Attorneys are increasingly exploring online networking as a way to expand business.

But should Web sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter supplant traditional face-to-face contact with clients?

Several local and national law firm marketing gurus suggest that while social networking sites provide an efficient way to start a conversation with potential clients and colleagues, attorneys should be wary of relying too heavily on them.

Online networking should serve as supplemental marketing and not be viewed as a “magic bullet” for attracting new business, said Milwaukee-based law firm consultant Elizabeth Ferris.

“Lawyers can’t write a blog or Twitter and then rest on their laurels,” she cautioned.

The traditional face-to-face meeting is still the gold standard, said Illinois-based attorney and consultant Larry Bodine.

“The caveat with online social networking sites for attorneys is that they are designed to make contact with somebody, but it’s a waste of effort unless it results in a face-to-face meeting,” he said.

Bodine said he discourages attorneys from being “office lunchers” who may be adept at cranking out billable hours at the firm, but fail to consistently market themselves both online and in the flesh.

At least once a week, Bodine says he physically meets with a fellow attorney, potential client or business associate.

Ferris agreed that the right balance is key.

“If you depend completely on online [networking], then you miss the opportunities of breaking bread together, which is still how you really learn about people,” she said.

Work in progress

Milwaukee-based consultant, John M. Lamberto cautioned that while sites like LinkedIn can provide a wealth of background information, they should be “taken with a grain of salt.”

“It’s a supporting document, not the end-all be-all,” said Lamberto, a senior client development consultant at Thomson FindLaw. “For attorneys, there still needs to be a lot of ‘belly-to-belly’ to get in there with clients.”

Consultants say that since the jury is still out on the overall benefit of social networking sites, attorneys should be selective about how they use them.

For example, Lamberto suggested using networking sites to cater to a specific clientele or “niche,” like bankruptcy, which is hot right now.

“In the old days,” he said, “it would be impossible to gather that kind of information and narrow down the type of attorney needed.”

Bodine suggested that client testimonials are also online “gold” for attorneys. They allow potential clients to see recommendations about an attorney’s work on past cases.

“That information is so much more valuable than anything you can say about yourself,” he said.

But Bodine also noted that attorneys need to be careful not to spread themselves too thin, which can defeat the purpose of creating an online profile or starting a blog.

“When a big trial comes around, attorneys let that online groundwork lapse and they don’t pay attention for six weeks,” he said. “That’s a mistake.”

Ferris agreed.

“There is no benefit if it’s not clear who you are marketing to and you consistently get the message to that market,” she said.