VIP Access to the TOP 10%

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accomplishment, adversity, attitude, business, Business Networking, efficient engagement, exceptional, exclusive, global recognition, goals, influence, love what you do, man named pearl, networking tips, opportunity, pay it forward, personal branding, professional, Social Media, sphere of influence, success, Top 10%, vip, VIP access, x-factor

VIP Access to the TOP 10%!  I’m in!

Wait – Top 10% of what? – Access where? – VIP who?

This is about Personal Branding and getting the 10% edge on whatever ‘it’ is you are doing – starting now.

10% have figured ‘it’ out and the rest are still wondering what ‘it’ is.  Whatever ‘it’ is it sounds exceptional, exclusive, extraordinary and it’s what we all desire. It’s about the impact we make as individuals on the people and places in our sphere of influence, no matter how large or small that sphere might be.

‘It’ has the ability to give you VIP access to the Top 10% and it’s in your hands now!  ’It’ becomes your Personal Brand through your passion, your drive and the culmination of your consistent choices that create it.  Whether we choose to or not we all have a Personal Brand, it’s those that choose to cultivate their brand that gain access to the top 10%.

Okay.  That’s great, but the Top 10% sounds like a lot of work – I don’t think I have that in me.

The fact is it’s easier to gain access to the Top 10% than all of the self-help and how-to people would have you believe.  It gets down to identifying the ‘it’ and having a get-it-done-attitude.

The story about a man named Pearl inspires me whenever it comes to mind.  What’s so intriguing about this story is the simplicity of effort it takes to gain a 10% edge one-step-at-a-time.  The story of Pearl can be applied to any other story of success that we have heard.  This is what I mean…

The story of a man  named Pearl, in summary, is about a man living in a small town whose actions gained a 10% edge one-step-at-a-time, eventually earning global recognition for his work.  What did Pearl do?  If you ask him… he just cuts up bushes.  What he really did, was find his ‘it’ and became EXCEPTIONAL at it.  You almost don’t need to read any further if you just get that single concept – identify your ‘it’ and become exceptional at it.

1st step: Pearl identified his ‘it’ and that set his goal

Pearl wanted to be known for having a nice yard by winning his community ‘Yard of the Month’ award.  This would be the equivalent to accessing the top 10%, in his sphere of influence.

Note:  To gain access to the top 10% others need to hear about your accomplishments.  We can all relate to working hard on a project and seeing someone else get the credit for doing less.  Bet we can also acknowledge their efforts, though less, were spread to a larger or key audience of influence.

2nd step: Choose a get-it-done attitude

Pearl met adversity and overcame it by choosing to become exceptional.  When we choose to become exceptional we gain access to the top 10%.

3rd step:  Pearl paid-it-forward

A humble man, Pearl spread the word by sharing and teaching others about his work.

4th step: Repeat steps 1-3 – you now have a larger sphere of influence

When you gain access to the Top 10% of your sphere of influence it naturally opens doors to a larger sphere of influence.  Taking one-step-at-a-time Pearl gained access to the Top 10% in his immediate community, the town of Bishopville, The State of South Carolina and gained national and international recognition for his work.

Becoming part of the top 10% does not happen overnight, though it can start right now.

Become EXCEPTIONAL

Exception not the norm – the norm is the other 90%

X-Factor an element in you that attracts others (We all have it, we just need to acknowledge it.)

Choose to act and persevere through our choices

Efficient engagement – do more in less time than the other 90% – Plan/Act

Personal Branding – become known for ‘it’

Today – because yesterday you said tomorrow

Invest time in people, it’s a win-win

Open yourself to opportunities

Now pay-it-forward

A singe minded focus will keep your ‘it’ in front of you, because you do or do not – there is no try. (Thank you Yoda)

Love what you do – passion is your strength

 

 

Genie’s Twitter Lists – Created by our active followers

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Business Networking, Groups, Events, Twitter, Twitter Lists, personal branding, networking, connections, pay it forward, followers, trends, peeps, Genie Networks, engagement techniques, content development, RT's, social, Genie Twitter List, forbes top 50 media influencer, linked local, topic ideas, speakers, resources, business resources, recruiters, jobs, hr, media contributors, authors, pr agents, media personalities, food, wine, sports, golf, health, wellness, fashion

Active Twitter Peeps get a kick out of growing their followers and finding other interesting peeps to follow.  Genie is not any different, enjoying this robust and addictive realm of engagement.

