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	<title>Legal Media Matters</title>
	
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		<title>Law Firm Marketing: Use a Theme to Solidify Your Image</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/DQ2uWpu3nro/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/law-firm-marketing-use-a-theme-to-solidify-your-image/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:42:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Brand Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[law firm marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal branding]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1616</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When it comes to marketing, law firms should adopt a theme and use it as the basis for all of the firm’s promotional items.  Most marketing professionals dub this “branding” — a process that involves the use of a coherent visual communication strategy.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/LMM-PRWeb4.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-448" title="LMM-PRWeb" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/LMM-PRWeb4-280x300.jpg" alt="legal-PR-press-release" width="280" height="300" /></a>How a coherent visual communication strategy bolsters law firm branding efforts</em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When young lawyers prepare for trial, they are urged to develop a theme. The theme is introduced during voir dire and returned to again and again throughout the trial and hammered home during the closing.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When it comes to marketing, law firms should take a similar approach: Adopt a theme and use it as the basis for all of the firm’s promotional items.  Most marketing professionals dub this “branding” — a process that involves the use of <strong>a coherent visual communication strategy.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I once heard a consultant explain branding to a nonprofit agency director in this manner: “If I were to scatter all of your promotional materials on a table, would you be able to tell they all came from the same place without picking them up and reading them?”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If not, your communication efforts may lack coherence. Here are some areas to focus on as you work to present a unified PR and marketing strategy for your law firm.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">1. Law Firm Logo</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the article <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/law-firm-logos-the-image-sends-the-message/" target="_blank">“Law Firm Logos: The Image Sends the Message,”</a> our logo designer, Enrique Serrano, explains why your legal marketing efforts should start with a logo and how to go about incorporating a logo into your branding efforts.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Most lawyers, when they hear the word “logo,” conjure up images of scales of justice or gavels. Though these remain popular icons with which to symbolize a firm, some lawyers are opting for unique designs that incorporate acronyms for the firm’s name or more abstract concepts.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Even a firm that isn’t interested in a logo chooses a particular font in which to present the firm’s name, and the firm may even use a color other than black for the firm name</strong>. The point is that even if your firm has decided it isn’t a “logo-type” firm, it has still adopted a designated text format that should be used to present the firm name.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">2. Letterhead, Business Cards, Faxes</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Do your letterhead, business card and fax cover sheet match? Do they all contain your logo — whether it’s the color version or black-and-white? <strong>Or do you find that when you lay your firm’s stationary, business cards and fax cover sheets on the conference room table, it appears that three different firms supplied them</strong>?</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">3. Legal Marketing Materials</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Continuing with the conference room example, if you set your law firm’s flier, brochure and newsletters down on the table, do they communicate well-thought-out firm identity, or are they a hodgepodge of items?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Though visually erratic marketing materials may have their place, few clients enjoy seeing them at the law firm. An incoherent image may send a message of a chaotic practice. On the other hand, a uniform image reinforces the message that the firm is polished and professional.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">4. Online Legal Marketing</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Say your firm’s logo and stationary are green and white. Is the firm’s website theme red and blue? Is your firm’s electronic newsletter turquoise and brown? Does your firm have a Twitter account? Have you customized the page to reflect your communication theme?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Make sure that when you hand a business card to a prospective client, that person will receive a coherent visual message when he or she goes online to research your firm. At Legal Media Matters, our logo and colors carry over onto our Twitter page <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">(@legalmediamtrs)</a>, and you can even see a copy of the back side of our business card on our customized Twitter background.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<div id="attachment_1618" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 625px"><a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs"><img class="size-full wp-image-1618  " title="LMMTwitter" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/LMMTwitter.png" alt="Legal Media Matters Twitter page" width="615" height="298" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Legal Media Matters Twitter background</p></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Coming up with a theme may take some time, but it is time well spent. At Legal Media Matters, we provide logo, letterhead, business card, website and Twitter page designs aimed at reinforcing your visual communication strategy. For more information, contact us by filling out our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/" target="_blank">online contact form</a> or email geri@legalmediamatters.com.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm  marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
