By Elspeth Misiaszek
Published: 2 December 2011
If you watch the nightly news, you may have noticed how often attorneys are in demand. Whether it’s the latest glamorized murder trial, or a new change in legislation, we rely on the opinions of legal experts to keep us informed. You may have even wondered how you can be the one in front of the camera providing your opinion on important legal matters. There are three strategies you may consider to get your legal practice in the spotlight using public relations and media:
1) Write about it.
There are many media outlets looking for expert opinions on the hottest legal topics. How do you find them? Visit Yahoo; you’ll notice there are topics on the right hand side that are “trending.” When you click on the link to the articles, you’ll see names like the Huffington Post shown as the source. When you visit the website for the Huffington Post there will be links to ‘write for us’ or ‘become a reporter.’ Make sure you are choosing reputable sources to apply to as a contributing writer. If you are going to write for free, consider if there is still a merit to having your pieces published. For example, a very well trafficked online publication is an excellent place to have your name, web site and company information appear as a contributing source. Appearing in legal trade publications and legal magazines is also an effective way to establish yourself as an expert.
2) Use social media to get your opinions heard.
The most important aspect of using social media to garner PR attention is your bio. The three sentence blurb you create for Twitter must contain the key words, repeated a few times, for what you are trying to be the media source for. You can choose words like ‘criminal law expert’ or ‘domestic violence attorney’ but make sure you give a great deal of thought to just the right combination of words. Your expertise must be very clear. It’s not just about readability, it’s about searchability.
3) Consider developing a press packet to send to all the local media sources.
If getting on the news is important to you, you may need to pitch yourself to the right people. Hire someone to take head shots and take a fresh look at your resume. You can send press packets to local media sources. Visit the websites of local reporters, televisions news stations, and newspapers. Many of these websites have links for experts. You can also call newsrooms to find out whether they accept press packets.
Assuming you intend to pursue news media, you will need to be prepared for a bit of annoyance over the hours news channels keep. Your first spot on a cable channel can mean getting up at 4 a.m. for a 10 a.m. airing. You may also be commenting on the most mundane topic you can imagine. Consider it a test run. If you look good on camera and your personality comes through, you may be asked back. After a few return visits, you have the potential to become the go to person on a particular legal topic. Any time there is a breaking criminal story, you would take precedent over any other source they may have.
The payback of using PR and media in your legal practice, of course, is that it positions you as the expert in your field. Compare this to the following Coke has. The brand is well recognized around the world. You want to think of PR attention the same way: If you are perceived in a positive light, you will get more business. Finally, the best thing about PR and Media is the cost: It’s free. Free publicity … once you position yourself in the right places. Usually, you have to pay quite a bit for advertising. If you haven’t jumped on board with using PR and Media in your legal practice just yet, start with the above steps.
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