LinkedIn Screen for Linda Simon

LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site with 66 million people on it. The average income of users is $109,000 and the average age of users is 37. Current stats provided by social rabbit.

This site is for the professional who wants to network and/or look for employment opportunities. It is a virtual and interactive group of business cards and meshed with your online resume. It also is similar to getting published in a newspaper or newsletter daily but better because you have total control about what you put out on it and who is in your network. Another nice thing is that it is free.

Important things to implement to get yourself fully LinkedIn:

• Set up your account at www.linkedin.com.
• Put in a photo – people like to see who you are plus, some people know you by name and others by face.
• Be creative about your profile. Use your VOICE in your profile with specific adjectives and colorful verbs.
• Customize your public profile vanity URL – http://www.linkedin.com/in/lindasimonvb. To do this, go to edit your profile.
• Get 100% completion on your profile for SEO results. Use keywords, metatags, etc. Fill in the current job, past jobs, etc.
• Join groups that interest you and participate with them.
• Link to your website and actually type in your web address on the profile (instead of My website – select OTHER category and customize it with your name).
• Link to your blog and name it (instead of My blog). It will automatically appear each time you post your blog.
• Give back, offer to write recommendations for others you are familiar with. This helps you get higher up in LinkedIn’s SEO.
• Build your connections by adding people and import your address book to join you.
• On a regular basis, update your status message. This shows people what you are doing or you can share information with people and become the expert.
• Add your reading list by Amazon.

If you are a professional looking to connect with other professionals this is the network for you, use it to grow your business, increase brand awareness (for you and/or your business) and position yourself as an expert. It is extremely important to engage, comment and expanding a colleague’s content.

Next is Part 7 about FACEBOOK.

Social Media success comes from:

1. Self-Publishing,
2. Introducing and Promoting Others,
3. Being the Voice and Face of your Company (Branding or Brandindividual),
4. Connecting
5. Engaging /Participating,
6. Building relations
7. Harnessing word-of-mouse marketing

“Viral Marketing Advice” from Steve Chazin, author of Marketing Apple recommends “Making Your Message Memorable”. Simply put, you have little chance that something will go viral unless, like a disease, it could be spread easily mouth-to-mouth. For that to happen, your message has to be super tight as easy to transmit in as few words as possible “1,000 songs in your pocket” is the answer to “What is an iPod?” Before that, the Macintosh was introduced as “The computer for the rest of us.” If you can boil your message down to just its syrupy goodness, you can achieve lift – the irresistible force of millions of customers selling your product for you.

There are so many ways to create viral marketing buzz through social media:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Facebook Business Page (aka Fan)
• Blog
• Twitter
• YouTube
• E-Book
• Smart Phone

How to move forward with an enhanced way of doing business through social media:

1. Determine your message and make it as clear as possible.
2. Get educated as much as you can on the subject and method.
3. Get started – domain names, open up your free on-line accounts, get account names, etc.
4. Work with the programs that speak your language.
5. Watch, Listen, and learn.
6. Participate – get your feet wet.
7. Review your results and discuss.

Next is Part 6 about LINKEDIN.

Web Networking

Welcome to the “Preneur” 12-Part Marketing Series. This is the 4th post out of 12.

To see how effective your marketing is on the Web, take this little test. It’s free and takes very little time.

1. Go to the top four search engines – Google.com, Yahoo.com, Bing.com and Ask.com
2. Type your name in these top four search engines.
3. Also, try another search to put your business/company name in it too.
4. Then, see where they show up on the search.
5. The ultimate goal is to be on the top of the organic page (left side). This will show you how well your search engine optimization is working.
6. With marketing, you are either invisible or visible.

Since the trend is to use computers and search engines to find everything versus off-line directories (Yellow Pages, etc.), you want to make sure you are on the web. Here are several ways to get more visible:

• Writing articles in newspapers and magazines that are on-line
• Put searchable text content on the front page of your website
• Blogs
• Social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Facebook Business Page, Twitter)
• Having the media write stories or mention you in newspapers or magazines
• Full Profiles
• Titles, META tags and Key Words
• Paid AdWords
• Occasionally submit your website to the search engines. You can submit your site to Google at http://www.google.com/addurl.html.
• Participate regularly in some form of Social Media. Pick the one or ones that work with your style, personality and business. LinkedIn is specifically for business users and helps with your SEO.

Remember to have fun while you are doing this. It can really be enjoyable and you can meet or reconnect with a lot of people along the way.

