The New York Times’ John Biggs has poseed an important question…

How much is a Tweet worth and how much does a Twtitter follower cost?

Noah Kravitz, a writer, worked for PhoneDog, a cell phone marketing company.  While there, he wrote for the company’s blog and acquired more than 17,000 Twitter followers. He left his job after 4-years and was intially told that he could keep his Twitter account and was requested to “tweet on their behalf from time to time and I said sure, as we were parting on good terms.”

twitter.com/phonedog_noah and the site Noah's last post directs you to have been "disconnected" for now...

I am among a fast growing number of marketing professionals who are building our reputations as online journalists via their blog and social media platforms.  In doing so, we are building our influence among our audience, and any employer interested in doing so for their company, will bring on professionals who are demonstrating their skills.

The “proof’s in the pudding” so to speak, and transparent actions speak much louder than words.  So, of course any savvy hiring manager will want to be on the lookout for the skill-set.

This being said, John’s statement below truly hit home…

… in a world where social media’s influence can mean the difference between a lucrative sale and another fruitless cold call, social media accounts at companies have taken on added significance.

The outcome of this case is going to set a precidence. Particularly, because more and more marketing and sales professionals are being hired because of their savvyness using Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other social media platforms, and the number of followers they have acquired.

As employers, you’ll want to stay concious of what you’re paying your employees to do.  After all, if they’re being paid to sit in a seat and make calls, then their interactions on social media (and the followers they generate) — are personal.  They are not connected to the business you pay them to perform.

Transparency in business practices has never been more important.  So, specicifity in job descriptions and fair compensation from the outset will alleviate a multitude of problems later — not to mention the negative public relations impact a lawsuit against an ex-employee in good standing has on your company.

Similarly, if you are an employee of a firm and requested to blog and use social media as an addendum to the duties you were originally signed on to do, make sure the stipulations for doing so are in writing!! Expressing your professional opinion, ie: publicising your expertise on the company’s behalf, your writing skill, and the audience you attain, and the time it takes to create are all valuable skills that you should be compensated for.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Legal Marketing and Small Business on Facebook

Social Media and MeetUps Keep Legal Marketers Connected

FourSquare – A Fun and Innovative Tool For Legal Marketers

Kara works with legal marketers and small to mid-size business 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

I’ve attended several networking events since moving to Phoenix at the end of January.  Recently, I connected to the meet-up group Java & Justice
through my membership with the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.

Alex & Gaxiola, Serious Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys based in Phoenix, have a terrific marketing & internet services manager, Rhonda Robbins , who I’ve become great friends with.  Rhonda is an SEO queen, and is also creating some stimulating, “out-in-the-world events for her firm.

In speaking with Rhonda, she said that one of Andrew Alex’ primary concerns is his client’s quality of life.  He is also strongly committed to educating them in a way that that will protect them if or when the time comes.

The video linked below to the firm’s YouTube Channel is a terrific example of how an accident with a truck can change your entire life…

One of the primary business growth challenges for a accident attorneys is that their clients don’t need their services until something catastrophic happens.  Since chasing ambulances is unscrupulous at best, having relationships with potential clients, long before they require services is all the more important..

They’re doing a MeetUp Series called JAVA & JUSTICE.

These semi-weekly gatherings allow the firm’s attorneys to interact with their community hands on, providing them with a venue designed for face-to-face communication.

Do connect to  Alex & Gaxiola on Facebook and Twitter …

If you’re in the Phoenix Arizona area, stop by a MeetUp.  Either way, I encourage you to connect with the group so you can stay in the loop!

Join the Java & Justice Meet-Up in Phoenix

Kara works with  small to mid-size business and  legal marketers to create a more clearly defined focus and distinctive business strategy.  This new design provides 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

I received word today that three graduate research I published on The Social Science Research Network (SSRN ), made their 2010 Top Ten Lists.

*UPDATE: I received an e-mail from Gregg Gordon, the President of SSRN early the morning of January 4th, containing the following text:

We apologize for sending you one or more incorrect email messages last week. While testing some new functionality, our servers sent “Top Ten” emails to the top one hundred downloaded papers in certain ejournals instead of the top ten.

