A great conference leaves you feeling empowered, inspired and ready to take on whatever comes your way. And then you arrive home feeling overwhelmed as you unpack, do laundry, open snail mail and handle all the mundane stuff that needs doing. Not only that, but also you have so much information that you hardly know where to begin to put it to use.

Profit from a Conference in Five Easy Steps

Recovered? Rested? Don’t proceed until you are. For a day or two, focus on recovering and getting through the mundane stuff. You have notes, business cards, programs and handouts to help you remember what you need to know. Then start making your conference pay off with these five steps.

1. Review your content. This includes notes, business cards, handouts, people to follow up with and anything else that came back with you. Don’t use this time to read it all. Instead, sort the content into three piles:
   • Now: The information most important to you, and items with deadlines.
   • Next: The things to look after you finish working through the “Now” pile.
   • Never: Useless stuff you received and items with the least value. Be ruthless: Toss them in the trash. Let them go, otherwise you risk doing nothing with any of the things you brought home. Tip: Next time you go to a conference, do a review to toss the bad stuff before you leave, as it will leave less to pack and less to contend with when you get home.
2. Act on the quick “Now” items. Read the notes, enter business cards into your address book, drop a quick note to contacts, link up with contacts in social networks and make a list of action items that will take more time.
3. Schedule “Now” items that take more time. If you want to, say, write an article based in information received or study notes in depth, put them on your tasks list with due dates to ensure they get done.
4. Check for information posted online. You may skip this if you have all you need. Sometimes you find a gap in the information you have or wish you had notes from a session you couldn’t attend. Find out if the sessions were recorded or the speaker’s slides have been posted online, and see if the conference had a Twitter hashtag or web site where everyone shared notes.
5. Complete your tasks. Make sure to follow up on the items scheduled in step 3.

Go Deeper With Your Conference Knowledge

Everyone absorbs and uses information differently. Here are things you can do to make the most of your conference content. Just watch out that you don’t get overwhelmed;  it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to contact too many people, select too much to study or write too many articles.

• Follow up with people. Did you make any promises to contacts you made at the event? Do those first before pursuing the rest of your “Now” items. Only move onto the “Next” group after you have comfortably followed up and stayed in touch with the higher-priority contacts.
• Study the materials. Since you sorted out the more important content, study it. How you study depends on your learning style. Looking over it one time isn’t enough for most people to remember and apply the concept. As you learn the material, you’ll find opportunities to put it to work. After you feel you got what you needed from the material,  move on to the “Next” pile.
• Write blog posts or articles. For some, one of the best ways to learn the material and let it sink in is by writing an article or blog. Make a list of article ideas and then prioritize them. Write articles on the most important topics. Put away remaining ideas for safekeeping.

Next time you prepare for another conference or trade show, check out Judi’s “A Conference Survival Guide for the Web Worker.”

How do you make the most of a conference after returning home?

Photo by stock.xchng user Vicky 5.

Almost on a daily basis, I come across opportunities to refer business to someone. Sometimes I’m asked for a resource, like if I know someone who can design business cards. Sometimes a possible connection just pops in my head, like if a person I come in contact with mentions something that reminds me of someone else or of an opportunity that might interest him or her. Other times, though, I miss the opportunity to make a referral simply because no one comes to mind right away. Yet, if I gave it some thought or asked some of my existing contacts, I’m sure I could easily find a resource to fill the need.

As a business owner, maximizing these opportunities is really important for several reasons:

1. It solidifies your place in the customer’s mind as a go-to resource, as someone who can always help solve problems and find solutions,
2. It reinforces relationships you’re building by showing your willingness to help those around you, and
3. It opens the door for reciprocal referrals between you and other service providers to which you regularly send business.

But how do you make sure you’re ready to act the minute an opportunity presents itself (or at least not very long afterward)?

Step 1: Have Tools in Place to Support You

There are tons of CRM and contact management applications available to help you manage an ever-growing database of connections. Highrise is my favorite; I like the simplicity and ease-of-use of 37Signals tools.

