After our presentations on Social Media Marketing at the Harlem Book Fair this year, AALBC.com’s Troy Johnson and I received quite a few requests for hard copies of the slides, so we uploaded them to Slide share.

I highly recommend using Slide Share to legal marketers, because the platform interacts with online data in a similar manner to YouTube, and can enable the information you provide to go viral very quickly.

The 4 slide presentations we shared with our participants were fairly high-level in nature, simply because we only had an hour to cover the content of each section.  If you’re a legal marketer or business owner just getting started in social media, they’re designed to provide you with an initial “look-see”.

I look forward to your thoughts!

Other articles you may be interested in:

The Amsterdam News Covers AALBC.com & Karasma Media Social Media Marketing Workshops

Update to Legal Marketers – Tweets are Embeddable as of May 4th 2010

A Great Legal Marketing Firm Tool to Optimize Twitter

Legal Marketers: Responding to social media inquiries is more important than you think

Legal Marketing Ethics in A Web 3.0 World

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: AALBC, Harlem Book Fair, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, Public Relations, Social Media, Troy Johnson

The social media workshops Troy Johnson of AALBC.com and I did at this year’s Harlem Book Fair in New York received some very good feedback from the participants.   A huge thank you goes to the Amsterdam News Editor-in-Chief, Nayaba Arinde and reporter Daatya I.  Sanusi, for including us in their coverage of the book fair.

Social media is an invaluable, cost effective tool for developing business and when used correctly, can generate some very powerful results.  It was a truly wonderful experience talking with the authors and entrepreneurs, from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and several other surrounding states who attended.

The familiarity level with social media of  those in attendance ran the gamut, from being signed up on multiple online platforms, to only having heard about social media and having a desire to acquire more information prior to diving in.

I truly enjoyed discussing technology I’m having such a great time using, in my neighborhood at a venue my family has been frequenting for many years.  Troy and I are discussing development of more seminars that will provide business building guidance, specifically designed for individual business types and levels of social media literacy, so stay tuned!

Other articles you may be interested in:

Karasma Media Partners in Bringing Social Media Marketing Workshops to the 2010 Harlem Book Fair

A Very Simple Twitter Tool for Generating Legal Marketing Business

A Real Time Social Web Watcher for Curious Legal Marketers

Legal Marketers – Here’s How to Opt-Out of Facebook’s Instant Personalization

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: AALBC, harlem, Harlem Book Fair, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Social Media, Troy Johnson

On Saturday, July 17th,  Troy Johnson of AALBC.com (The African American Literature Book Club) has invited me  to co-host Publishing YOU-niversity, includes four, 1-hour, standalone workshops on social media marketing for authors and small to mid-size organizations.

Attendees will be provided with a foundation for using a website, Blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to promote themselves and their businesses.

Every web interaction has the power to influence a potential client’s decision to purchase your book, product or service.   So, if your website does not provide an informative and satisfying experience and you don’t engage your visitors through social media, then they will find an author who is interested enough to have a dialog with their audience and a business who’s interested in what they have to say.

We’ll be discussing how social media can help convert your online visitors to viable business prospects and customers after interacting with your website.

Register today for:

1. Using a Website to Generate Business
2. How to Use Facebook to Build Your Personal and Professional Brand
3. What is Twitter All About?
4. Social Media Beyond Facebook and Twitter

Location:

Thurgood Marshall Academy (Classroom 211)
214 West 135th Street
New York, NY 10030

Participants who enroll in ALL FOUR workshops will receive a complementary “Jumpstart Your Social Media” Booklet

Troy is a technology expert and industry leader in marketing books on the World Wide Web. Mr. Johnson is the founder and webmaster of AALBC.com LLC.   AALBC.com was launched in 1998, and is now the largest and most frequently visited web site dedicated to books by and about black people.

He has been recognized in articles that have appeared in Publishers Weekly, Essence Magazine, The New York Times, The Amsterdam News, Black Issues Book Review and Black Enterprise.  Troy has also appeared on numerous radio and television programs including C-Span2’s Book TV and The Black Family Channel’s Literary Living; and in 2005 was named one of the 50 Most Powerful African Americans in Publishing by Black Issues Book Review magazine.

At this point, any public relations person stating that they possess a level of expertise using tools of social media, should have the level of this skillset illustrated in their online presence.  Personally, I’ve garnered numerous speaking engagements and broadcast coverage for both myself and my clients, using a combination of social media outreach and traditional PR.

