Seven Ways to Reinvent Your Use of LinkedIn

July 25th, 2012 → 7:25 am @ Ari Kaplan

Most professionals could gain more value from LinkedIn and here are seven simple techniques for reinventing the way you use the social network:

1. Provide updates.
2. Study status updates and share resources.
3. Get to know those you know.
4. Study the people looking for you.
5. Explain why you are connecting.
6. Send a follow-up note after connecting.
7. View profiles to get profile views.

I discuss these points in greater detail in my recent column here, and ultimately conclude that technology has made it much easier to add context to what was otherwise a cold call or e-mail just a few years ago. Take advantage of that new level of familiarity. LinkedIn makes networking universally accessible, since it is both practical and strategic without requiring you to be bold or outgoing.

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Reinventing Traditional Court Appearances

July 13th, 2012 → 8:25 am @ Ari Kaplan

At a recent conference, I learned about CourtCall.com, which is a web-based service that facilitates telephonic court appearances for attorneys involved in matters in a wide variety of courts throughout the U.S. and Canada (click here to download a PDF of the entire list).  Fees range from $40 to $78 and the site notes that:

A Judge’s listing does not assure that Telephonic Appearances are allowed on all matters and deadlines for scheduling vary. Additional fees and restrictions may apply when scheduling less than three full ‘Court’ days in advance. Next-day appearances cannot currently be scheduled online.

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Redefining Online Education

July 6th, 2012 → 8:31 am @ Ari Kaplan

“Learning inspires change,” says David Schnurman, the president and CEO of Lawline.com, a leading provider of online continuing legal education that is transforming the way professionals educate themselves on the web.  In a discussion about the company’s new Lawline 2.0 initiative, which is making the site’s entire archive of over a thousand hours of programming free, Schnurman notes that “Lawline’s mission has always been to change the way people learn and since we are transitioning from a service-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, we are helping our audience make that change more seamlessly.”

In addition to providing CLE accreditation services in 43 states (including for this course), Lawline.com also offers CFP programs for those in financial services, and CPE courses for those in accounting, among other fields. A self-described “lifelong learner,” Schnurman wanted to give others the opportunity to actively engage with technology to enhance the learning experience.  Lawline 2.0 allows viewers to take “smart” notes that automatically form reference-like outlines, record five-minute course summaries for future use, and dynamically share their newly acquired expertise.

Listen to our interview below:

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Reinventing Car Sharing via Infographic

June 20th, 2012 → 8:25 am @ Ari Kaplan

I saw this great infographic from BlaBlaCar (a leader in European car sharing) about transforming transport by building efficiency and trust while saving money.  Below is a video about how BlaBlaCar works:

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Reinvention Through Storytelling

June 14th, 2012 → 7:15 am @ Ari Kaplan

I read this story on the home page of a Chicago law firm and thought it was a great introduction to the culture of the organization:

In 1944, during World War II, Chicagoan Arthur Goldberg was deployed on a mission to North Africa for the Office of Strategic Services, a predecessor to the CIA. He knew that his old friend, Carl Devoe, was stationed in Cairo also doing intelligence work. Goldberg contacted Devoe, and the two men agreed to meet in Casablanca during Goldberg’s layover there. Soon after they met, there was a blackout in the city. Undeterred, Devoe and Goldberg went to the roof of a nearby building, sat down near the edge of a parapet and stared out into the darkness. They began to talk about their future-if they managed to live through the war. Before the night was over, the two men had agreed to start a law firm.

Storytelling really engages the reader and encourages you to learn more.  I had the honor of interviewing famed author, Seth Godin, a few years ago for an article on this topic.  Among other points of great advice, he noted:

The best way to be remarkable is to do something worth talking about, not to do something because you are panicked or to show off, but do something unique, insightful, helpful and over-the-top brave.  The beauty of the legal profession is everyone is an entrepreneur …  All of the successful ones didn’t get there by following instructions.  They got there by doing stuff they believed in and doing it in a way that people talked about.

Listen to our 4-minute interview below:

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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:

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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:

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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:

1. Set your goal lower than you think you need
2. Have a record of accomplishments
3. Look at successful and unsuccessful campaigns
4. Give good rewards
5. Make a short, well-produced video (I have included Pebble’s video below)
6. Offer updates (I have also included the update video from Tim Schafer, the founder of Double Fine)
7. Thank contributors as they donate
8. Promote your project everywhere

To study Pebble’s (record-breaking) stats or to pre-order a watch, visit it’s Kickstarter page here.

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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.

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The Art of Wasting Time

April 10th, 2012 → 7:26 am @ Ari Kaplan

Interesting infographic from the team at OnlineCollegeCourses.com about who wastes the most time, how they do it, and why.

Brought to you by: Online Courses Resource

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