Presentation: The Business of Blogging (for Lawyers) Presented by: Gene Quinn, Patent Attorney and Founder, IPWatchdog.com One of the primary reasons for undertaking a blog is to engage in business development of one kind or another. People who will find you online are searching for answers. If you want to capitalize on this opportunity it will be necessary to provide intelligent, insightful information that the reader did not possess prior to visiting your website. Over time your job will be to provide lots of that information that ties together little by little to demonstrate that you have a deep level of understanding. The lesson is simple: It is far better for a prospective client or customer to come to the understanding that you know what you are talking about for themselves than it is for you to tell them you know what you are talking about directly. It should go without saying, that the plan requires that you are read by others, which means you absolutely, positively cannot write like a lawyer!

1. The Business of Blogging
(for Lawyers)
Social Media Marketing Summit for Law Firms
Business Development Institute, Dec. 11, 2014
By Gene Quinn
IPWatchdog.com

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Getting Started with a Plan
What are you hoping to achieve?
Knowing the ultimate object will make it more likely to obtain success, however you define it.
Who is your audience?
Education level? Are they familiar with topics/concepts? Why are they reading/visiting?
What viewpoint do you plan on providing?
Digesting the facts + a little analysis and opinion = good information
What is your censorship plan?
You absolutely need to self-censor! But what about obnoxious comments?
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2nd
5th
3rd
4th
What content will you provide?
Analysis of cases? Critique legislation/rules? Strategies? MORE LATER
How will you establish yourself as an authority?
Is it better to say you’re an expert or have the reader conclude it?
6th
6 critical questions to consider before you start blogging

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• Never post something
when you are hot
under the collar.
• Observe the 3 second
rule: if you have to
think more than 3
seconds DON’T POST!
• Talk to people you
trust about whether it
is appropriate.
• Reflect and consider
toning down if there is
concern. The Internet
is forever!
• Make sure you are
always forwarding
some goal.
• Be yourself, but push
the envelope only
when it serves a
purpose.
Self Censorship
Have a plan in advance!

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Time to Write
What questions do you get from clients repeatedly?
Clients and potential clients have lots of questions, and they look for answers on the Internet.
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6 keys to finding a niche that you enjoy and can make relevant

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Talk to prospective clients directly

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Time to Write
What questions do you get from clients repeatedly?
Clients and potential clients have lots of questions, and they look for answers on the Internet.
Motions, memos of law, briefs, form letters, Office Action responses.
Much of the writing lawyers do is generic explanation, which is then applied. TRANSLATE!
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6 keys to finding a niche that you enjoy and can make relevant

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DON’T write like a lawyer!

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Time to Write
What questions do you get from clients repeatedly?
Clients and potential clients have lots of questions, and they look for answers on the Internet.
Motions, memos of law, briefs, form letters, Office Action responses.
Much of the writing lawyers do is generic explanation, which is then applied. TRANSLATE!
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2nd
3rd Fun and interesting things in the news. Interesting Factoids.
Can you somehow tie something topical into an article? Interesting facts can go viral.
6 keys to finding a niche that you enjoy and can make relevant

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Time to Write
What questions do you get from clients repeatedly?
Clients and potential clients have lots of questions, and they look for answers on the Internet.
Motions, memos of law, briefs, form letters, Office Action responses.
Much of the writing lawyers do is generic explanation, which is then applied. TRANSLATE!
Writing to get clients requires ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE
Wishy-washy, down the middle, 2-handed, isn’t useful. Clients want answers!
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2nd
3rd
4th
Listen for fun and interesting things in the news.
Can you somehow tie something topical into an article? Ride the news wave for traffic!
6 keys to finding a niche that you enjoy and can make relevant

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Time to Write
What questions do you get from clients repeatedly?
Clients and potential clients have lots of questions, and they look for answers on the Internet.
Motions, memos of law, briefs, form letters, Office Action responses.
Much of the writing lawyers do is generic explanation, which is then applied. TRANSLATE!
Writing to get clients requires ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE
Wishy-washy, down the middle, 2-handed, isn’t useful. Clients want answers!
What are the interests of your audience?
Expand your core writing to related topics of interest to your audience.
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2nd
5th
3rd
4th
Listen for fun and interesting things in the news.
Can you somehow tie something topical into an article? Ride the news wave for traffic!
6 keys to finding a niche that you enjoy and can make relevant

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The Colin Cowherd Principle

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Time to Write
What questions do you get from clients repeatedly?
Clients and potential clients have lots of questions, and they look for answers on the Internet.
Motions, memos of law, briefs, form letters, Office Action responses.
Much of the writing lawyers do is generic explanation, which is then applied. TRANSLATE!
Writing to get clients requires ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE
Wishy-washy, down the middle, 2-handed, isn’t useful. Clients want answers!
What are the interests of your audience?
Expand your core writing to related topics of interest to your audience.
1st
2nd
5th
3rd
4th
Listen for fun and interesting things in the news.
Can you somehow tie something topical into an article? Ride the news wave for traffic!
Write something frequently, but make NO promises.
If you set a schedule people will expect you to deliver.
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6 keys to finding a niche that you enjoy and can make relevant

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Gaining an Audience
Guest write for other, more well known blogs.
IPWatchdog is always looking for guest articles.
Seek out guest authors.
The more people who have an interest in promoting you the better.
Push your articles to subscribers.
Even a free service like Feedburner will suffice to send your articles out.
Consider advertising using Google Adwords.
There is nothing wrong with paying for some traffic legitimately. No black hat.
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Use social media to push your articles.
Make it easy for readers to tweet and like and share your articles with others.
Alert bloggers of newsworthy items.
We can’t write everything. Make it easy to digest.
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Maybe it’s obvious… BUT…
BE ORIGINAL! Original
content is KING on the
Internet. Cutting and pasting
press releases or articles from
a service will NOT make your
blog a destination for people
to return to on the Internet. It
is also punished more now by
Google than ever!

22. • The first “W” in “WWW” stands
for “World” and the second
“W” stands for “Wide.”
• In the intellectual property
world clients don’t come from
your neighborhood, they come
from anywhere.
• I almost never get local clients,
but have gotten more than a
few from Australia, New
Zealand, the UK and all over
the United States.
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The Internet is WORLDWIDE!

23. Gene Quinn
gquinn@ipwatchdog.com
IPWatchdog, Inc.
525-K East Market Street #331
Leesburg, VA 20176
Phone: 703-740-9835
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Questions? Need More Information?
Feel free to contact me.