Next is Part 5 about SOCIAL MEDIA.

Forms of Communication

“Ya talkin to me?” I can almost here the beautiful slang communication. Preneurs need to make sure you know who you are talking or writing to and what type of message you are sending. In 21st Century Viral Marketing, there are three types of senders:

1. Expert (informative, knowledge of a subject matter)
2. Entertainer (TV, Radio, singer, actress…)
3. Watcher/Spectator (background person or in the audience)

Which category do you fit in? Figure out which type of sender you are and format all of your messages in this manner.

With two-way communication on the flip side, there are 3 types of receivers of communication:

1. Viewer/Listener (TV, YouTube, Audio, Web & Podcasts…)
2. Reader (Blog, Twitter, Email, Web, newsletters)
3. Talker (Interactive, Q&As, Responding back…)

Who are your receivers of your message(s)? Figure that out and then, you’ll know where to place your message(s).

Now go one more level and put a face on your demographics. There are categories of buyers of your product/service. They are also the decision-makers in the B2B (Business to Business) process. These people are described in the following groups:

• Depression – Born 1912 – 1921 – Ages 98 – 89
• Pre World War II – Born 1922 – 1927 – Ages 88 – 83
• World War II – Born 1928 – 1945 – Ages 82 – 65
• Baby Boomer #1 – Born 1946 – 1954 – Ages 64 – 56
• Baby Boomer #2 – Born 1955 – 1964 – Ages 55 – 46
• Generation X – Born 1965 – 1979 – Ages 45 – 31
• Generation Y (also N Gen) – Born 1980 – 2001 – Ages 30 – 9
• Generation Z (anyone born after 9/11) – Born 2001 – 2021 – 9 – 0

What demographics are you selling your product/service to? What language do you need to use? What message are you sending to your age groups? These need to be considered while communicating.

Depending on what sender you are, get out there and listen, dialogue and build relationships. Create an on-line presence with your communication. Oh, by the way, have fun with while you are doing it too!

Next in the Preneur Series is Part 4 about WEB.

In today’s world, there is no excuse for not doing your research before implementing your plan. With three major search engines (Google, Yahoo and Bing) at your disposal, you can learn anything. Type in what you want to know. Figure out what to do before you start. There is an abundance of  free sources – Webinars, YouTube “how to” lessons, white pages, ebooks, etc. Then, there is a whole other universe for paid information (classes, books at the bookstore, on-line books, pdfs of information, on and on…

Things you want to research:

• Competition
• Subject Matter about your product or service
• Websites available
• Names of other companies, products, etc.
• Avenues to promote your business
• Publications for visibility
• Local, city, state, country information
• Sources of education
• Leaders in your field
• Decision-makers for purchasing your product/service
• Demographics – What your client/customer looks like and where they are?
• Networking sources
• Accreditation or degree sources
• Professional organizations
• Packaging information/sources
• Partnering sources
• Business types
• Taxation information
• Printing sources
• Insurance

This step is not a one time occurence. You will want to continue your research on a regular basis to see what the trends, changes, new software, visibility means, etc. Preneurs need to have a lot of drive and endurance to keep moving forward. No one said being a Preneur was going to be easy.

Next is Part 3 is about COMMUNICATION.

Digital-Age Marketing On-Line Presence is Essential

Welcome to the “Preneur” 12-Part Marketing Series.

Mainstream America has created an entirely new breed of people called “Preneurs”. A preneur personality embarks upon a new venture or enterprise and accepts full responsibility for the outcome. They usually have a vision and drive that vision until it comes to fruition. In addition, their personality features great integrity, tenacity, and a high tolerance for risk taking and adventure.

Part 1 of 12 is about your awareness level.  Marketing for the “preneur” starts with becoming aware of what is happening around you. There is a chasm divide occurring between Traditional Marketing that was very successful for decades and even the past century and today’s Marketing in the Digital-Age.

Traditional marketing spoke to one’s quality and used a company name, business card, brochure and website. All of these things are still very important. Just add them to the Digital-Age. Develop an On-Line Presence with networking and getting feedback from others on the web regarding your product or service. Using Search Engine Optimization and spreading the word and getting picked up from multiple sources.

While you are becoming aware of the on-line community, visit the websites, view the communication via email, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, etc. The connections are being made via the internet, not just on the tv stations or newspapers. Now they go from their to You-tube, or Streamlining, etc. People pull up directions or phone numbers off their cell phone blackberries or whitepages.com.