You can see some of the coverage here:

Fox 5 News, Newsweek’s Online Magazine, 10/10 Wins, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, NY 1, Harlem Torch Magazine, and Black Enterprise Online.

More About The Harlem Book Fair

The Book Fair was founded in 1999 by QBR/The Black Book Review as a community event and forum for African American readers to discover and celebrate their history and culture through books.

It is now a week long event and the country’s largest community gathering of African American readers and book lovers. It has evolved into a national brand that is expanding into new markets each year. The Harlem Book Fair now draws over 50,000 attendees, and 15 million viewers via C-SPAN’s Book TV. Last year, the Book Fair was broadcast live in Europe and Asia for the first time.

The 2010 Harlem Book Fair spans two avenue-long blocks on West 135th Street with tents, pavilions of books, food, and cultural concessions. Fair space has more than doubled since its inception.

View the Press Release

Other articles you may be interested in:

Should European in-house lawyers be allowed to be members of the bar – Legal pros using social connect internationally

Update to Legal Marketers – Tweets are Embeddable as of May 4th 2010

Alain L. Locke Elementary School – P.S. 208 Featured in Brazilian Newspaper

A Real-Time Social Web Clock Watcher for Curious Legal Marketers

Legal Marketers: Responding to social media inquiries is more important than you think

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: AALBC, Facebook, Harlem Book Fair, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Legal Marketing News, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, LinkedIn, Social Media, Troy Johnson, Twitter, Writing

Join us for a young people’s slumber party and movie screening under the stars!

Saturday, June 26th at 8:30 pm

Bring Your Blanket or Lawn Chair and Join Us for

Madagascar

Marcus Garvey Park Lawn

Located on Madison Avenue side of Park between
122nd & 124th St.

Free Admission and Limited Refreshments.

Raindate:  Wednesday, June 30th

Storyline:  At New York’s Central Park Zoo, a lion, a zebra, a giraffe, and a hippo are best friends and stars of the show.
Runtime:  86 Minutes

This event is co-sponsored by   Karasma Media, The Mt. Morris Park Community Improvement Association, Dark Green Joe, Maysles Cinema and Target

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: Alain L. Locke, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Trends, P.S. 208

At a Meet-up I attended recently hosted by Adrian Dayton @adriendayton asked what I thought about the online platform FourSquare and its viability and value for legal marketers. At the time, I’d only done some minimal dabbling with it so I said, “The jury’s still out on this one…”

Over the last 8-days though, I’ve been using it and am very impressed with the added interaction, both business and personal, it’s been providing.

The platform works via GPS, and I can see it added value already when it comes to doing what we say we’re doing and actually showing “Proof with The Pudding’!  It’s  an entirely new level of authenticity!

The SanFrancisco Chronicle reported that FourSquare “Check-Ins” grew more than 50% in the last month…

That’s up 50% from 600,000 just a month ago, and more than double the 400,000 checkins per day it was doing in March, just three months ago.

I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on this!

Other articles you may be interested in:

Update to Legal Marketers – Tweets are Embeddable as of May 4th 2010

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the Influence of Legal Marketers

Facebook’s “LIKE” Button – Are you a pro or con legal pro?

A Real-Time Social Web Clock Watcher for Curious Legal Marketers

Legal Marketers: Responding to social media inquiries is more important than you think

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: FourSquare, Kara Smith, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, Legal Marketing Trends, Social Media, Writing

Thinking about being a leader in legal marketing community, in New York City, in my my life  — is daunting at times to say the least.

For the last few days, I’ve been in the midst of being overwhelmed by “the thinking about”  of the responsibilities I’ve taken on in my community, my family  and myself…  There were days when I can hardly breath, let alone write!

It’s all occurring to me like — There’s no time to feel like this.  This is Horrible!

But what if that’s not “The Truth”.  What if occasionally I just need a “pick-me-up”?  What if all that I’m going through is simply a human phenomena, rather than there being something wrong.  Ahhhh — I just exhaled…

For the next year, I’m in Landmark’s Wisdom Course, and incorporating fun into my life.

This is a photo of my “Community Circle” as a work in progress, illustrating the groups of people or “Communities” I interact with on a daily basis.

