repeating. Although very few of us went into law school thinking of law as a business, it is. These Twitter feeds help us out with some of the stuff we missed when we were taking pre-law liberal arts classes.</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kevinokeefe" target="_blank">Kevin O’Keefe</a> &#8211; Kevin always provides useful articles and observations about the intersection of social media and law. His tweets are often also about technology in general. We find ourselves wanting to re-tweet him a few times a day. If you plan on using social media as part of your law firm&#8217;s marketing plan, following Kevin is a great way to start.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/jeffbullas" target="_blank">Jeff Bullas</a> – When it comes to creating content about using social media for business, Jeff Bullas may be king. Although his feed contains little legal content, it is essential if you are trying to get a leg up in the world of social media. Jeff Bullas is the very definition of a guru.</li>
<li><a title="Lilach Bullock" href="https://twitter.com/#!/lilachbullock" target="_blank">Lilach Bullock</a> &#8211; She specializes in internet marketing and posts useful articles. More importantly, she is really nice and has written us a personalized comment every time we have re-tweeted her.</li>
<li><a title="TweetSmarter" href="https://twitter.com/#!/TweetSmarter" target="_blank">TweetSmarter</a> &#8211; Twitter may be an absolutely horrifying platform, especially for new users, but the conversation happening there is essential to the future of legal practice. TweetSmarter posts tips that make Twitter a litte less scary.</li>
<li><a title="Buffer" href="https://twitter.com/#!/bufferapp" target="_blank">Buffer</a> &#8211; Nothing does a better job of making Twitter manageable for us than Buffer. <a title="Buffer" href="http://bufferapp.com/r/6ca4e" target="_blank">Buffer </a>allows you to plan out your tweets for the day so that you aren&#8217;t faced with the choice of posting many things at once or remembering to go on Twitter multiple times each day to space out your posts. Buffer also integrates with most browsers so that you can simply add tweets to your queue. We promise the app is worth playing around with. Their Twitter feed is useful as well.</li>
<li><a title="Marieke Hensel" href="https://twitter.com/#!/hensel" target="_blank">Marieke Hensel</a> &#8211; Lots of great posts here. She also re-posts lots of useful information from other Twitter users.</li>
<li><a title="John Lichtenberger" href="https://twitter.com/#!/AdvertisingLaw" target="_blank">John Lichtenberger</a> &#8211; He helps attorneys advertise and understands both legal advertising and the laws of advertising.</li>
<li><a title="SEO web pro" href="https://twitter.com/#!/seoproweb" target="_blank">SEO web pro</a> &#8211; This company posts lots of great articles about optimizing your website to get great search engine results as well as other useful articles about marketing. Their links take you to a landing page, but generally you will find that the articles were worth the extra click to get to.</li>
<li><a title="HubSpot Platform" href="https://twitter.com/#!/HubSpotPlatform" target="_blank">HubSpot Platform</a> &#8211; HubSpot is a company that specializes in inbound marketing software. They do a great job of posting useful information about technology for small businesses. Their posts are often related to social media, but cover a larger and more interesting range than that. HubSpot is definitely worth a follow.</li>
<li><a title="DotCO Law Marketing" href="https://twitter.com/#!/DotCOLaw" target="_blank">DotCO Law Marketing</a> &#8211; If you somehow are not already following us, we invite you to start. We wouldn&#8217;t actually call ourselves gurus, but you are welcome to. We try to provide a mix of useful original content, like this blog post, as well as an aggregation of great content from other Twitter users and websites. Our focus is always on lawyers at small to medium sized law firms and providing information that makes their lives easier.</li>
</ol>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/15/10-social-media-marketing-gurus-law-firm-follow/">10 Social Media and Marketing Gurus that Your Law Firm Should Follow on Twitter</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>Which Social Media Networks are Right for Your Law Firm?</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/06/social-media-networks-law-firm/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/06/social-media-networks-law-firm/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:53:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reputation Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google+]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LinkedIn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pinterest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1163</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Featured image courtesy of kat m research licensed under creative commons. Which Social Networks Should My Law Firm Join? Social Networking seems to be growing exponentially. Nearly every week, we get an invitation for a new network. At first it was just LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Google+, Pinterest, and many others have since sprouted up. How do [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/06/social-media-networks-law-firm/">Which Social Media Networks are Right for Your Law Firm?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/3347144760_e11aaca411_z.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter  wp-image-1172" title="C-4 World Primary Network" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/3347144760_e11aaca411_z.jpg" alt="Networking" width="512" height="338" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/3347144760_e11aaca411_z.jpg 640w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/3347144760_e11aaca411_z-300x197.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>Featured image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36128932@N03/" target="_blank">kat m research</a> licensed under creative commons.</em></p>