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		<title>Legal PR: 5 Tips for a Successful Media Interview</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/WoEVeNyUanA/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-pr-5-tips-for-a-successful-media-interview/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:13:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Brand Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Public Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public relations for lawyers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1593</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As with everything else in life, preparing for a media interview is paramount. Here are five tips to help you get ready for your moment in the spotlight.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1596" title="Media interview" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/j0433094-300x225.jpg" alt="5 legal PR tips" width="300" height="225" />As with everything else in life, preparation is paramount</em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Noted lawyer Louis Nizer once said, “Preparation is the be-all of good trial work.” The same can be said for giving a good media interview.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Unlike just showing up and hoping for the best, preparing ahead of time will help you put your best foot forward. Here are five tips to help you prepare for your moment in the spotlight.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">1. Find out the topic of the interview ahead of time.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If the interview is for service, or “how-to,” journalism, the reporter will let you know at the outset the topic of the story. For example, an estate planning lawyer may be asked to provide comments for an article on how to decide whether a will or a trust is appropriate.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">2. Research the reporter’s previous stories.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Read up on the reporter before you sit down for an interview. If he or she is known for investigative pieces and you didn’t get much detail about the interview topic, you may want to consider contacting a public relations professional before the interview. A publicist has the background and expertise needed to determine whether the story is likely to be a negative piece and can advise you on how to proceed.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">3. Anticipate the questions you will be asked.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Well before a lawyer ever picks a jury, the attorney will analyze the case in the best — and worst — possible light. Doing so helps the lawyer anticipate the opposing side’s strategy and develop an appropriate response.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When it comes to a media interview, reviewing all of the possible questions that could be asked is vital. Having an experienced publicist pose as a devil’s advocate can be an indispensable aid.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">4. Formulate succinct answers and determine a set of three or four points you want to communicate.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Although sound bites are abhorred, they are useful. A quick, memorable statement will stand out in the reporter’s mind and make writing the article easier. A long, rambling answer can take up valuable print space.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If the interview is with a radio or television reporter — who is preparing a segment that is, on average, just 90 seconds long — you have to be able to get right to the heart of the matter.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">5. Don’t ask to review the article before it is published.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Most journalists understand that a free and independent press plays a crucial role in a democracy. They take their responsibilities as the so-called fourth estate seriously. Just as a lawyer would never ask a judge to review a ruling before it is handed down or an employee would never ask to prescreen an employment evaluation before it is delivered, an interview subject should not ask to review an article before it is published.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">However, you <em>should</em> offer your e-mail address and cell number in case the reporter has any follow-up questions or needs to clarify your comments.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm  marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
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		<title>Lawyer Marketing and the Little Red Book of Selling</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/58M67oOyFI4/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/lawyer-marketing-and-the-little-red-book-of-selling/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:58:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Brand Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[law firm logos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[law firm marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional networking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1569</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer is a great business book, easily adapted to law firm marketing, that's well worth reading. The slim, well-organized book sets forth 12.5 principles lawyers will find useful.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em> </em></p>
<div id="attachment_1588" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 212px"><em><em><img class="size-full wp-image-1588" title="Gitomer Red Book" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Gitomer-Red-Book.jpg" alt="Little Red Book of Selling" width="202" height="200" /></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeffrey Gitomer</p></div>
<p><em>To attract and sign good clients, put Jeffrey Gitomer’s sales principles to work</em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">OK, I’ll admit it. I enjoy reading business and sales books.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I think too many lawyers dismiss business sales books based on the chicken-or-the-egg debate over whether the law is a profession or a business. But lawyers exchange their advice, skill and training to clients for a fee, whether it is hourly, flat fee or contingency based — and, <strong>in an era of escalating competition in which prospective legal clients are willing to shop around, many lawyers struggle with the question of whether cut fees or justify a higher rate based on value</strong>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, lawyers aren’t alone.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Last week, I had the privilege of serving as a guest panelist for a St. Louis Women in the Media networking event on the topic of the freelance market. One of the topics of discussion was how to set a reasonable fee when freelance writers are increasingly viewed as a fungible commodity. Once again, the notion of value — being a reliable writer known for providing quality, timely copy — was discussed as justification for charging and receiving a higher rate.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">During the panel discussion, I enthusiastically recommended Jeffrey Gitomer’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1885167601?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=legmedmat-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1885167601">Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness.</a> It is a valuable resource for lawyers as well as freelance writers.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I bought this slim, easy-to-read book packed with tips last winter. I’ve read it more than once and even gave it as a birthday gift to my web programmer and designer. (I have no problem admitting two things in this post:  I am a practical, nerdy gift-giver and I am recommending this book, using my Amazon affiliate link.)