DISQUS

Having taught 'how to hang a shingle out of law school' for eight years and then having the administration decide it was unworthy of credits, I can totally relate to your professor's experience. Having hung a shingle right out of law school I can totally relate to your post.

Entrepreneurship was never encouraged in law school and now we face an incredible professional landscape littered with the bodies of associates and partners dazed and confused and more law students graduating with no direction from their schools.

It is why I've been blogging about it for 2 1/2 years and why I created Solo Practice University (http://solopracticeuniversity.com) which has just opened up to rave reviews. Now there is a place to learn the actual 'practice of law' from those who actually teach you what it is like in the trenches.

You may find it a valuable resource.

One statement I heard a while back is we are describing this all wrong. It is not 'social media'...it is digital media which has the ability to generate socialization. I'm not mincing words. I'm simply showing that be reframing the media it now allows for other uses and I benefit from those uses.

Some see Twitter as strictly conversation exchanges. However, my follows include numerous newspapers which do not engage in 'socializing.'

Once we remember it is another media which provides for socializing we won't be so hard core and it allows us to stay creative with how we use it.

Branding is definitely about managing expectations, guiding the consumer or clients idea of what they can expect when they work with you or use your products.

Imagine, everyone wants a television. They purpose is to simply transmit images for you to enjoy. What varies is the pull one feels towards Toshiba or Sony or GE, the evangelicals you trust when asking for an opinion about each and that is what pulls us in the direction towards one over the other.

There's no difference between branding a service or product. The principles are the same.

It is all about expectations of the consumer/client and those created by the deliverer of those services or products.

My 4.5 year old on his own when complimented instinctively will say with a smile, 'never mind.' Where he got this..who knows. But as a teenager I never knew how to take a compliment until one day someone told me, 'when you don't take a compliment gracefully or discount the compliment you are ultimately telling the other person they wasted their time or they have bad taste.' When I heard that I realized I didn't want to hurt the other person's feelings if they took the time to let me know they valued whatever it was they were complimenting me on. I'm trying to help my son understand this at an early age, too.

Thanks for the linklove. Just for clarification, the comments on what makes a professional were paraphrased conversation from Jay Foonberg as these are his distinctions. If you look at one of the trackbacks on the post you will click over to Simple Justice where Scott Greenfield, who is by far more prolific than I, runs with the discussion and then in his comments you will find more discussion of 'profession' which references the court's statements on our 'profession'. Quite a nice thread.

Chris, this is a terrific observation. Ok. Not terrific. Pretty astounding. I will be referencing you, by the way, in a post on Monday regarding the use of social media. As far as teaching...well that's exactly what we are creating at Solo Practice University http://solopracticeuniversity.tumblr.com. Technology is pretty heady and in my own way I'm trying to do all that you've described above.

"The time for talk only is over. New media, social media, whatever you want to call it, is an incredible power, the likes of which we as humans have never had before. We can affect events at great distances, see beyond walls, know the thoughts of others, influence millions without getting out of our chairs. I hope you take a step back, realize the power you have, and make something of it."

This says it ALL for me.

John, I do both as you describe. Some require more of one than another and this can shift during the relationship. I'm a chameleon within the parameters of my services. But more importantly, it's based upon the goals the client sets out when hiring me.

And this can only succeed with a confidential and trusting relationship.

I don't really remember how I got started in Social Media. Probably my first foray was on a listserv called Solosez. Then I started to get invitations to various social media. Then I started commenting on blogs and decided to start my own to further my business http://buildasolopractice.com

Through the community I established I began to participate on LinkedIn, Facebook. I eventually started to enjoy Facebook. But then I discovered Twitter and it's my favorite.

More importantly, after becoming a self-study student on social media, education, professional networking and building community these past two years, I have decided to take what I do professionally and create my own social media network for law students and lawyers and am constructing Solo Practice University. The construction blog can be visited at:

http://solopracticeuniversity.tumblr.com

and it lets those who are interested track the progress while explaining the philosophy and what those who 'attend' can expect from participating in this new educational and professional networking forum.

Thanks for asking this great question.