Since Genie is about networking, we want to share our lists with you, the categories and the interesting peeps you will find there.  We add to the lists almost daily and sometimes remove peeps.  What we look for:

• The categories have a networking angle and so do the peeps in each
• The peeps are consistently on topic, active, engage their followers and have great content – number of followers is roughly considered
• There are only a handful of category peeps that are not following Genie back, as we believe networking is a 2-way street.  (Exceptions – their content is in the top 10%, it has a networking and/or tech angle and they have a zillion followers)
• We are limited to how many categories we can create – what you see makes sense for now
• If you are not included in a list please review the above and let us know if we might have missed you
• Please note, though we might find these peeps to be of interest we do not endorse any peeps in the list – like any other part of Twitter you engage at your own risk
• Interesting observations:
  • Peeps with close to equal follow/follower ratios exhibit more networking behaviors
  • Peeps with 2k – 50k followers with the above mentioned observation seem to be working their social harder through various engagement techniques, content development, follow-backs, RT’s and utilize other social platforms

Genie’s Twitter Lists:  (Follow the List(s) and/or the Peeps)

Business Networking

Reasons Why You Should Invest in Networking professionally. This list of peeps will help whether you are new to networking or have years of experience.

Interesting peep examples:

Janet Callaway ‏ @janetcallaway

Janet is fabulous at digging up good content others are sharing along with sharing her own.

This weeks tweet treasure: 23 Awesome People I Met in My Week of Twitter Chats http://goo.gl/92VJc via @douglaserice (The Genie Team is exploring this area and this article has great content.)

Jonathan Senior ‏ @JonSenior1

When it comes to networking and helping businesses and people succeed, Johnathan and his team are an outstanding resource.  They engage for the purpose of gaining results.

This weeks tweet treasure: Business Owners Networking More Than Ever, Here’s How to Do it Right

Personal Branding

It’s all about you and branding yourself.

 

Interesting peep examples:

Jessica H Hernandez ‏@GreatResume

Jessica works on personal branding and helping peeps find jobs.

This weeks tweet treasure:  Are you using every opportunity to establish your online presence?http://tinyurl.com/354us2q 

Kim Garst ツ ‏ @kimgarst

Forbes Top 50 Social Media Influencer – Personal Brand Strategist AND she still engages with followers, follows back and RT’s.  All good stuff!

This weeks tweet treasure: The marketplace is constantly evolving; your brand has to evolve 2! See new trends & JUMP on them b4 your competition does!

 

Groups- Business/Social

Grow, Explore, Learn, Network and have FUN!

 

Interesting peep examples:

 TheMartiniDiva ‏ @TheMartiniDiva

The Martini Diva is a great example of how networking can be FUN! Get out of stuffy networking ‘functions’ and join and online/offline group that’s outside your industry and shakes up those creative juices.

 LinkedLocalOakBrook ‏ @OakBrookLink

This group and groups like it can be found near you.  They offer more of a professional structure and work as a networking and business resource within your community that can help you develop your skill-set.

Trends / Info Share

Business, marketing, advertising, online, social, media, finance, networking, groups, events.  These peeps are another source for quick conversation topic ideas, Click for more networking tips:  Well… that was awkward. Faux Pas Rewind in 5

 

Interesting peep examples:

 Peter Trapasso ‏ @petertrapasso

Engaging and FUN!  Peter offers a lot of good stuff.  For quick updates on what’s generally trending in tech, business and social – Mashable – LinkedIn – Peter and then the others. Added bonuses – healthy engagement, RT’s and follow-backs.

Jeff Bullas ‏ @jeffbullas

Big score on content, top 10%!  Not so much on engagement; it’s a one-way road even though he follows-back.

Events/Speakers/Resources

Good Stuff in here! Content rich speakers and various resources - go explore…

 

Interesting peep examples:

 Brent C.J. Britton ‏ @bcjb

Engaging and fun, Brent is a professional speaker and resource for intellectual property,  tech start-ups and more.

