Thursday, 31 January 2013
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Monday, 28 January 2013
Sunday, 27 January 2013
Saturday, 26 January 2013
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Monday, 21 January 2013
How to Connect Through LinkedIn
Right at the outset of this article I just want to declare that I love LinkedIn. It took me a few years to fall in love with the service but when I did, I fell really hard. It wasn't always this way, but I got there eventually.
It all started about 4 years ago. I had been using the service for quite a few months. Had created a professional profile. Listened to a few gurus tell me how to write the profile and get it to the top of search results. I was feeling pretty good about it. I then went out and collected some connections and waited. I was confident that leads would roll in. I waited some more and decided it was yet again a lot of hype around a service that didn't really deliver much.
That was prior to actually taking some time and deciding who I wanted to connect with and what I wanted to achieve. I actually thought about developing a strategy. Of course I didn't actually put it into practice. Well, I am a small business owner with a lot of demands on my time. LinkedIn hadn't delivered anything much and I wasn't sure if my strategy would work.
I had an issue with some software and I wanted to find a specific set of software that would meet a few specific needs of my clients. I did a search online and discovered a product overseas. They didn't list the owner on the website so I decided to look for him on LinkedIn and yes I found him. I sent him a 2 line message and before I knew it, was in a Skype conference within 3 days with him, his CEO and Business Development Manager. That connection lasted for a few years and brought me some really good business as well as connections. There, I had it, it dawned on me just what you could achieve on LinkedIn once you had a strategy or a plan.
My next step was to develop a plan that would help me connect with my ideal clients. I know that we all think in business that everyone is our ideal client, especially if you deliver a generic service. As I was talking about the largest networking site in the world with close to 1 million new users a day I realised that I would have to be very specific about who I wanted to connect with on LinkedIn. I wanted to test the service and see if it was worthwhile spending time on this site. I then thought about my usual strategies when going networking in the real world. I actually did a costing of how much money I invested in being part of a regular weekly networking group. I worked out that membership, time, travel, meeting costs etc cost me $28,000 per year. In return, I had developed relationships with 20 people who sent me business referrals on a regular basis. For this particular year, I had received 75 referrals. Being a maths genius I worked out that each referral had cost me $373. I know that this doesn't mean much to you as you aren't aware of the value of each referral and how many actually converted to business. However, you can see from this exercise that face to face networking can be expensive not only in money but also in time.
LinkedIn offers you an opportunity to be part of the biggest networking event in the world. Imagine walking into a room that had millions of business people in it, all wanting to network. How do you make full use of your time? By being specific on who you want to network with. It was very important for my strategy to define who I wanted to network with.
I decided to trial a strategy where I connected with as many business owners as I could in my local area. I thought that a good strategy would be to exchange messages with these business owners and hope to get a follow up telephone call or Skype meeting with them so that we can develop the relationship. We would meet in an online world and get to know each others business. Explore possibilities and then if suitable meet face to face.
It turned out to be a good plan. When I started the project I had about 300 connections already and I set the goal of increasing this to 500 in 3 months. My maths kicked in again so I knew that I was looking at connecting with between 3 and 4 business owners per day. Trying for follow up meetings at 1 to 2 per week. Sounded like achievable goals to me at the time.
The first part of getting connections is searching for business owners located within my post code (or a certain radius). LinkedIn has a great search function and you can refine it under the advanced option. The search results gave me a list to work with. I then opened profiles on the list and found out what groups these contacts were members of. I joined the same group and connected with them through the group. Personalised the request and followed up each with a request to learn more about their business. Following this plan, I found that I was spending an hour or so each day on LinkedIn and with distractions, this was getting longer and longer. Yes, I was getting great results but how could I minimise my time even further? After all I am a small business owner with lots of demands on my time. Anyone who spends time on social media knows how addictive it is!
Enter my trusted Virtual Assistant. I provided her with the strategy, template messages, instructions on what message went to which connection (depending on their profile) and asked her to implement the strategy each day for me. She charged me $57 per week. I thought that this was a bargain as I didn't have to spend time on LinkedIn, I spent time once the meeting was arranged and in my diary. I had no costs for travel, meeting costs, membershp of networking groups, business cards or name badges. In fact this weekly fee was equivalent to attending one networking meeting a week. I didn't want to get ahead of myself until I saw the results.
The results were amazing, within 3 months I had 1248 connections who were small business owners in my local area. I was getting 10 telephone/Skype appointments each week which brought in more business than I had attracted in 12 months in my weekly networking meetings. Cost for each lead was $5.70. I had to pause the service because of the level of success, it was hard to keep up.
Key messages to take with you:
1) Build a strategy and plan
2) Create the content of the messages (test them out)
3) Hire a good Virtual Assistant who understands your business to implement the strategy.
Just think, if you get it right, you may never have to network face to face ever again.
If you are looking for a good virtual assistant who understands LinkedIn go to http://www.vasearch.com.au/ You will be able to search for the skill and contact the VA directly.
Alternatively, you can visit http://www.vaplacements.com/ and they will do a free recruit for you.
Liz Parker is the CEO of 121 Temps Pty Ltd and VA Placements. Her organisation not only helps people set up as virtual professionals but also offers clients a unique recruitment service to help them find the RIGHT virtual assistant.
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Friday, 18 January 2013
Learn the Benefits of a Good Ethernet Connection
Major corporations all over the world depend on stable communication services like telephones, computers, fax lines and so much more to efficiently run their businesses. Having great resources that can speed up their connections makes it easier for employees to do their jobs quickly. For example a stock brokerage company or any kind of financial institution would benefit as they are in constant need for speed and reliability. These industries need special services and some consultants will recommend and install a Gigabit Ethernet connection for the quickest relay of data along with great services like VoIP. This allows the employee to make a call with the computer through the internet which is much more affordable.
