The Fashion Conscious Male - A Modern Idea

This phrase that has been invented by the media to describe men who wear designer clothing and take take an interest in their appearance and it is being touted as a modern day phenomena but you don't have to go back very far in the history of male fashion to see that a lot of men have been taking pride in their appearance since the dawn of time. The male appearance has always been of great significance throughout the course of history, styles have ranged from aggressively masculine to dandyish. Men have over time embraced wearing wigs and lipstick and have worn garters to keep their socks up so is the fashion conscious male really a modern day phenomena?

Men's designer clothing over the last 100 years or so has focused on the shape of the suit only changing radically from the 1960's and 1970's onwards into the more relaxed and close fitting styles that we associate with modern men's apparel. But if we delve further into the past it becomes clear that men have displayed the same vanity as women in their appearance, wearing heavily embroidered cloaks and brightly coloured stockings can hardly be described as modest. A glance at the portraits of kings such as Henry VIII through to photographs of Oscar Wilde in his dapper suit clearly show that men have been interested in their appearance and the notion that male vanity is a contemporary development becomes laughable. In fact Wilde's only full length novel The Picture of Dorian Grey explores the notion of retaining the ideal appearance at any cost.

Popular modern designer companies often move from being sportswear suppliers to clothing suppliers like Lyle and Scott who first came to the forefront of men's fashion for their quality golf wear and gained prominence with the televised coverage of the sport in the 1960's. After a small amount of re-branding the designer really took off with the younger generation of men treating them simply as a fashion house rather than a sports shop. Other designers have followed suit creating modern and innovative men's fashion for the 21st century man.

How To Make Time For Legal Marketing And Business Development

One of the chief complaints I receive from the attorneys that I meet and work with is that they just don't have time for legal marketing. While billable hours, day-to-day emergencies and time outside the office all add up, there are definite ways to go about making time for legal marketing and business development. The key is to think of it as an ongoing habit, not something to "make time for." Rather than seeing marketing and business development as a burden, think of it as an integral part of your day-to-day life. The interesting thing about creating this kind of habit is that once you find the right system for your individual lifestyle it should simply become second nature.
The benefits to making time are numerous. Aside from building relationships with potential clients and referral sources, taking advantage of marketing and business development opportunities can help increase your visibility AND credibility in the legal arena and beyond. Writing articles and participating in social media help you create and build a personal brand'”something that every lawyer should have. True dedication and time commitment can even bring you recognition as an expert in your chosen practice area or within a specific industry.
Below are a few suggestions and lessons from attorneys I've worked with, as well as my own observations and experience. Choose the path that make sense for you or adapt the suggestions to work within your own day, but give it a chance. Do something! The rewards you will reap are far greater than a 5-minute time commitment.
• Multi-task.
No one I know comes into the office and immediately gets to work. One solution to the time crunch is to fold your marketing and business development efforts into your morning routine. As you sit down to your desk with your morning coffee or tea (or breakfast') browse through your contacts or referral lists and send a few emails; read a legal marketing blog; update your social media or even spend 10 minutes working on a potential article or speech. By 9 am you'll have accomplished something solid and can focus the rest of your day on other endeavors. Alternately, you can do the same thing during a quick lunch at your desk or coffee break. You'd be surprised how far 10 minutes can go.
• Save it up.
One attorney I know has created a special folder in her email Inbox specifically for legal marketing emails. As the weekly or daily updates from the blogs and social media groups she subscribes to come in she simply directs them to the folder. Then, once a week she takes an hour out of her day to read through the week's emails and respond to them accordingly. She's able to keep up to date on legal marketing news and colleague updates, post articles and communicate about possible speaking engagements without disrupting the flow of her day.
• End your day.
A colleague of mine channels his efforts into work all day but integrates marketing into his nighttime routine. With the stresses of the day (and impending deadlines, phone calls and emails) over, he sets aside 15-20 minutes a night before bed to investigate marketing leads, send emails to potential referral sources and work on articles and social media.
• Schedule it in' for the first month.
If all else fails, treat legal marketing as a literal client. Put it on your schedule and make no excuses for not paying attention to it, just as you would a client. Whether it's once a week or biweekly, set aside specific time for uninterrupted focus. After the first month I can guarantee that finding time for business development will feel effortless.
Simple in theory but never easy in practice, without a true commitment you can never reap the rewards of a solid marketing habit. Filling your pipeline with work, receiving recognition as an expert and gaining credibility and visibility won't happen all at once, but you can be sure they will happen. Just as with any other endeavor, it takes focus and time to see results.