 Executive Oasis Intl ‏ @executiveoasis

Driven to provide the best team building events, Executive Oasis keeps showing up on our radar as engaging and dedicated to their clients.

Recruiters/Jobs/HR

Find recruiters, job resources and HR information through these peeps.

 

Interesting peep examples:

axelkoster ‏ @AxelKoster

 Huge number of followers and extreamly engaged.  This is a networking power house!

This weeks tweet treasure:  Networking at its Best…Love it..RT @ilenecarol: @AxelKoster Done!! Now following @KeithKeller #axelHappy

Social-Hire.com ‏@Social_Hire

Content Rules the tweet with this group.  Follow and learn the latest in job networking.

This weeks tweet treasure:  Social Recruiting: Why Recruiters Simply Can’t Afford To Be Left Behind http://buff.ly/KBP1sr #socialrecruiting

 

Other List Categories:

 

Media Contributors

Journalists – Authors – PR Agents – Publishers – etc.

 

Media Personalities

Media Personalities, PR, Writers

 

Resources

Business, Start-ups, Unique Services

 

Spirits-Cigars-Food

Food-Wine-Beer-Scotch-Cigar Connections

 

Sports~Team/Individual

These followers have a fun passion for sports – check them out!

 

Golf

It’s a sport and a networking opportunity – we will leave it at that…

 

Health & Wellness

West mostly meets East here – Genie does not endorse the content – just interesting peeps

 

Global – Pay-it-Forward

Charity – Awareness – Green Efforts – Making our earth home a better place to live.

 

Twitter Chats

These peeps do frequent Twitter Chats – still exploring this area…

 

Fashion – Women/Men

Unique designers, Merchants, Enthusiasts that enjoy looking fabulous and sharing with others.

 

Boats,Cars & Motorcycles

If it has a motor and the tweeter is dedicated to the topic they are added here…

 

Animal Interest

Horses, dogs, cats, wildlife and the people that make a difference and enjoy them.

 

Explore and enjoy your new connections!

 

Well… that was awkward. Faux Pas Rewind in 5

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awkward, awkward moment, business, Business Networking, Business Networking Tips, conference room, connections, controversial topic, embarrassing, Event Networking, Events, Face-to-face communication, fall, faux pas, follow-up, Groups, networking, Networking Etiquette, networking resource, opportunity, pay it forward, play it safe, prime-time, productive solution, security blanket, social gathering, social norm, sports networking, Tampa Bay Times, tbt

Awkward silence, sideways glances, blinking eyes, unified group body shift, stifled laughs / gasps… oops, a violation of accepted social norms has just occurred.  We have all been on both sides  of these social faux pas moments.

Take a deep breath, it’s going to be okay.

We laugh, joke, turn red and sometimes cry over these awkward or embarrassing social moments.  And while it is a character building moment on both sides, its also an opportunity to learn from and pay attention to the coping mechanisms we use to get through them.

Let’s help each other shake this off and share our awkward moments and some productive ways of dealing with and avoiding similar situations.

5 things I’ve recently observed in others and/or myself:

1. Our new security blanket ~ our cell phones / smart devices.  I admit to using it to avoid awkward moments before and after gatherings and have noticed others doing the same.  Eyes darting around the room and back to their device.

Productive solution: Turn this awkward moment into an opportunity.  When you see someone looking around the room and frequently referring back to their phone (like you are) take the opportunity to rescue both of you.  They will be just as glad as you are for initiating contact.

2.  And… this awkward moment of silence was brought to you by… the weather, the food, the fabulous attire you are wearing and every other play-it-safe topic you and everyone else has been clinging to for the past decade… or two.  We play it to safe, to vanilla and its the reason we end up here over and over.  STOP!

Productive solutions:

Ladies take special note – The guys have a neutral fall back topic they use like a religion and it’s the only play-it-safe topic that will NEVER get old – sports.  This is a special area that can be a lot of fun.  You can get loud, opinionated, emotional and its ALL GOOOD!  The secret here is you don’t need to know all of the sports, all the rules, all the players, all the history or even played the sport at some point, because the guys don’t have all of their bases covered either.  Pick a sport of interest,  call yourself a rookie and you will have more help becoming a pro than you will know what to do with.