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the <em>Little Red Book</em>, Gitomer sets forth 12.5 tips (yes -- .5) to make sales forever, stressing the importance of relationship- and friendship-building in the process. Although you’ll find helpful nuggets in all 12.5 tips, I want to highlight three principles lawyers will find especially useful in their legal marketing efforts.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">1. Establish your personal brand</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the legal world, reputation is paramount. Law firm partners take young associates aside and discuss the importance of upholding the firm’s reputation. Most also stress the need to establish a personal reputation among other lawyers and in the courthouse as a person you can trust, one whose word can be taken at face value.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This is part of personal branding — but, as Gitomer writes, it also involves getting the community to have confidence in you, establishing yourself as an expert and separating yourself from the competition.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>And it means building your image. Gitomer recommends getting the best business card money can buy.</strong> “When you give out your card, if someone doesn’t look at it and say, ‘Nice card,’ get it redone.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We take that seriously at Legal Media Matters. Our logos are designed to get our clients noticed. When I hand out a Legal Media Matters business card, it always receives a second look and a positive comment.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">2.  It’s about value, not price</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Understanding what your clients want and need is an important part of providing value. <strong>In the legal realm, clients hire lawyers to fix problems or prevent them in the first place.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the freelance panel discussion last week, the representative of a communications firm stressed the need for reliable, quality freelancers. If the freelancer doesn’t perform, the firm faces the prospect of an unhappy client. Therefore firms are willing to pay higher fees to freelancers with good reputations.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Gitomer offers several examples of ways to give value first, such as writing articles and giving handouts; how to become known as a person of value; and how to change “lowest price” conversations to ones about value.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">3.  Networking</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Anyone who has ever attending a law practice management or legal marketing seminar has been told to network, network, network. Getting together with other lawyers helps build and strengthen referral networks, still a major source of new business for lawyers. Attorneys are also advised to volunteer and speak.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gitomer has rounded up 21.5 best places to network and he gives tips for success</strong>. Even if you’re an introvert like me, you’ll find the suggestions are worthwhile. I’ve put several into practice (not the karaoke suggestion, though) and made some great business connections, cultivated referral sources and even reconnected with old law school friends with whom I had chance encounters at conferences.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">These are just a few of the tips, easily adapted to law firm marketing, contained in a book that’s well worth reading.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Do you have a favorite business book you consult for your law practice? If so, let me know what it is and why you recommend it.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">And if you need help with creating or redesigning your law firm logo, preparing guest articles or putting together attractive handouts, <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/" target="_blank">contact Legal Media Matters</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm  marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
<p><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=legmedmat-20&#038;o=1&#038;p=8&#038;l=as1&#038;asins=1885167601&#038;fc1=000000&#038;IS2=1&#038;lt1=_blank&#038;m=amazon&#038;lc1=0000FF&#038;bc1=000000&#038;bg1=FFFFFF&#038;f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=legmedmat-20&#038;o=1&#038;p=8&#038;l=as1&#038;asins=B002C7481G&#038;fc1=000000&#038;IS2=1&#038;lt1=_blank&#038;m=amazon&#038;lc1=0000FF&#038;bc1=000000&#038;bg1=FFFFFF&#038;f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=legmedmat-20&#038;o=1&#038;p=12&#038;l=ur1&#038;category=kindlerotating&#038;f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
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		<title>Legal PR:  New Hire Announcements</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/lrYmLCihdk8/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-pr-new-hire-announcements/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:01:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legal News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Press Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Public Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public relations for lawyers]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[For most law firms, hiring a new attorney is a significant development. It is a sizable investment that sends a positive message about your firm’s growth and ability to serve your client base. If you are considering announcing a new hire, be sure your press release submission meets these four criteria.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1559" title="Law Firm Announcements" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP900227735-300x198.jpg" alt="Legal PR and Hiring" width="300" height="198" />Four tips to remember when preparing your legal press release highlighting new lawyers</em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For most law firms, hiring a new attorney is a significant development. It is a sizable investment that sends a positive message about your firm’s growth and ability to serve your client base.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Many law firms send press releases to a variety of legal and mainstream publications announcing their new hires.</strong> The practice serves two purposes:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>It is a nice welcoming gesture that gets the new relationship off on the right track.</li>
