How to Grow Your Social Media Network in 15 Minutes as an Attorney
Social networking is a great way to expand your client base, meet potential referrers, and stand out from the crowd. But in order to reap those rewards, you have to start by building a robust network on whichever social media platform is best for you.
Often, attorneys and other professionals will ask us how to grow their social media network. We like to be able to give them some good news: you can start making a difference with just 15 minutes a day.
Here’s how.
Step 1: Commit to Growing Your Social Media Network
Sure, social media may be great, but is it really worth spending time on? Well, think of social media the same way you would offline networking. You schedule for association meetings and other business networking events, right? The benefits of online networking can be just as profitable, so it’s equally important to set aside a little time to make it happen.
And in as short a span as 15 minutes, you can network with as many—or more—people as you could at a typical business function. Ultimately, social media networking may turn out to be even more efficient for your practice.
Step 2: Spend 5 Minutes Finding Prospects
Once you’ve made up your mind to get intentional about growing your social media network, it’s time to get started. Take a look at who’s already connected with you in some way. You could:
- See if anyone has reached out to you with a direct message
- Note anyone who’s liked or commented on your posts
- Sort through that pile of business cards on your desk
- Check your email’s inbox, sent messages, or trash
Once you’ve compiled a quick list of leads, find their social media profiles. Send out a quick personalized message and/or invitation to a few.
Don’t take a generic, cookie-cutter approach, either. Make it clear that you’re talking to them in particular. Remark on how much you look forward to the insight they have to offer and how you hope you can return the favor.
This doesn’t—and shouldn’t—take long. Less is more, so keep your initial greeting brief.
Step 3: Spend 5 Minutes Engaging with Other Profiles
After sending out your personalized, private messages, you can engage a little more publicly. Ask yourself: “How would I approach interesting people at an after-hours reception or other business social event?”
Most likely, you listen to the conversations happening around you to learn something about the other guests’ interests and activities. Once you hear something you can connect with, you make your move.
Use the same strategy on your social media newsfeed. Browse the most recent posts and look for people or topics you feel confident in engaging with. Liking a post shows you are out there paying attention, but commenting is even better.
Just make sure you always read the post, watch any videos shared, or follow the link provided before commenting. That way, you can ensure that your input is relevant to the topic at hand and adds something interesting to the conversation.
Step 4: Spend 5 Minutes Starting Your Own Conversation
The last 5 minutes is your time to shine. Post, tweet, or publish something that your target audience will find interesting and useful, such as:
- A short post with a link to a blog post
- Insight on relevant headline news
- A 3-minute video on how to avoid common mistakes in an area related to the services you offer
…It doesn’t have to be all about business, though. Humanizing yourself is essential to making connections, so don’t be afraid to throw in some information about yourself or your personal interests and hobbies. This can become the glue that cements your professional relationships.
Plus, getting personal makes it easier for prospects to reach out to you. Maybe they like the same sports team or TV show. Maybe they share your passion for classic cars or beekeeping.
Those shared experiences can serve as handy icebreakers. Then, you can start building a relationship from there.
Start Growing Your Social Media Network Today
It doesn’t take long to start making a great impact on social media. Just reach out, get engaged, and keep your profile active. You can strengthen your social media presence with just 15 minutes a day.
However, if you want to really reap the rewards that social media can offer an attorney, you’ll need to invest quite a bit more time and energy—or you could get a little help.
At Let America Know, we give attorneys across the country the social media support they need to grow their network, promote their brand, and keep in front of prospects and referrers. We can help you streamline—and even automate—your social media strategy without the usual headaches.
Click here to learn more about our done-for-you social media program for trial attorneys.