With all of the pressure I constantly put on myself, no wonder I’m so exhausted some days that I don’t want to get up and moving, let alone write…

There are times when the thoughts I have about hearing a “No”, or not getting a response, or getting negative feedback — keep me from being very enthusiastic about taking any more actions at all that could actually be positive or result in an affirmative.

You know the craziest thing… I always feel awful when I get “bogged down” . Inevitably,  inactivity for self  business generation will show up in my Google Analytics and the results I produce at the end of the week.  See, I’m a terrible person!  And Oh!  Let’s not forget — People are watching!

No wonder I’m so tired all the time!!!

All this being said, I think it’s time to shift my daily writing and morning routine from a “Have To” to a  reward I give myself?  I’m also shifting what I call my daily exercise from “Working out” to “Going Out to Play.”

No wonder life was so much fun as a kid!  Look what us adults end-up calling  the things we need to do!

Writing for me is extremely therapeutic, as is the completion of  most things I frequently avoid responsibility for.  So I have some catch-up to do,  but only because I made up that there’s somewhere else I’m supposed to be.

The goals we set for ourselves are great inspirational / motivational tools, but when they start to take the joy out of living — It’s definitely time for some reinvention!

I’ll keep you posted about the results of my Self Generation of Business is Fun — and playing more.

Other articles you may be interested in…

Creativity and Play Intertwined in Legal Marketing and in Life

Chris Brogan on Legal Marketing: An Interview With Karasma Media

The Space Between Center Rejuvenates the Creative Spirit of Legal Marketers

Lawyers Preparing to Launch Your Own Boutique – Here’s a video you’ll want to see

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: Creativity, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Landmark Education, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, Legal Marketing Trends, The Wisdom Course, Writing

I am excited and enthusiastic about a conversation happening among barristers practicing international law.

European Parliment; Strasbourg, France

On the Martindale-Hubbell Connected German Law Group Blog, a London based journalist who specializes on the European legal market commented,

“There is no privilege for in-house lawyers in Europe.   As it stands now, any lawyer who wants to benefit from legal privilege has to be completely independent of the client they are taking instructions from…

Attorneys need to… re-focus their efforts on trying to persuade their local bar associations to allow them to join their organizations on equal term with private practice lawyers. Only once a significant minority of European countries treat in-house lawyers as just as “independent” as their private practice colleagues is the ECJ ever likely to change its opinion on corporate counsel privilege.

A scenaro which makes this situation worse, is often in-house counsel based in the United States is granted privilege by a European judge due to their US origin, in accordance with the standard practice here.

See the Poll on Martindale Hubbell Connected’s German Law Group Forum asking:
Should (German) in-house lawyers be allowed to be members of their bar?

It occurred to me that this situation is exemplary of the kinds of imbalances within the international legal community that attorneys using social media platforms designed specifically for them, will have the ability to bring to light and alleviate.  Martindale Hubbell Connected’s closed community on  is ideal for this, due to the scrutiny, reputation, and expertise of the firm; while other newer platforms may not be as oriented in the needs the international legal service provider.

Many law firms and individual practitioners alike work to resolve their areas of concern and skepticism about social media, from a strictly theoretical perspective.   However, those who are actively embracing the nuances online social media interaction are going to be far out in front in there ROI as a result of using it masterfully over time.  Legal organizations working globally are going to more subject to this than any other practitioners.

Log -in here to read and contribute to this discussion on Martindale Hubbell Connected
Joining Martindale Hubbell Connected is free of charge, the only requirement is that you are a legal professional.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Generate an International Legal Marketing Conversation Using Social Media

How to Use Twitter To Build Your International Conversation

Small and Medium-sized Firms Can Generate Business From Blogging

Listening, monetization, and ethics are key for successful social media campaigns and your legal marketing reputation

Alain L. Locke Elementary School P.S. 208 Celebrates World Dance

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: Europe, European journalist, Germany, International, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Legal Marketing Tactics, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, Legal Marketing Trends, Martindale Hubbell, Social Media Legal News

If you’ve ever been to Pearl Paint on Canal Street in China Town New York, then you know what it’s like to be surrounded by every conceivable artist tool necessary to stimulate your creative muse.  I went there yesterday, and  hadn’t been there since I was an undergrad at Pratt Institute almost 15-years ago.