Find your source for quick topic ideas.  In the Tampa, FL area the tbt works exceptionally well.  This online/offline rag touches lightly on local, state, national and international news.  Identify 3-5 areas of interests and in a few minutes you are current and ready to go.

Add some spice and consider picking a slightly controversial or opinionated topic.  Use some caution here.  This works well with 2 – 3 people.  The goal is not to voice your own point of view, find fault or put someone on the spot; it’s to find out more about the people you are sharing your time with.  When someone has an opinion or passion they have drive and the best part about this is it takes the attention off you.  (Continue to stay away from politics and religion unless your goal is to insight a riot.  Especially during election months.)

3.  Look out for one another.  The person you save could be your next greatest client, friend and/or cheerleader and we have all been on both sides of this fence at some point.  I’m still in regular contact with the woman that noticed the back of my skirt was caught in my panties, just as we were leaving the ladies room, 3 years ago.

Productive solutions:

Entering a room and being ‘that helper’.  When you enter a meeting or conference room, you do have options and so do the people already in the room.

If you are the one entering the room, step in and to the right of the door for a moment.  This lets others see you and gives you the opportunity to assess your new surroundings.  Who looks open to a new contact?  Where are the key people? (host(est) / speakers / key contacts) Refreshments?

If you are already in the room and/or have contacts within, watch for people entering the room.  It’s an outstanding opportunity to make yourself busy and productive to the person you are rescuing, your contacts and yourself.

4. uh-oh… The person that needs to move on

We are going to look at this one a bit one-sided.  However it happened we ended up with a dud.  However, just because you didn’t click does not mean they won’t click with someone else.

Productive solutions:

If you are in a group it’s easy enough to dismiss yourself from the group by simply giving your farewell and moving on.

If you are in a group of 2-3 and you realize someone is hindering your event networking or it’s just not right for you, there are kind options available.

• Introduce them to someone that’s more their speed and bow out shortly after
• Let them know it was great to meet them and that you are going to go explore the room
• Walk them over to the refreshment area and work options 1 and/or 2

5. Follow-up and you missed prime-time

We do it.  Prime-time is a follow-up within 24hrs and it’s been missed by a landslide.  I have a stack of 50+ business cards glaring at me this very moment.  What do you do with this little stack of mystery cards? Diamonds waiting to be polished?  Well we work them of course!  It doesn’t matter how they became neglected, it’s how you are going to let them shine that counts.  The bright side – chances are good they have a similar stack glaring at them as well and YOU just rose to the top of hot potential contacts by taking action.

Go work it!

I’ll let you know how my stack turns out.

Get some edge on your LinkedIn profile in 10

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business, Business Networking, Business Networking Tips, call to action, conflict, connections, content, examples, Face-to-face communication, Groups, image, keyword, keyword search, LinkedIn, linkedin applications, Linkedin Profile, Linkedin user agreement, links, networking, notifications, opportunity, page rank, personal branding, recommendations, schedule, Social Media, social profiles, the ladders, updates

More than 80% of LinkedIn profiles are not adequately filled out and the majority are not working hard enough for the member.  Chances are high yours is one of them and if it is – let’s fix it.

Your LinkedIn Profile is like a book cover, enticing people to connect with you through the information you are sharing and sealing the deal as a follow-up for those you have recently connected with, face-to-face.  So ask yourself… Is my profile working hard for me or barely working?

After thousands of connections, thousands of reviewed profiles and a compulsive bent for figuring out how social sites can work harder for the end users, here are some key areas that will make a difference to YOU and your network.

In the next 24 hours commit yourself to doing the 10 following actions:

1. Congratulate yourself!

The very fact you have an active profile means you have already put your ‘I’m open for business’ sign out.  Ultimately this is what the social networks are for and how they should be viewed.  I exist.  I’m over here.  This is how I can help.

