For many, the idea of an in-person event such as a conference, cocktail party, or award ceremony sounds like fun right about now. We’ve all lived sheltered existences for the past 15 months or so – and a good number of folks are ready to get out there. Some have even started business travel again as more and more Americans become vaccinated.

Whether you are nervous, excited, or fall somewhere in between, business meetings and the normal small talk don’t come as naturally as they once did. A recent Saturday Night Live sketch aptly titled “Post-Quarantine Conversation,” had a hilarious take on a post-COVID party showing how what once was easy has become an awkward scenario for so many of us.

“Who the f— is this? Is this a person I know?” Kate McKinnon’s character thinks to herself as she strikes up conversation with Beck Bennett.

Meanwhile, Beck is thinking to himself: “Who the hell is this woman? Is she my wife’s friend? Or do our kids go to school together?”

The reason why this sketch was so funny is because it comes so close to real-life social scenarios we are all encountering – and our inclination to avoid offending someone at all costs, especially a client or potential customer.

In the legal industry, many folks are anticipating their first in-person event coming up this August at ILTACON in Las Vegas. Trips like this often mix some business with some pleasure. However, many of us may not feel as comfortable in this kind of setting as we did pre-pandemic. However, throughout the pandemic we realized virtual meetings are not the most natural or convenient either. Who can forget the cat lawyer who inadvertently used a cat “filter” during a virtual court session in the 394th district of Texas?

But here we are – emerging from the pandemic into “normalcy.” If you’re planning on a face-to-face engagement in the near future, here are a few tips you can take with you:

• To hug or not to hug? A lot of people feel naturally inclined to hug or shake hands, and for the most part – especially for those who are vaccinated – it’s an approach that happily is returning. If you’re meeting someone for the first time, chances are you wouldn’t hug them anyway. But if you’re reacquainting with an old colleague or someone you’ve known for many years, a hug or handshake will feel natural. When in question, listen to your instincts and err on the side of being less touchy-feely. Or just ask, “OK, to shake your hand?” We are all figuring this out. When in doubt, just ask.
• Is sharing caring? Normally yes. At business dinners, we often share different courses from small plates or platters that get passed around the table. If you are the one hosting the dinner, be mindful of the fact that everyone may not be comfortable with this and simply ask folks how they’d like to order.
• Safety over numbers: While many feel a new sense of liberation post-vaccine, there are still those who prefer to keep their distance and remain cautious. If you are inviting a client or prospect to a meeting (whether it’s coffee, dinner, or drinks), keep the groups small and/or allow for people to properly distance if the space permits. Again, it doesn’t hurt to ask what people prefer – otherwise, stick to a more conservative approach.
• Don’t forget your business cards: Not being able to travel forced all of us to find new ways to connect remotely. Even as we get back together in person, many will opt for exchanging information electronically, whether through a quick text or a LinkedIn connection. But do not overlook the personal touch that comes with business cards. There’s still something very satisfying in being able to exchange a business card the old-fashioned way.

For most, ILTACON will be the first large industry event post-pandemic, and it will be interesting to see how a hybrid event is planned to ensure both in-person and virtual attendees get value from being there. We, for one, are looking forward to seeing our friends old and new in person. We might just need to practice our small talk a little before we head to Las Vegas.

The demand for audio content is stronger than ever, and businesses are putting podcasts to work to reach and engage new audiences. New data shows there are currently 2 million active podcasts and over 48 million podcast episodes.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 41% of weekly podcast listeners report they are spending more time listening to on-demand audio content. U.S. weekly podcast listeners average eight podcasts per week, according to a new study from Edison Research.

Clearly, there is no shortage of demand, and with the emergence of apps such as Clubhouse—an audio-based social media app that allows users to jump in and out of different chats in a “live” podcast format—it’s relatively easy to set up a brand and start building a following. But drawing the right listeners and then retaining them is the greater challenge, especially when so much content is available, and the average person’s attention span grows shorter by the year.

So what’s the best approach to build a loyal podcast following, engage your audience, and increase listeners? Below are five tried-and-true tactics, grounded in my experience as a business podcast host and a long career in public relations.

Read the full article on PR Daily.com.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we typically think of all the women who broke glass ceilings long before our time such as Marie Curie, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, and Amelia Earhart. But there are women who walk among us every day who continue to break barriers (and in current history, Kamala Harris, who was recently sworn in as the first female Vice President of the United States.)

