THE QUESTION.

• Author: Hirsch, Stewart
• Position: ASK THE AUTHORITIES

Four practice groups insisted I get them started with blogs. They agreed to write regularly, and they did well for three months. Now they write about every six weeks, if that much. Management is looking to me to keep them going, and I can't seem to motivate the lawyers to do what they promised. Suggestions?

Peter S. Vogel

An effective way to reignite bloggers is to remind them of the value of blogging, such as how they can demonstrate to their clients that they stay current with innovations in business and law. Give them tools, such as news stories in their specialized space from The New York Times, Washington Post, ABA website and other relevant media, and recommend blog topics suggested by the news.

Encourage the reluctant bloggers to subscribe to news services in their industry or area of specialization. This would provide more fodder for blogs delivered to their email daily. For instance, my internet, information technology and eDiscovery daily emails include materials from Infoworld, eWeek, Gartner Reports, AdGoorroo.com, eMarketerDaily and others.

Also, send these individuals relevant blogs from major law firms to let them know what their competition is blogging about, along with an email that says: "X&Y lawyers are blogging about this recent Supreme Court ruling. Wouldn't you prefer that your clients see your blogs on that ruling rather than X&Y's?"

In addition, invite these bloggers to view LexBlog's periodic webcasts presented by Kevin O'Keefe. He and his team do a great job of encouraging bloggers to increase their frequency, and their approach may work for your bloggers.

Peter S. Vogel chairs the eDiscovery Group and internet, eCommerce and technology industry team at Gardere. He has been blogging for six years, delivers 30-plus speeches a year, and is sought for comments by news media.

Eric Fletcher

The most compelling case for a lawyer to invest time in blogging is that the blog is a venue for strategic conversations of substance --initiating them and engaging in them. Legal marketers can facilitate this by helping lawyers dispel the "just-another-article" view, in favor of building around a conversation strategy. Here are four ways to do this:

1. Begin with a target in mind. Reaching everyone is impossible; who do we most wish to engage in conversation?

2. Identify discussion-starters relevant to your target. What do they care about most?

3. Identify other relevant conversationsin-progress. Encourage your lawyers to participate...