2. Review your profile with a twist

Take the approach that you are seeking a new contact (new contact being you) and experience how the ‘new contact’ is being found and perceived.  Did you find yourself via keyword search?  If so, what is your page ranking by keyword?  If not, what keywords do you want related to you? How does your profile look to the person that just found you?

Make a few quick notes on what you noticed, so you can go back and improve these areas.  Ask a friend or co-worker to review and suggest updates, as this can be insightful as well.

Tips that work hard for YOU:

Take your keywords that you want to be known for and reuse them throughout your profile and in your future content and project examples.  This practice will improve your LinkedIn search rankings when members are seeking similar services / contacts.

Load up your Skills and Expertise keywords section.  The maximum number of keywords you can enter is 45,  we recommend filling this section.  (Place this at the bottom of your profile, no one is really going to read it.  The function here is to help users find you, not seal the deal.)

3. Image is everything and it happens in seconds

Your image is the first thing new contacts look at and they will keep referring back to it.  Make it count – because it does!

Your image should convey a current, positive business message that shows your interest and professional outlook for your area of expertise.

Note:  The LinkedIn profile pages have been updated since this recent study, though the results are still relevant to viewer behavior.  Details of The Ladders’ study can be found by clicking here.

Your photo is part of your personal branding.  

Do’s & Don’ts:

* No image – no click – no contact.  You have placed a brick wall between you and your contact opportunities.  At this point it doesn’t matter how fabulous your profile content might be – the new contact didn’t stop to read it.

* The mug shot - If your photo has a white or gray background, ceiling tiles and you have neutral look on your face, get rid of it.  If you paused on this thought… the answer is YES… replace it.

This photo will self destruct in one year!  If only profile photos had expiration dates.  Stay current, change it up every few months.  Not only will you keep your personal branding looking fresh, LinkedIn sends out a notification to your entire network that you have updated your profile! Win Win

* Caution, Conflict Zone - to cool or hot to be taken seriously.  Ladies and gentlemen, take a pass on the t-shirts and sunglasses, even if you work in a sports shop go for a top with collar and let people see your eyes.  Gentlemen, unless your last name is Branson don’t bet the no tie thing is going to have any forward momentum working in your favor.  If you must dare, keep the jacket and collar and business casual is as low as you should go.  Ladies, put the girls and other ass..ets away for after business hours and your Facebook page.  Classy not trashy works best for both sexes, if you want to be taken seriously.

* Hair, if you don’t have it you’ve got it easy!  If you do have hair some effort is needed.  Style it nicely for your picture or choose a picture where your hair looks well-kept.  If you’ve had the same hair style for the past 5 yrs consider updating your look, it will keep you current.  If you are just entering the workforce be sure to update your look to something with a business forward attitude.

4.  Content

Take the time to fill out your profile in earnest.  Many people will not connect with you if you have not provided enough profile content.  I’m one of them.  No image and a couple lines here and there – I’ll take a pass.  Why?  If you did not take the time to fill out your own profile you are sending the message that you do not care about the reader and the reader should not care about you or the work you are representing.

Tips that work hard for YOU:

Change your profile point of view.  Personal Branding is key here, so focus your content more on where you and your potential contacts are going not where you have been.  Many LinkedIn members setup their profile like a resume – where they have been.  Those members that change their profile’s point of view to where they are going fundamentally change the interaction they have with their potential contacts.  (You now have a call-to-action, see below.)

A profile visitor becomes a connection that begins to network with you and if they do not work directly with you, at some point, they at least become a mutual referrer.

5. Contact Information.  With the resent profile updates, LinkedIn has choosen to minimize the visibility of your contact information to those already in your network.  They also prevent access to your contact information until a connection has been approved.

If you are an open networker Consider making your contact information more readily accessible, by repeating it in your profile.  An area like the top part of your Summary section works well.  (Be aware that LinkedIn has some limitations on how areas are meant to be used.  Refer to LinkedIn’s User Agreement for details.)

6. Give them a call-to-action.  Now is the time to give them a reason to connect with you and not the thousands of others in your field.  What makes you different?  What value to me are you offering?  What do you want your new potential contact to know more than anything else, that has the most potential to move your connection forward?  With a properly seeded keyword search that focuses on your subject matter they are ready for the WHY as soon as they land on your profile.  Give it to them.

