Organized Assistant » LinkedIn

Your Social Media Profiles

Janet — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:00:05 +0000

Once upon a time, all you needed was a professional-looking business card and maybe a brochure. In more recent years, it became expected that even a small business like yours would have a website. These days, prospective clients want to get to know you personally, through Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social networking websites.

Just signing up for these sites is not enough; you need to create a compelling profile that will make it clear why others should connect with you. Most social networking profiles include three basic pieces of information: a photo, a short description, and a link. Deciding what picture and information you'd like to share before you even log in will help you to simplify the process. In today's post, I will share some guidelines for creating an engaging profile, but first, let's ensure that your profile data is secure and that you don't unintentionally share any private information. Your User Names and Passwords Although it may be tempting to use the same password for each site, this is not wise, for security reasons. Consider that if someone is able to hack into one account, once they figure out your password, they can hack into your other accounts as well. Under no circumstances should you use the name of a pet or family member, or even a dictionary word, as your password, as these are far too easy to guess. I've been using Roboform, which generates strong random passwords and stores them securely, for several years, and it has completely eliminated the need to remember my passwords or type them every time I log into a site. With the free version, you can store up to 10 logins indefinitely. I highly recommend it! Your Privacy Take the time to familiarize yourself with a site's privacy policies before you decide to join, and to stay on top of any changes that might require you to adjust your settings. You can usually choose what information is and is not displayed, but Facebook in particular is notorious for changing its policies, and if you're not up to speed with the changes, you might find yourself sharing information that was previously set as private. If certain information is optional, consider whether it is to your benefit to have it appear on your profile. Otherwise, leave it off. Your Profile Photo Begin by selecting the picture you will use on your profiles. Using the same one on all of your profiles will be less work for you and will also ensure that people who don't know you well will recognize you from one site to another. On some sites, your profile picture is displayed as a very small thumbnail image, so it's best to use a headshot rather than a full body shot. Using your business logo rather than a personal photo may be a good way to enhance your brand recognition, but keep in mind that it may be less engaging. As Brian Manzullo said in a recent Web Journalist Chat,

Readers want to talk to people. They want to see faces, not company logos.

Whatever image you choose, make sure that it is the correct size and proportion for the site so that it doesn't cut off important parts or turn fuzzy. A professional photograph is ideal, but don't worry if you don't have one. Just be sure to choose one that is in focus and shows you at your best. If you look tired or grumpy, it doesn't exactly invite people to talk to you, does it? Avoid displaying the site's default image if at all possible, as many people won't give you a second glance if your profile lacks this important detail. Your Short Description Don't make the mistake of just typing something in off the top of your head, because what you put in this section is critical to attracting people to join your network. Also, resist the temptation to leave it until later, because it's too easy to forget about it. In many cases, you are limited to a specific number of characters, so you have to be very selective in what you say. Avoid making it a sales pitch, and instead create a compelling message that will make people interested in learning more about you and what you have to say. When writing your description, be sure to use the keywords and phrases that are apt to be used by people who are searching for someone like you, to increase the likelihood that your profile will come up in their search results. Your Link Some sites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, allow you to list multiple links, so you can easily link to your main website, your blog, and any other sites you may have. Others, such as Twitter, only give you space for one link, so you need to decide what will be most effective. Most people post a link to their business home page, but since many users will click on the link to learn more about you and decide whether or not to follow you, it might be more beneficial to link to your “About Me” page or your blog. Some people even set up a special landing page just for this purpose, which provides an opportunity to share much more detail than will fit on your Twitter profile. Your link can easily be changed at any time, so feel free to experiment. Other Information Take advantage of any other fields that are available on each site in order to incorporate additional keywords and to provide supplementary details that may encourage others to engage with you. Again, don't just start typing without considering whether the information reflects the professional image that you wish to portray, and take the time to proofread everything you write before you add it to your public profile. Organized Assistant has helped lots of professional organizers and other small business clients to develop and manage their online presence. If you need some help getting started, or if you're not getting the results from social media that you'd hoped for, don't hesitate to request a free 30 minute consultation.

Establishing Your Network on LinkedIn

Janet — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:39:35 +0000

With all the current hype about social media, you've probably joined a few sites simply because someone sent you an invitation, or because you heard or read that it was a good idea. Once you've signed up, the benefits aren't always obvious, especially when you only have one or two connections.