Of course, even the best tool won’t help you if you don’t populate it with data, and this can be the most intimidating part of starting to use contact management software. My recommendation is to ease into it. Start from today and add new contacts you come in contact with. To get existing contacts into the program, try adding a few each day until you have everyone set up. There are ways to import contacts from other programs, too. Just be sure to go through all applications and places where you currently keep information about contacts, including your email and social networking accounts, past blog entries (for example, if you interviewed someone for your site or they provided a guest post), and anywhere else you might find a long-lost resource.

The most important thing, though, is to be sure and tag each person in every way you might search for him or her. For example, you might tag a virtual assistant as VA, virtual assistant, web designer, website designer, etc., depending on that particular virtual assistant’s expertise and skill set.

Step 2: Get to Know the People in Your Network

Learn what your network does. Learn what they need. Recently, someone asked if I knew of anyone who did a particular type of web design. At the time, no one came to mind, but then just a week later, I met another person who fitted the bill. I did an email introduction, which will hopefully lead to shared referrals between the two of them.

Pay attention to the little details about people, even things like hobbies and past work experience. If someone is an avid reader, for instance, you might need a book recommendation one day, or maybe you’ll read a great book that you can pass along to that person. As you discover these little tidbits, enter them (again, as tags) in the person’s contact record.

Not only does paying attention to the “little things” help you along the way as a business owner, but it also deepens your relationships and builds your credibility.

Step 3: Keep Your Network Top of Mind.

Always be thinking of the people around you. How can you help them? How can you help not just your clients and followers, but also fellow business owners? Every connection, every referral and every introduction strengthens your network and your business. People will come to trust and depend on you for quality recommendations and resources to help them in their lives and businesses.

Step 4: Show Initiative

Show people you can help them. When someone asks for a web designer and that’s out of your area of expertise, go to your contact management software and search for “web designer” and see who shows up. Nothing will impress a customer more than you going the extra mile for him or her and sending over a list of quality web designers.

By developing a strong and comprehensive list of resources, it becomes even easier to take better care of your customers and clients, as well as all the relationships in your network, and of course, there’s something to be said for good karma and paying it forward.

What tips do you have for maintaining a better “little black book”?

Photo by Flickr user vince42, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

Related GigaOM Pro content (sub. req.): Social Media in the Enterprise

It’s silly, and kind of stupid, but it’s fun and it brightens up the Facebook News Feed. And it actually gets people interacting on Facebook, which it seems to me was once the whole point of the site in to begin with, although I can’t be certain because that’s a time clouded by the impenetrable fog of so many Farmville updates that my brain has been severely damaged.

And since these kinds of memes put the “social” back in “social media,” I find them quite useful from a web working perspective, too. They help you connect on a human level with people you might not otherwise have communicated much with.

Case in point, with many people who add me to Facebook after finding me through professional channels (i.e. this and other blogs I write for), there is little to no follow-up communication after that initial virtual handshake. Regardless of what we claim this says about our proficiency as social networkers, it does not constitute a relationship by any stretch of the imagination.

Thanks to the doppelganger game, and others like it, I’ve actually begun to have meaningful, non-business related interaction with a few of these folks. Even if the initial back-and-forth is quite innocuous, it’s still a seed that can lead to great things growing. Please note, I’m talking about impromptu memes and interaction here, not the use of Facebook apps like Farmville. If Facebook cut off application support tomorrow, I doubt I’d notice, except for the fact that I’d have to click the “Hide” button much less frequently in my News Feed.

The other benefit of participating in the impromptu online social network games that crop up constantly is that they’re just plain fun. You know as well as I do that you’re already spending lots of time procrastinating on Facebook anyway, so why not procrastinate in a way that encourages community building?

Have you developed any meaningful connections via innocuous social games like this?

You don’t have to limit your marketing and promotional efforts to content creation, though. Here are a few other ideas to help you get the word out about your business.