Oh well… I made the top-20 in two categories, and the top 50 in others…

My papers:

“A Semiotic Analysis of the African American Character Ben in the Film Night of the Living Dead, in Relation to Literary Media Theory“

• Listed on SSRN’s Top Ten download list for AFAM Subject Matter eJournals, Film eJournal – Forthcoming, HRN African-American Studies Research Network, HRN Performing, Visual, & Fine Arts Research Network, Literary Theory & Criticism eJournal and PVFA Subject Matter eJournals. Downloaded 126 times

“Jazz Interpolation and Improvisation: George and Ira Gershwin’s Fascinating Rhythm as Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and Dianne Reeves”

• Listed on SSRN’s Top Ten Download List for Music eJournal – Forthcoming.   Downloaded 64 times

“African-American Media Images of Death and Mourning”

• Listed on SSRN’s Top Ten download list for AFAM Subject Matter eJournals and HRN African-American Studies Research Network. Downloaded 76 times

I’ve begun a job search for a college level teaching position in communications based in Arizona, where my mother lives; specifically at Arizona University West Campus
and The University of Phoenix.

Being in SSRN’s top-10, three times is very exciting news, as I build this new leg of my career, and it is exhilarating to receive affirmation that my work is being read.

However, in today’s world of on-line research availability, I can’t help wondering how many people are plagiarizing, and how many professors aren’t catching the students doing so — for a multitude of reasons.

I would very much like to hear other published professionals and educators about this issue and safe guards/software you utilize to offset it.

I’ll be keeping a leg of Karasma Media here in New York to continue to service clients here, and traveling as needed. We’re launching a new platform in February, so stay tuned!

Kara works small to mid-size business and  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

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

As legal marketers, we  play an extremely important role in spearheading the development of corporate strategy for our organizations and in the responding to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda in play.

Yesterday, I attended Good Business 2010 in New York City, hosted by the Better Business Bureau. Speakers included Michael Holland, Edelman; Exec. VP and Group Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, NY; Deborah Holmes Ernst & Young, LLP, Global Corporate Responsibility Leader; and Robin Reibel, of the Macy’s Group V.P, Media Relations Cause Marketing, and Visitors Services.

One of the highlights of the conference was a front-of-the-room conversation between NY Times Advertising Columnist, Stuart Elliott,
and Christopher Graves, the CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, who I had the opportunity to speak with briefly afterward.

For me, one of the most important points Chris emphasized was,

“Never forget, the emotional human being on the other side”.

Some of my key takeaways:

• In order to be sustainable, the social concerns of a firm and the human beings behind a legal organization need to be demonstrated, particularly since we see the strong influence that that “the company behind the product” has on the brands all of us consumers purchase.

• CSR has been one of the key themes of the new Millennium and involves companies operating their businesses in ways that meet their stakeholders’ expectations about economic, legal, ethical and environmental and social performance.

• People are more likely to buy and rate the products from a company that they perceive as having a good reputation.

Social Media plays an important role in delivering CSR for legal brands, particularly through :

Information: Address both the services your legal marketing organization offers and the concerns of its audience

Blog Content: Needs to be appropriately targeted, ethical, accurate and culturally enriching and acceptable;

Pricing: Be sensitive to client needs ie: moving away from hourly billing,  and value, as well as operating your firm as a profitable business;

Selling: Avoid perceptions of misleading and pressuring customers and staying within compliance of ABA and jurisdiction regulations

Customer Service: Stay cognizant of your audience’s needs and concerns is key, as well as effective with resolving disputes.

Chris also mentioned this scenario I thought you might get a kick out of.  Nestle’s grossly mishandled Greenpeace’s outrage via Facbook ver their supporting companies that destroy rainforests in order to produce the palm oil that Nestle purchases from them.

While it’s highly unlikely that any orangutans will be attacking your legal marketing org any time soon, keeping the “Beasts at-Bay” with CSR in mind is sound business advice.

Other articles you may be interested in:

As the Legal Marketing Industry Shifts – We Can Differentiate By Making A Difference

Legal Marketers and Bloggers: The FTC’s New Regulations for Endorsements and Testimonials are Effective December 1, 2009 – FTC Toolkit Keeps You Informed

20 Tips for Legal Marketers Looking to Make Some Meaningful Changes In Their Business

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

The last post I wrote about my friend, Philadelphia filmmaker Tigre Hill’s feature documentary “Barrel of a Gun” received some terrific feedback from my legal marketing audience.  I’m thrilled to find the Karasma Media Legal Marketing Blog readers find his work as intriguing as I do!