Yet, it is no surprise women still face many obstacles when it comes to equity and acceptance in certain professions. Industries such as legal tech and venture capital, largely dominated by white males, are slowly moving the needle when it comes to increasing diversity, but they still have a long way to go.

Luckily, there are women who aren’t taking “no” for an answer. They are building women-led teams and bringing in male allies to push the boundaries. They are putting in the long hours, the sweat equity, and even the guilt over being a working parent, to make a difference and pave the way for the next generations.

Starting A Company

One of those women is Sarah Schaaf, the co-founder and CEO of Headnote. I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Sarah on 4 the Record to learn more about why she started her company, what it was like trying to raise funding in a male-dominated environment, and what young entrepreneurs can do to be successful.

As a former practicing attorney, Sarah founded Headnote (a legal industry compliant payments platform) because she knew there was an issue with the payments process. She explains:

“I grew up the child of two attorneys, both of whom started their own firms, and I knew how hard slow payment times were on small firms, so I wanted to make a really accessible, beautiful modern product in the lives of lawyers and law firms everywhere, regardless of size. And for me, and based on my experience, getting paid and making that easier and removing friction was the best way that we could improve the lives of lawyers everywhere.”

However, when it came to getting funded, Sarah found both luck and hurdles. Her first bit of luck came in the form of a female investor who led Headnote’s seed round and became Sarah’s closest advisor and friend, as well as others who were willing to help and pay it forward.

“I had a lot of amazing women that did help me get here, but also had some really amazing male allies that are major feminists and are trying really hard to shift the dynamic in the VC and the technology space to make it more equal between men and women,” she said.

Confronting Diversity Challenges in Venture Funding

But when Sarah set out for her first round of venture capital funding, she faced unique challenges and uncomfortable questions about family plans and pregnancy – questions her male counterparts would not be asked. That led to feelings of guilt, frustration, and questions about work ethic. Given that Sarah’s husband was her co-founder, there were added complications about what his role in both the business and the family would be. “For sure it put a lot of added pressure on our family. I think we knew that’s what we signed up for. But I would love to work with male and female colleagues in the Valley to try to shift that dynamic and that feeling that you have as both a male or a female entrepreneur around having kids, because I know men who have the same feeling that are saying, ‘We give maternity and paternity leave 12 weeks’ or whatever it is, but they’re not comfortable taking it themselves as a father because they don’t know what it’s going to say about their work ethic. And I think as a culture and a society in general, we need to work really hard to remove some of that stigma.”

Sarah also noted the disparity not just in the way women are treated in the legal industry or venture capital arena, but a lack of diversity in general – evidenced by the fact that out of a recent survey of U.S. law firms, nearly 75% have launched new programs to address racial injustice.

And yet despite a prolific year and a record number of investments, where the investments were being made was not very diverse.

“What we’re seeing unfortunately, is that the investments made in female led companies or companies with female founders…has dropped significantly. And that’s super disappointing. And I don’t know why, and I’m sure there’s a variety of reasons and hypotheses that people are exploring. But this is something we need to work harder at, especially on the female front, in my opinion.”

Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease

One of things Sarah is proud of is working for a company with not only a female CEO but where over half of the leadership team are females. And that the company as a whole is very diverse and strives to have team members with different backgrounds and different opinions to be as inclusive as possible.

“It’s something that we make a very conscious effort to try to live by those values and how we look at our team and how we look at the different kinds of policies we rollout…because we really believe that that makes a better culture, a better workplace and a better product for all of our users.”

Sarah continues to lead the charge to change the diversity dynamic and serves as a role model for other young entrepreneurs. Her best piece of advice is don’t be afraid to ask – “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.”

“Don’t be afraid to shoot for the stars. … Keep being scrappy and just don’t be afraid to ask. You never know what someone’s going to say.”

Click here to listen to the podcast with Sarah.

From virtual swag bags to facilitated online discussions and cyber happy hours, Legalweek will indeed feel different this year. Although it feels a bit strange to not venture into New York City this Groundhog Day, ALM has re-imagined its anchor event to engage audiences with multiple events throughout the year.

During Plat4orm’s most recent 4 the Record episode, I caught up with my former colleague Zach Warren, editor-in-chief of Legaltech News, to talk about some of the ways the pandemic has changed the legal technology landscape and what we can expect from this year’s multiple Legalweek (Year) events, starting with the main event in February.

