The Place to Network: Time-Saving Tips for Using Social Media

“You must have a lot of free time,” they say, skeptically, regarding me as if I spend half of each day on the couch, one eye on my laptop, the other on television game shows. This reaction occurs when I list the various social media tools I employ to stay on top of trends in the legal industry or to stay in touch with colleagues, thought leaders and friends.

It is true that I maintain a regular and visible presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Legal OnRamp and my professional blog. It's also true that each day I read two print newspapers, seven online news sites, four legal journals and news sites, three economics news feeds, four in-house counsel blogs, two general management blogs, three sports team summaries and 56 legal news feeds and blogs ranging in topics from legal marketing to knowledge management to partner compensation to leadership tips to technology to strategy to tabloid news. Did I mention that I “follow” nearly 400 Twitterers, primarily luminaries in the legal field with an occasional celebrity thrown in for amusement? While it may strain credulity, these activities take me no more than one hour of active participation each day on average.

One of the most heavily viewed articles on my blog is my annual inventory of social media sources that I visit or monitor on a daily basis, along with my explanations for why each site interests me. I compiled the first list after I had reached a saturation point, when the amount of information coming at me was so overwhelming that I could no longer cope. I needed to pare the source list to the essentials and find better ways to manage my time, lest I find myself choosing between a productive career and a robust online networking profile. This article addresses some of the time-saving techniques that can help busy professionals effectively employ social media and networking tools without becoming time prohibitive.

But first we must make two distinctions: There are activities that help project one's persona outward to selected online communities, and there are activities one employs to gather information. Each requires different time-saving techniques. Without question, to create an active and robust online presence one must invest time and energy regularly, but if the goal is to remain visible to potential clients and to demonstrate credibility in your chosen field, then the maintenance of the online persona takes far less time than you might imagine. And when trying to staying abreast of the latest news in one's field, it's helpful to forgo the notion that mastery of the content is the ultimate objective. Sometimes skimming is enough.

Creating an Online Presence

Let's take a brief tour of some of the popular social media destinations for busy legal professionals looking to engage in online networking. LinkedIn is a great place to start, for it serves as an online curriculum vitae in which we can display the many accomplishments that make us credible in our field. There's no sense of self-aggrandizement in building a robust profile, and in fact those who maximize their LinkedIn visibility are those whose profile reflects their experience, past employers and skill set. One truism in the hiring of lawyers and other professionals is that personal referrals are preferred. Equally true is that personal referrals are nearly always researched and vetted using third-party sources. This is why legal directories remain popular in the age of Web sites, and why an empty shell of a LinkedIn profile, or the absence of one at all, can be disastrous for a lawyer trying to stand out among a short list of equally qualified peers. Invest the time up front to build a robust profile, and then periodically augment the profile with new accomplishments.

Facebook is positioned as the online community where one can catch up with old friends, or stay in touch with distant family members. But increasingly it serves a role in business, as companies small and large, consumer-facing and B2B, are establishing a Facebook presence, in much the same way that businesses increase visibility through sponsorships or advertising. You may not wish to share pictures of your children with your clients, or read of your client's exploits on Farmville (a popular Facebook game), but there are ways to separate your two personas. Facebook permits the creation of “lists,” in which one can sort friends, with each list allowing access to different portions of a profile. Business colleagues, for example, may not be permitted to view photos, and they may see only those status updates specifically directed to that list. High school chums may, for example, not be given access to your professional blog feed. (My blog can display on Facebook, you say? Yes! Hold that thought.) Divide your connections once, then in the future add each new connection quickly to one or more lists.

