Maybe your New Year’s Resolution is to branch out into blogging. Maybe you’re doing the research right now.

What should you write about? How will you generate business from the blog? What will be your strategy?

Most family law bloggers write about recent developments in family law along with general advice about coping with a divorce. They’re usually writing for an audience of prospective clients in their local area. They frequently comment on national or international issues and attempt to tie in a local angle.

That’s not what I’d do.

Here’s what I’d do – I’d write for a national audience of attorneys. My objective would be to generate referrals from that audience when they needed help for a client in my local area (which, by the way, is Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary and Charlotte, North Carolina).

I’d focus on my writing on something family law attorneys want and need to know. I might write on family law tax or retirement plan issues. I might focus on electronic evidence or discovery. Maybe I’d zoom in on international child abductions or family law trial techniques. I might write about business valuations or the division of a certain type of asset – like veterinary practices.

Basically, I’d do all I could to become “that guy” – the expert on “X” – that was known to every family law attorney in the country. Over time I’d establish myself as someone they could count on for help via my blog and someone they could count on when they needed to make a referral in my local area.

My guess is that I’d get calls from the media, giving me national exposure. I’d also expect calls from attorneys asking questions, giving me the opportunity to pay it forward for those referrals that will come down the road. Most importantly, I’d get excited about my area of expertise. I’d really dig in and learn something. I’d enjoy the learning, the sharing and the attention. It’s a win-win-win.

That’s what I’d do.