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My Messy Process for Generating Ideas for Long-Form Content

My Messy Process for Generating Ideas for Long-Form Content

In my experience, most of the best writing is done away from the keyboard. Coming up with ideas is like hunting for treasure with no map to rely on. The gold coins are buried deep within old books, niche podcast episodes, and the recesses of your own memory. Content creation is a bit of a messy process. There’s no hack or shortcut that I’m aware of. However, I think it’s worth the effort. “Story, lesson, takeaway” is the type of content I like to read. I hope you feel the same way, and can use a bit of my perspective to inspire your own writing process. Just as a dish is more than its ingredients, a story is more than its words. It's the art of assembly and presentation that makes all the difference.

The “Pull” and “Push” of Legal Marketing

The “Pull” and “Push” of Legal Marketing

Some lawyers opt to buy attention (e.g., advertising). Others choose to earn it (e.g., creating content). There is no “right” way to market. Many factors go into the decision—the most important one: what’s the best way to reach your ideal-client audience? And while there’s no right way to market (everyone’s practice and circumstances are unique), I believe that earning attention is the most effective path for most lawyers. Creating content, for example, tends to come across as more authentic and has a higher likelihood of helping the person consuming the content, which helps build trust.

How to Set Yourself Up for a Productive Day

How to Set Yourself Up for a Productive Day

The only thing you’ll find in an email is a demand or request reflecting someone else’s priorities. Those types of distractions can and should wait if you’re serious about making progress. Almost everything you’ll find in email can wait for at least an hour, so reserve the first hour of your day for yourself. Put another way, as Charlie Munger advises all of us to do, start treating yourself as your own most important client and “sell” yourself the most valuable hour of your day.

How to Create LinkedIn Content That Resonates With Your Audience

How to Create LinkedIn Content That Resonates With Your Audience

Many lawyers hold back their ideas for fear of giving away the “secret sauce.” And this sort of scarcity mindset stops them from realizing the benefits of building a strong personal brand on LinkedIn. In most cases, clients aren’t looking to do it themselves. They’re looking for the right lawyer for the job, and your ideas — your brand — give them confidence in your abilities. But your ideas will get lost amid the noise if they’re not delivered in a style that resonates with your audience.

Workshop Replay: Learn How to Write High-Engagement Posts on LinkedIn

Workshop Replay: Learn How to Write High-Engagement Posts on LinkedIn

View our complimentary workshop replay where Jay Harrington and Tom Nixon, co-founders of the Thought Leader Collaborative, will teach you how to plan and write posts that generate results. From topics to format to structure, you'll learn the essentials that will help you become a thought leader on LinkedIn.

The Good Content Samaritan

The Good Content Samaritan

Many are afraid of sharing their ideas publicly and at no charge for fear that they are “giving away free advice” or allowing access to “the secret sauce.” But here’s the deal: If you’re not sharing your expertise with the world, no one will believe that you have it. The individual that does more showing than telling is much more readily trusted as the true thought leader. And the returns that come from earning such a reputation make all the “free” sharing of “secrets” worth your time, effort and openness.