<h2>Which Social Networks Should My Law Firm Join?</h2>
<p>Social Networking seems to be growing exponentially. Nearly every week, we get an invitation for a new network. At first it was just LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Google+, Pinterest, and many others have since sprouted up. How do you know if your firm needs a YouTube page? Should you be on Flickr? In this post we will do our best to help you decide which networks are right for your law firm.</p>
<p>First, we need to establish that your firm should be using social media at all. Is there really a reason to invest so much time and effort into something that does not provide clear results? Yes. Here are three of the most important reasons why:</p>
<ol>
<li>If someone is using social media to find a lawyer, your firm has to be there or else it won&#8217;t be found.</li>
<li>If all of your competitors and colleagues are using social media, but you aren&#8217;t, your firm may appear less cutting edge and up to date.</li>
<li>Social media, when used correctly, is a conversation. It is a way to make connections and learn.</li>
</ol>
<p>Once you have decided to establish social media accounts for your firm, you must decide which networks make the most sense for you. First, I will deal with the no-brainers.</p>
<h2>Networks Your Firm <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Must</span> Join</h2>
<h3>Twitter</h3>
<p>When you first log on to Twitter, it appears to be a jumbled chaotic mess full of spammers and self-proclaimed experts. However, after a little exploring, it becomes apparent that Twitter is the largest conversation that has ever existed. Part of that conversation is about the practice of law, and, as it has often been said, that conversation will happen whether you participate or not. The decision to not only use Twitter, but to participate in that conversation, drives learning, networking, and the practice of law. Twitter is also the place many people go to complain (or rave) about businesses and services. Monitoring Twitter regularly allows you to see what people are saying about you. We have previously published a post that can help you figure out <a title="7 Twitter Users Your Law Firm Needs to be Following Now" href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/01/27/7-twitter-users-firm/" target="_blank">who to follow on Twitter</a> if you are just getting started. (<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/DotCOLaw" target="_blank">Follow DotCO Law Marketing on Twitter</a>)</p>
<h3>LinkedIn</h3>
<p>LinkedIn is a place for professionals to meet. It is a bit like Facebook, but more business oriented. Every lawyer should be on LinkedIn individually and every firm should also have a page. LinkedIn helps lawyers cultivate and maintain professional relationships made offline while allowing for introductions and networking online. Built-in groups features help you plan events and have discussions. Job search features can help you find new employees. (<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/2342219?trk=tyah" target="_blank">Find us on LinkedIn</a>)</p>
<h3>Facebook</h3>
<p>By now, you probably know what Facebook is and how it works. The important question is whether your firm belongs there. It does. Believe it or not, there are people who will look for a lawyer on Facebook. Just being there might get you a client at some point. Law firms should not expect to get the same reaction from their pages that major corporations get. There is no reason why your law firm should ever have thousands or &#8220;likes&#8221; or fans. Facebook does allow you to easily share links, contact information, and other relevant news without keeping a window open all day. Your firm&#8217;s Facebook page will not need constant monitoring, as almost no one will visit it. If you are investing time on social media, it is worth a few hours to create a Facebook page, but do not let it drain your time or resources after that. (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/dot.co.law" target="_blank">Visit DotCO Law Marketing on Facebook</a>)</p>
<h2>Networks to Join for a Specific Purpose</h2>
<h3>Google+</h3>
<p>Google+ seems to have stalled a bit since its inception. No one is quite sure what to use it for right now. Its main advantage over Facebook in its infancy was better privacy controls. However, Facebook has since adopted similar mechanisms. The biggest reason to be on Google+ is that it gives your firm the appearance of being tech-savvy. People do not accidentally find themselves on Google+, and anyone finding your firm&#8217;s page there will realize this. A firm with a Google+ page gives the appearance of staying current in technology, which may also help you convince potential clients that you are on the forefront of legal practice. Google+ does not seem the be the place where the future of legal discourse will evolve, but is probably the best social network for people interested in the advancement of technology.</p>
<h3>YouTube</h3>
<p>If your firm has a good reason to be on YouTube, you probably already have an account. Posting videos about commonly asked legal questions is a great way to get attention while helping potential clients.  Your firm might also make videos introducing all of its employees, partners, and associates, or give a tour of your office. YouTube&#8217;s utility is somewhat limited, but a great video can be seen by thousands of people.</p>
<h2>Networks Your Firm Can Safely Ignore</h2>
<h3>Flickr</h3>
