I used to believe that running the auction for your kids’ school was mostly “for show”. Until I was asked to do it for our school.
[Truth be told, I said “yes” because they begged. And because I figured I would get some networking benefits out of it.]
Did it pay off?
Yes, but not where I expected.
I got zero networking benefits and can attest that doing it “for show” isn’t worth it (it’s a huge time + energy commitment).
So, how did it pay off?
My kids noticed.
They saw me at their school, meeting with administrators. They were proud that I was doing it. They understood that it meant I cared about their world.
I'm seeing a similar pattern play out with something lawyers dismiss all the time:
Awards.
Most attorneys are hounded by marketing to submit for a variety of awards (Chambers submissions, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Rising Stars, and on and on).
And they sound great, but they are super time-consuming (and time is something we are all short on).
When asked to help marketing submit for yet another award, most lawyers roll their eyes and think:
Guess what?
Not true. Especially now.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is changing who notices.
When someone asks ChatGPT, "Who's a good energy finance lawyer in Houston?" or "Find me a lawyer business coach," AI pulls from credible sources.
And guess what it sees as especially credible? Yep, awards.
Stephanie Grober, a content marketing expert, confirmed this (on the podcast today).
My point, Friend?
The things we dismiss as “just for show” or “not worth it” might reap real rewards (you haven’t yet considered).
So here's the question:
What are you dismissing as "not worth it" or “just for show”? Challenge those thoughts to ensure you're not writing off something that could be valuable.
XO,
Heather
P.S. For more about how GEO works and Stephanie’s excellent Content Marketing 101 advice, listen to today’s Life & Law installment >>>here.
