Networking and connecting with people online is a little different than networking at a local community or business event. For one thing, online we don’t have all of the communication tools that we have when we are networking in person. When you are networking in person, you have many more of your senses that are involved in the discussion. First we have our ears (hopefully are using them more than our mouth, but that’s an entirely different topic). We also bring our sight, touch and possibly even smell. When networking in person we rely on all of these to form an opinion about the other person and decide if we like them and trust them to take the conversation any further. When networking in person we see the individual, so first impressions (and therefore your appearance) are vital. Often decisions are made before anyone even starts the conversation. Second we have touch in the form of a strong, firm handshake that communicates our level of confidence. And hopefully we don’t provide too much fragrance, either bad or strong perfume, which might offend someone.

Online we are limited to what we read for the most part but that is changing a little with podcasts and videos. Before you start to introduce yourself online, a separate set of guidelines will leave a lasting positive impression for your viewers. Also keep in mind that it often takes a little longer to establish the relationship and trust online because we are working with fewer senses in our communications. Here are a few tips to help you with your online networking.

1. When you are filling out profiles on networks, make sure you always write them in first person. The only time you should write a profile in third person is when it’s on a company website that has more than one employee.

2. Let people know who you are. Write in a conversation style that is upbeat and engaging. Because you aren’t talking to them, you want them to get a feel for who you truly are, therefore, write it like you would say it if you were actually talking in person.

3. We know you want to sell yourself on networks, but try giving them something as well. Helping another member out that has a questions is a great method. Offer your opinions, experience or advice but don’t come off as arrogant. Let people know you offer a free consultation, or an opportunity for you to review a piece of their work. Using this strategy with clients and potential partners will allow a better networking opportunity that will benefit everyone.

4. When you are joining forums or discussion groups, ensure you read about them first. Make sure you understand the type of people that are participating. You don’t want to jump in and introduce yourself if you don’t plan on staying or coming back later! When you do decide to participate, introduce yourself: make it upbeat, talk about business (no sales pitch), tell a story, invite people to respond, and most importantly, affirm your commitment to participate. Often forums are formed to assist people and if you can help people with your knowledge, over time trust will develop. Also make sure that you follow the format and guidelines for the group. If the purpose of the group was to talk about a hobby and you are always talking business, it is going to hurt you.

5. After joining any type of discussion, make sure you don’t talk too much. If multiple people are talking or responding to you, keep in mind the comments and sum up a thoughtful and reflective response that will respond to most of them. Try not to engage in more than two or three conversations.

6. Be sure to follow up when a friend introduces you to someone else. This maintains a trusting and credible relationship with your friend and also allows you to network into new circles of contacts.

7. If the site has the opportunity for you to post a picture, do so but remember that your photos matter. Try and keep them professional and impressionable. This will help in forming positive first impressions.

Keep in mind these helpful hints and tips for introducing yourself properly on the internet. And most importantly, try and introduce yourself and start a conversation before you ask someone to be a contact, because a contact without a relationship really doesn’t have much value.

Now that you’re completely ready to introduce yourself. Go ahead and make your first attempt. Get on the CFBE Network Basic Level Forums, and strike up a conversation! We have created a forum to allow you to introduce yourself and what you do to the other members.

Many of us are taught from an early age to set our sights on an achievement, and then take certain steps to make it happen.

Especially as a solo professional it’s even more important to create goals that excite, challenge, and propel you to the next level of your business.

However, we sometimes set goals that aren’t right for us; they just don’t stick and we fail to achieve what we set out to do.

So, how do you know if a goal is right for you? Read on for 5 questions to ask when setting a business goal:

1. Does the goal excite you or feel you with dread? Your first reaction might be to answer “both.” But don’t confuse dread with discomfort. If you’re filled with dread, even planning the next step will be difficult. With dread comes procrastination, and that can hurt your self-confidence. If a goal truly excites you, you’ll look forward to taking the small steps toward achievement and accept that there will be discomfort along the way.
2. How will you feel once you accomplish it? List what you expect to experience once you’ve hit the mark. If the feelings are anything less than positive, re-examine your motivations.
3. Will you move forward personally or professionally? Determine if the achievement will bring you to the next level in your business or life. For example, will it increase your revenue, create deep personal satisfaction, or make the community a better place? If it’s something that you will simply check off your list, re-examine it.
4. Does the goal complement a strength or try to improve a weakness? Many of us have taken assessments to learn our strengths and weaknesses. We often set goals that try to improve a weakness, rather than play to a strength. For example, you’ve set a goal to meet 5-10 potential clients within your target market. You’re great at in-person discussions but feel uncomfortable with the phone. Which is the better way to reach out to potential clients – using a list of names to cold call, or attending a small networking event that serves your target market? Always play to your strengths.
5. Is it truly YOUR goal? Sometimes we set out to achieve things that don’t reflect our values or dreams. Those goals really aren’t ours, they belong to someone else. Maybe you want approval from an important person, or it just seems like a logical next step that others have taken on a similar path. This last question may become easier to answer after reflecting on the first four questions. The answer to this question needs to be an unequivocal yes!