<li>It is an inexpensive way to generate publicity for the firm.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If you are considering announcing a new hire, be sure your press release submission meets these four criteria.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">1.  Keep it short.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As I mentioned in <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/press-release-writing-tips-part-ii/" target="_blank">Press Release Writing Tips Part II</a>, I recommend keeping the release under 400 words. Press releases are business communications, and your readers, busy journalists, will appreciate your ability to get to the point.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">2.  Identify educational institutions and graduation dates.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In addition to sending the press release to local, legal and bar publications, consider submitting it to the new hire’s alumni magazines. Most college and law school alumni magazines include a class notes sections that highlights recent alumnus achievements. Alumni magazine editors generally ask that the release identify educational institutions, degrees received and years of graduation. Including these details allows the editor to more easily verify the information.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">3.  Include a high-resolution photograph.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A photo of the new hire is a good way to complement the text. However, if the photo will appear in print, it needs to be of high resolution — 300 pixels per inch (300 dpi) or greater.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For Windows’ users, to figure out whether you have a high-resolution image, right-click on the photo and select Properties. You may have to select Advanced Properties, but you will eventually obtain the resolution information.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Many digital cameras have as their default setting 72 dpi, a low resolution that is great for the Internet and websites but terrible for print. To learn how to produce a high-resolution image, read this <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2352568_make-high-resolution-images.html" target="_blank">eHow article</a> by Sharon Mcelwee.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">You can also hire a professional photographer who will supply both high- and low-resolution images. At Legal Media Matters, we recommend using a professional photographer. For more information on why a professional photographer is an important ally when it comes to creating an image for your law firm and for tips on making the most of a professional shoot, read <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-marketing-4-photo-shoot-tips/" target="_blank">Legal Marketing: 4 Photo Shoot Tips</a>.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">4. Insert a paragraph describing the firm’s practice area.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Use the press release to promote the firm in addition to spotlighting the new hire. Make sure the last paragraph of the press release identifies the firm’s location and areas of practice. Although the complete information will most likely not make it into the final version that appears in the publication, you have used the opportunity to educate the reporters and editors responsible for modifying the content for their publication about your firm. That could translate into interview requests in the future when a reporter is looking for legal experts.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm  marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
<h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em;">Related articles by Zemanta</h6>
<ul class="zemanta-article-ul">
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://mashable.com/2010/08/16/pr-social-media-future/">The Future of Public Relations and Social Media</a> (mashable.com)</li>
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		<title>Blawg Topics: 3 More Brainstorming Tools</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/ch8oulC9JuU/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/blawg-topics-3-more-brainstorming-tools/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:26:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legal Content Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Technology Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Web Content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blawgs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog content tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal blogging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1541</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Tuesday, I highlighted three approaches I use when I’m feeling stuck and can’t seem to come up with content ideas for my own blog or the blawgs of my clients. Here are three more free research and intelligence-gathering tools you can use to guide your legal blog content writing efforts and boost your traffic.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><em><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP9004050161.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1545" title="Content Ideas" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP9004050161-300x200.jpg" alt="Blawg content ideas" width="300" height="200" /></a>Jumpstart your content writing by leveraging these free resources</em></h2>
<p>By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">On Tuesday, I highlighted <a href="*  http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-blogs-three-ways-to-brainstorm-new-topic-ideas/" target="_blank">three approaches </a>I use when I’m feeling stuck and can’t seem to come up with content ideas for my own blog or the blawgs of my clients.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">To get the ideas flowing once again, I discussed:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Listing frequently asked questions</li>
<li>Using keywords identified by Google Analytics</li>
<li>Setting up Google Alerts</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here are three more free research and intelligence-gathering tools you can use to guide your legal blog content writing efforts and boost your traffic.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">1.  Use Wordtracker to identify keyword questions</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://labs.wordtracker.com/keyword-questions/" target="_blank">Wordtracker''s Keyword Questions</a> is a nifty tool. Enter a single or short keyword phrase and you’ll receive a list of questions that people type into search engines. Use those questions to come up with blog topics. You’ll also want to use the question in your headlines.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1542" title="Wordtracker Keyword Questions" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Wordtracker-Keyword-Questions-300x188.png" alt="" width="300" height="188" />For example, I typed in the search term “personal injury.” The questions Wordtracker identified included:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Is a personal injury settlement community property?</li>
<li>What is the average personal injury settlement?</li>
<li>What to expect in personal injury mediation?</li>
