On my recent trip to Australia, I got the chance to record this video with my friend Dan Garlick, a networking expert from Tasmania. In the video, we talk about the best ways to integrate face-to-face networking with social media and social networking in order to achieve the best possible results from your all-around networking efforts. Watch the video to learn the best ways to approach face-to-face and online networking integration for a stellar outcome no matter where in the world you are (If Dan can do it from T...
read moreMarketing isn’t something I was always confident about. When I first started out in business, my degrees were in Political Science and Organizational Behavior. I had very little marketing experience until I went to work for a transportation company in Southern California and, within a two week span, went from a role in purchasing to a significant role in marketing–a huge change that was an even bigger learning experience. My marketing experience was trial by fire and reading. I just started reading ...
read moreI’ve been following the development of online business networking for several years now; particularly at the inception of sites like Ecademy.com and LinkedIn. That said, I’d like to state for the record: If you’ve had any lingering thoughts that social media is just a fad, you may want to lose them. Are you aware that LinkedIn’s IPO (Initial Public Offering) has a valuation of 4.3 billion (USD)? That’s right, I said BILLION. If you haven’t been taking social media seriously...
read moreAs part of the survey for the book, Business Networking And Sex (not what you think), my co-authors and I asked several questions which weren’t used in the final manuscript. The survey was open to the public and was conducted with over 12,000 business people from every populated continent in the world. One of the questions we didn’t use in the book was “What types of organizations do you belong to?” (note that respondents were able to pick more than one). We also asked a question that was used in the ...
read moreBizPer Social Media Marketing 06/20/11
I met Starr Hall at an Entrepreneur Magazine Conference that we both spoke at last year and she did a really impressive presentation on social media marketing. One of the things she discussed was the concept of “BizPer” Social Media Marketing. She said that about half of your social media posts should be about business and about half should be personal. I love the concept but, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the percentage. I definitely believe that people want to see a little of me as a p...
read moreIn this video, my good friend Jarret Gucci, who is also the web expert credited with building this BusinessNetworking.com blog site and helping me to “make it work,” explains the two most powerful ways to make your blog better. If you’re one of the many businesspeople around the world who utilizes blogging to build your brand, don’t be shy . . . after you watch the video, leave a comment letting the rest of us know what you’ve done to make your blog work. I get really inspired when I hea...
read moreI am excited to announce that this blog was listed as #26 in the list of “50 Best Blogs for Young Entrepreneurs”! Here’s what they said: “Networking Entrepreneur: Even if you think you’re a pro at networking, check this blog for new tips and strategies as your business grows. Recommended Posts: Make No Assumptions and Clueless When It Comes To Conversing? Four Tips” The list, published by OEDb (Online Education Database), was created as a resource for young entrepreneurs who are lo...
read moreTo find out how you stack up against your competition, take a little time to analyze your competitive status. This exercise will help you understand and emphasize your unique selling position. How do you differ, and how can you position yourself for the best competitive advantage? There’s no single formula for conducting a competitive analysis; it’s mostly just good business sense. Try to stay aware of what your competition is doing and how your business stacks up against it. For example: Are your ...
read moreSuccess Is Not an Entitlement 09/09/10
Yesterday, I received a rather disturbing email message from someone berating me for sharing what he felt were some aspects of my success via my FaceBook Fan page (mostly relating to discussions about my business travel and corporate meetings I did from my lake home over the summer). I have to say it brought me down a bit so I went to my library and picked up a book I wrote about 7 years ago called Masters of Success. I read a piece in it that I wrote called “Success is Not an EntitlementR...
read moreLast week I wrote a blog explaining the VCP Process, which is a huge part of the foundation of networking. Because this process is so crucial to effective networking, I promised to write a blog entry for each of the three phases (visibility, credibility and profitability), and today I’m going to talk about why it all starts with visibility. The first phase of growing a relationship is visibility: You and another individual become aware of each other. In business terms, a potential source of referrals or...
read moreMy friend, social media expert Mirna Bard, recently wrote a really great blog about getting started with social media, and I’ve pasted a portion of it below. If you’re confused and overwhelmed when it comes to networking your business online, this is a must-read. Looking Beyond the Hype to Get Started with Social Media If you want to succeed with social media, as many brands have, there are some action steps you must take before you dive into the world of social media. So, let’s strip away all the ...
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