1. Create and maintain a high-quality, easy-to-use, self-explanatory web site.

Your web site works for you 24/7/365, so it’s important that it does a good job. It doesn’t need to be beautiful or showy. As a web designer, I would actually recommend clean and easy-to-use over pretty, fun or cute.

When thinking about your web site’s design and functionality, focus on answering these questions for your ideal visitor:

• What is this site about?
• What does this person/company do?
• How much does the service/product cost? How does the service/product work? What else do I need to know about this service/product?
• How can I sign up or purchase this service/product? How can I contact this person/company?
• Should I keep up with this person/company (through a blog, newsletter, regular email coupons/discounts, etc.)? If so, how do I sign up or follow the person/company?

Your site should quickly and obviously answer these questions so that visitors can find their way around your site easily and so that they take action as quickly and painlessly as possible.

2. Use a short and effective email signature.

Every time you send an email, it’s a chance to remind your followers and new contacts what you do. Take advantage of the opportunity. Don’t be spammy. Don’t overdo it. Just provide a concise message to jog their memory and get them to click over to your site every once in a while.

Here’s my signature.

Amber Singleton Riviere http://www.ambersingleton.com/

I also like my friend Betsy’s.

Betsy Talbot | www.marriedwithluggage.com | Twitter @marriedwluggage

3. Be a guest on other video blogs, podcasts and radio shows.

Monitor places like Twitter, Blogger Linkup, and HARO for opportunities to be interviewed for video blogs, podcasts and radio shows. It’s a great way to expand your reach and get known for your expertise.

4. Invite others to be guests on your blog, video cast or podcast.

One of my best methods for networking actually revolves around guest posts, whether I’m inviting people to contribute to my site or offering content for their sites. It’s been a very effective way to generate interest around my business. It takes a lot of effort to keep up, but it’s worth every minute of it.

I offer guest posts regularly on my site (usually ten or more per month), and what’s great about it is that you usually get the added benefit of promotion to the person’s followers and audience.

5. Participate in online networking.

Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are great places to meet new people and get the word out about you and your company or site. Also, be sure to follow and comment on other blogs that target your ideal customer or client. By participating in conversations surrounding your niche, you’ll become known as an expert and a valued source of information.

6. Run promotions and discounts on your services periodically.

Getting potential customers and clients to take action and actually purchase your products or services can be tricky, but if you run occasional discounts, you’ll find customers coming out of the woodwork, and it’s a good way to get new prospects to test the waters with you and your company.

I offer a discount in each of my newsletter issues, as well as occasional discounts on Facebook and Twitter. On that note, running contests can also be a good way to get attention for you and your business, especially on Twitter.

Promoting a business doesn’t always have to be difficult. The key, though, is consistency.  Select the methods that work best for you and then stick with them. Do them on a regular basis, even if you’re not seeing immediate results. It takes some time to gain traction, but if you’re persistent, you’ll eventually hit the tipping point and business will start to snowball.

What other easy ways do you promote your business?

Image from Flickr by Slack pics

It takes a while to appreciate the juggling you have to do as a business owner, but Larson’s quote wraps it up pretty concisely. Here are the three things you need to pay attention to if you want your business to thrive.

• Do what you do, and do it well. You might be a writer, a virtual assistant, or a publicist. No matter what your trade, work to be the best at it. Know your business, constantly improve, and have guiding principles that define how you work and who your ideal client is.
• Be systematic and consistent about promoting your business. The strategies and tactics you use to market you and your services or products are much less important than the regularity and consistency in which you do them. Pick the things that work for you, develop a plan of attack around those strategies, and take small and steady steps toward reaching your marketing goals on a daily basis.
• Nurture and grow your network. People mean everything to the success of your business. Take care of them. Surround yourself with clients and colleagues who inspire you to do your absolute best work, and then make it a two-way street. Be genuinely excited by their success, and they will be in yours.

As a business owner, it can be easy to neglect one or more areas of our businesses. We drown in the work itself and forget to take care of the people in our sphere of influence. We obsess over the marketing aspect at times, until our work suffers. The only way to lasting success is through taking care of all three areas equally.

