Ask the authorities.

• Position: Training on social networking

THE QUESTION

I am a marketing manager in a 200-lawyer firm. Our budget is tight, so I've been asked to do training on social networking. I've read about it, but don't feel prepared to teach. And I've never done any training!

Doug Hoover

Expect a crowded, hungry room. During this downturn, attorneys have more time to invest in business development. Odds are that most partners will have dabbled in some form of social networking (SN), but have not waded in with confidence. They are looking for guidance from you and other attorneys. So design your training for them.

Don't try to explain the universe of SN--focus on LinkedIn (LI). LI is the platform of comfort for attorneys because of its professional orientation. You can dig into other platforms later, but a singular focus will make your first training very practical.

Find two partner enthusiasts in your firm that are visibly active on LI and ask them to be panelists at the training. Structure the session as Q&A. Have the partners discuss benefits, how they got started, their own experiences, etc. Follow each of their responses with a "how to" presentation. Cover the basics, but go deep:

* Setting up and managing your profile;

* Building your network;

* Making recommendations;

* Seeking introductions; and

* Participation in groups, substantive dialogs and Q&A.

Be prepared to followup with a firm-wide policy on LI. The policy does not need be overly restrictive, but it must be vetted by the marketing and governance committees.

Doug Hoover is a consultant with Hildebrandt's Client Development & Growth practice group. For a complete "LinkedIn Lawyers" training outline, contact Hoover at dphoover@hildebrandt.com.

Jayne Navarre

Training others on a topic in which you are not fluent is tricky. First, keep it simple. Your job is to synthesize all the noise out there. Ten key points should do it. Focus not only on the how, but also the why. What are possible goals: lead generation, exposure for niche expertise, deepen existing networks?

Second, be ready to field questions about things you don't know by responding, "Let me get more information on that and I'll get back to you."

Third, check out YouTube. Existing presentations on social networking are posted there which should help you tackle an outline. I recommend the "In plain English" series (free for non-commercial use) by Lee Lefever of CommonCraft. Consider playing it during training. Fourth, definitely spend some time on the big three--LinkedIn...