Dawn Elaine Bowie was just recently featured on Build a Solo Practice, LLC in a post titled, Going Solo; Confessions and Inspirations - Dawn Elaine Bowie.

Attorney Bowie is a solo practitioner in Rockville, Maryland who was a non-trad law student, a mother with three children.’ She is also a solo who caters to a very specific niche market, the divorcing father who is passionate about being a part of his childrens’ lives and helps them before, during and after the dissolution process.’ She is also the author of a remarkable piece, The Father’s Bill of Rights, which reinforces the rights and obligations of fathers in this country.

Dawn is a client of Blawg for Profit. I got to know Dawn well as we worked together on her blog, Maryland Father’s Rights Blog. She focuses her practice on a very targeted niche and her blog does the same. She is doing a great job with her blog by providing information to her readers. Good job Dawn.

Kevin O’Keefe recently had a great post which provided the results of a recent question and answer done by David Peralty, Head of Marketing at Splashpress Media, when they asks readers at The Blog Herald if it’s important to have a powerful, beautiful or striking blog design when presenting what he describes as the ‘whole package’ in blogging.

The responses from readers were striking. Professional blog design was viewed as a necessity, especially when blogging as a professional.

• Since the reader needs to be convinced to subscribe your blog, design is a very important matter. Looking at it from the readers point of view, ‘If you had to choose between two mobile phones with exactly the same features with one being stylish and the other looking like the work of an amateur - which would you choose?’ Design is added value with the result being more than the sum of its parts - design supports content and the other way round.
• If it is meant for commercial purpose, graphics play a big role.
• Though I may read blog posts in a newsreader, I need to come to the blog to subscribe, where if it looks good, I subscribe.
• Design matters to me when I read blogs. I generally read posts in my feed reader, but for two exceptions, one being to click through and read the posts directly on sites with great designs.
• As a designer, there’s no way I’d tell you design doesn’t matter. Think of it this way: A car’s purpose is to take you somewhere. But would you buy a rusted old car instead of a shiny new Prius?
• Think of it from a reader’s perspective. If I click on your blog and am put off by the overall look and feel of your site, I won’t return or subscribe. Content rules, yes, especially for your RSS readers, but design is like the PR guy who’s trying to get you to visit.
• It’s like judging a book by its cover. It could be either crap or a wonderful story inside, but if the cover doesn’t catch my attention, I’m not going to pick it up in the first place. When I’m flipping through random sites or clicking through links of links of links…..I skim right by those that don’t look great. I have to actually force myself to skim through text on blogs, for example, that are hosted on Blogger and use one of the default templates…and still have the random default spots unfilled like ‘put links here’ and ‘This is your about me section,’ etc.
• I just spent about $5,000 to upgrade Smallbiztechnology.com’s interface and move to Movable type - one of the best investments I’ve done! Traffic is up and more!
• The user experience is primarily made up of four factors: branding, usability, functionality andcontent. Independently, none of these factors make for a positive user experience; however, together, these factors are the main ingredients for the blog’s success.

I have always been on the position that it is important for a business, any business to have a blog that is professionally designed. Your web presence is important to you and you should look your best when visitors come to your blog. First impressions are important. You don’t want your readers questioning your professionalism due to an design that does not present well.

Source for Post Real Lawyers :: Have Blogs.

Lorelle on Wordpress had a post today called How do you become a passionate blogger? Blog your passion. This is actually something I tell people whenever I visit with them about blogging. If you are not passionate about the topic you are blogging about, it will never work.

Passionate bloggers have advantages over non-passionate bloggers including attracting a higher quality and more supportive readership.

So, how do you become a more passionate blogger?

First of all, enjoy your niche. Blog about something you love. If you don’t like to travel, don’t start a travel blog. If you don’t like video games, don’t start a video game blog. If you don’t like American football, don’t start an NFL blog. Simple, right?

The key to being passionate is to figure out what excites you. Consider the niches you gravitate towards. What do you spend your money on? What occupies much of your time? What do you like to think about?

This is also why it is important to give some thought to your blog. Make sure before you start, you are excited about the topic. In addition, consider a niche or target audience. You will see better results with your blog if you do target a niche.

I am happy to visit more about blogging. Drop me an email at grantgriffiths@mac.com

Kevin O’Keefe had a great blog today called, 6 reasons large law firm blogs beat law firm websites with RSS feeds.

While I agree with Kevin’s premise. I think it applies to small firm and solos just as well. And from my own experience, I know a blog will beat a Web site when it comes to results. Shortly after my first practice area blog went live, I received a phone call from another Kansas family law attorney. The first words out of his mouth were these. “How the hell are you ranked higher than me in a Google search?” My response, “ I have a blog and I will beat you every time.”

But, as Kevin states, blogs harness the power of RSS in a way a static Web site simple can’t do. Here are the six reasons.

• Content on a website is much less likely than blog content to appear high in search engine results when relevant searches are performed by in-house counsel, exec’s, the media, and other interested parties.
• Website content must be promoted. Word of a blog with valuable content spreads across the Internet by virtue of news sites and other blogs citing the content.
• Website content is generally seen only by existing clients. Blogs, akin to an online magazine on a niche subject, are read by clients of other firms, lawyers at other firms, the media, and other bloggers.
• Over 20% of senior exec’s in this country read one business blog a week and the number is growing. How many exec’s read law firm articles?
• Measure of influence is quickly becoming of critical importance for web content by places like Google Blog Search. Influence is determined in large part by being cited by other blogs and news sites with RSS feeds. Law firm articles will not be cited.
• Innovative companies, large law’s targeted clients see blogs as innovative. Law firm articles/alerts, whether including an RSS or not, are looked at as more of the same. ‘All law firms do that.’

