Networking Insight

Best of Networking Insight for 2011

Below are some of my more popular posts for 2011:

January

• Five Reasons to Take Networking Seriously
• Stay Connected to be Connected

February

• 7 Keys to Successful Business Relationships
• Patience is Necessary in Relationship Building

March

• How Do You Follow Up?
• 10 Phrases that Describe Successful Networking

April

• Consistency in Your Message is an Important Personal Brand Builder
• Give Back and Build Your Network Through Charitable Volunteerism

May

• Ten Words that Describe an Ineffective Networker
• Take a Genuine Interest in Others During Conversations

June

• Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Meet New People
• Establish Yourself as a Connector and Reap the Benefits

July

• How Do You Follow-Up with New Contacts?
• 10 Ways to Gain Credibility When Building Relationships

August

• Why Should You Care About Meeting New People
• Nine Ways to Embarrass Yourself at a Networking Event

September

• 10 Important Reasons as to Why You Should Host Your Own Events
• Attending Events is Good for Building Your Network

October

• Ten Actions of Great Networkers
• Position Yourself as an Expert to Grow Your Network

November

• How Do You Stay Relevant with Your Network?
• Why Your Network is Your Greatest Personal Asset

December

• 11 Relationship Building Tips for the Holidays
• What is Your Relationship Building Strategy?

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Networking Insight Turns Five!

Today is the fifth anniversary of the Networking Insight blog! Thank you for your considered readership and support these past five years.  It has been a rewarding experience.

For me, blogging is still an important aspect for my personal brand. Blogging is a way for me to share some of my thoughts around relationship building, networking, and personal branding.

Here's to many more years ahead building relationships!

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Position Yourself as an Expert to Grow Your Network

One of the most important aspects of relationship building is garnering trust and credibility.  Once other professionals are comfortable with you, your network will grow. 

Take the time to build up an expertise around a particular subject or skill.  Most of you will already be well versed due to your profession.  Spend time educating yourself so you know all there is to know about your area of choice. 

When communicating with people, make sure that they know about your expertise. Consistently communicate your knowledge during meetings, emails, blogs, Twitter, etc. Make sure that people associate you with this subject matter expertise.

As your name gets associated with your expertise, people will start coming to you.  Therefore, your network will grow. Opportunities will come your way such as guest speaking or writing, which will give you more exposure.  At the same time, your existing network will better remember you.

Take the time to brand yourself around a particular expertise and you will be rewarded with a bigger and more diverse network. As a result, you will be seen as someone who others should get to know.

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Why You Should Pay Attention to Your LinkedIn Profile

Your online brand is extremely important. One of the first places people go to find out more about you is LinkedIn.  So, pay attention to your profile and how you utilize this extremely important business tool.

Your profile should match your brand in the offline world. Be consistent in how you portray yourself across all mediums both online and offline. Without consistency, you will confuse people and potentially damage your brand.

Your profile should not be an online version of your resume. Rather than just bullet pointing your experience like your resume, summarize your experience for each role.  In addition, add some client or success stories.

Craft a good upfront summary of your background.  The summary section, is a key component of your profile. In this section, you should craft a compelling overall summary of your background and specialties. In essence, this is your personal elevator pitch so make it compelling enough so people want to read more.

Create a compelling professional headline.  One of the first items that people see about you is the professional headline underneath your name.  These keywords are how you will initially position or brand yourself on LinkedIn. So, make sure that you accurately portray yourself.

Frequently update your status. Let your network know what you have been doing professionally. So, a couple times a week, update your status to reflect your activities or thoughts. Make sure to only include items that are consistent with your brand.

What other features of LinkedIn are important for your personal brand?

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How Do You Let Others Know About Your Expertise?

Your personal brand is an extremely important component of relationship building.  Over time, people will remember you not your company. Relationships are built between people. One of the best ways to be memorable is to brand yourself around a particular subject matter expertise.

