Content as a Client Service: it's easier talking to someone you know

 Second only to, "Advertising doesn't work...", "What should I write about?" is a common refrain of attorneys and the death of many a great business development opportunity. One successful technique for turning this question on its' head is to start with who you know and think of content as a service to existing clients rather than an expansion into new relationships. This makes it easier to identify potential topics and less intimidating because you are speaking to a familiar audience.

1. To begin, have your authors identify their best (most lucrative clients) or the areas of practice they are keen to grow. Identify clients based on industry, size, title and any other demographic detail unique to the decision-makers in this target group.

2. Using this list, have them flesh out need to know topics for these clients. This could be new regulations or court decisions that impact their businesses.

3. By subscribing to any combination of news syndication email alerts or following social media feeds, capture news and information related to the topics identified in Step 2.

4. As your attorneys read through the email digests and feeds for these topics, have them capture their reactions and analysis of the news in written format and voila! a client alert is born.

Client alerts take many forms these days (blog posts, articles, LinkedIn Posts,…) but the sentiment is the same: to make certain that you are a valuable source of information and analysis for existing clients. To get your editorial juices flowing, here are examples of news from June that translated into content (and visibility) for JD Supra contributors :

• SCOTUS was busy in June handing down major decisions including the Affordable Care Act Decision and Same-Sex Marriage Decision. Scroll through the preceding topic pages to learn about the impact these decisions will have on employers and families in the U.S.
• Caitlyn Jenner graced the cover of Vanity Fair and trended all over the month of June. Simultaneously, OSHA announced new guidance for employers and transgender rights in the workplace. Contributors responded with both thoughtful analysis and quick updates on what it means to employers and employees alike.
• The Great American Pastime always makes headlines in June. This summer, the Cardinals' made the news for all the wrong reasons: hacking. Check out legal coverage here.

You can subscribe to follow any of these topics from JD Supra here. 

Image Courtesy of "Contre-jour talk" by I, Alvesgaspar. Licensed under CC