To truly take advantage of the power of Internet marketing, use a blog as one of your marketing tools. And with the blog, take full advantage of the power of what RSS can also do for you and your readers. If you don’t know what RSS is, be watching for an upcoming screencast on the subject. And if your readers don’t know what RSS is, you owe it to them to educate them on it.

Chuck Newton has a great post today called “Avoid Staid Old Images”. He has a list of items to avoid.

1. Gavels
2. Eagles
3. Courtrooms
4. Courthouse Steps
5. The Scales O’ Justice
6. Piles of Law Books
7. Nautical Themed Stuff (unless you’re an admiralty lawyer)
8. Compasses
9. Groups of Middle-Aged White Lawyers in Suits

I could not agree more. Blogging is not your grandfathers marketing. Don’t treat it like it is. The public does not need nor want to see the same old “stuff” on a lawyer‘s ads. Do something different with your blog.

My little blog Home Office Lawyer is the featured blog this week on the ABA’s Blawg Directory. I am honored and humbled. When I started the Home Office Lawyer in March of 2005, I really never expected it to get the attention it has. I have enjoyed publishing it more than words can describe. It is one of those items that has truly helped me to keep my sanity doing what we do.

Throughout the last couple of years or more, I have visited with many lawyers and some non-lawyers about blogging. Either by phone or email. I even have a long list of instant messaging buddies who I discuss blogging with. I have always found this to be very enjoyable and just one more benefit of blogging.

What I have experienced both in the marketing benefits of my practice and my own personal growth are just two of the reasons I decided to start Blawg for Profit with Michael Sherman. Michael is someone I would not have met without the benefit of blogging. And, I would have never work on a project like Blawg for Profit if not for my own blogging experience. What I feel brings a lot to Blawg for Profit is both of Michael’s and my own experiences in blogging. We both have used blogs to market our firms and we both have been successful doing so.

Blawg for Profit is a product, which includes a great course of material about blogging, from how to start a blog to how to make it work for you. We are also offering a turnkey blog product built on the Wordpress blogging platform.

I appreciate the honor of being this week’s featured blog by the A.B.A. But, most important, I appreciate you the readers of the Home Office Lawyer. You are the reason I do the blog and the reason I have been noticed by others. Thank you!!!!

Remember today is the big Pre-Launch party for Blawg for Profit.  Be on the call for some helpful information on blogging to attract clients and for the contest winners.  Thanks for everyone that entered the contest.  Hope to see you on the call.

The details for accessing the call are in the post immediately below.

Grant and I are grateful for the response we’ve received from our announcement about the release of Blawg for Profit.  As most of you know, it is a complete course on how to launch and run your own profitable blog.

But, we will also be offering custom Wordpress blogs, and an ongoing members only site with continously updated training and resources.  After all of the great feedback we’ve received, Grant and I decided we wanted to up the ante on the contest we announced last Friday.  So, in addition to the free course, we will give one lucky winner their own free custom Wordpress blog plus 3 months membership in our blog marketing group (which inlcudes hosting for your blog, plus ongoing training and support to make sure your blog is successful). 

To enter for the free blog, go to this post, and enter your comments and be on the call to see if you’ve won.
Here are the details for the call, including the access number and passcode to get on the call.

Topic:  “Blawgging for Profit: What You Must Know”

Date:   Friday, October 12, 2007
Time:   3:00 pm to 4:00 pm Eastern

Phone #:  218-486-3695
Passcode: 422342#
Cost:  No charge – you pay only your own long distance charges.

On the teleconference, in addition to finding out who wins the free blog and the free course, we will be covering substantive content, including:

• How to increase traffic to your blog,
• How frequently you should post, and 3 simple ways to easily get fresh content, and
• The blogging mistakes you must avoid.

As most of our readers know, Grant and I are launching our Blawg for Profit program Monday, October 15, 2007. Blawg for Profit is the culmination of six months work that Grant and I have put in together trying to create a product that helps solo and small firm lawyer obtain the benefits of blogging that we each have. Through Blawg for Profit, we will be offering a turnkey, custom Wordpress blog, as well as a “do it yourself” course that walks you through the process step by step.

On Friday, October 12, we are celebrating that launch with a Pre-Launch Party by teleconference call at 3:00 pm Eastern (call details to come - but save the date now!). All solo and small firm lawyers are invited, and on the call we will be sharing some practical, valuable advice on how to effectively blawg for profit.

Also, on the call, to celebrate the release, we will be awarding one lucky winner a free copy of the Blawg for Profit course. The course consists of 4 audio CD’s, 2 DVDs, a Workbook, and several other goodies all of which are designed to make you a more effective blogger.

To qualify for the drawing that will take place during the call, here is what you have to do:

Go the the comment section of this post, and enter a comment stating why you would like the program, and how you think it would benefit your practice. That’s it. Then be on the call to see if your name is the entry that gets selected for the course.

Make sure your comment is posted by midnight Thursday, October 11 to be considered. And, remember to leave your e-mail so we know how to contact you about receiving the prize if you are the winner.

Everyone on the call will receive some valuable information about blogging to attract clients, and each person on the call will also get a special gift just for being a part of our Party. So, don’t miss out.

And can you accomplish that purpose by using ghost writers? My position is that you can’t. And Allison Shields of Legal Ease Blog has ask a question to keep the conversation going in her post titled, As a Lawyer - Blogger, What’s the Purpose of Your Blog?

I have talked about ghost writers in a previous post called, Should I use a Ghost Writer for my Blog? Allison ask what do you think. Visit her blog at the link above and post your comment. Or do so here.