"We live amidst an explosion of content…
"There are a growing number of news and information channels…
"There is a glut of information.”
So said John Corey, CEO and Founder of Greentarget, as he shared a sneak preview from the State of Digital and Content Marketing Survey at the LMA Tech West Conference. No wonder that a recent survey found that just 16% read everything that’s written in an article – most skip, skim or worse, just read the headline.
With so much being written and shared, an obvious question is why keep writing? You might be tempted to ask yourself: "If counsel are complaining about too much to read, why shouldn’t I quit contributing to the 
problem and just stop writing? After all, who needs another point of view on this issue? Do I really have anything new to say? Why bother?"
Of course the answer is found underneath the last few questions, isn’t it? By not writing it’s as though we’re ceding ground to colleagues, potentially competitors, and allowing them to stake out leadership positions on matters of importance to our practice. We’re making ourselves invisible (at least hard to find) as a leading professional in our field of expertise. Clearly professionals who write benefit from having great substantive content that showcases their expertise – after all, expertise in the legal profession is frequently measured by the written word.
...expertise in the legal profession is frequently measured by the written word.
Demonstrating your knowledge of a matter is an important reason to continue writing, but it is far from the only one. Here are other key benefits that accrue to authors making it worth the time and trouble:
1. Stay competitive.
Let’s put it this way: you’ve received two recommendations for an attorney to handle a new matter. One has written several articles that speak to your issue while the other has not. All else being equal, who would you call first? Every professional should set a goal of having a sufficient number of articles covering their primary area of expertise to credential them in the eyes of potential clients.
2. Generate referrals.
Your referral sources – both inside your firm and outside – often have several choices when referring a matter. By having a body of content readily available that demonstrates your expertise, you make it easy for colleagues to recommend you first.
3. Add value to current clients.
Don’t overlook this one. In an age where clients are looking for value-add, sending a client an article you wrote along with your thoughts – just a few sentences - on how this impacts them, is an easy way to be helpful to clients.
4. Polish your bonafides.
The process of writing sharpens and refines your understanding of a topic. And, once on paper, your written product makes your knowledge easy to reference and share with others.
5.Reach potential new clients.
Many professionals use content marketing as their primary means to find new potential clients. They use content to positively influence a prospect and to nurture them throughout their decision process. Any author can do this by thinking through common questions that prospective clients have, and addressing these issues in their articles.
So bottom line: keep writing! You’ll benefit today from the act of writing, and set yourself up for success in future by having written. So now you may be wondering, how do you get read when everyone else is writing? Stay tuned!
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What additional benefits have you realized from your efforts demonstrating knowledge and writing for clients? Anything to add? Share it below:
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