For industry insiders, influencers, and tech buyers, Legalweek is one of the busiest weeks of the year. For journalists and analysts in particular, Legalweek is downright exhausting. Everyone wants some time with you. I can attest to this; it’s challenging to find time to eat, let alone pee. If you know, you know.

Let’s face it, this year will feel different – but we don’t have to equate “different” with “bad.” In fact, the format looks like past conferences, the main event is three days, and most sessions are overarching. Aside from the educational component, Legalweek is one of few pivotal industry events marketing and sales teams reserve for new product launches, client dinners, and other off-site events that help vendors build their pipeline for the year, all of which is difficult – if not impossible – to replicate in a virtual setting.

To offset some of those changes, today Legalweek (Year) kicks off the first of five virtual events designed to “tackle the changing legal landscape, and to help legal leaders restructure, rebuild, and reinvigorate today’s law firms and legal departments.” If I am being honest, five events is a lot to ask – but nevertheless, ambitious of ALM. In our conversation, Warren acknowledged this is a challenge, especially when the legal community is being asked to attend multiple virtual events over the year.

He explained, “It’s very tough to differentiate, especially when people are used to what it is. It was difficult to differentiate when the move was made from Legaltech to Legalweek [in 2017], and what did that expansion look like when they tried adding in other conferences and things? It’s kind of a needle that they’re trying to thread.”

If history tells us anything, it’s that change is not always well received, especially in the legal industry. But ALM has being doing events for a long time and can afford to experiment a bit – so it will be interesting to see how the hyper-focused events play out, and how this format might even be a welcome change. In March, the event will focus on legal business strategies; in July, the theme will be emerging tech. ALM will also debut its Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Awards.

In some ways, we have come full circle since Legalweek 2020 – before life as we knew it changed for all of us. And while innovation remains a focus for law firms and legal departments, the word has taken on a new meaning in 2021.

“It’s actually kind of interesting looking back at this in retrospect, because even at last year’s Legalweek, that was actually one of my main takeaways, before the pandemic hit,” Warren shared. “It was that a lot of not only law firms and corporate legal departments, but even legal technology developers themselves, were focusing more on adoption and making sure that what people already have actually is in use across the entire enterprise, versus trying to get out their revolutionary technology or something that’s going to change the game, but also requires a lot of investment in time and money from law firms and corporate legal departments.”

In reflecting on the past year, I think we have learned that innovation is a state of mind rather than a destination. Legalweek’s topics and sessions are evidence of that (e.g., “How to Maximize the Efficiency of Your Legal Operations with Contract Management” and “Privilege Review 2.0”). Certainly, COVID has been an accelerator in many respects; within legal, the hastening of legal tech adoption has been the major change, maybe even more than the technology itself.

Erin Harrison is Managing Director of Plat4orm. Previously, she was editor-in-chief of InsideCounsel and Legaltech News, and later, editor-in-chief of multi-platform content for ALM’s global newsroom.

The client relationship is the backbone of any agency’s business model. Of course, good results matter, but those results depend on constructive, two-way communication and a shared sense of purpose and trust. If that breaks down, it usually leads to the end of the working relationship. For many agencies, one of the biggest concerns they face with existing clients is a change of leadership, specifically when their regular client touch-point changes. In most cases, this is the chief marketing officer (CMO).

Statistics tell us the CMO role rotates relatively frequently. Marketing is one of those divisions that tend to take a first hit if sales slow or decline. All agencies should be prepared to work with more than one CMO during the lifecycle of the client relationship. And yet all too often, managing the transition to working with a new CMO is an area where agencies struggle.

Here are our top tips for navigating a successful relationship with a new CMO:

Treat them like a new client

One of the biggest mistakes we have seen is assuming it is business as usual when a new CMO comes on board. Recognize the fact this is a new person with new ideas, new approaches, and new likes and dislikes. In terms of both collaboration and account management, what worked for the previous CMO may not work for the new one. Early on, set up a time to get to know your new point of contact and to understand how that person likes to work. While you may be tempted to show the new client how much you know and how valuable a resource you can be, this can easily backfire. The majority of new CMOs are keen to put their own stamp on things – it is usually why they are hired in the first place.

Recognize you may not be top of their priority list just yet

While most CMOs will seek to mold the marketing function in a way that works for them, the scope of a CMO’s role is broad and PR is just one component of it. It is not uncommon to work with a new CMO who initially may seem unengaged in the agency’s work – take it as a compliment that they don’t see it as an area that needed to be immediately “fixed,” and don’t overwhelm them with requests to prove your value. Be an asset and a resource, but in a way that helps rather than hinders your new client.

