Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%
Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.
'Professional Development:' Those Were the Days: Lessons from Silicon Valley's Marketing Culture
After graduating from law school, I was fortunate to spend the early part of my marketing career in Silicon Valley working for technology companies that ranged in size from 30,000 employees to those with just a couple dozen brave souls. That was during a time when people thought a new kid on the block named Google was crazy to compete with Yahoo!, Apple looked like it was on its last leg and we had to type “http://” whenever we ventured out into the mysterious World Wide Web.
And, while being in the heart of the technology sector during that exciting time certainly had its share of challenges and frustrations, there were elements of the corporate culture and characteristics of the passionate employees that helped shape my perspective on the critical role marketing could (and should) play in driving tangible and bottom-line business results. Further, I am confident that those shaping influences, when applied to law firms, can help us legal marketers realize even greater returns for our internal and external clients.
Results. Results. Results.
Hall of Fame basketball player and coach John Wooden said: “Don't mistake activity for achievement.” His words highlight the difference between work and honest to goodness getting stuff done. Phrased differently, just because you are busy does not mean you are accomplishing anything.
Far too often, legal marketers use metrics that show activity, not results, and even fewer connect the results to bottom-line metrics that matter to firm leadership. In addition, marketers frequently frame discussions in terms of costs. This approach simply perpetuates the perception that marketing is a cost center. From my experience in successful technology environments, every effort should be made to use return on investment justifications for every marketing endeavor, to forecast short- and long-term results, and to demonstrate marketing's impact on hard metrics such as revenue and growth. By talking about marketing in the same financial language as that used by firm leadership, CMOs may establish and elevate the marketing function as a key revenue driver alongside other mainstay business development activities.
Outside-In vs. Inside-Out Thinking
For some time, there appears to have been two ruling paradigms in business: the inside-out approach and the outside-in approach. The inside-out approach is guided by the belief that the inner strengths and capabilities of an organization will make the organization prevail. The outside-in approach, the one embraced by most successful technology companies, is instead guided by the belief that client value creation, orientation, and experience are the keys to success.
This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only
ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN ENTERTAINMENT LAW.
- Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
- Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
- Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts
Already a have an account? Sign In Now Log In Now
For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
Legal Possession: What Does It Mean?
Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.
The Stranger to the Deed Rule
In 1987, a unanimous Court of Appeals reaffirmed the vitality of the "stranger to the deed" rule, which holds that if a grantor executes a deed to a grantee purporting to create an easement in a third party, the easement is invalid. Daniello v. Wagner, decided by the Second Department on November 29th, makes it clear that not all grantors (or their lawyers) have received the Court of Appeals' message, suggesting that the rule needs re-examination.