Point to point lines have also become very popular and can definitely be one of the best solutions for firms that require a central and confidential information sharing network. Many corporations also have employees that telecommute and VPN into the company's mainframe so they can access their work files in a secure environment from their home offices. Firms like these keep outside vendors to set up their systems so they can have a fast Ethernet connection. Depending on the circumstances some consultants will run either an Ethernet over fiber while others will use Ethernet over copper.
There are many vendors today that can set up these kinds of services. Taking the time to discuss solutions with professional consultants to get an idea of what the cost might be is a smart way to go about setting up any kind of service. For example in some larger apartment complexes that offer internet access might want to consider installing a T1 line. This would enable the property to get super fast internet service and also a great selling point for potential renters.
Larger firms would benefit greatly from installing T3 lines as these types of service are generally geared towards a corporation that has many branches of service. For example, headquarters could be centrally located in New Orleans, Louisiana but has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. These offices would need to communicate on a daily basis to make sure that all operations are stable and in good working order. This is not to say that these lines are dedicated only to long distance but even to surrounding cities like Baton Rouge, Lafayette or Shreveport.
A great consultant will be attentive and always has a sense of urgency when it comes to meeting a new or existing client. The importance of getting all the facts together and coming up with the right assessment for each job is essential for the business to succeed. He or she is an experienced and seasoned technician who can explain the differences between a MPLS or a VPLS as this would not be something discussed or understood in an everyday conversation.
In most cases these seasoned professionals don't only do complicated corporate business but residential services as well. From DSL to Satellite Internet service, don't be afraid to contact these vendors to get solutions for one's particular needs. Whether one decides to pick up the phone, email or visiting their website this project can get started with a single transaction. In a large metropolitan area gaining access to the internet or reaching out to branch offices can be easily attained by installing a Metro Ethernet service. There are companies that can give Ethernet for an affordable estimate.
A T1 Line can be the best solution for a faster internet connection to suit your needs.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Monday, 14 January 2013
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Networking Blues - Approaching Senior Executives
Networking is an extremely effective tool for career advancement. Whether you are an entrepreneur or work for a company, finding a mentor/sponsor, connecting with leaders in the industry and developing your personal brand are key. These strategies can elevate your networking game to the next level.
At events, meetings or gatherings, it is important to be networking focused. It is essential to be prepared and open to opportunities. Many savvy networkers (extroverts and introverts alike) have difficulties approaching senior management or leaders within their companies and industries. Due to social or political cues, many individuals tend to be intimidated and miss the chance to promote their career or social endeavors.
Listed below are a few helpful tips for connecting with high level executives and building a strong and viable network.
Have a Game Plan
It is great to attend functions and meet/connect with individuals. But when you are intending to connect with higher level executives, it is imperative that you have a game plan. Know exactly how you want to introduce yourself or be introduced by another professional. After the introduction, you should know exactly what to say to get the conversation going in the right direction. Do some research on the individual and their roles within the organization. Find out if they have received awards and special recognitions. Ask questions that relate to the future success of the company or solutions for challenges the company, employees or industry are facing.
Call To Action
After you have introduced yourself and made meaningful conversation, exchange business cards. Reinforce your professional image and brand while getting their direct contact information. Conduct good business card etiquette and suggest a follow up. Be creative in your follow up request. Offer to meet at their office or attend an event they are hosting. Pick a social or community event to continue the dialogue and connection. Show that you are interested in developing a purposeful relationship and long term partnership. Remember to follow up in a timely manner as a sign of courtesy and respect.
Use these tips to broaden your network and reach out to leaders in your company or industry. Be professional and intentional in your processes for communicating and building relationships.
Friday, 11 January 2013
5 Awesome Ways to Network on Twitter and LinkedIn
1. Find the Creators of the Information You Read
Identify other people and business that have an influence in your Social area of expertise. The best place to start looking is the sites that you relate to for relevant content, such as blogs and websites of similar nature to your content. These people will tend to have a social presence, and you can simply follow them on their Social Media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Interact with them and like, comment and share their articles or blogs. Once you have done this compliment them with positive feedback.
2. There's no better way than to Become an Author Yourself
Simply join in the conversations in your area of expertise, and begin writing content either for your own blog or to publish on online article platforms. This will allow you to give your opinion and discuss relevant information with people of similar interests on Social networks, causing you to have people reach out to you with advice, comments and ideas of their own.
If you're not the type that likes to write, here is a Secret Key Ingredient: Stick with what you know, and think of questions that you would ask someone in your field, write these down and then attempt to answer the questions, you will be surprised and how much content you will able to create.
3. Tweaking Twitter
Twitter is a great source of information, and the best way to find relevant information is to tweak your searches and filter with relevant keywords to find people and tweets and then simply join the conversation. As an example, if you work in graphic design, the most obvious place to start would be a keyword like "graphic design."
This isn't rocket science, its simple and does require some trial and error to find what works for you. It is always a good idea to play around with different keywords and join conversations where you find something of interest. One of the best ways is to reply to peoples tweets and give your opinions, with a link to your sites or social presence.
4. Join LinkedIn and related Groups
These are some of the best forums to join online, and all you need to do is a quick group search your related discussions and join the online conversations with others in your niche. It is always a good idea, before you join these groups to do your research and make sure that they have valuable information to help you. If you work in the Car-Auto Industry, then, a Healthcare group is a definite no. Some of the groups are open, and some are by invite only. Look around at what others are discussing in the groups and make sure it fits with your niche.
5. Keep an open Eye for people Who are Looking at You
Scan through the people whom have viewed your LinkedIn Profile, and when you find that is appropriate connect with them, and engage in conversation showing interest and creating a New Professional Relationship.
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