Presented by the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Activities and Services and the Division for

Bar Services

Ink on the PageOp-Eds & Presidents’ Messages

Tim EigoState Bar of Arizona

Our roadmap

Op-eds and letters to the editor

Defining your challenge

The Big Kahuna: The President’s column

Engagement: Ideas and suggestions

Moving the dial from …

Op-Eds and letters to the editor

Timing matters

The news cycle is not your cycle

News could overtake your op-ed or letter

Hat tip:Rick DeBruhl,

State Bar of Arizona

Did I mention that timing matters?

The day after tomorrow … may be too late.

Presidents’ Columns: Why o why?

Assisting members in their law practice

Association brand awareness

Event notification/Event follow-up

Oh, yeah: Correcting misimpressions/lies; Apologizing; Congratulating; Showing mom

It all begins with THE READER in mind.

Your job …

A bar leader’s multiple

challenges =

Competing deadlines = difficult

… so you need a plan

No plan … ?

Reader researchThe human

brain consuming poor

Presidents’ columns:

The human brain consuming irresistible Presidents’ columns:

Interesting events

Take note …

Member conversations

Movies/plays/events that resonate with the profession

A fellow lawyer said something (about the bar) that made you smile/wince.

A great event may have great visuals. Pick them up, save them, share them.

Hat tip:Brad Carr,

Alabama State Bar

Images matter

Does anyone here have a … cellphone?

But where are all the good ideas?

Consider your (kitchen) cabinet.

So, I crowdsourced many people, asking …

I asked: What doesn’t work?

… writers who never ask themselvesa basic question …

… writers who have one good idea and repeat it multiple times …

… writers who use “I” too much and focus on themselves …

… writers who patronize, talk down to, or preach …

We’ve all read essays by smart people, scratched our heads, and said:

Practice tip: Don’t be that guy.

So: What else

helps us achieve

stellar content?

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

Write about ways for readers to become better lawyers. And tell members’ stories.

If your bar association produced a great

program or speaker, use that presentation as the

core message.

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

Invite reader response to columns, and always invite emails. Include one or two of the most interesting responses as a post-script to the next column.

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

Whenever possible, include a call to action, and provide a next step.

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

Steal from great feature articles; why not “7 Things You Don’t

Understand About Your Dues.”

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

Humor always works—and if it doesn’t, the effort is appreciated.

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

We know images and punchy titles draw

people in; Presidents should use them more.

… some examples …

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

Reveal something of yourself—related to law practice, but not necessarily directly related. (Who gives a damn about the new rules about arbitration?)

Some kitchen cabinet ideas

Hat tip:Dan Wise,

New Hampshire Bar

Connecting matters

Finally, size matters …

A Modest Proposal:

Your homework (or mission) …

We know that the legal profession is changing, so consider how your President’s message should change along with it.

Like you, your column is looked to as an industry leader.

Your goal …

less this …… more this

Kitchen cabinet reassurance

If you can: move and engage members, lead the association, and make your

practice and bar thrive …

Questions

Tim Eigoarizona.attorney@azbar.orgPhone: 602.340.7310Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArizonaAttorneyMagazineTwitter: @azattyBlog: www.azatty.wordpress.comTumblr: http://itsadrylaw.tumblr.com/

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