Must Sue TV
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N ot to be left behind, the legal community is actively engaged in the ever-expand- ing blogoshpere. With more than 1000 active legal blogs on the Web, firms and attorneys recognize the value of blogs as unique market- ing and business development tools. However, for a blog to be beneficial, it must distinguish itself from the diluted market through creativity, consistency, and a strategic media plan. ONE FIRM’S STORY Ford & Harrison LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, was interested in a creative way to communicate with current and prospective clients about the difficult and complex legal issues facing employers in today’s workplace. The firm has always been aggressive when it comes to marketing, and is constantly looking for ways to stand out. Launching a blog seemed to be one way, but without a clever idea to break through the clutter, blogging seemed to present too many signifi- cant challenges. Overcoming the Obstacles The chief concern was the clutter. The HR market is flooded with blogs, as there are already hundreds on the Web. Another significant concern was how to generate a sizeable audience for a blog that, at the end of the day, would be about HR issues — especially given that most law firms’ Web sites are traf- ficked pretty lightly. Lastly, there was concern over content: Was there enough to say? How often would there need to be a new post in order to keep the blog relevant and interesting? Did the firm’s designated author have the time to post regularly? The firm considered these chal- lenges and decided it would move forward with a blog only if they were overcome. The first, and most important, step was to develop a focus unique to the HR sector, one that hopefully would enable the blog to generate a following. With this and Ford & Harrison’s other concerns in mind, the idea to use NBC’s hit comedy The Office as a backdrop seemed like the perfect fit. As most know, the show takes place at a branch office of fictional paper company Dunder Mifflin, a company that could easily represent any in America. The show focuses primarily on the politically incorrect behavior of the office’s general manager, Michael Scott, and his employees, all of whom are involved in storylines that reflect everyday HR issues (e.g., inter-office relationships, inappropriate comments, personnel conflicts, etc.). Essentially, as far as Ford & Harrison was concerned, the show was a weekly visual demonstration of what not to do for HR managers and executives. Gaining Attention To mitigate the firm’s concern that the blog might languish in obscurity, a viable site host was recruited and a deal was made, which meant that the blog would begin with a relevant, built-in audience and instant credibility. Julie Elgar, a senior associate in Ford & Harrison’s Atlanta office, loves The Office, and willingly agreed to write the blog on behalf of the firm. Julie, a true fan of the show, named the blog “That’s What She Said,” based on Michael Scott’s trademark punch line. Julie’s commitment is to create one new post every Friday commenting on the previous night’s episode. (Because the show airs only once a week, Julie doesn’t have pressure to post more frequently.) Must-Sue TV How One Firm Created a High-Profile Blog That Works By Lynne Donaghy and John Hellerman Lynne Donaghy is Director of Marketing at Ford & Harrison LLP. John Hellerman, a member of this newsletter’s Board of Editors, is a partner at Hellerman Baretz Communications (www.hellerman- baretz.com). The firm designs and executes strategic communications campaigns. Maggie Schmerin, an account executive at Hellerman Baretz, contributed to this article. Volume 20, Number 12 • April 2007 Marketing The Law Firm ® LAW JOURNAL NEWSLETTERS
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By John Hellerman and Lynne DonaghyALM Law Journal NewslettersMarketing the Law FirmApril, 2007
Transcript of Must Sue TV
Not to be left behind, the legal community is activelyengaged in the ever-expand-
ing blogoshpere. With more than1000 active legal blogs on the Web, firms and attorneys recognizethe value of blogs as unique market-ing and business development tools. However, for a blog to be beneficial, it must distinguish itselffrom the diluted market through creativity, consistency, and a strategicmedia plan.
ONE FIRM’S STORYFord & Harrison LLP, a national
labor and employment law firm, wasinterested in a creative way to communicate with current andprospective clients about the difficultand complex legal issues facingemployers in today’s workplace. Thefirm has always been aggressivewhen it comes to marketing, and is
constantly looking for ways to standout. Launching a blog seemed to beone way, but without a clever idea tobreak through the clutter, bloggingseemed to present too many signifi-cant challenges.Overcoming the Obstacles
The chief concern was the clutter.The HR market is flooded withblogs, as there are already hundredson the Web. Another significantconcern was how to generate asizeable audience for a blog that, atthe end of the day, would be aboutHR issues — especially given thatmost law firms’ Web sites are traf-ficked pretty lightly. Lastly, therewas concern over content: Wasthere enough to say? How oftenwould there need to be a new postin order to keep the blog relevantand interesting? Did the firm’s designated author have the time topost regularly?
The firm considered these chal-lenges and decided it would moveforward with a blog only if theywere overcome. The first, and mostimportant, step was to develop afocus unique to the HR sector, onethat hopefully would enable theblog to generate a following. Withthis and Ford & Harrison’s otherconcerns in mind, the idea to useNBC’s hit comedy The Office as abackdrop seemed like the perfectfit. As most know, the show takesplace at a branch office of fictional
paper company Dunder Mifflin, acompany that could easily representany in America. The show focusesprimarily on the politically incorrectbehavior of the office’s general manager, Michael Scott, and hisemployees, all of whom are involvedin storylines that reflect everyday HRissues (e.g., inter-office relationships,inappropriate comments, personnelconflicts, etc.).