We've written previously in this space about Twitter, and by now it's entered the lexicon and is hardly newsworthy. However, knowing it exists and employing it in the pursuit of online networking are not the same. Twitter is essentially a site for posting brief (a sentence or two) comments, often with links to more lengthy content. It's ideal for posting, say, a link to a new blog post, or an article describing a new regulation or law. Often, it's used to merely provide a running personal commentary ' where one is traveling, reactions to news stories ' and serves to personalize the author. There's a line between personalizing an impersonal online presence and over-sharing, and many have yet to find that line. A tremendous use of Twitter is to publish (or read) brief snippets from a conference, in much the same way that one scribbles a few key points from a presentation.

Type Once, Publish Many

A key time-saving device is to connect one's various online personas in a “type once, publish many” manner. For example, one can connect a Facebook profile to Twitter, feed Twitter updates to a LinkedIn profile, automatically publish new blog posts to a Twitter account, and so on. Most online networks allow this functionality natively, though a third-party tool such as FeedBurner offers an easy yet comprehensive way to “syndicate” content across multiple networks, recommends social media expert Jayne Navarre, principal of LawGravity.com and www.virtualmarketingofficer.com (“transforming business development for lawyers”). A feed tool is a necessity for any lawyer or busy professional who doesn't have the time to visit every social networking site every day ' and that means most of us.

This “syndication” approach is how I am able to gather in one place all of the various online news and information sources that I feel are necessary to stay abreast of changes in my profession. Nearly all news sites and publications offer their content as “RSS feeds,” which means that the content can be automatically retrieved elsewhere rather than visiting the site each and every time one wants to check the headlines. I rely on Google Reader to retrieve and organize the several dozen feeds I monitor each day, but there are others as equally capable.

Heavy Reading Made Light

When I come across a blog or news site that interests me enough to want to read daily, I add the feed to Google Reader. Sometimes it's as easy as clicking an icon on the Web site; at most it means copying the Web site address into my reader's “Add a Subscription” box. I then decide which of the dozen or so topics I want this feed to fall into, and instantly I begin receiving the most current news or updates from the chosen site. For example, two legal management publications I find extraordinarily insightful, Law21.ca by Jordan Furlong and AdamSmithEsq.com by Bruce MacEwen, are automatically delivered to me the moment either of these two luminaries publishes a new article. Similarly, I monitor dozens of experts in legal marketing and technology, along with dozens of news sites, legal and non-legal. This takes at most a tenth of the time otherwise required to visit each site multiple times each day to stay abreast of newsworthy items. Even so, with over a hundred sources feeding into my reader every day, the number of “items” to read can quickly overwhelm. Luckily, the feeds only show the first few lines, allowing me to quickly skim over those of little interest, read those items of a timely nature, and bookmark others for a later time when perhaps I will be on the couch with a bit of free time.

Time Management Is Critical

Despite the proliferation of tools one can employ to stay informed of news in one's chosen field, and the many social networking sites currently available, like all networking, one must make choices. Staying visible and demonstrating the subject matter expertise it requires dedicated time and energy, and it requires an understanding of where your target audience tends to frequent. Some years ago, as I was moving a stack of unread business books from my desk to my floor, and those on the floor moved to the “unread” section of my bookshelf, I came to the realization that I would never have enough time to read all that I wanted. Similarly, as I review the many invitations to industry events, I know I can't be everywhere at once, as much as I'd like to. I adopted a philosophy that has served me well since then. I no longer delay starting a book until I'm certain I'll have the time to finish it and I no longer finish a book if it doesn't interest me. I don't try to be the most frequent tweeter, or have the most connections on LinkedIn, or give more speeches than anyone in my field.

These are facets of my learned approach to time management. I try to select a few areas in which I can regularly contribute, and then I remain committed to contributing until I determine that another use of my time is more valuable. Social networking sites will come and go, but the basics remain: Go and be seen where your clients are, demonstrate your expertise, and remain committed to the activities that generate business. Done right, you will have plenty of time to curl up on the couch, but only after you've put in a productive day at the office and online.

Timothy B. Corcoran is Vice President, Global Sales, at Hubbard One. He authors the Corcoran's Law Biz Blog and is a regular speaker and writer on business development and business management issues for law firms.