<li>What personal injury attorney handles dog bites in Tucson area?</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">2. Use Google Insights for Search to identify breakout searches.</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.google.com/insights/search/#" target="_blank">Google Insights</a> is a tool that allows you to look at search trends over time, then highlights predictions for the future. It allows you to track newspaper headlines and identifies not only the top search queries related to your keywords but also rising or breakout searches. It’s not unlike enjoying a great new restaurant before the rave reviews are printed: The breakout terms allow you to avoid the rush of the crowd and get the best seat in a soon-to-be-popular venue.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1543" title="Google Insights" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Google-Insights-300x171.png" alt="" width="300" height="171" />Once again, I typed in the search term “personal injury.” I limited the query to the state of Georgia. It identified seven breakout searches, including:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Atlanta injury lawyer</li>
<li>Personal injury cases</li>
<li>Personal injury claims</li>
<li>Personal injury settlements</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">3.  Use Google Sets to identify lists of words related to your practice area</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://labs.google.com/sets" target="_blank">Google Sets</a> allows you to create a list of words related to your keywords. You can use the list generated as a word-association game to get the creative process going. Once again, you’ll have new words that you’ll want to incorporate into the post to make it more likely that prospective clients will find you.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1544" title="Google sets" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Google-sets-300x205.png" alt="" width="300" height="205" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I entered the following terms:  “personal,” “injury,” “lawyer,” and “attorney.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The expanded list of Google Sets predictions included:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Probate</li>
<li>Legal services</li>
<li>DUI</li>
<li>Auto</li>
<li>Car</li>
<li>Truck</li>
<li>Trial</li>
<li>Insurance law</li>
<li>Wrongful death</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, these tips are all helpful for Web content writing, too.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm  marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.kirapermunian.co.cc/2010/08/keyword-suggestion-generators-tool.html">Top 5 Innovative Keyword Generators</a> (kirapermunian.co.cc)</li>
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		<title>Legal Blogs: Three Ways to Brainstorm New Topic Ideas</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/NYXSc8BvXdM/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-blogs-three-ways-to-brainstorm-new-topic-ideas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:25:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legal Content Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Web Content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blawgs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog content tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1523</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In addition to writing for my own blog, I help law firms keep up with the demands of their own blogs. But even as a professional legal content writer there are occasions when I find myself blocked as I’m trying to come up with content ideas. Here are three approaches that help me get unstuck and back on the writing track.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1527" title="Blog content ideas" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP900385424-300x214.jpg" alt="Blawg topics" width="300" height="214" />Feeling blocked? Follow these steps when content ideas are scarce.</em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In addition to writing for my own blog, I help law firms keep up with the demands of their own blogs. That might mean anything from planning a blogging calendar to create content that conforms to their legal PR aims to writing drafts of blog content.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>But even as a professional legal content writer there are occasions when I find myself blocked as I’m trying to come up with content ideas.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here are three approaches that help me get unstuck and back on the writing track.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">1. List Frequently Asked Questions</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When I speak to prospective clients about law firm website writing, blog writing or legal PR work, the questions I’m asked tend to be similar despite differences in practice areas and geographical locations.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When a lawyer meets with a client or conducts an initial telephone consultation, the concerns raised are rarely novel. Clients want to know about their legal rights and options, legal procedures, the scope of the representation and the law firm’s fee structures.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>I find it helpful to make a list of questions frequently raised in the initial consultation and use them to plan upcoming blog posts. </strong>Try writing down the initial questions a client raises during the meeting.  If you use  your client's terminology to frame your questions, you may improve the chances that a search engine query will lead to your blog post.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">2. Use Keywords Identified by Google Analytics</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Everyone should have his or her law firm’s website or blog configured with a program that measures traffic. One of the most popular free programs is Google Analytics. (In <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/how-to-install-google-analytics-measure-marketing/">“How to install Google Analytics to measure your marketing campaigns</a>,” Enrique Serrano provides step-by-step instructions explaining the process. )</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Review the keyword phrases that are bringing visitors to your website.</strong> You can sort the phrases in a number of ways — for instance, identifying the most frequently used phrases that bring people to your site and the phrases that have received the most page views on your website. Consider writing a blog post that capitalizes on those keyword phrases.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">3.  Set Up Google Alerts</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">If you scour the Internet in search of mainstream and legal media articles highlighting the latest news touching on your practice area, let <a href="http://www.google.com/alerts" target="_blank">Google Alerts</a> do your Web surfing for you. You can enter your search parameters into Google Alerts, another free service, and receive a daily or weekly update highlighting the latest Google results on the basis of your topic or search terms.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The e-mail roundup is an efficient alert that pulls together late-breaking news and recent legal developments</strong>. Because you’re able to find out about it early, you can use the opportunity to weigh in or explain the debate on your legal blog.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">These are just a few of my tried-and-true methods. Do you have any suggestions for overcoming legal content writing block? If so, I’d love to hear about them. Feel free to leave a comment to this blog post or email me at geri@legalmediamatters.com.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For our follow-up post on additional ways to generate story ideas, read <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/blawg-topics-3-more-brainstorming-tools/" target="_blank">"Blawg Topics: 3 More Brainstorming Tools."</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm  marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
