Packed with creative insights
and practical advice
Browsing Month May, 2012
Blogging Best Practices in Professional Services
May 30th, 2012 → 1:55 pm @ Ari Kaplan
Back in the late 1990s, I started freelancing soon after I began practicing law. I had the opportunity to co-author a column for the Journal of Commerce with a remarkable lawyer, but as the Internet started becoming more popular, I began pitching ideas related to the convergence of technology and the law. One of the earliest outlets I contacted was a website known as Prairielaw.com (acquired by Lawyers.com) and it was kind to publish this piece.
In 2003, its founder, Kevin O’Keefe, went on to create LexBlog, which has become one of the largest and most successful platforms for blogging and social media in the legal industry, boasting 6,000 lawyer authors. I had the chance to interview Kevin at Avvo‘s recent Avvocating conference in Seattle and we discussed the evolution of how professionals are raising their profiles, techniques for leveraging technology to build a reputation, and proven methods for enhancing relationships. Among many other great points, he noted that “Content is not the most important thing; listening is the most important thing.”
Watch our interview below:
avvo &avvo.com &avvocating &Blog &careers &conference &content generation &digital marketing &getting published &ghostwriter &ghostwriting &kevin o'keefe &leveraging technology &Networking &personal branding &reinventing professional services &Reinvention
Reinventing Digital Marketing in Australia
May 16th, 2012 → 10:27 am @ Ari Kaplan
I had the chance to participate in the Law Firm Marketing Masters series and on a recent visit to New York City, I met with its creator, Dan Toombs, the founder of Grow Your Firm, an Australian web marketing company that assists professional services firms with enhancing their digital presence. We discussed the state of the Australian market and the benefits of leveraging Vizibility, among other topics. Watch our interview below:
ari kaplan &australia &Blog &content generation &dan toombs &digital marketing &ghostwriter &ghostwriting &global &law firm &law firm associations &law practice management &law-related &lawyers &legal industry &legal management &legal practice &leveraging technology &litigation &Profile &reinventing professional services &Reinvention &small law firms &solo practice &web design &writing
A New Era in Raising Capital – Kickstarting with Kickstarter
May 7th, 2012 → 1:20 pm @ Ari Kaplan
I have been reading various reports about the makers of the Pebble watch shattering fundraising records on Kickstarter (including this recent article from CNNMoney). At the time of this posting, Pebble had secured $8,892,610 from 59,100 backers (over $5 million more than the prior record holder, Double Fine Productions). Then I saw this discussion of 8 Tips for Raising Money Through Kickstarter and wanted to share its tips:
- Set your goal lower than you think you need
- Have a record of accomplishments
- Look at successful and unsuccessful campaigns
- Give good rewards
- Make a short, well-produced video (I have included Pebble’s video below)
- Offer updates (I have also included the update video from Tim Schafer, the founder of Double Fine)
- Thank contributors as they donate
- Promote your project everywhere
To study Pebble’s (record-breaking) stats or to pre-order a watch, visit it’s Kickstarter page here.
ari kaplan &Blog &financial innovation &ghostwriter &ghostwriting &incremental innovation &leveraging technology &reinventing professional services &Reinvention &venture capital funding
3-D Printers and Reinventing the Production Cycle
May 2nd, 2012 → 11:30 am @ Ari Kaplan
I read this article in Fast Company about Brooklyn-based MakerBot Industries with great interest (not just because I am from Sheepshead Bay), as the idea of publicly available 3-D printers (albeit at a price of $1,749 each) captures the very essence of reinvention. The ability to create prototypes and small-scale models has the potential to launch an entire generation of visionaries. The article by Rob Walker details the company’s rise, profiles its founder, Bre Pettis, and offers this glimpse into how the printers work.
ari kaplan &automation &Blog &ghostwriter &ghostwriting &incremental innovation &law-related &lawyers &legal industry &leveraging technology &Reinvention