Missed MILOfest? Here’s Some Post-MILOfest Thoughts

Dateline:

November 8, 2009; Somewhere between Orlando, Florida, and New York (The livemap function tells me we’re somewhere over North Carolina now)

I’m flying at 33,000 feet looking out my window on JetBlue back to New York. I see clear blue skies and a few clouds. I’m heading back from Orlando, Florida where I had the chance to talk to a group of lawyers about why video for lawyers is so important. Here’s the bottom line: Lawyers who haven’t started creating video are losing out tremendous opportunities.

I presented on Friday morning, November 6, 2009; a gorgeous cool 75 degree day with crystal clear skies. The room was filled with lawyers and their Mac laptops. There wasn’t a PC in sight. For the lecture, I borrowed my daughter’s 13 inch MacBook, which is light enough to carry anywhere. In fact, I’m using it to type this blog post.

POINT 1: A WAKE UP CALL

I was amazed at the response following my talk. Attorneys were coming up to me thanking me for enlightening them about the need for lawyer video. A handful of lawyers told me they never even considered ‘education-based’ video to market their law practice. Many attorneys I spoke to afterward said that they enjoyed my presentation so much that they are definitely going to start creating video.

I even had a law professor tell me he was going to create two different videos; one geared toward trial lawyers and the other directed to appellate lawyers. It was exciting to see how lawyers finally ‘get it’ when shown how significant video can be.

POINT 2: USE DIFFERENT (ETHICAL) WAYS TO MARKET YOUR PRACTICE

During my talk, I recognized DUI attorney Bob Battle from Virginia sitting in the audience. Bob is an innovator in marketing a solo practice; especially a DUI practice. In the beginning of my talk I showed the group that I looked like a bobble-head in the first video I ever put online. Why do I mention this? Because Bob Battle is probably the only attorney to create an actual bobble-head of himself to help market his practice.

POINT 3: TALK TO OTHER ATTORNEYS IN DIFFERENT PRACTICE AREAS

During the lunch break I had a chance to talk with attorney Victor Medina, the attorney who created and put together MILOfest. Victor is a trusts and estates attorney in New Jersey and he clearly ‘gets it’ in terms of marketing. In addition to being a Mac expert, Victor was telling me how effective seminars are to market his practice.

You can’t practice law today simply by hanging a shingle out, taking out a small yellow pages ad, going to bar association meetings and hoping that someone will call. Instead, savvy lawyers, especially Mac-loving lawyers who use their Mac computers in their law office realize that the practice of law for solo and small firm lawyers means you wear many hats.

POINT 4: ADOBE ACROBAT IS USEFUL-If you know how to use it

At MILOfest we learned the importance of Adobe Acrobat in preparing great presentations and were shown how to actually use it. We also learned why having a 3-D timeline can help convince a judge or a jury of the sequence of factual events in a clear and unmatched way.

POINT 5: BLOGGING IS IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH YOURSELF

Later in the day we heard from the Grand Daddy of blogging; Some actually call him the Blawgfather, Grant Griffiths. Grant is excellent at getting the message out that lawyers have to blog. It’s as simple as that. Blogging is a great way to market yourself. Grant and his son have developed a fascinating theme for WordPress blogs called Headway. What makes Headway so interesting is the ability to change your blog instantly and easily, without knowing any code.

I am happy to report that this blog, The Lawyers’ Video Studio, runs on a Headway theme from Grant Griffith’s team. If you have a chance, take a look at my site to see what I’ve done with it, then head over to Headway and see what others have done with their blogs.

In a few days I’ll be posting a video testimonial describing what attorney Bob Battle thought about my presentation. In addition, you’ll hear from one lawyer who said this was the best conference she’s ever been to! Now, that’s impressive. I look forward to next year’s MILOfest.