Growing Your Committee’s Membership: Technology, Communication Tools & Other Resources

Utilize social media

Communicate with your members through Listserv

Keep your committee’s web content current

Encourage your members to visit the TIPS iCafe

Committee WebsitesKeep Your Content Fresh!

• Updated content keeps your members coming back and attracts new members---your site is a resource, service and member benefit

• Announcements• Newsletters• Upcoming Programs• Conference Calls

• Increased site content boosts Search Engine Optimization (SEO); bringing in new traffic and potential members

• Use visible Social Media buttons to increase member interactivity

Committee WebsitesAppoint a Technology Vice-Chair

• Every general committee should appoint a Technology Vice-Chair

• Committee websites are DCH (Dynamic Committee Homepage) pages which allow members to access and edit the site themselves by logging in to their ABA account

• DCH pages are user-friendly and do not require the Technology Vice-Chair to have a strong programming background

• To set up DCH training for a member, contact TIPS Technology Specialist, John Benigni at John.Benigni@americanbar.org

The Social Media Revolution 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eUeL3n7fDs

What is Social Media?

Social media

Social interaction online

Interactive -- many to many communication

Involves content consumers and content producers

Easy way to share information and post content online

LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are examples of social networks which fall under the social media umbrella.

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com

A business-oriented social networking site “online resume”

An interconnected network of experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries and 200 countries

Mission: connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful

Launched in 2003

More than 200 million users worldwide

A new member joins approximately every second

Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are members

You can find, be introduced to, and collaborate with qualified professionals that you need to work with to accomplish your goals

Members of TIPS LinkedIn Group: 4,878 (March 2013)

TIPS Group on LinkedIn-Profile Page

TIPS Group on LinkedIn-Overview Page

TIPS Group on LinkedIn-Subgroups

Create a Group for Your Committee on LinkedIn

You will need to register and create an account (requires an email address and password)

Under Groups click Create a Group

Here you can add the TIPS logo, Group Name (Example: ABA TIPS “Committee Name”), Summary, Description, Etc.

Then click Create A Members Only Group (you approve requests to join)

From here you can manage the content of the group, invite others to join, and your group will be searchable to others

Create a Group for Your Committee on LinkedIn

Click on Join Today Set up Account

Under Groups, Click Create a Group Create Your Committee Group!

TIPS for LinkedIn

Create your own profile and join the TIPS group

Create a group for your committee

Keep group content up-to-date

Post relevant content on upcoming programs or start discussions on relevant topics or past programs

Example:

Recruit colleagues and other professionals to join your committee’s subgroup

TIPS Subgroups

Admiralty & Maritime Alternative Dispute Resolution Animal Law Appellate Advocacy Automobile Law Commercial Trans Corporate Counsel Excess, Surplus Lines &

Reinsurance Fidelity & Surety Government Law Insurance Coverage Litigation

Intellectual Property Law International Law Medicine & Law PODL Property Insurance Self Insurers and Risk

Managers Staff Counsel Toxic Torts & Environmental

Law Trial Techniques Workers' Compensation Young Lawyers

Facebook www.facebook.com

A social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and coworkers

Founded in February 2004

The second most-trafficked PHP site in the world

A January 2009 Compete.com study ranked Facebook as the most used social network by worldwide monthly active users

User privacy has always been a top priority for the company which is TrustE certified and gives users the ability to share and restrict information based on specific friends or friend lists

Over 350 million active users

Members “Fans” of TIPS Facebook Page: 724 (March 2013)

TIPS Page on Facebook-Timeline

• The Timeline functions as an open discussion forum for people who “Like” the TIPS page

• Users will receive notifications when the TIPS page posts something to their Timeline

• Committees can notify others when site updates have been made by posting on the TIPS Timeline

TIPS Page on Facebook-Info Tab

TIPS Page on Facebook-Events Tab

TIPS Page on Facebook-Events Page

• Events pages provide details for each posted event

• Join events to see who is going, and to let others know you are going

Create a Page For Your Committee on Facebook

You will need to register and create a Facebook account (requires an email address and password)

Under “PAGES” in the left column of your main screen, click “Create a Page…”

When prompted, select “Company, Organization or Institution” for your page type, and choose a name

Let’s be consistent with our titles, for example: ABA TIPS Trial Techniques Committee

Once created, you can add photos and information to enhance the page; and then invite members and potential members to join and post content

Your page will now also be searchable to other Facebook members as well!