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		<title>What’s the Difference Between a Law Firm Blog and a Website?</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/DjaDYqpKZsQ/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/what%e2%80%99s-the-difference-between-a-law-firm-blog-and-a-website/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:18:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legal Web Content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blawgs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog content tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[editing legal content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal blogging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1500</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A lawyer sent me an e-mail asking me to explain the difference between a blog and a website. As methods of communicating information by way of the Internet evolve, differentiating between a website and a blog is sometimes difficult. Here are some of the traditional distinctions between the two.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1507" title="Internet" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP900401797-300x199.jpg" alt="law firm websites and blogs" width="300" height="199" />The site’s purpose, the use of fresh content and tone often play a role in distinguishing between the two</em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Last week a lawyer sent me an e-mail asking me to explain the difference between a blog and a website.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The answer is not as simple as it might seem. As methods of communicating information by way of the Internet evolve, differentiating between a website and a blog is sometimes difficult.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here are some of the traditional distinctions between the two.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Law Firm Website</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Generally <strong>a law firm’s website contains static sections with descriptions of the types of legal services offered</strong>. It includes basic information explaining who your firm is and what it does:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>A home page introducing the firm to potential clients</li>
<li>A practice areas page listing the types of cases the firm handles. The website may also contain several subpages that explain the types of cases in further detail</li>
<li>An attorney page containing the biographical information of members of the firm</li>
<li>A contact page with the firm’s telephone number and address and an online contact form</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Law Firm Blog</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A <strong>blog is generally an easy-to-update collection of short articles known as posts</strong>.  Blogs are updated frequently, and visitors tend to read the newest posts. Common topics on law blogs, or blawgs, include:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>New or recent court decisions or rulings that affect the firm’s practice area</li>
<li>Current events that involve the firm’s practice area</li>
<li>Answers to clients’ frequently asked questions</li>
<li>Legislative developments</li>
<li>Opinion or editorial comments about legal news or trends</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">The Blurring Line Between Blogs and Websites</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Increasingly firms are embedding blogs in their websites under the same domain. <strong>An embedded blog helps keep a law firm’s website supplied with fresh content, which provides some search engine advantages</strong>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Firms are also using blog engines, or content management systems, as the skeleton on which a website is built. <strong>Content management systems such as WordPress and Joomla! are user friendly; </strong>when they are adapted for use on a law firm’s website, updating the website becomes much easier.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Choosing the Best Option for Your Firm</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For firms on a limited financial budget or with limited human resources to devote to maintaining a blog, a website should be the priority. It will allow potential clients to gather more information about your firm and provide quick access to contact information. An outdated blog that does not have any recent posts could undermine your firm's legal marketing efforts.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm    marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
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		<title>Press Release Writing Tips Part II</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/LJrYDOiM84M/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/press-release-writing-tips-part-ii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:45:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legal Press Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Public Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public relations for lawyers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1491</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago I highlighted some of the basic elements lawyers should include in a press release. One of the items not on the list but that I briefly mentioned was the recommendation to keep the release to about 400 words. A few of my readers e-mailed and asked why. In this blog entry, I’ll cover three reasons behind my 400-word suggestion.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP900401660.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1492" title="Business reading" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP900401660-300x199.jpg" alt="Reading on the beach" width="300" height="199" /></a>Three reasons to limit a release to around 400 words </em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A few weeks ago I highlighted some of the basic elements lawyers should include in a press release in <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-press-release-writing-tips/" target="_blank">"Legal Press Release Writing Tips."</a> Those elements are:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Headline and subhead</li>
<li>Nut graph</li>
<li>Details that allow a reporter to verify the information contained in the release</li>
