Is Social Media a White Collar Crime?
This week, I write to you from New Orleans, while attending the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime Conference, with over 1,250 criminal attorneys and criminal justice members in attendance. Today, I share my observations on how the ABA markets to their membership via traditional marcom tools as well as social media.
Marketing to members of an organization – whether it’s for continuing education conferences or annual conventions or workshops – can be extremely challenging. Depending on the nature of the profession (particularly legal or medical), there are challenges navigating around confidentiality issues and getting practitioners to up their marketing/social media learning curves – definitely a source of frustration for marcom pros. To overcome these obstacles requires a solid understanding of the membership in question and a well thought-out strategic plan.
Founded in 1854, the Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s flagship publication,The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin®, is the oldest daily courts newspaper in the country. The legal daily has been at the forefront of the digital and social media age, and does a great job using social media channels to reinforce their publications and their industry’s work. The publication has around 3,200 Twitter followers.
According to Adam Music, Content Specialist for The Daily Law Bulletin and monthly Chicago Lawyer Magazine, the majority of attorneys (70%) are using some sort of social media network. Yet, the extent of use and how they use it is not optimized. There are a variety of reasons for this – lack of knowledge, circumspection, legalities and ethics. However, some areas of the law, such as in sports law, there is a definite presence on Twitter.
While social media marketing was not heavily used this year by the ABA’s Criminal Justice Division to promote their White Collar Crime Conference, the conference did have their own hashtags and tweets were abundant during the keynotes and conference activities. Next year will mark the 30th Annual Conference and the ABA plans to actively promote the event via social media.
Whatever professional organization you market for, the best advice you can offer your clients is to jump on the bandwagon and educate them on the power and advantages of social media marketing. As millennials enter the professional workforce, marketers won’t have a choice: that will be the ONLY way to reach them. Have a terrific Thursday. as
#ABACJS #WCCInstitute #social media #marketing #meetings