Pick a topic that you have passion and skill for and learn all that you can. For most of us, we are already demonstrating this expertise everyday in our jobs.  In order to build more relationships, it is necessary to let others outside of your company know about your expertise.

With that said, what techniques can you implement to let others know about your expertise? Below are a few ideas:

• Speak at industry events or associations
• Write blog posts
• Create an e-newsletter
• Frequently use Twitter
• Write guest blog posts or articles for industry publications
• Write a book
• Share your expertise when speaking with others
• Create a personal Website
• Reflect your expertise in your LinkedIn profile
• Receive industry awards or recognitions
• Guest lecture at a university

What other ways do you show your expertise to others?

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Personal Branding Magazine Issue 17 - Brand Leverage

 

The lastest issue of Personal Branding Magazine is now available, which is published by Dan Schawbel. Dan is also the author of personal branding book Me 2.0.  Below are details about this issue.

Summary

Volume 5, Issue 1 is focused on how to use your established brand to unlock new opportunities and beat your competition. Brooke Burke, featured in our cover story, is a great example of someone who’s successfully leveraged her brand. Brooke has taken the success of her TV and modeling career and used it to start her own company called Baboosh Baby. Since she is a well-known brand, she’s able to open doors and create new monetization opportunities. Whether you’re famous or just starting out, this issue will give you the tools and advice you need to create brand leverage in your industry.

Features

• Full paid issue: 22 articles
• Sample issue: 10 articles
• Interviews with: Brooke Burke, Justin Haplern (Shit My DadSays), Jim Craig (Olympic Gold Medalist), Barbara Corcoran (ABC's Shark Tank), Ali Brown, Adam Bryant (NY Times Columnist), and Peter Shankman (HARO). 

Free sample issue

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Eight Words to Describe an Ineffective Personal Brand

 
In a previous post, Eight Words to Describe an Effective Personal Brand, it is mentioned that personal branding is a key to relationship building success. Therefore, you should have a positive and effective brand. As you build your brand, pay attention and try not to associate it with the below eight keywords, which describe an ineffective personal brand.

1. Insensitive
2. Follower
3. Untrustworthy
4. Novice
5. Self-serving
6. Rude
7. Unhappy
8. Forgettable

What else can you think of?

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Eight Words to Describe an Effective Personal Brand

Personal branding is a crucial component of building relationships. You want people to remember you so establishing your unique brand is a way to stand out.  The more people remember you the better it is for doing business.

Below are eight words that describe an effective personal brand:

1. Expert
2. Memorable
3. Established
4. Leader
5. Influential
6. Social
7. Credible
8. Trustworthy

What else can you think of?

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My Interview for unGeeked elite Chicago

On May 12-14, unGeeked elite will be taking place in Chicago, which is a social media, marketing, and branding retreat. I will lead a discussion about "The Mistake of Relying Solely on Your Online Network".  Below is an interview that was conducted by the organizer, Cd Vann.

 

Personal Branding Magazine Issue 16 - The CEO Brand

The lastest issue of Personal Branding Magazine is out, which is published by Dan Schawbel. Dan is also the author of personal branding book Me 2.0.  Below are details about this issue.

Summary

Focused on CEO branding strategies, leadership and corporate culture. Interview include some of the leading CEOs from across multiple industries, including Deloitte and Campbells, to present multiple perspectives on personal branding from the top down. The strength of the CEO brand can be attributed to the overall success of a company, regardless of size. Employees look to the CEO for guidance, leadership and personality.

Features

• Full paid issue: 25 articles total
• Sample issue:  9 articles total, including how to make a good first impression, how to manage your digital image, and wardrobe tips.
• Interviews with:  Doug Conant (CEO of Campbells), Jim Quigley (CEO of Deloitte), Bob Taylor (CEO of Taylor Guitars), Sam Calagione (CEO of Dogfish Head), Brian Halligan (CEO of Hubspot), and Andy Boynton (Dean of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College).

Free Sample Issue

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