Today's post will be a step-by-step guide to finding people on LinkedIn that you already know, and adding them to your network. To get started, simply click on the "in" button to the right of this post. This will take you to my LinkedIn profile. On the right side, click on Sign In, if you already have an account, or Join Now if you don't. If we're not already connected, feel free to click on Add Janet to your network. Please include a personal note to let me know that you read my blog. It's actually a good practice to always include a personal note, because if the other person doesn't recognize your name, they might report you to LinkedIn, and you don't want to risk having your privileges suspended, even temporarily. Once you're logged into your account, click on Contacts at the top of your screen, then at the top right, click on Add Connections. If you have a webmail address book in Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail or AOL, enter your user name and password in the section on the left. A list of your contacts will appear on your screen, and there will be a LinkedIn graphic next to those who are already members of the site. For now, we will only look at contacts who are already on LinkedIn. By default, all contacts will be selected. Click on the Select All box to deselect them. Please note that this feature doesn't give you the option of including a personal note, so you should only select people who know you and will recognize your name. Next, click in the box next to the contacts you wish to connect with, and click on Send Invitations. If you don't use webmail but an email program on your computer, click on Import your desktop email contacts. Now you'll need to minimize LinkedIn and go to your email program. In Outlook, click on File – Export and choose Export to a file. Click Next then choose Comma Separated Values (Windows). Click Next, click on your Contacts folder, then click Next again. You will now have the option of naming the file and specifying where you want to save it. I recommend leaving the name as is and saving it to your Desktop (click on Browse and click on Desktop). Click Next and then Finish. If you have a large number of contacts, this may take a few minutes. The procedure for other email applications may be slightly different, so refer to your Help screen if you need instructions. Once you have exported your contacts, minimize or close your email program and go back to LinkedIn. Click on Browse, navigate to your desktop, select the .csv file, and click on Open. Click on Upload File. You might get a message that reads We can't upload your file at this moment. Please try again later. This is frustrating, but there's not much you can do about it. Go and do something else and come back to it later on. Once you've successfully uploaded your contacts file, a list of your contacts will appear on your screen, and there will be a LinkedIn graphic next to those who are already members of the site. For now, we will only look at contacts who are already on LinkedIn. By default, all contacts will be selected. Click on the Select All box to deselect them. Please note that this feature doesn't give you the option of including a personal note, so you should only select people who know you and will recognize your name. Next, click in the box next to the contacts you wish to connect with, and click on Send Invitations. Please note that you won't actually be connected to these people until they receive and accept your invitation. You probably know a lot more people on LinkedIn than you'll find by importing your address book. To find more, go to the profile of someone with whom you're likely to have common acquaintances, and look at their connections. When you see someone you know, simply click on their name to go to their profile, then click to add them to your network, remembering to add a personal note. You'll often see a list of people under the heading People You May Know. Take a look through these as well. If there is someone in particular you'd like to connect with on LinkedIn, type his or her name into the search box at the top right of your screen. If it is a common name, you may be presented with a lengthy list of matches, but you can filter the search results by changing the location, industry, and/or other filter selections on the left. As you grow your network, you will probably want to start connecting to people you don't already know, but that will be a topic for another day. Is LinkedIn an important part of your online marketing strategy? If not, what type of information do you need to help you use it more effectively? Photo credit: Personeelsnet

Don’t Commit These Networking Faux Pas!

Janet — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:56:09 +0000

Today I continue my series for Improve Management Skills Month with a look at social networking, both online and offline. Mastering the art of networking will help you to build your brand, expand your reach, grow your business, and be a more confident individual. To determine whether you are networking effectively, ask yourself the following questions.

1. Do you hand out business cards without even introducing yourself? Networking is not about one-way advertising; it's about building and growing relationships. Don't worry that there isn't time at a networking event to talk to every other person in attendance – networking is about quality, not quantity. If there's someone there that you really want to meet, but they are engaged in conversation with someone else, patiently wait for your opportunity to talk to them. Don't just hand them your business card and hope they'll be so enthralled with it that they'll look you up. People form relationships with other people, not with business cards. A better way to make connections is to initiate a conversation and ask for the other person's card. If they want yours, they will ask for it. It might also be appropriate to ask them to email you some additional information about something you discussed, in which case it is perfectly acceptable to give them your business card. The online equivalent of this faux pas is to send out Friend Requests on Facebook, or invitations to connect on LinkedIn, without including a personalized note introducing yourself and explaining why you'd like to connect with that person. If you know the person already, it's probably acceptable (kind of like saying, "Mary, can I have your business card?"), but it's always a nice touch, especially if they may not remember immediately where you've met. Twitter is a little different, because you can follow most people without their permission, but if you're following someone with the hope that they'll notice and follow you back, you need to try a little harder. Show your admiration and interest by retweeting some of their posts, and engage in conversation by responding to others. 2. Do you monopolize the conversation? When you meet someone for the first time, do you talk only about your business, or do you ask about theirs? Even if they offer a product or service you don't need yourself, it might be useful to someone else you know, and you can do both people a favor by making the connection. Of course you want to let people know what you offer – that's one of the goals of networking – but avoid sharing too much information. Watch for visual cues that the other person is getting bored or wanting to get away to talk to others. In online networking, make sure that your status updates and posts aren't restricted to announcements about your new blog posts, upcoming events, or other forms of advertising. It's important to engage with others if you really want to build strong connections. 3. Do you add people to your mailing list without their permission? It just amazes me how many people think that it's okay to start sending you their newsletter and/or promotional emails, just because you gave them your business card. I was recently at a networking breakfast where during the group discussion, someone mentioned how much this practice annoys them, and I agreed. Despite that, the person sitting next to me added me to her weekly mailing list, and I suspect that she added everyone else that she met too. Of course, you want to increase your subscriber base, but that is not the way to go about it. I recommend that you take one of the following approaches:

When the person gives you their card, say, "I have a weekly/monthly/occasional newsletter that I send that includes tips about organizing/special offers/information about my upcoming organizing workshops – may I add you to my mailing list?"
When you get back to your office, email each person you met individually, tell them how much you enjoyed meeting them, and refer to something you discussed. Tell them about your newsletter and invite them to subscribe. Include a copy of a back issue to help them decide whether it's something that would be of value to them.

When you add people without permission, even if they have the option of unsubscribing easily, you not only risk annoying them, but you put them in the awkward position of not wanting to offend someone they have just met. Is that really how you want to start off a new relationship? Sure, it takes a little more effort to email people personally, but it's also a lot more effective. Remember: networking is about quality, not quantity. This is less of an issue online, but I have occasionally had people start sending me their newsletters and e-flyers simply because we'd interacted through an online network, and not because I'd signed up for a free e-book or teleclass. I could go on, but will save a discussion of opt-in, double opt-in, and opt-out systems for another post. 4. Do you forget to follow up with the people you meet? Clearly, by following up, I don't mean sending them your newsletter. I mean sending them a personal email, or perhaps a card in the mail, to reinforce the connection that you made. This is especially important if you offered to send them information about something. It's not about sending them your sales pitch, unless they specifically asked you to do that. If you really want to be remembered, why not send them an article about one of their areas of interest, to show that you were listening? Online, once you've connected with people, make an effort to stay in touch. I realize that your time is valuable and I don't expect you to send personal messages to everyone all the time. But if someone sends you a message on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or another site, take the time to respond. And be sure to acknowledge when someone receives an award or celebrates a birthday or anniversary. The main thing to remember here is that networking isn't about going out and getting clients. It's not even about getting referrals. It's about knowing the people in your network well enough that when someone asks you, "Do you know anyone who ..... ?" you'll be able to connect them to someone. That will make people notice you, remember you, and appreciate you, and will ultimately (but not immediately) bring you new business. One person I know who is a Master at networking is Michael Fletcher of Neworld Coaching. He goes out of his way to get to know every person in his very large network – what they do, what challenges they face, and what type of clients they're looking for – without ever pushing his services, and it's this very approach that has made his business such a success. Recognizing that not everyone can afford business coaching, Michael has developed a 13-week online course called Small Business Group Coaching 101 where you’ll learn lots of important strategies to help you grow your business. This program includes weekly webinars, workbooks and other materials, and a one-on-one coaching session with Michael. If you sign up, please mention my name in the “Tell us about your company” area of the registration form.

Live Seminar in Toronto: Maximizing Your Internet Marketing

Janet — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:45:40 +0000

Internet Marketing is one of the most important tools in your business arsenal. Not only does it cost less than advertising in print and broadcast media, its interactive nature allows you to build relationships with clients and prospects without the need for time-consuming telephone or face-to-face meetings. Internet marketing is much more than just putting up a website! Your Internet marketing plan may include search engine optimization, email marketing, blogging, social networking, and other strategies.