Create a Page For Your Committee on Facebook

Sign Up and Create AccountOn left, click on pages feed, then Click more and Create a Page

Select Company, Organization… and get started

TIPS for Facebook

Set up a profile so you can join the TIPS and other committee pages

Mention your firm and involvement in TIPS in your profile

Make a personal decision on whether you will accept friend requests from colleagues or clients or if you will keep your page personal

Keep your committee page content up-to-date

Post upcoming programs and applicable content links

Recruit members and potential members to become involved with the TIPS and individual committee Facebook pages

Twitter

www.twitter.com

Online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets"

Created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July

Rapidly gained worldwide popularity, with 500 million users as of 2012, generating over 340 million tweets and handling over 1.6 billion search queries per day

Twitter Account @ABATIPS• Including “@ABATIPS” in

your tweets alerts us that you are tweeting at TIPS or about TIPS

• Twitter tracks “trending” topics by the use of a hashtag (#) before certain keywords and phrases

• If TIPS members were in a discussion on twitter; all relevant tweets can be identified by the use of a common hashtag; for example: #ABATIPSSpringMeeting

TIPS Twitter Account

1,147 followers

Visit https://twitter.com/ABATIPS to follow @ABATIPS

Tweet about upcoming meetings, programs, deadlines, eTIPS News, press releases, etc.

Your “followers” will see what you tweet in realtime

Goal is to begin assigning members to post live tweets from our programs and meetings

Set Up a Twitter Account

Sign up

Set up your profile and Start tweeting!

TIPS iCafe

Designed to raise awareness of TIPS’ social media accounts and efforts

Gives members a chance to explore and create accounts for Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Provides an initial opportunity to begin live tweeting with fellow TIPS members

Encourage your members to visit during Section Meetings

Committee ListServs

All TIPS General Committees have a ListServ

When a member joins a committee, they are automatically subscribed to that committee’s ListServ

ListServ messages are plain-text and an easy communication vehicle

TIPS Staff can send messages to your Committee ListServ, they are not to be over-used and abused but are a great way to communicate directly with your members

TIPS Technology Committee-We’re Here For You

Provides oversight and input to the Section's web presence, and serves as a technology resource to Section committees

Assists with email list management, website content management, and other technology issues

Works closely with and provides guidance to the TIPS Technology Specialist, John Benigni, in developing the technology needs for TIPS staff and TIPS committees and members

Encourages committees to keep their web content updated and fresh and to utilize social media to communicate with current and potential members

Technology Committee members liaison with each general committee. If you haven’t been contacted yet, you will be soon

TIPS Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee LinkedIn Profile Page

TIPS Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee LinkedIn Discussion Page

Number of new members since January 1, 2011 = 90   Number of those new members directly attributed to social media outreach = 15 17% increase due to Linked In efforts

TIPS International Law Committee LinkedIn Profile Page

TIPS International Law Committee LinkedIn Discussion Page

TIPS Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee Website

ABA TIPSBest Practices for Recruiting

Members

1. You Are Your Committee’s Brand

• Don’t need the hard sell

•Briefly Explain your ABA journey•Make the business case

Laying the foundation• Mention your committee position briefly at conference; follow-up with business card notes; invite to participate on monthly call (FREE) and to join Linked In page (FREE)

•Once Joined: Start them slow – newsletter article; minor role in program with seasoned committee veteran; graduate to larger roles each year

Chris Nolan

Best Practices for Recruiting Members

2. Recognize different pitches needed for different people

A. At your law firm: business generation case to partners; writing/speaking/leadership opportunities for associates

B. In House/Government Counsel: The ABA means something; full-time administrative staff and lobbying wing in Washington, D.C.; opportunity to meet and assess counsel on national platform; never know when you’ll try private practice for first time or again

C. Law students: unmatched access to leaders in the industry who will provide job advice, interviewing tips, a friendly ear

Have Questions or Need Help? Erin Ruehrwein: erin.ruehrwein@americanbar.org John Benigni: john.benigni@americanbar.org