<p>There is almost no reason why your firm would need a Flickr account. While we have previously discussed the <a title="A Camera is a Small Investment that Improves both Law Practice and Marketing" href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/02/camera-small-investment-improves-law-practice-marketing/" target="_blank">importance of keeping a good camera around</a>, it doesn&#8217;t make too much sense for a law firm to keep many pictures online. A gallery on your website or Facebook showing off your employees and office is fine, but you should not expect to accomplish any useful legal networking on a site like Flickr.</p>
<h3>Spotify</h3>
<p>While Spotify has been rapidly growing as a network for music fans, it offers no real benefit to law firms. That being said, it doesn&#8217;t hurt to grab a personal account and see what your friends are listening to.</p>
<h3>Myspace</h3>
<p>To paraphrase Disney&#8217;s Lion King:</p>
<p><strong>Mufasa</strong>: Everything the light touches will be yours</p>
<p><strong>Simba</strong>: What about that shadowy place?</p>
<p><strong>Mufasa</strong>: That is Myspace. Lawyers must never go there, Simba.</p>
<h2>Too Early to Know</h2>
<h3>Pinterest</h3>
<p>It seems that every day, we come across multiple articles on Pinterest. Some of them are even about how lawyers can use this service. It doesn&#8217;t hurt to make a page for your firm, just to hold the name. It could turn out that Pinterest gets huge, and that lawyers flock to it, but we wouldn&#8217;t suggest spending too much time on it right now.</p>
<h2>Does Your Law Firm Use Other Social Networks?</h2>
<p>Have we missed any important social networks that your firm uses? Please comment and tell us what other networks make sense for your firm.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/06/social-media-networks-law-firm/">Which Social Media Networks are Right for Your Law Firm?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>Congratulations to Mainetti, Mainetti &#038; O&#8217;Connor!</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/05/congratulations-mainetti-mainetti-oconnor/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/05/congratulations-mainetti-mainetti-oconnor/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sean McGinnis]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:19:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[.Co Sites]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1194</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>DotCO Law Marketing spent several days in February attending the American Association for Justice Winter Convention in Phoenix Arizona. We got to reconnect with some old friends and make new ones too! We also did some business there, adding more than a handful of clients to the DotCO Law Marketing family. At the convention, we [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/05/congratulations-mainetti-mainetti-oconnor/">Congratulations to Mainetti, Mainetti &#038; O&#8217;Connor!</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>DotCO Law Marketing spent several days in February attending the American Association for Justice Winter Convention in Phoenix Arizona. We got to reconnect with some old friends and make new ones too! We also did some business there, adding more than a handful of clients to the DotCO Law Marketing family.</p>
<p>At the convention, we sponsored the indoor golf challenge, which was a rocking good time. We had a lot of activity at our booth throughout the day as a result of the golf challenge. But to make things even more interesting, we decided to hold a raffle and give away $20,000 worth of DotCO products.</p>
<h2>That&#8217;s right. We gave away $20,000 worth of our online advertising!</h2>
<p>Conference attendees entered the raffle by having the badges scanned. We also gave new customers who purchased at the convention additional entries for purchasing placements with us while at the convention.</p>
<p>We performed the random drawing last week and selected a winner.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mmolaw.net/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mainetti-Mainetti-OConnor-300x176.jpg" alt="Mainetti Mainetti &amp; O&#039;Connor" title="Mainetti Mainetti &amp; O&#039;Connor" width="300" height="176" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1195" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mainetti-Mainetti-OConnor-300x176.jpg 300w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mainetti-Mainetti-OConnor.jpg 691w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>Please join us in congratulating the Kingston New York law firm of <a href="http://www.mmolaw.net/" target="_blank">Mainetti, Mainetti &#038; O&#8217;Connor</a>. they were selected as our winning firm!</p>
<p>While you&#8217;re at it, how about you stop by and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mainetti-Mainetti-OConnor-PC/223490267677877" target="_blank">&#8220;Like&#8221; their facebook page</a>.</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll be in touch this week to add your listings to the sites of your choosing! Thanks for visiting with us in Phoenix!</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/03/05/congratulations-mainetti-mainetti-oconnor/">Congratulations to Mainetti, Mainetti &#038; O&#8217;Connor!</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>Legal Marketing Strategies &#8211; Switch From Absolut to GEICO</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/29/legal-marketing-strategies-switch-absolut-geico/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/29/legal-marketing-strategies-switch-absolut-geico/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:26:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[DotCO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Print Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1108</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Legal Marketing Strategies &#8211; Going from Absolut to GEICO by Diversifying Featured image courtesy of teamstickergiant licensed under creative commons. This blog has previously covered many different types of advertising strategies for law firms. We have recommended everything from billboards and newsletters to websites, radio ads, phone books and legal directories.  A core principle at DotCO Law [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/29/legal-marketing-strategies-switch-absolut-geico/">Legal Marketing Strategies &#8211; Switch From Absolut to GEICO</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Legal Marketing Strategies &#8211; Going from Absolut to GEICO by Diversifying</h2>