I went shopping to pick up some supplies for a display of my “Originating Circle”, ie:  the people I have regular interactions with, either via conversation or exchanges of goods and services.  (I’m sure I’ll have some of the people reading this blog pictured, which is just way too much fun)

I’ll have to post a photo of it when it’s complete, which will be in the next week or so. Why am I doing all this  extra work for you may ask…

I was clear that I wasn’t having much fun, and needed a “boost” to push myself to the next level professionally and personally.  So, I enrolled in Landmark Education’s Wisdom Unlimited, a year long program, spread over 5-weekends.  The participants are professionals from all over the world, and a very exciting group of folk.

The cornerstone of the Wisdom Course is Play — the sheer enjoyment of “being” I the give and take of daily life — with no other motive or agenda…

The course is available to people who are seasoned in the work of Landmark Education and have a fully developed grasp of what it is t to create new possibilities for themselves and others.  It is designed for those who value growth and development as a way of living, rather than as a particular experience or one time phenomenon.
The Landmark Education Wisdom Course Brochure

After attending our first weekend last week I realized that somehow, over the last few years of having my own company, I’d gotten slightly resigned, cynical and sarcastic.  How’d that happen I wonder?

What I already see is much I love having my own business, working with lawyers and the legal marketing community; joining you in your commitments and aligning with what you believe in.  I absolutely adore waking up each morning and interacting with and learning from you , all day — every day and am completely committed your and my success.

The joy I get from working with Alain L. Locke Elementary couldn’t be clearer, and how much I love my family is stronger than ever, and I’m getting more exercise daily and having a good time doing it. ;  ie; there’s no “Burden of Have to” present, and needless to say, I’m feeling … LIGHTER…

More progress is to come as I work on my display and continue to play.  I’ll keep you posted to creative developments happening with Karasma Media and my life.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Keeping Creativity Flowing on Your Legal Marketing Blog

Your Personal Brand vs Your Corporate Brand – Added Clarity for Legal Marketers

The Space Between Center Rejuvenates the Creative Spirit of Legal Marketers

Chris Brogan on Legal Marketing: An Interview With Karasma Media

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: Branding, Creativity, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Landmark Education, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Trends, Wisdom Course

Once again, @Lisa Solomon has proven herself to be an invaluable information resource…

This afternoon she sent out an note regarding Lance Goddard of 22Tweets moderation of a Twitter debate hosted by ABA Journal about virtual law offices.

It was featuring VLO (Virtual Law Office) expert Stephanie Kimbro and Legal Rebel Richard Granat (in favor) and outspoken Florida Lawyer Brian Tannebaum in opposition; with of course a litany of comments provided by all those tuning in.

You can see and add to the Tweetstream here:

In the event you’re not on Twitter, and you should be… You can view the debate at http://tinyurl.com/2csdtm6. (The Tweets are in reverse chronological order, keep clicking “older” to get to the beginning.)

Other articles you may be interested in:

A Very Simple Twitter Formula for Generating Legal Marketing Business

In Fortune 500 Companies Twitter Moves Ahead of Blogs – Are you Tweeting Legal?

In Social Media for the Legal Marketing Industry – Digital Branding Creates Clients

3 Reasons For Legal Marketers to Start Thinking Like Journalists

Legal Marketing Ethics in a Web 3.0 World

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: Brian Tannenbaum, Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Lance Goddard, Legal Marketing Tactics, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, Legal Marketing Trends, Lisa Solomon, Richard Granat, Social Media Legal News

The use of real tweets helps “chunk” the piece both visually and logically; we think it makes it easier to read.

There are some folk who felt that a pasted-in image of a tweet was a bit “tacky”.  Personally, I never really minded it, since it illustrated a point.  Either way, there’s now an easy to use alternative!

With just a small bit of code you can generate simple, selectable flat-HTML tweets like the one I used here.

You’ll need to capture a Tweet’s URL and paste it in,  so you may want to take a look at Ben Sparks’ directions on how to do so first.

Here’s the link!  Blackbird Pie

Other articles you may be interested in:

A Great Legal Marketing Firm Tool to Optimize Twitter

A Very Simple Twitter Formula for Generating Legal Marketing Business

A Real-Time Social Web Clock Watcher for Curious Legal Marketers

Legal Marketers: Responding to social media inquiries is more important than you think

3 Reasons For Legal Marketers to Start Thinking Like Journalists

Kara works with legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy that will provide them with a competitive advantage for new business, higher reputation recognition, and enhance their ability to attract, win, and retain the clients they really want.

You can reach her at 917-856-5410

Technorati Tags: Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, Social Media, Social Media Legal News, Twitter