7.  Make a move!  Move key content towards the top of your profile and less interesting content to the bottom.

Bring this content to the top and it will work harder for YOU:

1. Your Contact Info

2. Call to action – why they want to connect with you

3. Examples of your work

4. Information on current projects

5. Recommendations … then….. everything else

8. Your current company – are you linked correctly?

A properly linked company page will have an expandable icon that links directly.  If it doesn’t, follow the steps below.  This little thing can be big for you, especially if you are connected to a larger company or one with strong positive branding.

Tip:  Your new contacts like to be followed as much as you do, so follow their company along with other mutual social networks.

9. Groups – time to work it!

Explore the Groups section of LinkedIn.  It’s vast and has just about everything you can think of and if it doesn’t YOU can make it happen.  This area needs it’s own blog to give it justice.  What a juicy little goldmine.

Quick Tips:  Explore, engage, change groups – if one is not working for you, you can join 50 – so do it.  We would love to hear about what you find and experience.

10. Check out LinkedIn’s Applications, there is a lot of good stuff here and they have been adding to them.  Explore and enjoy.

Fall Networking Season ~ Get Ready in 5

Tags

2012 calendar, business, Business Networking, Business Networking Tips, connections, Events, Face-to-face communication, fall, goals, Groups, investors, LinkedIn, links, mentors, networking, pay it forward, personal branding, richard branson, schedule, signature, Social Media, social profiles, Twitter, updates, vip

The fall social season will be upon us soon and with it the opportunities to make and renew connections.  Let’s all make the best of this special time of year and approach it with a plan.

Get ready in 5: 

1.  Update all of your online social profiles

Be sure to including images, content, contact information, signature lines and  double check all of your important links to make sure they are still working.

See also: 6 Quick Tips to Freshen up Your LinkedIn Profile

2.  Review your goals for 2012 and/or set your goals to finish the year.  

What and who do you need to help accomplish your goals?  (Mentors, suppliers, facilitators, power connectors, investors, etc.)

3.  List your connections ~ Face-to-Face is key  

It’s all about connecting and there are two types of connections to think about.

One is who you know~ List your main contacts to reconnect with and schedule a meeting, before they get busy.

The other is who do you WANT to know ~ List them and get connected.  If contacting them directly or being introduced through a common connection is out, then do some research.  Go where they go by finding out what events they might be attending, Google them or look them up on LinkedIn and learn about what groups they participate in and ask around.

See also: Richard Branson on How to Network. Hint: Early and Often

4.  Update your calendar  

• Events ~
  • Research and select the events that best fit the direction your goals are taking you
  • Use local media, social & niche magazines, LinkedIn’s events and Facebook’s events calendar as sources for up and coming activities
  • VIP with caution!  They are not all created equal and at times not worth it, though when they are it can be BIG.  Ask around and keep notes during the season on what worked and what didn’t.  Go to at least one event this year as a VIP
• Group Associations
  • Do more than sign-up as a member ~ get focused ~ get involved ~ go deep
  • Here it’s not about how many groups you are a part of it’s about how active you are in them

5.  Have Fun and Pay-it-Forward!

These are the people we want to know and have similar interests with,  so relax and enjoy the experiences this season offers.  Ask your connections about their projects and goals.  And consider offering a gift-that-keeps-on-giving by becoming a mentor ~ you’ll be amazed what YOU will learn.

Please share your networking ideas for the fall season and/or any questions.

6 Reasons Personal Branding is not just for Super Stars

Tags

advertising, business, Business Networking, colleague, employer, google, LinkedIn, marketing, networking, networking resource, opportunity, personal branding, professional, reputation, staff, technology

I became aware of the power of personal branding more than a year ago. Not to say I wasn’t  aware of the value of having a good reputation and developing the attributes associated with it.  Most of us are well versed in this area having been indoctrinated into the practice at a young age.  What caught my attention was a few of my connections had taken their reputation a step further by creating a personal brand that made their reputation work harder for them.  The benefits were significant.

Regardless of where we are located, what our current occupation is or the groups we are currently active in, there is value in branding ourselves.  And the best part… the value found in personal branding pays dividends to you and those around you.