<h2><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/5306989956_b42d9de68a.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter" title="DSC00007" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/5306989956_b42d9de68a.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="378" /></a></h2>
<p><em>Featured image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stickergiant/" target="_blank">teamstickergiant</a> licensed under creative commons.</em></p>
<p>This blog has previously covered many different types of advertising strategies for law firms. We have recommended everything from billboards and newsletters to websites, radio ads, phone books and legal directories.  A core principle at DotCO Law Marketing is the belief that using multiple types of advertising simultaneously is the most crucial part of your marketing campaign. This is why we recommend that the advertising space that we sell is used to supplement other advertising strategies such as firm websites and legal directory listings.</p>
<h2>The GEICO Model vs. The Absolut Model</h2>
<p>For a long time, Absolut Vodka had an excellent advertising campaign. Their iconic ads by TBWA were simple, clever, and pervasive. They became part of pop culture and stayed there for years. For many people, the Absolut bottle was the first image that popped into their head when they thought of vodka. While those advertisements were top notch, they were mostly limited to print, especially magazines. As the internet became more widely used, and social media grew in popularity, Absolut did not adapt. While the brand still enjoys strong sales, today&#8217;s market would rather drink Grey Goose because it comes in a better looking bottle.</p>
<p>As Absolut&#8217;s marketing campaign was fizzling out, GEICO came out of nowhere, seemingly made of pure magic. Rather than having one solid line of commercials, they had many, often at the same time. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEICO_advertising_campaigns" target="_blank">GEICO commercials</a> saturated print, billboards, television, radio, the internet, and, briefly, were the basis of a television series. On any one day, a consumer might hear a standard sounding radio commercial about 15 minutes saving them 15% on car insurance, walk past a billboard featuring a pile of money with eyes staring back, see a print ad involving a gecko, watch a television spot involving a caveman, and download a GEICO ringtone. GEICO has done an incredible job of making multiple campaigns and characters more recognizable than even a single campaign from some other insurance companies. Their advertising has paid off, and GEICO is now one of the largest insurers in the United States.</p>
<h2>Applying This Lesson to Your Law Firm</h2>
<p>Very few law firms are ever going to have multiple television campaigns running at once, and even fewer will ever have apps or ringtones, but there is still plenty to be learned from what GEICO has done. No one type of advertisement will be seen by every potential customer. Furthermore, different types of advertising work on different people. When your law firm is planning advertising strategies, as many methods of advertising as possible should be used. Whether you decide to use one binding theme in all of your ads or to mix things up with a combination of serious and humorous ads, the key is to put them in more than one place. Billboards are great. So are television and radio. Advertising on the internet is essential. However, in this age, it must be remembered that the internet is not just one thing. A great website is essential, but it must be supplemented. Whether you pay a search engine for advertising space, list your firm with a directory, advertise with DotCO, or all three, saturation is key. When someone searches for a lawyer online, they can only choose your firm if they see it. The more searches that return your firm&#8217;s name, the more potential clients you will have. If your name is everywhere, it will be seen eventually.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/29/legal-marketing-strategies-switch-absolut-geico/">Legal Marketing Strategies &#8211; Switch From Absolut to GEICO</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>What Using Yelp for V-Day Taught Me about Reputation Management</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/21/yelp-vday-taught-reputation-management/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/21/yelp-vday-taught-reputation-management/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:38:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Reputation Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online reputation management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reputation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yelp]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1081</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Featured image courtesy of brad.coy licensed under creative commons. What a Great Valentine&#8217;s Day Dinner at Stella! Taught Me about Online Reputation Management on Yelp Last week, I wrote about Online Reputation Management for Law Firms. I intended to move to a totally different topic this week, until I had a particularly interesting experience with [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/21/yelp-vday-taught-reputation-management/">What Using Yelp for V-Day Taught Me about Reputation Management</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4372331824_86d0fa7a95_z.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter  wp-image-1090" title="Stella!" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4372331824_86d0fa7a95_z.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="576" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4372331824_86d0fa7a95_z.jpg 640w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4372331824_86d0fa7a95_z-150x150.jpg 150w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4372331824_86d0fa7a95_z-300x300.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>Featured image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradfordcoy/" target="_blank">brad.coy</a> licensed under creative commons.</em></p>
