This evolution is already having an impact on law firm’s new business practices, The way law firms are acquiring new business is definitely being effected. This new business paradigm shift that’s taking place requires legal marketers to position their firms where they can be found by their perspective clients. This requires the use and greater dependence upon Web 2.0 tools.

Law firms must participate in the use of these tools in order to establish and/or maintain their credibility. They also will be forced to identify their best target audience, and be positioned as having the kind of expertise and leadership that make them appealing.

In this new era of legal firm marketing, perspective clients are actually going to let you know when they are ready to engage by initiating the call. And, when they do call, the conversation won’t be way down the road. They’re going to be ready to enlist your services. You aren’t going to have to win them over.

Historically, in any revolution there are those who sit along the sidelines, waiting to see what’s going to happen. There are those who are followers. But then, there are those thought provoking leaders out in front of us all. Brian Solis, Principal of FutureWork, an award winning PR and New Media agency is one of those emerginn new leaders. Encourging his industry to arise to the challenges of this new erea. Brian recently wrote,

“Media is experiencing a textbook Darwinian definition of survival of the fittest … Media will re-emerge as a more dynamic, nimble, and innovative medium.

In the era of Socialized Media, relationships are the new currency and participation and collaboration are emerging as the new information exchange.

Mainstay brands will persevere, but the cost of their education to learn how to compete for the future will be great. Some will wait until it’s too late only to awaken to a daunting challenge of creating and earning presence and relevance in a new economy.”

Legal marketers and law firms are not immune to the shift; the same is so for large law firms s it is for large brands. Times are definitely changing and the mood of a large number of small and mid-size firms is somber, rather than excited for this new media revolution. Historically, the legal industry has been behind technologically. They haven’t kept up with the changes and are finding themselves behind due to a lack of knowledge of social media and how to use it correctly.

I encourage you to get involved now. Experience it for yourself and become aware of the many great opportunities it provides. Learn how to use new media to engage your prospective client community. It takes time and effort to have a working understanding of this technology, but you’ll be amazed at how quickly it will provide benefits to your firm and allow you to utilize these new tools for your clients. Experience really is the best teacher.