Thank you, Digital Marketing Institute’s Emma Prunty and Will Francis for this lovely opportunity to share my professional experiences and our beautiful Clark Hill journey.
“How do you market an organization made up of diverse individuals – in this case a global firm of over 700 legal professionals? We were delighted to have an insightful conversation with Roy Sexton, head of marketing at Clark Hill, on how marketing can be a force for good, the overlap between B2B and B2C marketing, working on a company’s personal brand, considerations about putting your marketing behind social movements, and lots of tips for marketers at any stage of their career.
“Roy tells host Will Francis about his advocacy for LGBTQ+, and how his background in theater has influenced all areas of his marketing skills, including how to manage a team and approaches to using storytelling in marketing.”
P.S. I told our fab 2024 Legal Marketing Association – LMA International prez Kevin Iredell, an incredible and generous leader and dear friend, that I’d be “all in” and wear my shades Jack Nicholson-style from the front row at #LMA24 this week! Proud of him and this beautiful community. Thank you to his fellow leaders Kathryn Whitaker , Morgan MacLeod , Amber Bollman , Ashley Stenger , Kaitlin Heininger , Holly Amatangelo , Lisa M. Kamen , Ellie Hurley, conference committee, and countless volunteers and sponsors who have worked so hard to deliver a fantastic event this year!
“To move forward on your own path through the doubt and the unknown, you must be forever willing to work hard at what you love, over and over.” —Laura Gassner Otting, “Wonderhell”
Wonderhell: We’ve all experienced it. Anyone who is driven to grow and thrive has found themselves at this crossroads, a concept explored by our #LMA23 keynote speaker Laura Gassner Otting in her recent book of the same name.
From a recent Forbes interview, she explains: “Wonderhell is that feeling when the excitement of your achievement mixes with the burden of your potential. I’m seeing a version of myself that I didn’t know was possible, who opened more doors than I ever thought possible. But through those doors, I now see even more doors that I can open.”
I’m not going to lie, 2023 was my wonderhell. It’s been a great honor to serve as your president. I’ve loved every minute of it. And I couldn’t wait for it to end.
When I joined LMA over 10 years ago, I attended my first annual conference. The fabulous Alycia Sutor was president at the time. I sat dutifully in the front row of the opening session, in awe of her warmth and command. I said to myself, “One day, I hope I get to do that!”
And here we are. Only I added a Lady Gaga showtune and a drag queen to the mix. That’s the kind of amazing community we are.
But with that dream achieved, I was in wonderhell. The pressure to deliver, the fear that I wouldn’t. The worry that some would shake their heads in disappointment.
Roy, get over yourself. That’s what a self-induced panic attack on the last day of #LMA23 taught me.
Being a good leader isn’t about what you do or, worse, what you can brag about. It’s about what others are empowered to do on your brief, ephemeral watch.
And oh, what you all did! 2023 was a return to form for this community — engagement, innovation, collegiality and support. Let’s look back at some highlights:
• Over 1,200 attendees at this year’s annual conference
• Round two of the 21-Day Social Media Challenge
• Continued growth in membership, targeting 4,100 in 2023
• 100+ educational offerings
• Six regional conferences this past fall
• The continued development of additional international outposts, with Australia, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Spain in development
• And the exceptional content here in Strategies & Voices Year in Review
Over a decade ago, your voices inspired me to commit to legal marketing as a career. Your voices are doing that for someone right now reading these words. Your actions, leadership, and dedication keep the mighty engine of this community chugging along.
You, too, will find yourself periodically in wonderhell, daunted by all the possibility that unfurls before you when you achieve some aspiration or milestone. But remember that sometimes the accomplishment is enough, and you can derive as much satisfaction from celebrating the wins of those around you. That in turn will inspire you for whatever magic comes next.
My mom Susie Duncan Sexton‘s essay “WAIT! PRIOR TO TOSSING ME INTO A WEATHERED HATBOX…READ ME FIRST” will be published in the latest Henry Ford Centennial Library “Big Read” anthology “What’s in a Name?” Event is this Saturday to celebrate its publication.
Hope you can attend the Wrap-Up on Saturday, April 28, 2 p.m. at Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. Free and open to the public.
Thanks, Introhive, for the shout out here … proud to be in the company of such esteemed peers as Helena Lawrence, Gina Furia Rubel, Susan C. Freeman, Rebecca Condron Wissler, The National Law Review, Kathryn Whitaker, Timothy Corcoran, Cheryl Bame, Stefanie Knapp, Meghan Spradling, Heather Morse-Geller Stefanie Marrone, Alex Woodley, and Jennifer Petrone Dezso.
This year’s Legal Marketing Association – LMA International Conference in New Orleans saw some of best legal marketing professionals come together to network, discover new technologies, learn leading business development strategies, and stay informed of what’s happening in the industry. As a result, the 2018 LMA Annual Conference had several key takeaways for legal marketers and business development professionals alike.
With sessions ranging from social media to competitive intelligence, there was a lot of ground being covered at LMA. To help summarize some of the conference highlights, we put together a detailed infographic covering the key takeaways that stood out to us the most. If you missed out on LMA this year, or simply want a refresher on what was covered, check it out here: https://www.introhive.com/resources/infographic-7-key-takeaways-from-the-2018-lma-annual-conference/
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Reel Roy Reviews is now TWO books! You can purchase your copies by clicking here (print and digital).