<h2>What a Great Valentine&#8217;s Day Dinner at Stella! Taught Me about Online Reputation Management on Yelp</h2>
<p>Last week, I wrote about <a title="Managing Your Law Firm’s Online Reputation" href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/09/managing-law-firms-online-reputation/">Online Reputation Management for Law Firms</a>. I intended to move to a totally different topic this week, until I had a particularly interesting experience with Yelp on Valentine&#8217;s Day. Living in New Orleans, there is a near endless list of great restaurants to bring a Valentine&#8217;s date to. Being the romantic sap / foodie that I am, I wanted the best. By most accounts I had seen in recent years, Stella! was about as good as it gets, so I made a reservation. The next day, out of curiosity, I started doing more research. I spent a long time on Yelp. What I found horrified me. While Stella! had a 4-star rating, many of its recent reviews were terrible. People complained about everything from the temperature of the food and the price to the wait staff and the restaurant&#8217;s policy on cancelling reservations.</p>
<p>For a while, I was quite nervous, thinking that I had made a terrible decision. A closer inspection, however, revealed that I probably had no reason to worry. It turns out some people just like to complain. One reviewer gave a poor rating because the party next to them was loud. Another was upset because the amuse bouche wasn&#8217;t vegan. I decided to keep my reservations and take a chance.</p>
<p>From the first bite, I knew that I had made the right decision. My date and I were both extremely happy with every single thing we ordered. The service was excellent, the ambiance was amazing and we had a great time. My date told me it was the best meal she had ever eaten in New Orleans. Within a few hours, I had added my own Yelp review.</p>
<p>Not the most exciting story in the world, but I think all business owners and many law firms can learn from it. Even the smallest inconvenience or perceived problem can spur someone to write an angry review. Before people used the internet to voice their complaints, this wasn&#8217;t such a big problem. Everyone knows some people who like to complain about everything, and whose opinions you take with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, when it comes to the internet, it can be hard to tell which reviewers went in looking for a reason to complain and which reviewers had a good reason to be disappointed.</p>
<p>Customer service has always been incredibly important, and the internet has only made it more important for every business or firm to focus on the customer. Businesses should do all that they reasonably can to guarantee customers a great experience. Law firms must do their best to keep clients updated, informed and feeling important.</p>
<p>I made the right decision and moved past the negative reviews to find the truth for myself. Many customers won&#8217;t. It is crucial that businesses monitor review sites on a regular basis to deal with poor reviews. The most frustrating review I found on Yelp was by a woman who gave Stella! a 1-star rating without ever actually stepping inside because she was unsatisfied with the tone of the woman on the phone who helped her cancel a reservation a few hours before she was scheduled to eat. This will happen to every business or firm at some point. A non-existent or perceived fault or slight can lead to a damaging review that can be seen by thousands of potential customers and clients. In an era when a single review can have so much power, it is up to your company to keep its reputation solid and to be vigilant about monitoring Yelp and other sites.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/21/yelp-vday-taught-reputation-management/">What Using Yelp for V-Day Taught Me about Reputation Management</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>Managing Your Law Firm&#8217;s Online Reputation</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/09/managing-law-firms-online-reputation/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/09/managing-law-firms-online-reputation/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:29:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reputation Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[digital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[managing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reputation]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1037</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Online Reputation Management for Your Law Firm Frequently, a potential client&#8217;s first introduction to your firm is online. The client may see your firm&#8217;s website, a legal directory listing, or even a blog post written by an associate. These are generally good things. Unfortunately, if you have disgruntled former clients, potential new clients are likely [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/09/managing-law-firms-online-reputation/">Managing Your Law Firm&#8217;s Online Reputation</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4991729774_3b42a0b0b1_b.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter  wp-image-1051" title="4991729774_3b42a0b0b1_b" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4991729774_3b42a0b0b1_b.jpg" alt="" width="553" height="421" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4991729774_3b42a0b0b1_b.jpg 1024w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/4991729774_3b42a0b0b1_b-300x228.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 553px) 100vw, 553px" /></a></p>