How do you ensure that you take care of your people, your marketing and your business?

Image from Flickr by CuLeX-

For a long time I thought of trade shows as specialized shopping malls, with dealers in booths trying to sell their wares to a sea of customers. But recent experiences have taught me that trade shows aren’t just shopping malls.They are the business equivalent of speed dating.

Technology has changed what most businesses need to get out of a trade show. Thanks to the ability of the web to spread information, a trade show isn’t a customer’s only way to learn about products that they need. Vendors can educate customers via the web, and make sales contacts via email.

That almost sounds like there isn’t a need for trade shows any more. But on a day-to-day level, for many of the things that we do conducting business, we don’t do business with companies. We do business with people. That is where the real value still is in trade shows. “Networking” is a buzzword we hear all the time, but at trade shows it really has become the primary value. It just isn’t worth it to go to most shows anymore only to do a “look-see”. You only get true value if you go with the intent of interacting, meeting people and furthering relationships.

That is why  it’s a good way to think about trade shows as speed dating. In speed dating, you rotate around a room and spend a few minutes each with different people before deciding if you connected with any of them and want a more extended interaction. At a trade show, you run around a trade show floor chatting for a few minutes at a time with a variety of people, trading business cards and then extending an invitation to follow-up with someone you think you might be able to establish a relationship with. Both are about spending a few minutes to get a first impression and decide whether there might be anything in a future relationship between you.

So how do you succeed at trade show speed dating?

• Make a good first impression. Pay attention to the details, just like you would if you were trying to impress someone to get a date. What you wear, how you carry yourself, and what you say all contribute to that first impression. Make sure you correctly gauge the vibe of the event. Over-dressing can be just as bad as under-dressing.

• Think outside the box. Don’t dismiss someone as a business connection because it seems like what they do isn’t useful to you. Talk to everyone. If you meet someone you find yourself feeling in step with professionally, don’t walk away from that. Maybe one or both of you will change positions at a future point. Or maybe you can work together in some ground-breaking new way.

• Have good radar. This takes practice. It really is an art. But learning how to spot the people who are fake, or putting on a show, will save you a lot of trouble down the line. And it will save you networking time because you can move on to the next prospect faster, and maybe find that next fabulous business connection all the sooner.

What is your best trade show networking tip?

As I look back, I realize that our success was based not just on our technical skills. After all, anything technical can be done, and done well, by lots of people. Our products and services aren’t that different than those offered by our competitors. So what did we do right?

• We listened to our customers, so we could tailor our offerings to their current and near-future needs. We don’t speculate about technologies in decades to come, but we do keep up with the latest technologies, products and services that are available today. Our informal slogan (with apologies to the old Panasonic commercials) is: “Just slightly ahead of our customers.”
• We were flexible. We were able to change our pricing structure, create new packages of products and services, and experiment with special deals, quickly and easily. My friends in marketing would be horrified at the lack of research we did before embarking on some of these changes, but we didn’t have the time or the money. Since we spent zero dollars on advertising, though, any success went straight to the bottom line, and unsuccessful experiments cost only our time.
• We took advantage of our reputation. After almost 25 years in business, our customers knew that we could provide creative solutions and personal service. In tough times, people were much more willing to do business with folks they knew and trusted, which put us in an excellent position to meet their needs.
• We could afford to be selective about the projects we took on. Even in tough times, we’ve learned that it’s just not worth the hassle of working with customers with whom we don’t see eye to eye.
• We minimized our overhead. As WWD readers know well, there are tons of products and services available to let small businesses work from home (or anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection) easily, and just as effectively as businesses with expensive office space. I’ve worked from home since 1991, and thanks to the latest technologies, it’s never been easier than it was this past year.
• Networking was more important than ever, and social network sites like LinkedIn and Facebook expanded who I could reach easily. Such sites didn’t create new friends, but they made it easy to keep in contact, and reconnect, with old friends. In 2009, I actually did business with an old high-school friend who I hadn’t heard from in many years, as well as my very first client from 1985. Of course, I didn’t give up networking locally; I acquired several clients who got to know me through professional and community groups.
• We maintained a diverse customer base. We’ve all heard the stories about car parts manufacturers who were dependent on one client, like GM or Ford. When the auto companies crashed, the parts companies did, too. It’s easy to fall into the trap of relying too heavily on one customer, one sector, or one type of business. It’s a mistake I’ve made in the past, too, but my company now has a customer base that’s about evenly divided between small businesses, medium-sized businesses, and nonprofit organizations. And while many of our customers are in the Northwest, we have lots of clients elsewhere, as the Seattle area tends to be tied to a couple of large employers that have their own booms and busts.
• We did everything necessary to retain a strong team. I’ve been fortunate to work with many talented people over the years, but my current colleagues are the best. We’ve developed a skill set that makes our small company competitive with much larger organizations. When we reorganized the company in 2001 as an LLC, we agreed that our first priority was to have fun and make a living doing so. It was sometimes tough to do that this year, but we managed it most of the time.

