The use of Facebook - which is getting bad publicity lately (including a potential class action law suit here in Canada) - totally fascinates me when it is utilized to promote professional services.

But when you boil everything down to the fundamentals, growing your business is all about developing relationships. Many years ago a mentor once told me, "People buy people, not things", and I will carry that philosophy with me to my grave.

So with this fundamental business thought in mind, it makes perfect business sense to become a "citizen" in the biggest "country" on the internet.

Murray Miskin, an Ontario lawyer, is an example of a legal industry professional who is actively using several forms of social networking tools to develop relationships with people and promote his practice.

I had an opportunity to chat with Mr. Miskin the other day and I asked him a few questions about his successes with Facebook, his approach. This is what he shared with me:

I recently restructured my law firm and thought it would be a good time to set up a new Facebook page for the firm ...[it is] a good way to communicate about our new services, locations and our new way of doing business.

I have definitely gotten clients and referrals from people who are Facebook friends (eg. real estate agents) who might otherwise not have thought of me.

Mr. Miskin is using this free tool to ultimately bring more existing and potential clients to his website and to his blog. He runs two accounts on Facebook; his business account, and then a personal account where he allows his personal opinionated side to come out. The personal account is only open to "friends", but anyone visiting the Facebook-World can view his business account.

His advice to lawyers who ask him about using Facebook?

• Don't be shy.
• Get out there and you will see that it really helps and it is fun to do.
• It is important to understand how social media and search engines work and to have a strategy for this type of marketing.