His most recent coverage comes from  Philadelphia Magazine writer, Don Steinberg in the article,

The Gospel According to Tigre

The film’s take on the matter is that Mumia is guilty as charged — and convicted — in the 1981 killing of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Hill released an incendiary three-minute trailer for Barrel in September, and the global outrage arrived on cue. Abu-Jamal supporters began labeling it an “anti-Mumia lynch-mob movie” and Hill an Uncle Tom. Protest-tourists from around the world started printing up signs to wave at the film’s premiere, which may be in Philadelphia, maybe this month or next, at least according to the last time Hill pushed back the timetable.

The Barrel of a Gun Trailer

Other related articles you may be interested in:

MOVE — A Legal, Political and Emotional Turmoil In Philadelphia’s History Revisited

Legal Marketers – Step out of the box with video

Karasma Media Introductory Video

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

As a volunteer with PENCIL, I provide pro-bono public relations services to the Alain L. Locke Elementary School – PS 208  in Harlem.  Principal Susan Green and her staff are some of the most dedicated, diligent people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.

This year, fifth-grade teacher, Monica Burns, has done an exemplary job of keeping the school’s blog updated, providing the teachers, parents and community with important and exciting information about Alain L. Locke Elementary.

They’ve received coverage in the New York Times , and featured in a segment of NY1’s New Yorker of the Week, Andrea Wenner founder of the non-profit Out 2 Play.

MS. Burnes ensures a  post goes up every day. sometimes twice in a day and weekends.

Kudos to Ms. Burns!!

Brazilian reporter Antonio Gois,  working on a special article about New York City’s reforms in public education, made a stop at PS 208.   An education correspondent for Brazil’s largest newspaper, Folha de S. Paulo, Mr. Gois interviewed administrators, teachers, parents and students to learn about Alain L. Locke Elementary.

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

Other articles you may be interested in:

The Joy of Watching Pro Bono Seeds Grow

Kara Smith of Karasma Media on Fox 5 NY – As PENCIL’s Principal for A Day” at Alain L. Locke Elementary School-P.S. 208

Karasma Media & Alain L. Locke – P.S. 208 Receive PENCIL’S 2008-2009 Emerging Partnership Award

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

In early March 2010 several large corporations declared their commitment to work with the minority and women owned (MWBE) law firms in 2010 and have created the Inclusion Initiative to challenge other companies to follow their lead.

They will be working closely with the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) to identify best practices for corporations to maximize relationships with high quality minority and women owned law firms.

Thomas Sager, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Dupont, this initiative will help to improve chances “that the economic downturn does not disproportionately affect minority and women owned law firms.”  Sager also pointed out that many minority law firms are smaller and more cost effective.  Sager views this initiative as a way for corporate law firms to cut costs at a time when many law departments are trying to trim budgets.

The Inclusion Initiative companies will work closely with the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) to identify best practices for major corporations to maximize relationships with high quality minority and women owned law firms throughout the United States.

“The companies of the Inclusion Initiative and their general counsels are proven leaders on the issue of diversity in the legal profession,” said Richard Amador, Inclusion Initiative task force chair for NAMWOLF. “Their collaboration will provide a successful model demonstrating that law department leadership, tracking and support for utilizing highly-qualified MWBE firms can reap significant benefits for both the companies and the MWBE firms.”

Contact NAMWOLF for more details

Mastering the tools of social media, aka online brand building is the most viable and cost effective ways to attract the attention of large corporate counsel to your firm’s abilities and want to bring you on to work with their clients.

Social media  is not only about sharing your knowledge, but also sharing the knowledge of others and helping your audience grow in their knowledge.  The center of your social media informational platform is your blog, so if your firm isn’t using one and generating traffic, getting one sooner rather than late is key, so you don’t get caught in “catch-up” mode.

Karasma Media offers a Jumpstart Your Social Media Workshop designed for legal marketers to develop new business and come up with answers to key questions that will accelerate your productivity.  Click here for details

Other articles you may be interested in:

Women and Minority Law Firms Looking to Grow – Mastering Social Media Highlights Your Reputation

There Has Never a Better Time for Legal Marketing Brands to Engage in Social Media

The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act Empowers Cultural Diversity and Multi-Faceted Thinking For the Legal Industry

What If I Were Just Getting Started With Social Media Marketing

Lawyers Get Clients Using Linked In and Social 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

You’re  Informed -  It’s time to engage your audience
As a professional marketing legal services, there is a need for you to distinguish your services.  Obviously, all information is not created equal, and it is more important now than ever for you to reach out to your audience as a viable information source in your area of specialty.  You need to provide a venue for them to be able to interact with you easily, and these interactions will translate into the quality clients you want to attract.

