Legal Marketing: How To Become A Celebrity In Your Own World

These days it’s easier than ever to use the power of the web to take your business development to the next level. Between articles, social media and more the path to becoming a Microcelebrity is wide and clear for those who have the enthusiasm and dedication it takes to make an impact. I speak from experience. In less than six months time I used the strategies below to take myself from 20% of the Google links on the first page of a “Paula Black” search to 90%. What did it take? Strategy. Time. Commitment. Dedication.

The first step in this journey is simple: you must create a personal brand. Figure out what makes up YOUR personal brand. Not your firm, not your practice area…YOU. Look at your experience, expertise and talents and identify where you fit in… what are you an expert in?

Once you’ve identified your focus it’s time to start working on strategy. In creating the plan I identified four main strategies that best lead to microcelebrity:

1. Article Strategy
2. Speaking Strategy
3. Social Media and Blogging Strategy
4. Writing A Book.

All four are powerful on their own, but when used all together they can catapult your visibility on the Internet and truly make you stand out from the crowd. Let’s start at number one.

1. Article Strategy

The main idea here is to write what you know. Give advice but leave the readers wanting more. Make sure your articles work together to represent YOU as a brand. Place them in article directories (such as this one), and keep them handy to share with clients and potential clients. Just make sure you keep on schedule… one article every few months won’t cut it! TIP: Make a list of 50 topics you are prepared to write about and let that be your guide. It will take less than 20 minutes of your time and be well worth it when you start writing.

2. Speaking Strategy

So where to speak? Anywhere from Bar events to Non-profits. It can be as simple as a basic speech or as in-depth as a half-day seminar. Just get out there and let your voice be heard. It will breathe life into your brand and allow you to establish a relationship with your audience. TIP: Use the content from your articles to form your speeches.

3. Social Media & Blogging

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn… all wonderful ways to further your brand. But be careful when venturing into this new world of marketing. To be successful you MUST have a plan. Stay true to the personal brand you’ve developed and let your past content dictate what you post. Keep your focus. TIP: Make sure whatever you do is branded as much as possible. Be relevant (no one cares what you had for dinner!). Repetition is key.

4. Write A Book

Writing a book is a great way to up your credibility and invest in a true, long-term marketing tool. It’s not the cheapest option but the results you can reap will benefit your business development for years to come. The basics? Stay true to your brand, keep it short and write for your audience. TIP: Once you make the commitment, stay true to it. Schedule time in your day (or week) for writing and get your butt in the chair.

As I mentioned above, these strategies have worked in the past and will work again. But they won’t increase your visibility without a little hard work. You must truly dedicate yourself to the ideas presented and schedule the time to plan, think, write, speak and stay on track.