“You must have a lot of free time,” they say, skeptically, regarding me as if I spend half of each day on the couch, one eye on my laptop, the other on television game shows. This reaction occurs when I list the various social media tools I employ to stay on top of trends in the legal industry or to stay in touch with colleagues, thought leaders and friends.

It is true that I maintain a regular and visible presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Legal OnRamp and my professional blog. It's also true that each day I read two print newspapers, seven online news sites, four legal journals and news sites, three economics news feeds, four in-house counsel blogs, two general management blogs, three sports team summaries and 56 legal news feeds and blogs ranging in topics from legal marketing to knowledge management to partner compensation to leadership tips to technology to strategy to tabloid news. Did I mention that I “follow” nearly 400 Twitterers, primarily luminaries in the legal field with an occasional celebrity thrown in for amusement? While it may strain credulity, these activities take me no more than one hour of active participation each day on average.

One of the most heavily viewed articles on my blog is my annual inventory of social media sources that I visit or monitor on a daily basis, along with my explanations for why each site interests me. I compiled the first list after I had reached a saturation point, when the amount of information coming at me was so overwhelming that I could no longer cope. I needed to pare the source list to the essentials and find better ways to manage my time, lest I find myself choosing between a productive career and a robust online networking profile. This article addresses some of the time-saving techniques that can help busy professionals effectively employ social media and networking tools without becoming time prohibitive.

But first we must make two distinctions: There are activities that help project one's persona outward to selected online communities, and there are activities one employs to gather information. Each requires different time-saving techniques. Without question, to create an active and robust online presence one must invest time and energy regularly, but if the goal is to remain visible to potential clients and to demonstrate credibility in your chosen field, then the maintenance of the online persona takes far less time than you might imagine. And when trying to staying abreast of the latest news in one's field, it's helpful to forgo the notion that mastery of the content is the ultimate objective. Sometimes skimming is enough.

Creating an Online Presence

Let's take a brief tour of some of the popular social media destinations for busy legal professionals looking to engage in online networking. LinkedIn is a great place to start, for it serves as an online curriculum vitae in which we can display the many accomplishments that make us credible in our field. There's no sense of self-aggrandizement in building a robust profile, and in fact those who maximize their LinkedIn visibility are those whose profile reflects their experience, past employers and skill set. One truism in the hiring of lawyers and other professionals is that personal referrals are preferred. Equally true is that personal referrals are nearly always researched and vetted using third-party sources. This is why legal directories remain popular in the age of Web sites, and why an empty shell of a LinkedIn profile, or the absence of one at all, can be disastrous for a lawyer trying to stand out among a short list of equally qualified peers. Invest the time up front to build a robust profile, and then periodically augment the profile with new accomplishments.

Facebook is positioned as the online community where one can catch up with old friends, or stay in touch with distant family members. But increasingly it serves a role in business, as companies small and large, consumer-facing and B2B, are establishing a Facebook presence, in much the same way that businesses increase visibility through sponsorships or advertising. You may not wish to share pictures of your children with your clients, or read of your client's exploits on Farmville (a popular Facebook game), but there are ways to separate your two personas. Facebook permits the creation of “lists,” in which one can sort friends, with each list allowing access to different portions of a profile. Business colleagues, for example, may not be permitted to view photos, and they may see only those status updates specifically directed to that list. High school chums may, for example, not be given access to your professional blog feed. (My blog can display on Facebook, you say? Yes! Hold that thought.) Divide your connections once, then in the future add each new connection quickly to one or more lists.

We've written previously in this space about Twitter, and by now it's entered the lexicon and is hardly newsworthy. However, knowing it exists and employing it in the pursuit of online networking are not the same. Twitter is essentially a site for posting brief (a sentence or two) comments, often with links to more lengthy content. It's ideal for posting, say, a link to a new blog post, or an article describing a new regulation or law. Often, it's used to merely provide a running personal commentary ' where one is traveling, reactions to news stories ' and serves to personalize the author. There's a line between personalizing an impersonal online presence and over-sharing, and many have yet to find that line. A tremendous use of Twitter is to publish (or read) brief snippets from a conference, in much the same way that one scribbles a few key points from a presentation.