News and information sources today have never been more accessible and anyone with an internet connection can contribute to the broadcast of information.  A  new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and the Project for Excellence in Journalism makes clear, we have become a nation of news grazers whose “relationship to news is becoming portable, personalized and participatory.

But as the concept of “journalism” expands to include citizens with cellphone cameras, Twitter Facebook, and LinkedIn, the survey’s responders reflected something we all feel, with 70% of them feeling overwhelmed by the amount of news and information from different sources, and 72% think most sources of news are biased.

All of us consumers want to be connected to the people and products we can  trust.   There’s no better way for professionals marketing legal services to distinguish their credible information from misinformation and propaganda than by being in control of their online presence.  Journalists will seek you out as an expert and when you approach one of them, being able to reference articles your online articles written by firm members and associates will be invaluable.

Your Results Will Reflect Your Efforts
I published an interview I conducted with Social  Media expert Chris Brogan last week, reviewing his perspective of social media’s impact on legal marketing services.  The next day, I featured the article in my e-mail newsletter and posted it on the Karasma Media Platforms on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

It’s important to note that  fresh information is kept flowing on these platforms on a daily basis.    Since the article’s initial publication (8-days ago at the time I’m writing this):

The Alexa rating of the Karasma Media Marketing Blog has gone up more than 15%, which translates into an increase of almost 40 readers per day, three calls from prospects and two requests for in-person interviews.

Once legal marketers put their infrastructure of information into place infrastructure is in place and the information is flowing, your potential clients and legitimate journalists are going to use it.  Today, legal marketers need to think like journalists because they are  increasingly serving as informational gatekeepers, both by creating and publishing original content online and by passing on (and thereby endorsing) news and information created elsewhere.

The Federal Government’s Providing Educational Support
The Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan, which was released last month, offers an important opportunity to increase news-literacy education to millions of students. The plan, authorized in the $787 billion stimulus package last year, is a long-overdue effort to shore up our digital infrastructure by extending high-speed Internet access to the entire country.

The online infrastructure’s in place, and the government is backing it.  Now is the time to put your legal information structure into place and bring your online platform up to full speed.

USA Today article referenced:  As Journalism Changes, So Must You

Other articles you may be interested in:

Social Media as PR in Legal Marketing is Underused and Under Funded

Legal Marketers and Our Responsibility

Why technology and social media need to be integrated into your branded legal marketing strategy

Ease, Steadiness and Awareness Work for Legal Marketing Social 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

Whenever I include an article in my online newsletter with “Video” in the title, it receives more opens than any of the others.  The same holds true for the articles on this blog, reflecting marketing statistics on video inclusion, across the board.

That being said, here’s my introductory video:

The director, Michael Bailey of Morning Glory Films, is a lifelong friend with a production studio in Washington, D.C.  I admit, when he first suggested shooting me with green screen and rock music on the 2nd track, I wasn’t so sure…

My point is, If you craving to differentiate yourself as not “just another legal organization” then don’t be trepidacious about doing so.

My video’s finished product is slightly “out-of-the-box” from what you normally see in the world of legal service marketing.  Like it or not, it is something different  that’s available for you and you’ve kept reading to this point, and engagement is the first part of conversion!

My goal is to keep stimulating your creative ideas for your  legal marketing online platforms, while encouraging you to participate in my “Jump Start” sessions.  Hopefully, I’ll accomplish both of those things.

On another note, in case you’re wondering, yes, I used stock footage.

It’s not as if many of you aren’t  going to notice!  So, I may as well just say it…
Let’s be honest — it keeps  costs down and time expense to a minimum and since I’m admitting to it , it is kind of funny, yes?

There’s much more online video to come from Karasma Media.  Please feel free to call if you have any questions about how I can assist you with implementing your social media  to generate new business.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Content Brilliance Is the PR of Social Media for Law Firms

“Draconian” ideology is no fix for legal marketers

Legal Marketers Can Step Out Of the Box With Video

As the Legal Industry Shifts – We Can Differentiate By Making A Difference

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