Build trust

Some agencies may seek to strengthen their position with the client by “going around” the new CMO. This is a common mistake. While it is always smart to strengthen relationships with a client’s C-suite and the broader marketing team in the long run, remember who makes the decisions. If the CEO appointed a new CMO, they did so for a reason, and it means they have faith in that person to lead the function. While an agency might not like all the changes a new CMO makes, don’t try to question those changes by having side-bar conversations with other executives. Once broken, trust can rarely be rebuilt.

It’s not personal

No matter how good the service an agency provides, sometimes it just comes down to the CMO’s personal preferences and comfort level. It is not uncommon to see CMOs appoint agencies they worked with in the past when they take on a new role for the very reason we outlined above – they know the agency and they already trust them. That is not a reflection of the work being done by your agency; it is human nature to gravitate towards what we know. Agencies should, where possible, invest the time to learn about a new CMO’s professional history – what agencies they have worked with in the past, whether they have done PR work themselves, and so on. While it is never great to lose a client, it is good to be prepared for all eventualities.

Be patient

Like any new relationship, it takes time to build a foundation, mutual respect, and trust. Remember your value and take the time to help the new CMO navigate new waters. He or she may be stepping into a new industry, too, and may need time to understand and build a strategy around an unfamiliar business environment. Ultimately, proving your value will be a matter of time. A changing of the guard can also mean new opportunities for your agency to grow and enhance the client relationship.

For a conference that was forced to go completely virtual despite its best intentions, ILTA>ON 2020 lived up to its name.
The inaugural online event drew many of the usual suspects from the legal tech circuit. Amidst major Zoom fatigue, ILTA was able to do something that many other events haven’t – maintain a sense of community.

This was clearly not an easy feat for the organization, whose annual ILTACON event is known to be the epicenter of legal buying and schmoozing, and is held each August in fun locations like Las Vegas, Orlando, and Nashville and sometimes in arguably less fun places (I’m looking at you, National Harbor).

Even though the physical ILTACON of years past was a massive conference, it was very much defined by the camaraderie developed amongst attendees new and old.

Of all the virtual conferences he has attended post-pandemic, legal blogger Bob Ambrogi said ILTA>ON has done the best at keeping that sense of community alive. “Even though we are all interacting virtually, there is somehow still an almost-intimate feel to it all,” he said. And I certainly agree.

Something a lot of us have pondered over the last six months is how to keep relationships thriving and growing despite the limitations on in-person interactions. Undeterred by presenting virtually, on Day 3 of ILTA>ON my colleague Nate Jenks spoke as part of a marketing panel focused on using data-driven strategies to build new business. He found it felt surprisingly “normal” and appreciated the chance to exchange insights with other data-focused professionals.

In the era of COVID-19, many of us are learning new ways to connect with clients, share our messages and, most importantly, reach new buyers. Virtual events provide new opportunities to explore happenings in industry sectors you might not have otherwise had the budget or time to investigate in the past. Online communities also are flourishing and allow us to interact virtually with peers in ways that remove the barriers of time and travel.

While I still yearn, as we all do, for the days of face-to-face interaction, the relative ease with which we’ve all been able to pivot amidst this uncertainty should give us all hope for the future. ILTA>ON has shown the legal industry that it’s possible to stay connected, learn from each other and grow professionally, even if we are sitting in our living rooms.

While there is no real “end game” in sight as we think about the conference season of 2021, I look forward to the time when we can be in a room full of people again. Yet I can’t help but to think there is no turning back and there will always be a virtual dynamic to events in the future. Going virtual opens the door to a wider audience and allows anyone to drop in on sessions while still attending to their day jobs.

What do I miss most? The random encounters with old friends and the chance to meet new acquaintances. No Zoom meeting will ever substitute for a live conversation, the experience of sharing a meal together or even just casually meeting for a drink.

When and if conferences return to the in-person format not seen since Legalweek 2020, ILTA has shown that a virtual event can offer unique benefits to attendees and speakers. Even sponsors I’ve spoken with said they have been able to secure quality meetings and continue to nurture relationships, albeit from a distance. The absence of logistical planning may have also made things easier for some. One sponsor even joked via Twitter about volunteering for this year’s booth teardown.

Looking ahead, for conference producers who choose to move forward after the pandemic subsides, ILTA>ON has proven that virtual conferences can deliver value and a rewarding attendee experience at the same time.