<h2>Online Reputation Management for Your Law Firm</h2>
<p>Frequently, a potential client&#8217;s first introduction to your firm is online. The client may see your firm&#8217;s website, a legal <a title="Why a Legal Directory Might Not be the Best Choice for Your Firm" href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/01/06/legal-directory-choice/">directory listing</a>, or even a blog post written by an associate. These are generally good things. Unfortunately, if you have disgruntled former clients, potential new clients are likely to come across negative reviews on Yelp, disparaging Facebook posts, or a poor review on Google Places. It is essential that you prevent bad reviews from happening in the first place, and quickly take steps to counteract them if they pop up anyway.</p>
<h3>The Key to a Good Online Reputation Starts Offline</h3>
<p>The best way to get new clients is word of mouth. <a title="Maximizing referrals for your law firm" href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2011/12/13/maximizing-referrals-law-firm/">Personal referrals</a> lead to law firm growth in a way that usually cannot be matched through advertising. At the same time, a law firm&#8217;s reputation is most vulnerable to attacks by its own clients. The best thing you can do to manage your firm&#8217;s online reputation is the same thing you already do to manage your professional reputation: Be professional! Treating clients with respect, giving them frequent updates about their case, and staying in touch and open to their concerns can only help you both in your practice and from a business standpoint. Of course, even the best attorney will find themselves at the receiving end of undue anger from a client who should really be upset with their own actions or the law.</p>
<h3>The Most Important Places to Monitor Your Reputation</h3>
<ul>
<li>If your firm has a Facebook page, monitor it. Make sure that any negative comments or posts are dealt with quickly. Simply deleting them can work, but it can also cause a major uproar. Addressing the concerns voiced in a malicious or unflattering post is the best way to fix the problem. Communicate as openly as possible to show other potential clients that you are responsive and have nothing to hide.</li>
<li>Many unhappy customers take their complaints to Twitter. Searching Twitter daily for your name and your law firm&#8217;s name can help you ward off negative attention before it picks up steam.</li>
<li>Perhaps the worst two places to fight negative reviews are Google Places and Yelp. Both of these services allow for detailed reviews of your firm. Google Places search results appear on nearly every relevant search, while Yelp results are often ranked very high in searches. One or two poor reviews on these services can do incredible amounts of damage to your reputation. It is essential that you not respond negatively to these types of reviews, as this will intensify the situation. If you are having a problem with either of these sites, it is essential that you contact an Online Reputation Management professional.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How to Deal with an Unfair or Negative Review</h3>
<p>There are both online and offline solutions to this problem:</p>
<h3>Offline Solutions</h3>
<p>If a client has posted a negative review, your best bet is to address their concerns. Contacting them directly in an attempt to rectify the problem is generally a good idea. It is essential that you do not accuse or argue with them. Do what you can to persuade them to remove or correct their own review.  Threatening your own clients, <em>especially with legal action</em>, will generally only make the problem worse. Even if you believe that the review or comment is defamatory in nature, escalating the dispute will be seen by the public as you attacking your own customers.</p>
<h3>Online Self Solutions</h3>
<p>Many websites have built in mechanisms for disputing or removing false information. Try to ask a website (politely, and without threatening!) to take down the false information. Encourage other customers to write positive reviews which contrast the problematic post.</p>
<h3>Reputation Management Companies</h3>
<p>When all else fails, or you feel that you are in over your head, your best bet is to contact a Reputation Management Company. If you are a larger firm, this should probably be the first thing you do. While the services provided can be costly, your reputation is your most valuable asset, and is worth defending. These companies can often work to change search results in a way that hides the problem from simple searches by potential customers.</p>
<h3>Other Ideas?</h3>
<p>Reputation management is a quickly developing field responding to an ever-evolving problem. Have you found any other useful tools for monitoring or managing your reputation? Have you figured out any strategies for dealing with a rogue client? Does your firm&#8217;s social media policy address these situations? Do you have a plan in place for how to quickly and decisively deal with online reputation problems as soon as they pop up?  Feel free to discuss these issues in the comments below!</p>
