Historically, estate planning attorneys have done little marketing to garner new clients—aside from phone book advertisements, of course. In most cases, attorneys market themselves by building relationships with clients, other attorneys and financial professionals who then refer new clients. This type of marketing is inexpensive and avoids any ethical considerations. But is it enough?

With the advent of online social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, estate planning attorneys are now able to use both methods—listings and referrals—to increase a client list in a modern way. Estate planning attorneys can do any number of things with a social networking account, including:

•    Post contact information in order to be found through search engines
•    Connect with clients and maintain that connection over time
•    Connect with colleagues and share insights
•    Make announcements about the firm, new staff and upcoming events
•    Position yourself as an expert by providing tips and helpful resources to those interested in estate planning
•    Be introduced to new clients

Examples of Estate Planning Attorneys on Social Media

1.    The firm of Ainer & Fraker, LLP in Saratoga, California has over 150 fans on Facebook, along with positive reviews from clients, self-written attorney bios, and regularly updated news feeds.

2.    A search for “estate planning” on LinkedIn will produce over 111,000 results. That’s 111,000 estate planning attorneys, groups, firms, and organizations all on one Web site connecting, learning, and referring.

3.    Christopher J. Berry of Bloomfield, Michigan’s firm Witzke Berry, PLLC has over 1,100 followers on Twitter whom he updates with legal news, professional insights, and personal anecdotes.

All of these examples prove that estate planning does have a place on social networking sites because of its essence: relationship building.

Estate Planning Practice and Online Social Networking are All About Relationships

In this area of law, estate planning attorneys thrive off of referral business and return business. This is accomplished by connecting with peers and clients on a personal level, not just a professional one.