<li>Description of the firm</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One of the items not on the list but that I briefly mentioned was the recommendation to keep the release to about 400 words. A few of my readers e-mailed and asked why. In this blog entry, I’ll cover three reasons behind my 400-word suggestion.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">1. Cost</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Many of my clients’ press releases are circulated by way of a wire service that charges a flat fee for the first 400 words. For each additional 100 words, the cost increases by $75.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">2. Concrete Target</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A specific word count provides a better benchmark than the nebulous “keep it short.” For lawyers, accustomed to writing lengthy briefs and pleadings, “short” may translate into a three-page press release rather than the one-page, 400-word release.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">But tight writing can be very difficult. Don’t underestimate the time it takes to draft a carefully crafted release. In a wry comment about the unique challenges of concise writing, Mark Twain famously noted, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">3. Readers’ Time</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It would be nice if people took stacks of my press releases to the pool with them to enjoy as leisure reading — but I don’t think that’s going to happen.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Legal press releases are business communications. The readers include journalists, potential clients and other lawyers who are in a hurry and need to absorb the main messages quickly.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Like all rules, the 400-word recommendation can be broken, but this should be done only sparingly — the exception rather than the rule.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm    marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
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		<title>Information for Lawyers, Ideas for Journalists: Week of July 2</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/R0BnmKK2Pn0/</link>
		<comments>http://legalmediamatters.com/information-for-lawyers-ideas-for-journalists-week-of-july-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:37:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legal News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Technology Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Web Content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[law firm marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legal PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media for lawyers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1468</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here’s our weekly roundup of PR client news, along with links to stories on a variety of topics, including writing for the Internet, social media tips, legal PR insights, practice management and new legal decisions and trends.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP900438494.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1473 alignright" title="Legal reading" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/MP900438494-225x300.jpg" alt="Recommended reading for lawyers" width="225" height="300" /></a>Our weekly roundup of legal news links, legal PR client news and story ideas </em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We’re heading into the second major U.S. holiday of the summer, the Fourth of July. Many businesses will be closed on Monday. I won’t be posting a blog entry on July 5, but here are a few stories to check out over the three-day weekend.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>LMM Client News </strong></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">A $1.5 million personal injury settlement obtained by Jim Lemonds and Andrea McNairy of St. Louis-based <a href="http://www.brownandcrouppen.com/" target="_blank">Brown &amp; Crouppen</a> and Greg Roberts of The Roberts Law Firm was highlighted in this week’s <a href="http://molawyersmedia.com/blog/category/verdicts-settlements/" target="_blank"><em>Missouri Lawyers Weekly</em>. </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Spencer Farris of <a href="http://www.farrislaw.net/" target="_blank">The S.E. Farris Law Firm</a> received the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys’ President’s Award, which is given annually to an attorney whose efforts help Missouri citizens gain access to the civil justice system.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Notable Links for Lawyers</strong></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://thelastgeneralist.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-top-ten-rules-for-job-search-success.html"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1469" title="Top 10 Job Search Tips" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Top-10-Job-Search-Tips-150x150.png" alt="Lawyer job searches" width="105" height="105" /></a><a href="http://thelastgeneralist.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-top-ten-rules-for-job-search-success.html" target="_blank">My Top Ten Rules for Job Search Success</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Richard Russeth, the wise counselor behind The Last Generalist, shares his top 10 rules to follow if you’re in the job market. In addition to reminding readers that it takes work to find work, noting that doing some volunteer work at least once a week will give you a sense of accomplishment and encouraging us to say thank you, he gives us this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Be silly. Be honest. Be kind.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/biz/2010/07/essential-tools-for-seo-on-a-b.php?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+readwriteweb+%28ReadWriteWeb%29"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1470" title="Essential SEO tools" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Essential-SEO-tools-150x150.png" alt="SEO for law firm websites" width="105" height="105" /></a><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/biz/2010/07/essential-tools-for-seo-on-a-b.php?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+readwriteweb+%28ReadWriteWeb%29" target="_blank">Essential Tools for SEO on a Budget</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Analyzing your site with the use of Google’s free Webmaster Tools, researching keywords and obtaining inbound links are three strategies suggested by ReadWriteBiz’s John Paul Titlow for improving your website’s performance.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify; display: block; clear: both;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.stlsocialmediareport.com/monitor-your-companies-online-reputation"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1471" title="Keep Online  Reputation" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Keep-Online-Reputation-150x150.png" alt="Online reputation monitoring" width="105" height="105" /></a><a href="http://www.stlsocialmediareport.com/monitor-your-companies-online-reputation/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheStLouisSocialMediaReport+%28The+St.+Louis+Social+Media+%26+Tech+Report%29" target="_blank">Keeping Your Online Reputation Up to Par</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Rob Stretch’s guest post on The Saint Louis Social Media &amp; Tech Report reminds businesses to monitor their online reputations, remain active on the Internet by using several different methods for reaching customers and remaining engaged on social media sites.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
