Looking good on LinkedIn

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LinkedIn is becoming the premier way to introduce your professional self online. Be sure that what you post and share there is the same kind of info you'd put on a resume or mention in a job interview. Achieve even greater success on LinkedIn with these tips.

Get a profile picture 
When LinkedIn suggests new contacts for me and one of them doesn't have a profile picture I 1) can't be sure it's the same person I think I know and 2) am left to feel this person created a profile ages ago and then left it to die. Let me ask you, would you go to a job interview without showing your face? Most of us would say no, unless we have a very good and perfectly acceptable reason as to why. Having a profile picture is just as important as meeting someone face-to-face.

Complete your profile with current info
Let your connections on LinkedIn know what you're about - just like you would with a resume. This is great so your connections know what skills you have and can offer, but also helps LinkedIn suggest others to network with based on the content of your profile.  

Connect and network
Ya got your picture. Ya got your content. Now get some connections! Quality connections are always worth more than quantity. So be sure you are requesting and accepting invites from people you know, trust or have a well-established reputation in your industry. TIP: When sending or receiving an invitation, LinkedIn usually creates a standard message for you. Forget that! Get personal and create your own "thanks for connecting with me" message.

Don't let your profile die!
Think of LinkedIn like a party. You're there in a room with lots of potential contacts. Don't just stand in the corner looking at everyone - or worse just staring down at the ground. Be a part of the party and chat with others. Compliment and converse to build professional relationships that will help further your career. TIP: Find ways that you can help others. This is an exceptional way to connect, make a solid new contact and demonstrate your expertise. 

Source: Social Media Today

Humanizing your tweets

Last month I talked about how we can humanize our email marketing to sound less like a robot and more like you. It's just as important to do the same on Twitter and all other online platforms. Sounding too automated gives the impression that there isn't a real person behind your Twitter profile and could seem spammy. Letting your personal voice shine through helps you develop trust with your audience, connect easier with their experiences and allows you to be approachable. Being human with your brand's marketing keeps the social media conversation going and that's what we want!

To get more out of your tweets, try to:

1) Get to know your audience and their needs. What are their concerns and objectives? How do they talk and what kind of terminology do they use? Become a thought leader by addressing their needs with  specific links to your website which provide solutions.

2) Tweet relevant content. It's not just about you on social media. You have to tweet about what's relevant to your industry. This kind of content is more likely to increase reach, influence and lead generation. Choose content that is high-quality and that won't overload your audience by being too technical.

3) Listen. Listen. Listen. Avoid using Twitter as a loud one-way conversation about yourself. Take time to hear what others saying about your brand, your industry and what questions they are asking. Using social media monitoring tools can be very helpful for knowing what people are talking about and what hashtags they are using.

4) Host a Twitter party. The place: Twitter. The time: you name it and let your audience know you'll be immediately available to answer questions and take suggestions during a certain timeframe. What a great way to make new connections, find new info and increase your brand awareness.

5) Remember, be yourself! There's only one your and there's only one of your brand, so don't be afraid to standout and be unique.



Source: Social Media Today

Social NETWORK vs. social PLATFORM and how to use both

What's the difference between a social network and a social platform? Is there a difference at all. YES! There certainly is.

Social networks are more like real-life networking events. Some examples are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and Pinterest to some degree.

Social platforms allow for establishing credibility and expertise while creating an opportunity for engagement and discussion. YouTube, blogging, podcasts and SlideShare are perfect examples of social platforms.

Use these social sites by analyzing ONE network and ONE platform that your audience is using. Start by maintaining and cultivating contacts via your chosen sites before moving on to others.

Need more ideas? Just give me a ring.

What does your LinkedIn day look like?

LinkedIn has a new fantastic feature to help you network with your contacts. It's called Your Day and gives you an overview of what's going on today: contacts' birthdays, work anniversaries, promotions, travel plans, conversations with others in your network, etc. This information is perfect for congratulating contacts on milestones, joining conversations and planning impromptu meetings. Everyone gets birthday congrats on Facebook, but posting one on LinkedIn is sure to get noticed.

To use this feature, simply log into the LinkedIn and visit Contacts on the drop-down menu. At the top of your contact list you should see something like this:

From here is really easy to let your contacts know you are in touch with what's going on in their worlds.

You can even take this a step further and sync the Your Day feature with your calendar and email contacts. Not a bad way to keep fresh your business contacts!

Email market like a human, not a robot

Robots and computers do a lot of great stuff for us, but one thing they don't do very well is sound like a real human. Emotionless or prefabricated wording can make marketing messages sound boring and uninspiring. Get more from your audience my showing your brands personality through online marketing like social media and email marketing. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Use your name when sending emails. Although you are emailing on behalf of your company, including your name before your company name can make mass emailing like newsletters more recognizable. Something like "Jim, Dunder Mifflin" works perfectly. 
2. Smile for the camera and add a picture of yourself to your newsletters. Yes, your brand's logo does matter, but a face behind the logo matters even more when trying to relate to your customers.
3. State your mind. Robots don't have opinions, but you do! When sending email marketing, share an insight, opinion or experience to give more depth to the topic.
4. When I was a lad... Share the story of you and your brand. The passion you have for what you do creates a history and lets your audience know you are serious about your profession.
5. Remember your manners when someone signs up for your newsletter. The confirmation page should have personality to it, thank them for signing up and give a great first impression of the news they will soon be receiving regularly. 

The good news is we are all human, so following these steps should just be part of our human nature. Should you discover that you haven't yet found your voice, let me know and we can schedule a strategy meeting.

Seven steps to creating you own infographic

Facts and figures presented as infographic are all the rage and rightly so! They are a creative way to present data and info that makes it fun and easy to read - something all audiences can appreciate.

Here's what you need to know about creating your own infographic:

How to react and recover from a hack

No one likes the idea of their accounts being hacked, but it is good to know what to do in such an instance.

First, catch and counter the false tweet or post as it appears on your account.

Second, ask friends and contacts to tweet or post about the hack so all are aware that your account has been compromised.


Third, cover any tracks by posting correct information.

Fourth, thank you audience for staying by your side during the compromise.