If you keep scrolling through your LinkedIn Profile, tucked in at the bottom you'll find the Recommendation section. And it's not getting a lot of love these days. Which is kind of ironic because it's one of the oldest sections of the profile. And one of the few that hasn't seen any significant changes over the years. Being down there at the end of the profile makes it easy to skip over. Many professionals gloss over it because they don't know how to ask for recommendations from their network. And they don't know the powerful impact a robust Recommendation section can create. But... Adding 3rd-party testimonials to your profile … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Ask for Referrals Over and Over (Without Being Obnoxious)
Customer referrals are a powerful way to build your business. Getting these referrals involves almost no costs and often leads to an easier sale (because they trust the person who referred them). It's also a great testimony to the quality of service you provided the referring customer. By learning to ask for them effectively, you can see a huge boost in your career. Developing a strong referral pipeline is critical in professions well beyond the "traditional" salesperson. Even if you don't have "sales" in your job title, referrals are important. They matter because: Professionals like attorneys or accountants need new clients. Want … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Incorporate LinkedIn into Your Offline Networking
When I talk to professionals about social media, I often get a litany of complaints (especially from veterans in the industry): "It's a waste of time!" "All I see is kids on their cell phones all the time - I don't have room in my schedule for that!" "The next generation is going to have a hard time talking to people because they're so used to just texting everything or Facebooking their life!" Even though each of these has some measure of truth, I also hear a little bit of jealousy as well. Those born after 1980 are considered digital natives because they've grown up with technology integrated into their lives. It's easy for them … [Read more...]
Don’t Like Other Networking Events? 5 Steps to Running Your Own!
These days it seems like networking events are springing up everywhere. No matter where you live and work, you could find a networking breakfast or cocktail reception to go to every day of the week. Many of these events brag about how large they are, and how many people you can meet by attending. There’s nothing wrong with going to these large events, but many people find them overwhelming, and it’s hard to make good connections in the hustle and bustle of a crowded room. What can you do...? Try this: put together your own networking event. It’s not as hard as it sounds, and it can be very rewarding. The goal here is not to have … [Read more...]