Use these 5 questions to set your next goals and follow your own path to success! 

Do you spend too much time writing your newsletter each month?

Do your readers actually read it…or is it too long?

These days your customers are time-constrained. There’s always too much to do, too many appointments, too many tasks. Finding time to read your newsletter may be asking too much.

Enter the “60-Second Newsletter” concept.

Imagine that you could promise that your readers can get through your newsletter in 60 seconds or less. How exciting is that? Then they’d read every issue you send out.

Often business owners don’t publish a newsletter because they feel it’s too time-consuming to write full articles, especially if writing is not your passion. But if you committed yourself to writing a micro-newsletter, it’s not too daunting and you can easily find the time and motivation to get it done on a regular basis.

You can do this via your mailing list, or via your blog. Remember, the point of doing a newsletter is to have regular communication with the people who have expressed interest in your products and services. The key word here is “regular” communication, so whichever timeframe you want to send a newsletter (weekly, monthly, quarterly), keep to your schedule. The 60-second newsletter should help you keep on track with regular communications to your customers.

When writing your newsletter, ask yourself, “How can I make this something readable in 60 seconds or less?” Here are some ideas:

• Use bullet points for easy reading
• Create a quick-list of resources
• Give them one simple tip or action item
• Use audio (podcast) instead of a written newsletter
• Teach them how to do one task more efficiently
• Write up an important item from the news
• Give them a piece of advice about handling a specific situation
• Write a “Top 10″ list on an interesting topic
• Include a motivational quotation
• Give a link to a longer article
• Suggest a blog you love

Keep a list of ideas for your newsletter. You may be driving to the dentist or taking a shower — and POW, a newsletter idea pops into your head. Write them all down. This list will help shorten the time to create your newsletter, another added bonus!

In this economy, you’d be hard pressed to find a business that has actually increased sales. As consumers tighten up their spending after years of excess, businesses are feeling the pinch as their sales and revenues dwindle before their eyes. This leads to layoffs, reduced salaries for the owners, and possibly even closing it’s doors. How can a business thrive in this environment? Is it even possible?

The good news is that it is possible to grow sales in a down environment, but let’s get into some background. If you don’t know this detail yet, I would start as soon as possible. As a business owner, it’s essential to have as much data as possible on your customers. How long it takes to make a sale, how long they stay a customer, how many repeat visits, average number of people they refer, and so on. All this information will help you in determining how far you can go to win that customer. For example, let’s use the example of a painting contractor. Who would be the best salesman for a painting contractor? Well it’s current customers of course. And if you know that your average customer will eventually refer 2 people to your business, would you be willing to be extra generous on the price upfront? Of course! All you need to do is see that one customer referring 2 people will grow your business by leaps and bounds.

But even if you aren’t exactly sure all those questions above, there is still room for improvement. And they are pretty simple.

1) Email Lists-Any offline business needs to have an email list established. It can absolutely explode your business. If you’re a mechanic, give a customer 5% off by signing up for your email list. Then when you’re slow, email your list and offer 10% off if you bring your car in Tues or Thurs for oil changes. By doing this, you have some control over the flow of your customers. In this climate, everyone is looking for a deal and you are able to keep your place of business busy while giving a customer a great deal.

2) Cross Sells-This is a fantastic way to increase your average sale per customer. Most business owners that practice this will get greedy, but there isn’t a need to. Sure, it makes sense to sell a person ink cartridges when they buy a printer, but most people are already spending money they don’t want to when they make the purchase. You have to give them an incentive to buy and that usually comes in the form of a discount. A one-time discount at checkout will give people the incentive they need to make the purchase right then and there.

3) Offline Databases-Keeping full contact information from customers is a fabulous way to “attack” them from all angles. Cards for Christmas, 4th of July, and Memorial Day sales are good ways to keep your business on their mind. And it’s easy enough to track, just put a coupon code on the back!

If immediate sales aren’t a good enough excuse for doing the above things, consider this. The income portion of your business is only one facet. There’s the equity portion as well. And if you’re ever interested in selling your business, the value goes through the roof if you can provide your buyer with detailed names/addresses/buying history/email information from all your customers. Can you imagine the difference in selling price? It would make a huge difference!

So don’t resign yourself to suffering with the rest of the small businesses in this world. Take control and take small steps to ensure that you will survive. And these are just a few ways to do that.