Essentially, as far as Ford &Harrison was concerned, the showwas a weekly visual demonstrationof what not to do for HR managersand executives. Gaining Attention
To mitigate the firm’s concern that the blog might languish in obscurity, a viable site host wasrecruited and a deal was made, whichmeant that the blog would begin witha relevant, built-in audience andinstant credibility.
Julie Elgar, a senior associate inFord & Harrison’s Atlanta office,loves The Office, and willinglyagreed to write the blog on behalf ofthe firm. Julie, a true fan of theshow, named the blog “That’s WhatShe Said,” based on Michael Scott’strademark punch line. Julie’s commitment is to create one newpost every Friday commenting onthe previous night’s episode.(Because the show airs only once aweek, Julie doesn’t have pressure topost more frequently.)
Must-Sue TVHow One Firm Created a High-Profile Blog That Works
By Lynne Donaghy and John Hellerman
Lynne Donaghy is Director ofMarketing at Ford & Harrison LLP.John Hellerman, a member of thisnewsletter’s Board of Editors, is apartner at Hellerman BaretzCommunications (www.hellerman-baretz.com). The firm designs andexecutes strategic communicationscampaigns. Maggie Schmerin, anaccount executive at HellermanBaretz, contributed to this article.
Volume 20, Number 12 • April 2007
MarketingThe Law Firm
®L AW J O U R N A LN E W S L E T T E R S
Keeping the AttentionWith the right marketing plan, any
blog can launch successfully. It’smaintaining readership and encour-aging repeat visits that’s the difficulttask. The best way to entice returnvisits is by using a consistent format.In the case of That’s What She Said,Julie assigns a litigation value toeach episode of The Office. Thenumber is a dollar estimate of howmuch the outlandish behavior ofMichael Scott and the other DunderMifflin employees would cost real-life companies to defend inemployment lawsuits. The litigationvalue is consistent throughout Julie’sposts and attracts people to comeback each Friday to see how muchfinancial damage Michel caused onthe previous night’s show. The Launch
When it came time to launch theblog, publicity efforts were focusedon three unique sectors: law and HRfor the legal advice, and entertain-ment given the pop culture status ofshow. Outreach went beyond tradi-tional media in each sector, and togenerate real grassroots buzz, con-siderable attention was paid toother blogs (the blogging communi-ty is close-knit and relies heavily onnetworking and cross-promotion).
As a result of the launch strategy,That’s What She Said received cov-erage in all three areas of focus —from The Wall Street Journal to theLife section of USA Today. Asexpected, other blogs were the firstto pick-up on the story, either post-ing Ford & Harrison’s news releaseor writing their own reviews.Having That’s What She Saidmentioned in the Life section of USAToday or on a popular entertain-ment blog might not seem to makeimmediate sense in terms of busi-ness development for the firm.However, every placement raisedthe blog’s profile and generated
buzz, which piqued the interest ofpublications that were primarilyimportant to the firm: The New YorkTimes, The Wall Street Journal,BusinessWeek, Inside Counsel, andpopular HR Web sites and trademagazines. As news about the blogspread and traffic increased to12,000 hits a day, unexpected cov-erage of the blog followed, as wasthe case when New York Magazinecalled the blog “brilliant” in theirpopular “Approval Matrix.”
FUTURE OF THE BLOGWhile the blog is currently only
authored by Julie, the entire firmtakes ownership of it and is proudto promote it. For instance, the firmsent an announcement about theblog to many of its clients and con-tacts. A number of attorneys sentclients a copy of a large, front-pagebusiness feature story that appearedin several major Gannet newspa-pers. The feedback was overwhelm-ing positive — clients appreciatedthe firm’s creativity and uniqueness,which reinforced why they had cho-sen Ford & Harrison in the firstplace. One client shared the blogwith her CEO, who subsequently e-mailed it to all of the company’smanagers, encouraging them to visit
the site every Friday. Several clientshave asked about using the blog asa training tool for their HR execu-tives. Additionally, as a result oftheir exposure through the blog,Julie and other Ford & Harrisonattorneys now receive frequent callsfrom top-tier media seeking com-ment on general HR issues unrelat-ed to The Office or the blog. Lastly,Ford & Harrison is considering addi-tional ways to leverage the blog’ssuccess (e.g., hosting casualThursday night “Office parties” andpromoting it to larger audiencesthrough event sponsorships withgroups such as the Society forHuman Resource Management).
CONCLUSIONThis is our firm’s positive experi-
ence. Because they present aunique communications tool forattorneys, legal blogs will continueto grow in number and popularity.Like Ford & Harrison’s That’s WhatShe Said, the best of the bunch will be distinctive, consistent, and well-marketed.
That’s What She Said can be readonline at www.hrheroblogs.com.
LJN’s Marketing the Law Firm April 2007
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Reprinted with permission from the April 2007 edition of the LAW JOURNAL NEWSLETTERS - MARKETINGTHE LAW FIRM. © 2007 ALM Properties, Inc. All rightsreserved. Further duplication without permission is prohib-ited. For information, contact 212-545-6111 or visitwww.almreprints.com. #055081-05-07-0005
With the right marketing
plan, any blog can launch
successfully. It’s maintaining
readership and encouraging
repeat visits that’s the
difficult task.
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