Type Once, Publish Many

A key time-saving device is to connect one's various online personas in a “type once, publish many” manner. For example, one can connect a Facebook profile to Twitter, feed Twitter updates to a LinkedIn profile, automatically publish new blog posts to a Twitter account, and so on. Most online networks allow this functionality natively, though a third-party tool such as FeedBurner offers an easy yet comprehensive way to “syndicate” content across multiple networks, recommends social media expert Jayne Navarre, principal of LawGravity.com and www.virtualmarketingofficer.com (“transforming business development for lawyers”). A feed tool is a necessity for any lawyer or busy professional who doesn't have the time to visit every social networking site every day ' and that means most of us.

This “syndication” approach is how I am able to gather in one place all of the various online news and information sources that I feel are necessary to stay abreast of changes in my profession. Nearly all news sites and publications offer their content as “RSS feeds,” which means that the content can be automatically retrieved elsewhere rather than visiting the site each and every time one wants to check the headlines. I rely on Google Reader to retrieve and organize the several dozen feeds I monitor each day, but there are others as equally capable.

Heavy Reading Made Light

When I come across a blog or news site that interests me enough to want to read daily, I add the feed to Google Reader. Sometimes it's as easy as clicking an icon on the Web site; at most it means copying the Web site address into my reader's “Add a Subscription” box. I then decide which of the dozen or so topics I want this feed to fall into, and instantly I begin receiving the most current news or updates from the chosen site. For example, two legal management publications I find extraordinarily insightful, Law21.ca by Jordan Furlong and AdamSmithEsq.com by Bruce MacEwen, are automatically delivered to me the moment either of these two luminaries publishes a new article. Similarly, I monitor dozens of experts in legal marketing and technology, along with dozens of news sites, legal and non-legal. This takes at most a tenth of the time otherwise required to visit each site multiple times each day to stay abreast of newsworthy items. Even so, with over a hundred sources feeding into my reader every day, the number of “items” to read can quickly overwhelm. Luckily, the feeds only show the first few lines, allowing me to quickly skim over those of little interest, read those items of a timely nature, and bookmark others for a later time when perhaps I will be on the couch with a bit of free time.

Time Management Is Critical

Despite the proliferation of tools one can employ to stay informed of news in one's chosen field, and the many social networking sites currently available, like all networking, one must make choices. Staying visible and demonstrating the subject matter expertise it requires dedicated time and energy, and it requires an understanding of where your target audience tends to frequent. Some years ago, as I was moving a stack of unread business books from my desk to my floor, and those on the floor moved to the “unread” section of my bookshelf, I came to the realization that I would never have enough time to read all that I wanted. Similarly, as I review the many invitations to industry events, I know I can't be everywhere at once, as much as I'd like to. I adopted a philosophy that has served me well since then. I no longer delay starting a book until I'm certain I'll have the time to finish it and I no longer finish a book if it doesn't interest me. I don't try to be the most frequent tweeter, or have the most connections on LinkedIn, or give more speeches than anyone in my field.

These are facets of my learned approach to time management. I try to select a few areas in which I can regularly contribute, and then I remain committed to contributing until I determine that another use of my time is more valuable. Social networking sites will come and go, but the basics remain: Go and be seen where your clients are, demonstrate your expertise, and remain committed to the activities that generate business. Done right, you will have plenty of time to curl up on the couch, but only after you've put in a productive day at the office and online.

Timothy B. Corcoran is Vice President, Global Sales, at Hubbard One. He authors the Corcoran's Law Biz Blog and is a regular speaker and writer on business development and business management issues for law firms.