<p><em>Featured image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ethanhein/" target="_blank">Ethan Hein</a> licensed under creative commons.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/09/managing-law-firms-online-reputation/">Managing Your Law Firm&#8217;s Online Reputation</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>A Camera is a Small Investment that Improves both Law Practice and Marketing</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/02/camera-small-investment-improves-law-practice-marketing/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/02/camera-small-investment-improves-law-practice-marketing/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:34:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dslr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[law firm marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[practice of law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=1012</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A Good Camera Will Help Your Law Firm in both Marketing and Practice How can you improve both your law practice and your firm&#8217;s marketing program with one small investment? Simple. Your firm needs a good camera. In today&#8217;s market, there is a digital camera that fits every budget. From simple to use point and shoot models to [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/02/camera-small-investment-improves-law-practice-marketing/">A Camera is a Small Investment that Improves both Law Practice and Marketing</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/164084923_13dc4e929f_b.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter  wp-image-1020" title="Cameras" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/164084923_13dc4e929f_b.jpg" alt="" width="574" height="288" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/164084923_13dc4e929f_b.jpg 1024w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/164084923_13dc4e929f_b-300x150.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 574px) 100vw, 574px" /></a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">A Good Camera Will Help Your <strong>Law</strong> <strong>Firm</strong> in both Marketing and Practice</h2>
<p>How can you improve both your law practice and your firm&#8217;s marketing program with one small investment?</p>
<p>Simple. Your firm needs a good camera.</p>
<p>In today&#8217;s market, there is a digital camera that fits every budget. From simple to use point and shoot models to more expensive Digital SLR cameras, there is an almost endless supply of cameras that could be right for your firm. Prices start around $50 and can go higher than you might imagine. Let&#8217;s examine the reasons for purchasing a camera before we figure out which type is right for your firm.</p>
<h3>For Your Practice:</h3>
<p>A camera will prove useful for your practice in the following ways:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Documenting crime scenes and accidents</strong> &#8211; The more information you preserve from the scene, the better you will be able to represent your clients&#8217; interests later. While the photos may not always hold up in court, they can help you notice things you missed in the chaos of a messy crime or accident scene. A better camera with more detail means that you have more information to work with. Whether you catch something as vital as blood spatter or as seemingly unimportant as a receipt or document that later provides your client with an alibi, you will be glad your camera captured details that your eyes missed.</li>
<li><strong>Interviewing witnesses</strong> &#8211; Most modern digital cameras also take good video. Recording an interview with a witness, or (depending on your state&#8217;s rules) a deposition, allows you to go through the interview repeatedly, combing it for information you may have missed.</li>
<li><strong>Around the office</strong> &#8211; Taking pictures of firm functions such as parties or outings can boost morale and teamwork. You also never know when there will be a problem with your building or office. You could potentially use your own photography if your firm ever gets into a dispute with a landlord or property owner.</li>
<p>&nbsp;</ul>
<h3>For Marketing Purposes:</h3>
<p>A good camera can improve your firm&#8217;s marketing:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Social Media</strong> &#8211; When marketing your firm, it is important that the firm shows personality. Your face is usually more memorable than a logo. This is important when creating social media avatars and icons. When clients can see your face, they will feel more connected to you. You can also share relevant photos on networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. New social networks such as Pinterest are constantly sprouting up, so the justifications for taking pictures continually increase.</li>
<li><strong>Blogging</strong> &#8211; Many bloggers use stock imagery for their posts. You can make a post more personal by using your own photography. This helps foster interaction while cutting down on the costs of stock photography licenses.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Choosing the Right Camera for Your Firm:</h3>
<p>There are endless reasons for your firm to own a camera, but it is up to you to decide just how serious your firm should be about photography.</p>
<h3>SLR Cameras:</h3>
<p>If you or someone at your firm is an avid photographer, or at least interested in learning, a Digital SLR is probably the right path for you. These cameras typically range from $400 up; with many high-end consumer models available for under $1000. SLR cameras produce excellent pictures, but their biggest draw is that they allow you to switch lenses. This allows you to use the same camera for many purposes. For example, by simply changing the lens, you could use one camera for all of these purposes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Standard photography: Most SLR cameras come with a &#8220;kit lens.&#8221; This lens will be versatile for many purposes and is good for beginners. A kit lens will be valuable at the scene of an accident where many types of pictures will be taken.</li>
<li>Macro photography: A macro lens allows for extreme close-ups. This can allow you discover fingerprints and fibers on evidence. It can be used to show the difference between handwriting samples or paint chips. If your firm deals with evidence, this lens will be essential.</li>
