Back in the day, before 1977, when lawyers were not permitted to advertise, attorneys generated leads by word of mouth, speaking engagements or belonging to civic organizations. In other words, through social interaction. No mass media, TV, ads, etc. Just the slow, methodical communication that takes place when people build trusted relationships with each other one-on-one.

Today, we call that Social Media. Blogs, comments, Facebook, Linkedin, SlideShare, YouTube, Flickr. These tools, and hundreds of others, allow us to share our thoughts and experiences with each other. Just like in the old days.

Carolyn Elefant of MyShingle.com writes; “for lawyers interaction through social media -- answering questions, blogging, doing great work and sharing information -- comes naturally.  More importantly, social media platforms are powerful enough to ensure that lawyers' efforts to educate clients or build relationships with colleagues can compete head to head with the kind of advertising hype that put many good lawyers at a disadvantage.”

Setting up the tools is fairly easy. Taking the time to build the relationships is an ongoing, rewarding endeavor.