The first step to Digital Age Marketing is to become aware of the changes around you! Do you see any shifts occurring in your industry between Traditional Marketing and Digital-Age?

Part 2 is about RESEARCH and will be coming shortly.

My Unique Packages - Christopher, Lauren, Natalie & Shawna

I am a proud mom to four children that all arrived in unique packages. My wish from young adulthood was to be a mother. God gave me so many opportunities to engage in that role. From about 21 to 32, I was dubbed the “neighborhood mom” and had a bunch of fun, exciting, beautiful children in and out of my home day and night. I even bought their favorite foods so I would have breakfast, lunch and/or dinner when they stopped by.  At 32 years old, I was handed my first official title of “step-mom” to my new husband’s two children. I was especially happy when I met him and he had two young kids that were adorable. My next chance at the ripe age of 40, I was blessed with a birth child. From inception to birth – another chapter to add to my life.  Then, to our surprise, my husband and I adopted a fourth child unexpectedly. It was an incredibly rewarding experience and she is a joy to us today.

These experiences shaped me into who I am today. Know that you may not have the “official” title of mother but anyone who plays a part in the positive development of a child is participating as a mother. Do you inspire a youth on the soccer field as a coach or a team parent? Did you teach a child how to plant something in your yard or how to cut the grass correctly. Do you engage a child in an incredible conversation about their dreams or how smart they are? If you passed by a little girl that fell and hurt herself and you showed tenderness or affection, guess what, you are maternal? We don’t have any clones out there because the village of people that step in each day for a child makes them unique with those encounters. I encourage you to reach outside of yourself and take a minute of your day to “mother” someone. It makes you feel so incredibly rich.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you in this world that help raise a child to their full potential.

Your story can make THE difference. Do you sell Media Equipment? Then zero in on what the outcome is – an incredible auditorium with the big picture. After you define the big picture, then take secondary photos. Zoom in and capture those specific things that achieve that goal – say the best speaker system in the world. Then go in for a macro shot of the speakers and components. Tell the story frame by frame. Images with words bring the story to life. That is why 3D movies are breaking sales records in theatres across the world right now. People want to experience a story.

When photographing people, find out what they possess that is unique? Do their eyes sparkle and dance? Do they have an incredible infectious smile? Is it their hair that says something different? Or, do they walk with a “swagger” For portraits, point your camera and capture that unique “X Factor” quality. It is called having an “eye” for artwork or photography. Your eye and instincts figure out what that special “IT” is and snap on it.

Most people are limited by a tighter budget these days and can’t hire a professional photographer? If this is the case, take your point and shoot camera and get creative. Here are TEN TIPS for telling your story through a lens:

1. ZONE – Get in the zone before you shoot. Be in an incredible mood when you pick up and hold your camera. Makes a huge difference where your energy level is and how you are feeling. Make it fun. Get out of your left-brain and pull from your right brain – the creative side.
2. IT FACTOR – Spend a few minutes talking with your subject before you shoot them so you know what that “IT” is and can capture it. Or, brainstorm about your building and/or product and shoot that concept you want to sell.
3. RESOLUTION – Use the highest resolution on your camera setting so you can do different things with the photo. If you take it with the lowest setting, you are limited to web use only. With the highest setting, you can crop, you can enlarge, you can go to offset printing without blurry images, etc.
4. PREPARED – Pick up an extra photo memory disk so you don’t run out of space. Make sure your battery is fully charged or carry a spare.
5. LIGHT – When shooting, try to have the light source (sun, lamp, etc.) coming from your back or shoulder area to light up your subject. You can also purposely shoot with the sun coming from your side or in front behind your subject. For a more professional portrait, put an extra light on their hair. Take a few different shots with lighting and see which ones you like best.
6. PERSPECTIVE AND ANGLES – Shake it up a little bit. Get down lower or up at a different level to get some unique perspectives instead of the straight on shots. Place your subject off-center. Look for lines and follow a line in a photo. Think about the final uses of the photo to determine if you should take a horizontal or vertical shot?
7. BACKDROP – Make sure you survey your backdrop area first. Is it solid? Is it too busy and won’t let your subject speak? Clear the clutter or set the stage for what storyline you are telling. It is better to do it first or you’ll have to invest in a lot of photo editing afterwards.
8. STAGE – In order to tell your story, you need to have some ideas in your head and rearrange or stage your set, the people, the backdrop, props, etc. to let the photos speak. This is your moment to be the director. Enjoy it. Get in the moment and have fun with it.
9. FLASH – Experiment with your flash. Sometimes you need more flash for a portrait on someone’s face. You can use it indoors and outdoors. Try one with and without.
10. FOCUS – Make sure you lock in the focus and make your photo sharp. To get a really crisp photo, press the shutter button half way down. Re-frame your photo while continuing to hold the shutter button. Then, finish by pressing the shutter button all the way.

