Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

"No man should travel until he has learned the language of the country he visits. Otherwise he voluntarily makes himself a great baby - so helpless and so ridiculous."

It's interesting how relevant this quote, nearly two centuries old, is for lawyers marketing on the internet.

Learn The Language

The internet has introduced a slew of shiny, new communication tools and platforms.  However, many firms are traveling to the distant land that is the internet before they bother to learn how conversations there are taking place.

Unfortuanately, we can fall into the trap of thinking that these communication tools exist to serve our needs, especially when it comes to using them for generating new business.  We blast out our marketing messages and don’t take the time to learn HOW the conversation is taking place.  The reality is that with each tool there exists a community.  We can use these tools effectively when we are a productive member of the community, adding value.  However, if you think the community exists to serve your needs, you will quickly become a pariah.

Each community has it’s own conversation, it’s own voice.  Writing content for a blog post is different than interacting on LinkedIn.  You need to do your research as you adopt each of these tools.  Follow the flow of conversations on Twitter and blogs.  Listen and learn how people interact on LinkedIn and Facebook.  Once you gain an understanding of the community and the conversation (ie: learning the language of the land), spend some time contributing.  Keep in mind that the conversation and language in one community, may not be right for another.

Photo by Shawn Econo