Some of my ‘aha’ moments came from a light-hearted office competition, to see who could reach 500 LinkedIn contacts first.  My old school way of thinking was that my super connected SVP, having been in the business longer than I have been alive, would quickly win.  He did.  But what I learned through the process has forever changed how I see networking, advertising and marketing being used in today’s socially connected world.

Today, it’s just as important to brand yourself as it is for Coke, Pepsi or any super star.  Here are 6 reasons to work on your personal branding: 

1. Your employer, staff, colleagues and group associates will perceive you as having more value professionally and personally
2. Personal branding is like hanging an Open for Business sign on your door.  It lets others know you exist and your services/resources are open to them

Note:  This goes beyond saying you work for XYZ company, it’s about YOU and what you do for your profession or group

3.  People remember you faster and more frequently by topic association and how you make them feel

Example:  Think of who you would go to for financial advice.  Did you notice a category > feeling process?  Did you skip over someone that may have equal ability for the one that had the ability plus a more positive feeling result?

4.  Personal branding opens doors and creates opportunities that might not otherwise come your way

Observation:  People who have developed a personal brand are more likely to survive personnel cuts.  In the same token they are also more likely to leave an employer for other opportunities

5.  You become a sought after networking resource

6.  Today, marketing and advertising strategies are increasingly dependent upon people just like you to share information and products you find of value

Please share how you have found value in personal branding and/or any questions.

(In the next blog we will share tips on how to build your personal brand and a few resources.)

New LinkedIn Connections ~ What’s Next?

Tags

attitude, business, connections, Ferrazzi, goals, Keith Ferrazzi, networking, networking tips, pay-if-forward, prioritize, professional, prospects

Categorize, prioritize and then nurture connections accordingly.  Not all connections are created equal nor is the time we should spend on each.

Categorize Your Contacts

We have found the category outlines Keith Ferrazzi shares in his book Never Eat Alone are consistently useful, because of the simplicity they offer.

• Personal/social acquaintances – friends, family
• Prospects – self-explanatory
• Business associates – involved with professionally
• Aspirational contacts – people you’d like to get to know, and would like to establish a better relationship with

Prioritize Your Contacts

Within each of your categories you have goals and aspirations.  By keeping those goals in front of you each new contact can be prioritized accordingly.  (One of our goals is to Pay-it-Forward by helping others with their goals, especially new contacts that might not have made the priority list, but have a goal and attitude to achieve it.)

• Review their LinkedIn profile
• Ask your new contact what they’re currently seeking
• Determine the level of the contact. Do you need to stay in touch once a week, month, quarter, etc.

Nurture Your Contacts

• Respond  to each request for contact by either acknowledging a connection or requesting more information
• Say thank you. Send a customized response not a generic advertising blurb
• Focus on establishing rapport – get to know the person.  Filling a need works better than  pushing a sale
• Offered them a service or help that will move them forward
• Stand out!  Go beyond the birthday, holiday doldrums when everyone else is doing the same thing and connect when you will have more time to check-in on current projects and upcoming events
• Be genuine. You can express that you’re excited to stay in touch, however, in context you can tell if the phrase ‘I’m so glad we connected’ are just words or if you really mean it

LinkedIn success involves more than just creating a profile, it demands engagement, being selective about your connections, posting comments in groups, and keeping your goal in focus.

We gain something from each experience whether positive, negative.  Please share what works for you.

6 Quick Tips to Freshen up Your LinkedIn Profile

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business, LinkedIn, linkedin groups, Linkedin Profile

1. Update your profile picture, especially if it hasn’t been changed in at least 4 weeks.

2. Post a comment to at least three groups. Groups are a great way to meet new people, ask questions, and to learn from people with similar interests or goals.

3. Customize the ‘website’ field on your profile. Replace the ‘company website’ field with your company name. Another option is to put a special discount price instead of the company name and redirect the link to the landing page with that offer.

4. Rotate your groups to make new connections. It’s OK to leave a group that has little or no activity.

5. Connect your company profile to your personal profile and follow your company. When adding your company name for your employment history, make sure it’s the exact name of your company. This will allow you to show your association when someone searches the company.