Speak to your demographics about what you do and/or sell. Most businesses are posting their services and products online today. It is important to provide realistic and eye-catching photos of your product(s) that make a difference quickly or have someone react to your call to action. When talking about your management, showcase the uniqueness and personality in an artistic journalistic style. Try to evoke an emotion through your camera lens for your potential client or customer to react. Tell your story the way you want to before someone else does it for you.

Published in Inside Business May 2, 2010

Where do you start?

Computers, telephones, inbound/outbound techniques, Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogging, G3/G4 telephones, e-books, YouTube, search engine optimization, Facebook.

Do you have a headache yet?

Results?

The most important way to start is by asking another question: What result do you want out of it? That will tell you where to get started and how.

Type of results?

Some of the results wanted might be: more local clients, more global clients, jumpstarting a new business or product, getting speaking engagements, becoming known as an expert in your field, networking and relationship building, job searching or recruiting, improving your reputation and/or getting more visibility. Answer these questions and this will help you to narrow down your direction.

Review menu of marketing tools

Next step is to review the expansive menu of marketing tools to use: computers, telephones, Web, LinkedIn, Facebook, Fan Pages, blogs, Twitter, SEO. Get a good tekkie to help you or get prepared to do some major rolling up of your sleeves.

Research/learn

On the research/learning curve side, prepare to spend some time learning and researching these subjects. There are multiple classes online and with organizations. Your colleagues and friends may be ahead of you on the learning curve. Spend some time picking their brains. Hire a consultant or a good technician.

Make a plan

It is a major process that will continue to evolve rapidly. Start with the tools that will work best for you first. Get one at a time – remember you are going to have to crawl before you walk and/or run. It is important to just get in the race at this point.

Implementation

Once you’ve made the plan, now comes putting it into action. Logically for me, I started with the telephone. I broke down and got a DROID G3 phone. It took me months to research and make the decision. Once I did, I did some more learning and training and now I am a huge fan and don’t know how I ever lived without it. I’m accessible in and out of the office with telephone, computer, client files, research, etc.

Next came rebranding and updating my Web presence with a content management system and updating frequently. It has helped my SEO searching. Then, I moved onto updating and communicating in Facebook, Facebook Page and LinkedIn. Now I’m moving forward into the blogosphere.

Participating

I recommend the following steps, one tool at a time:

1. Figure out your goals, who you want to reach and what you want to do or say with them.

2. Figure out your branding – who are you, what do you want to look like to your demographics?

3. Set up each account (Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Fan Page, etc.)

4. Grow your network and maximize your profiles, keywords, metatags, linking them as much as possible with your Web sites, etc.

5. Watch, listen and learn within the networks and find out the proper way to interact.

6. Get started communicating, networking, giving comments and securing trust.

Measuring

On the Web side, there are lots of ways to measure your activity:

1. How many are on your fan page?

2. How many connections are on your LinkedIn Page?

3. How many hits on your Web site?

4. What do your sales look like in the shopping carts?

5. Is your firm name or your personal name ranking on the front page of the organic search engines?

6. How many posts do you have on your blog, how many people commented on your posts and/or YouTube site?

7. How many downloads are there for your e-book?

8. How many e-mails did you capture for your online newsletter?

9. How many calls and/or jobs are you getting from the Web and Internet?

Sustaining

Make sure you set up a system of accountability so after all of that hard work you can continue using the networking and marketing strategies that you set up.

1. Put it on your calendar.

2. Assign someone to do it.

3. Discuss it regularly at a meeting.

4. Show the positive results from the effort.

5. Get clever about what topics you use.

6. Develop energy around it.

Just take a breath and get started. Before you know it, you’ll be where you want to go and in good company.

Published in Inside Business – www.insidebiz.com.

Identical Twins - Emily and Lindy

Being born an identical twin, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked “What is it like being a twin?”. How would I know? I’ve only existing as a twin and not a single birth child. Being a twin is a special way of living. You have a built in best friend. You know what you look like outside of yourself. You speak a different language with points, nods and short phrases being fully understood.

Deep knowing and special bond

Are you a twin or do you know of one? What is it like being a twin?