It’s no secret that I’m all thumbs when it comes to social media. I re-post my blog posts and articles each day and… that’s about it for me. I guess I’m just not social.

I didn’t start out that way. At first, I thought social media was a great way to find some people to “engage” with, and make some new friends and business contacts, and I wanted to do that. But I didn’t know what to do. 

Sure, I could respond to what others posted, and I did, but it felt forced and awkward. Like I was in eighth grade again, forcing myself to ask girls to dance. 

Maybe I need to find something of my own to post, I thought. All I could think of was to post a daily quote I liked and hope some others liked it, too. And that’s what I did. 

Sometimes, pithy quotes, sometimes, funny.

I got “likes,” people who told me they were “stealing” my post, or asking for permission to share (?) and suggestions about other quotes I might like. I said thank you or gave them a smiley face. 

Look ma, I’m engaging. 

Eventually, I ventured out of my cave and had some decent conversations with folks, supervised a few arguments when some of my followers talked about politics with other followers, and did other things social people do. 

And my list grew. 

I thought about those days when I heard a story about the owner of a deli who did something similar. Every day, he posted a “word-of-the-day” on the menu board next to his “special-of-the-day”. Customers commented about it and took photos of it and shared them with friends (along with the name of the deli) on their social media. 

His customers loved it, especially when the words were particularly obscure or humorous, and came back more frequently to see the new word and chat about it. New customers visited because they heard about his word-of-the-day and wanted to check it out.

All he did was post a new word each day and his business grew. 

If you don’t do a lot (or anything) with social media, but want to start, could you post a word-of-the day or quote-of-the day in your newsletter, on social, in your waiting room or elsewhere your clients and connections might see it? 

It’s an easy way to start. 

You might find you’re good at it and like it. And it might lead to something for you. 

Me? Maybe I’ll try it again someday and maybe I’ll like it. Right now, I’m going to have some lunch and think about one of my favorite quotes: “When I get a little money, I buy books; if any is left, I buy food and clothes.” — Desiderius Erasmus

I’m told that some law firms severely restrict their lawyers’ use of social media. Apparently, they don’t trust them to be judicious about the information they share or the image they portray.

Is this warranted? Or an outdated (and silly) notion that should be dragged to the guillotine and have its head lopped off?

Lawyers can police themselves, can’t they? Doesn’t every lawyer care about how their public utterances might be received?

Apparently not, as Nancy Myrland makes plain about the likes of Michael Avenatti, et al.

But that’s not the fault of social media, is it? You can do as much damage in a blog post as you can on Twitter or TV, or at a party with an open bar.

So when it comes to social media, if you are looking to establish a policy for the lawyers who work for you, may I suggest, “Trust but verify”?

Train your people. And hold them accountable if they violate your policy or basic common sense.

Yes?

Anyway, instead of prior restraint, shouldn’t the discussion be about how to get a good return on the social media investment, since it’s clear that many attorneys don’t?

Unfortunately, you’ll have to count me out of that discussion. I know just enough about social media to stay out of jail, and I’m not really interested in learning more.

It’s not my thing.

And I’ve got other things that work well for me, don’t take a lot of time, and don’t make me take pictures of my lunch.

I get most of my work from referrals and email

I don’t use social media for personal matters. I rarely share or comment, I don’t post photos or talk about my personal life. I may or may not accept friend requests (if I see them), I don’t “chat” online, and I don’t have any social media apps on my phone.

I don’t do much more for work. I share my blog posts as I publish them, I check in now and then to see what’s been posted in a couple of groups I follow, and that’s about it.

Because I’m not social. And I’ve got other things to do.

Cal Newport, makes the case for using social media sparingly if at all in his best-selling book, “Digital Minimalism”. I guess I’m on his team, even if I do a lot less “deep work” than I should.

I’m certainly not an “all work and no play” kinda guy. I play games, I watch videos on silly subjects, and I have outside interests I regularly indulge.

But you won’t hear about them unless I talk about them in my newsletter.

You can get a lot of business using social media. I know more than a few lawyers who’ve done that. Even I get traffic and subscribers and clients that way.

But I let that happen, I don’t do a whole lot to make it happen.

To each his or her own.

If you enjoy social media and it doesn’t interfere with other things in your life, go for it.

If it gets in the way, if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s okay to cut down or let it go.

Just make sure you’re on my email list before you go.

Email is my primary marketing tool