6. Fill out your entire profile. Under the skills sections you can use up to 50 keywords. You can also be part of 50 groups. Being strategic about what keywords you’re using will increase your chances of showing up in the search results.

How to Use Twitter for Business Networking

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best practices, Business Networking Tips, followers, hash tag, trends, Twitter, Twitter Lists

Twitter is a great source for the latest news, trends, best practices and more. The following lists tips on how to use the tool for business networking.

Follow the ‘right’ people: The ‘right’ person is different for everyone. One way to follow those in the same industry or that tweet relevant content is to search for topics of interest in the search bar or use a hash tag to narrow your search. Searching without a hash tag will bring up all related searches with that specific keyword. When a hash tag is placed in front of a keyword, it will only bring up those words in that order. So it’s helpful to remember that if you decide to use a hash tag you will miss those same words used without the hash tag. Another way to find the ‘right’ people to follow is to look at their tweets before you decide to follow them.

Engage: Interact with your followers. Ask questions, post comments, retweet, etc. If you’re really looking to build a quality following and want to follow the same type of people or companies. Other users that take advantage of the tool want the people they follow to post consistently otherwise what’s the point in following someone.

I understand there are people that want to build their followers just for the sake of it, but when you truly want valuable connections it’s important to interact.Try to post every day. One, if you don’t your tweets will get buried and no one will know who you are. Two, people may unfollow you because they want to follow active users.

Create Lists: Lists allow you to filter and organize those you’re following. For instance, if you’re trying to network with other golfers, you may create a list that have people and/or organizations that post the latest news. Other lists you might create would be for golf tips, golf events or even golf equipment. Also, note that creating lists increases the chances for a followback.

Clean up your Twitter account: You may want to remove people that have not followed you back or remove profiles that don’t post relevant content or rarely post.

Have fun: While it’s helpful not only to you, but also to the user to have focused and specific tweets, you can also comment on other topics of interest and tweet out information that may not be related, but keep it to a minimum.

If you’re looking to promote yourself or a company it’s important to know what your purpose and goals are. Are you looking for advice, leads, just to share information, a mentor, etc. This will allow you to keep your tweets and activity relevant and focused.

Why You Should Invest in Networking

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advice, assistance, best practices, business, Business Networking, business plan, job opportunities, mentor, networking, opportunities, professional, relationships, trends, work ethics

Networking is not just about finding customers. It can also lead to job opportunities and even friendships. Below are some reasons why you should invest in networking.

Advice & Assistance: Although a relationship may be short-lived there’s always something you can take away from the experience, whether positive or negative. Today we want to focus on the positive. People enjoy sharing their experiences and love even more when you have specific questions about their business or field of expertise. So although their expertise may be in another industry, ask questions and think of how you can use what they’re offering and apply it to your field. No matter what industry you’re in you can share advice on work ethics, finances, how to handle disgruntled employees, etc.

Develop Contacts and Leads: Networking is not about selling to the person next to you. It’s about establishing relationships, learning about the other person, and learning about some of their contacts that may need your services one day. It’s not a one-way street though.

Share Best Practices: There’s no better way to learn more about a field than from someone in that same industry.  So even though you may work in the same industry, more than likely you use common tools in different ways. Thus, by sharing best practices you learn new ways to approach projects, the latest news, trends, new methods, techniques, and best practices you did not realize. You can never underestimate sharing your experiences with people who “get you”.  

Friendships: Many times you may not benefit professionally, but you can personally. What started as an intentional quest to business network can lead to some of the best friendships.  What’s interesting is that these same friendships can still lead to networking opportunities. This relationship may end up being more beneficial because, as mentioned in the “Business Networking Etiquette” post, “People prefer to do business with and refer business to people they know and trust”.

Mentorship: There are all types of mentors, but mentors are irreplaceable. Mentors can help you think through a business plan, suggest how to generate startup money, how to spot trouble before it strikes, and simply offer wisdom from their years of experience. Again, mentors can serve different needs so it’s essential to first determine what your needs are.

Remember, a networking strategy doesn’t improve a situation overnight. It takes dedication, consistency and determination for networking to be successful.