And just like that, we've reached the end of our 12 days of Social Media for 2015...and the end of the tenure of SIG leadership from four of your Social Media SIG leaders who have enjoyed sharing our experience, our questions, our frustrations, our challenges, and our joys with all of you. We've built an extraordinary community here in the last five years, of thoughtful and brilliant social media minds, and we leave you in the capable hands of SIG veteran, Nancy Myrland, and your new co-leader, but familiar friend, Jessica Aries.
No 12 Days of Social Media would be complete without our annual tradition - the infamous JibJab videos. So to bid you adieu, I'll first leave you with some parting words from our Social Media SIG leaders, old and new, and then on to the videos! It has truly been my pleasure.
As you're reminiscing with us through our closing post, don't forget to revisit each of the first eleven days of 2015, with some excellent interviews from Jon Holden, Jabez LeBret, Kevin Iredell, Cyndy McCollough, Kristina Eastham, Adrian Lurssen, Sally Schmidt, Roy Sexton, Laura Powers, Liz Cerasuolo, and Jacqueline Madarang.
Lance Godard
What have I learned as co-leader of this SIG over the past 4+ years as we explored and discovered the ways lawyers and firms use social media to market themselves and their practices? That – fortunately and unfortunately, as the case may be – when it comes to social media in the legal space, there is no one-size-fits-all, “right” answer. That means we have to experiment – with channels, with tools, with types of messages – to find those that resonate well with our audiences. And that we’ll probably end up with different ways of connecting with the different people we’re trying to reach: Twitter with some, Facebook with others, YouTube, blogs, and Instagram with the people active in those places.
Lindsay Griffiths
In five years, the social media landscape has changed and expanded so much, and we've all learned a tremendous amount. What was true at the beginning continues to be true now - none of us are experts. We're all still learning, and we rely on each other's counsel, experience, experimentation (as Lance mentions above) and entrepreneurial spirits to navigate these waters successfully for the benefit of our lawyers, firms and clients. Continue to embrace that curiosity in social media (with a healthy dose of care, of course!), and we'll all benefit.
Gail Lamarche
Marian Wright Edelman once said: “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” It has been a great honor serving as a member of the Social Media SIG leadership since its inception. I hope the information shared in our webinars, blogs and conferences have been a help to our LMA community. As we pass the torch to Nancy and Jessica, I eagerly await learning new bells and social media whistles in 2016 and beyond.”
Laura Toledo
My parting advice is along the lines of something Roy Sexton said. We “tend to get giddy about a glittering new creativeidea,” but that doesn’t mean you need to jump on every new, hot thing that comes along. It needs to make sense for you and your firm. Just because blogging is “hot” right now doesn’t mean you’ll be successful creating one for the sake of creation.
So long, farewell…thanks, members, for making the Social Media SIG so successful.
Nancy Myrland
Even though I am excited that this SIG continues to evolve to include social and digital media in 2016, I can't help but look back over the past five years as 5 willing, passionate marketers decided they wanted to share the leadership duties of a brand new Social Media SIG for LMA. In any other case, this leadership model wouldn't have worked, but it did for us because we were friends who knew how to manage workflow, step in when another was busy, and to focus on providing education and inspiration in a rapidly-changing marketing discipline for our fellow members. Even though the months ahead provide great opportunity with what my new Co-Chair, Jessica Aries, and I are planning, this SIG, to me, will always have a foundation made up of a great deal of hard work, friendship, selflessness, creativity and growth for all of us. Gail, Laura, Lindsay and Lance, you will be dearly missed. I love you all. Jessica, I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into! :)
Jessica Aries
It’s so true that relationships online do not spawn out of thin air. Like relationships in the “real world”, relationships online take time, effort, and sometimes a good strategy to develop into something meaningful. As technology continues to become more accessible and more wearable (yes, I own an Apple Watch and I love it), our online selves will more completely reflect our offline selves. This is great for those of us who already are embracing it, and for those who haven’t, let this be the writing on the wall moment for you. If your firm or you individually are in the latter group, look to the great advice offered here. Almost every single one of the contributors to the 12 Days of Social Media this year provided great ideas and strong examples of firms and individuals doing great stuff in the social media realm. Embrace this opportunity to learn from the best, and be the hero of your firm!
On that note, I am honored and excited to be leading the Social Media SIG these next two years. We have a lot of changes in store for you and a lot of great minds helping Nancy Myrland and I bring you great educational opportunities in the social media and digital media realm. I hope you all will stay tuned for what’s on the horizon!
And now, our final celebration as five SIG leaders!
And an introduction to your 2016 Social Media SIG leadership!
Warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season to all of you, and a very happy new year!