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<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mashable.com/2010/06/30/manage-international-business/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1472" title="International Business Tools" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/International-Biz-150x150.png" alt="Tools for Internationa Law Practice" width="105" height="105" /></a><a href="http://mashable.com/2010/06/30/manage-international-business/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29" target="_blank">Six Ways to Manage International Relationships Online</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Zachary Sniderman’s post on American Express OPEN Forum and Mashable is handy for anyone who conducts business internationally. Suggestions for researching basic country information, a time zone converter, translation help and quick <em>faux pas</em> checks to help avoid embarrassing etiquette breaches are just a few of the links provided.</p>
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<p><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm    marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
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		<title>Law Firm Websites:  Ten Tips for Building Credibility</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/legalmediamatters/postsFeed/~3/vTO716KyRW0/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:19:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Geri L. Dreiling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Legal Content Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Legal Web Content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://legalmediamatters.com/?p=1458</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In 2002, the Stanford University Persuasive Technology Lab released the Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility. Based on three years of research involving more than 4,500 subjects, these guidelines are useful not only in planning a website but also in measuring the effectiveness of your firm’s current website.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><em><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1460" title="Checklist" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/j0438680-300x200.jpg" alt="Law firm website checklist" width="300" height="200" />A professional design and typo-free, frequently updated legal content top the list</em></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What makes a law firm website a good one from the perspective of a potential client?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 2002, the Stanford University’s Persuasive Technology Lab released the <a href="http://credibility.stanford.edu/guidelines/" target="_blank">Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility</a>.  Based on three years of research involving more than 4,500 subjects, these guidelines are useful not only when it comes to planning a website but also in measuring the effectiveness of your firm’s current website.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Here are the guidelines, adapted for use by law firms.</h3>
<ol style="text-align: justify;">
<li><strong>Make it easy for people to gauge your website’s accuracy</strong>. Provide third-party links to support your information.</li>
<li><strong>Demonstrate that there’s a real law firm behind your website</strong>. Include your phone number, a physical address and representative client lists or links to news articles about your firm.</li>
<li><strong>Highlight your law firm’s services and the expertise of your attorneys</strong>. In addition to providing information on undergraduate and law degrees, include the honors and awards an attorney has received and the articles he or she has written.</li>
<li><strong>Show that honest and trustworthy people are affiliated with the firm and its site</strong>. Use the attorney profile page not only to highlight a lawyer’s expertise but also to allow the potential client to connect with the lawyer as a person and a problem-solver.</li>
<li><strong>Make it easy to contact your law firm</strong>. Is your contact page clearly visible? Do you provide multiple ways for clients to contact the firm?</li>
<li><strong>Does your law firm’s website appear professional?</strong> Forty-seven percent of website visitors base their evaluation of a site’s credibility on its appearance. A poor visual design, bad layout, formatting errors, typographical errors and amateurish images can hurt a website’s credibility.</li>
<li><strong>Provide a website that is both useful and easy to use</strong>. Are your pages informative? Will potential clients find them educational? Can potential clients find the information they’re seeking easily?</li>
<li><strong>Frequently update your law firm website’s content</strong>. Offering outdated content is like showing up in court wearing a tomato-red polyester suit and your best pair of white dress shoes: Your law firm’s website will stand out, all right — but not in a good way.</li>
<li><strong>Use restraint when offering promotional content</strong>. Prospective clients don’t expect to see third-party advertising on an attorney website.</li>
<li><strong>Avoid errors of all types, no matter how inconsequential they might seem to you</strong>. Does your website contain typographic errors, grammar errors or broken links?</li>
</ol>
<p style="text-align: justify;">At Legal Media Matters, we use our know-how to help your law firm’s website get positive notice. <strong>We create attorney bio pages; provide fresh, useful, easy-to-understand content that will attract the attention of potential clients and keep your website current; and offer copyediting services.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For more information, contact us by filling out our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/" target="_blank">online contact form</a>, e-mailing geri@legalmediamatters.com or calling 314-520-3897 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              314-520-3897      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.</p>
<p><strong>To ensure that you don’t miss out on this valuable information</strong><strong>,</strong> subscribe to our <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-subscription.html" target="_blank">regular e-mails</a> or <a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/legal-media-RSS.html" target="_blank">RSS feeds</a>. You can also find Legal Media Matters on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legal-Media-Matters/174220527254?ref=nf" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/legalmediamtrs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;">At    Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm    marketing and attorney website content writing services.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://legalmediamatters.com/contact-us/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1244" style="border: 0px none #ffffff;" src="http://legalmediamatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Legal-Services-Red.jpg" alt="Legal Media Matters Services Red" width="622" height="174" /></a></span></p>
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