Of all the networks we build in our lives, one of the earliest and deepest networks we create is that of our alma mater. People take their connection to their school seriously (just watch the boosters at any basketball game). The fundraising department at your school depends on that when they have students call and ask you for money. Take me for example. I'm a busy guy and I don't have a lot of spare time just laying around. But if you want to have 5 minutes of my time, call me and tell me when you graduated from Northwestern University. I'll definitely give you a few minutes. Use LinkedIn to Stay Connected In the past if you wanted … [Read more...]
In Social Media, Attitude is Everything
When someone brings up social media, do you cringe or do you get excited? You don't have to tell me what you thought, but your answer to that question is the strongest indicator of your success in using social media to drive your career. In training thousands of professionals on how to effectively use sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to accomplish their goals, I've found one certainty: Attitude is everything Your Social Media Approach Matters How someone approaches social media is the biggest determinant on how effectively they integrate it into their business life Why? Because social media isn't about technology or about … [Read more...]
How Financial Professionals Can Take Their LinkedIn Profile to the Next Level
Update December 2018 Financial professionals have always considered themselves to be in the relationship business. The image of the small town insurance agent who knows everyone (and everyone's business) is deeply ingrained into our minds. Often they were the only source of information for their clients. That made them one of the pillars of the community and they were trusted advisors. But the world has changed. Whether someone lives in a rural town or a booming metropolis, they are only a few mouse clicks away from a wealth of information on products, markets, and prices. Your customers don't have to rely on you anymore. They … [Read more...]
How Can You Get More People to See Your LinkedIn Posts?
Updated December 2018 So I'm having an early morning breakfast at a hotel where I'm speaking that day for a group of financial advisers. I strike up a conversation with the guy sitting at the next table. And it turns out that he is attending the conference. He shares that he's been in the business for 20 years and has been pretty successful, but he actually came to the meeting to hear me speak about social media and LinkedIn, because he "...just doesn't get it. Why should I post what I'm doing? Who cares about that? Isn't it just people talking about what they had for lunch?" Create Visibility in a "Noisy" World After explaining … [Read more...]
The Most Important Rule When Writing LinkedIn Profiles
Updated September 2020 Over the last decade I've read a lot of LinkedIn profiles. I've helped thousands of professionals improve their own profiles. And I do a lot of networking and selling so I'm always looking at what people write about themselves. And here's the reality: Not all profiles are good. Sure, some of them are really useful. I can read the profile and understand what the person does, who they work with, and why I would want to connect with them. Others miss all of those main points. This is important. Because if your profile isn't useful to your reader, then you are shooting yourself in the foot. Engage … [Read more...]
My Trick to Successful First Dates (It Works on Networking “First Dates” Too!)
Updated October 2018 I wrote this article about how to do well on first dates (because I was going on a lot of first dates and I was struck by how awkward they can be). I realized that the tool works just as well when you grab a cup of coffee or lunch with a new networking partner...which is basically another form of first date. So whether you are looking for a referral partner or a spouse, I hope this will help! Most of us dread first dates. It's a weird combination of job interview, etiquette test, and fashion show that we submit to in the hopes that a) we like the other person and b) the other person likes us. And the most "useful" … [Read more...]
Don’t Worry about Keywords on Your LinkedIn Profile
I'm always looking for a few good tips on improving the LinkedIn profile (and I want to keep tabs on what everyone else is talking about). So I read a lot of articles that are some variation of "X number of ways to make your LinkedIn profile work for you". Most give solid foundational tips for the profile. But I see one idea over and over again that I have to say something about. It seems like basic advice but I think it's actually counter-productive. I cringe every time I see it because it's horrible advice to give someone who is reading an article on the basics of writing a LinkedIn profile: Create a keyword-rich summary and … [Read more...]
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