There are lots of resources available to help you understand various aspects of online marketing, including this blog, but did you ever think it would be helpful to have that information neatly packaged into a 90-minute seminar? Do you prefer learning in a live group setting, rather than participating in a webinar or teleclass? Have I got news for you! I am really excited to announce that I've been invited to be the guest speaker at the POC Toronto Chapter meeting this month, where I'll be sharing some of my best Internet marketing tips to help you decide the best ways to market your organizing business. The meeting is being held upstairs at Loblaws - Forest Hill Market, which offers free parking and is right across from the St. Clair West subway station. Come at 6:00 for networking and refreshments; the seminar itself will start around 7:00, and there will be plenty of time allowed to ask questions after my formal presentation. There is no charge to members of Professional Organizers in Canada to attend, and guests pay only $15.00 at the door. I hope you will try to make it if you can, as it's such a great value, and I'd love to meet as many of my blog readers as possible! I'm especially looking forward to reconnecting with POC members that I haven't seen since I last went to Conference, in 2006.

You Should Be on LinkedIn, and Here's Why

Janet — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:49:12 +0000

It seems that all the buzz these days is about Twitter, but there's another important social network that's been around even longer. Established in 2003, LinkedIn currently reports 45 million users, approximately three times as many as Twitter.

Of course the main purpose of any social networking site is to network, but there are other benefits to being on LinkedIn. Search Engine Positioning LinkedIn allows you to include as much detailed information as you wish on your profile, providing you with a great opportunity to use keywords abundantly. Not only does this help you to be found by a person searching on LinkedIn for someone with your expertise, but it means your profile itself will come in Google and other search engines. There has been more than one occasion where I couldn't remember an individual's website address or the name of their business, but I've easily found their LinkedIn profile on Google, simply by searching on their name. LinkedIn also allows you to enter links to your business website, your blog, and any other sites you have. Links from high quality sites will help your own sites' search engine positioning as well. By the way, when setting this up, instead of choosing the default names of My Company and My Blog, choose "Other." This will allow you to name the links something more meaningful (and keyword rich) such as the name of your business and the title of your blog. Recommendations Any recommendations you receive via LinkedIn are displayed prominently on your profile. You can take advantage of this to request recommendations from a wide range of people. They don't necessarily have to be clients - they may be colleagues with whom you've worked on a committee or collaborated on a project, people who have heard you speak or used your products, former employers or co-workers - anyone who is in a position to comment on your work. You always have an opportunity to approve recommendations before they are published on your profile, so if you don't think the individual has worded it in a way that is beneficial to you, you can ask them to edit it or simply leave it unpublished. In some cases, you may wish to copy recommendations to your website or other marketing materials, or you can simply place a link after the testimonials on your site, inviting others to read more recommendations on your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn recommendations can have even more impact than testimonials placed on your website, because they are linked to the profile of the person making the recommendation, so there's never any question as to the authenticity. Event Promotion Are you holding a teleclass, live workshop, or other event? List it on LinkedIn. Not only can you send invitations directly to your LinkedIn contacts, but the event will appear in the main events directory where it may be found by other interested parties who might otherwise not have known about it. I'll be sharing some tips for effective networking on LinkedIn in some future posts. In the meantime, you'll find some great information on these blogs:

If you haven't already, please connect with me on LinkedIn. I'd appreciate a note letting me know you read Your Organizing Business. There are people who refer to themselves as "open networkers" but I'm not one of them.

Isn’t It Time You Embraced Social Media?

Janet — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:40:57 +0000

There's no question that social media has taken the world by storm. In addition to business-oriented sites like LinkedIn, micro-blogging tools like Twitter, and one-size-fits-all sites like Facebook and Plaxo, there are lots of new sites dedicated to professional organizers and other special interest groups. If you're in any doubt, check out some of these Social Media Statistics.

You can look forward to future posts on this blog covering such topics as identifying the sites that are most worthwhile for you, setting up your profiles, and effectively maintaining your online presence. And of course, since one of my functions as a virtual assistant is supporting my clients' social networking activities, you are welcome to contact me at any time to find out how I can help you in this area. But perhaps you are anxious to get started, or you'd like a more in-depth understanding of how it all works before you can develop your own social networking strategy. If so, be sure to mark Embrace Social Media on your calendar for June 10 and 11! Because this is a telesummit, you won't have any travel or accommodation costs, and you won't have to get dressed up. In fact, you won't even have to leave home! You will, however, have the opportunity to learn from eight experts in various aspects of social media, who will each present for 75 minutes over the course of two days. If you can't fit the live calls into your schedule, or you don't want to spend that much time on the telephone, you can still benefit from this event. Enhanced plans are available, allowing you to access the recordings online, or to receive a complete package including audio CDs, transcripts, and Tweet notes from Twitter, delivered right to your door. All participants will also receive a two-month free Teleclass Membership and two teleclass audios from A Red Bench, a finalist in the "Most Valuable Educational Resource" category of the 2009 LA Organizing Awards. Visit the website for complete information about Embrace Social Media, including a full schedule and registration details.