<li>Other lenses such as wide angle lenses and telephoto lenses will be useful in situations where photographs must be taken from a distance.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Point and Shoot Cameras:</h3>
<p>Point and shoot cameras tend to be the cheapest cameras and also the easiest to use. They generally cost less than $350 and allow for fully automatic operation. With this type of camera, you may not be able to capture all the small details, but nearly every shot will be usable with no technical knowledge necessary. The main disadvantage with a point and shoot camera is that there are no upgrades or additional components that can be added if you want to increase the camera&#8217;s capabilities.</p>
<p>The most important part of purchasing a camera for your firm is making sure you get it as soon as possible. After all, even a blurry picture is better than not having a camera when you need one.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>Featured image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewarren/" target="_blank">Mike Warren</a> licensed under creative commons.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/02/02/camera-small-investment-improves-law-practice-marketing/">A Camera is a Small Investment that Improves both Law Practice and Marketing</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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		<title>7 Twitter Users Your Law Firm Needs to be Following Now</title>
		<link>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/01/27/7-twitter-users-firm/</link>
					<comments>http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/01/27/7-twitter-users-firm/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Ballen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:14:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dotcolaw.co/?p=951</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>7 Twitter Users that Lawyers at Small and Medium Sized Firms Should be Following: If you are on Twitter, you know that finding the best sources of information can be difficult. Some firms use Twitter purely for advertising. Others aggregate content from many sources. Most importantly, some users create content that will help your firm. [...]</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/01/27/7-twitter-users-firm/">7 Twitter Users Your Law Firm Needs to be Following Now</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/3419823308_a5b55eb0f2_z.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter  wp-image-956" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;" title="3419823308_a5b55eb0f2_z" src="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/3419823308_a5b55eb0f2_z.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="432" srcset="http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/3419823308_a5b55eb0f2_z.jpg 640w, http://www.dotcolaw.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/3419823308_a5b55eb0f2_z-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" /></a></p>
<h2>7 Twitter Users that Lawyers at Small and Medium Sized Firms Should be Following:</h2>
<p>If you are on Twitter, you know that finding the best sources of information can be difficult. Some firms use Twitter purely for advertising. Others aggregate content from many sources. Most importantly, some users create content that will help your firm. These 7 users are sure to provide you with useful information.</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kevinokeefe" target="_blank">Kevin O&#8217;Keefe</a> &#8211; Kevin always provides useful articles and observations about the intersection of social media and law. His tweets are often also about technology in general. We find ourselves wanting to re-tweet him a few times a day.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/KesslerLawFirm" target="_blank">Michael Kessler</a> &#8211; A combination of quirky cases from around the country and new legal developments keep this feed both entertaining and useful.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/jeffbullas" target="_blank">Jeff Bullas</a> &#8211; When it comes to creating content about using social media for business, Jeff Bullas may be king. Although his feed contains little legal content, it is essential if you are trying to get a leg up in the world of social media.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Legal_Alerts" target="_blank">JDSupra Legal News</a> &#8211; This feed covers a broad range of topics that lawyers are interested in. A good mix of legal news and advice on legal topics.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/LawTechNews" target="_blank">Law Technology News</a> &#8211; This aptly titled feed covers both technology relevant to lawyers and law relevant to technology.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/TheLawNews" target="_blank">Law News</a> &#8211; This is another legal news source. A wide range of topics are covered, but most concern either legal developments or news about law firms.</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/DotCOLaw" target="_blank">DotCO Law Marketing</a> &#8211; Of course we think you should follow us. We do our best to provide original content and generally post two new blog articles each week. We spend the rest of our time on Twitter aggregating the news we think is the most relevant for small and medium sized law firms who are trying to create a presence on the internet and in social media.</li>
</ol>
<p>Leave us a comment if you think we forgot any important sources of news for lawyers. We would love to follow you on Twitter too.</p>
<div><em>Featured image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosauraochoa/">Rosaura Ochoa</a> licensed under creative commons.</em></div>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co/2012/01/27/7-twitter-users-firm/">7 Twitter Users Your Law Firm Needs to be Following Now</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dotcolaw.co">DotCO Law Marketing</a>.</p>
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