In 2010, my company will mark its 25th anniversary. I’m already working on planning the party. Let’s hope 2010 will be a better year for everyone. In the meantime, best wishes to you for a prosperous new year!

What techniques did you use to survive 2009?

Photo credit: stock.xchng user gtrfrkbob

I act quite differently in my car than I do when I meet strangers in a store. I’m much more likely to be aggressive while driving, whereas in a store, I’m generally very courteous and tend to go out of my way to hold doors open for people, and that sort of thing.

It’s strange, really. I’m “in a rush” when I’m on the road and don’t have time for niceties, but after parking my car and walking into a store five minutes later, I can take the time to be polite. It made me wonder if medium influences behavior.

I was talking recently with another entrepreneur about how people can be rude and even intentionally hurtful when posting comments online. We wondered if those same people would act differently in person. We agreed that the Internet has a tendency to evoke rudeness where it otherwise wouldn’t exist. For example, I came across a Twitter reply a few days ago that, while not necessarily overtly rude, seemed snippy and maybe a little arrogant. It gave me a bad first impression of the company and its team, something that is now hard for them to repair.

All of these instances made me realize how important it is to be polite and courteous in every environment. A simple tweet or blog comment might very well damage a reputation that you’ve worked hard to establish, when all that was really needed was a little consideration for another person.

How observant are you about how you behave in different environments? If you knew your customers could see you, would you act the same?

Image from Flickr by Jacob Bøtter

But how do you tap into this invaluable resource? It can be intimidating to go to others for help and can be perceived as pushy and self-serving if approached the wrong way. Here are a few tips to help others help you.

1. Embrace the idea of “paying it forward.”

People really do want to help you, which usually stems from them wanting to help everyone in their network. They ask what you do and immediately think, “Oh, you should meet [fill in the blank]!” Likewise, when you mention that you have a particular need, they mention several people you might consider and offer to connect you with them.

The most important thing to remember is that networking is all about adding value. The more you find ways to help those around you, the more opportunities will inevitably come your way.

2. Make it easy.

In an article on Techcrunch, Michael Arrington said “Those of us in a position to help entrepreneurs need to do more of it…But this is a two way street. Budding entrepreneurs trying to break down the walls need to grow up. Most of the time people don’t have the time to help you, and you shouldn’t aim hate at them for it. Instead, try a different angle or a different person.” This quote made me think of two things. Firstly, it’s important to remember that people are busy, so you need to make it so easy for them to help you that they can do it quickly and without too many steps.

For example, Betsy Talbot of Married with Luggage emailed people in her network recently asking for promotional help. She made it insanely easy by including links, as well as short and specific instructions for what to do with each of the links. She even included copy so that we didn’t have to come up with it ourselves.

3. Don’t be self-serving.

The second thing about Arrington’s quote that struck me was about trying a different angle. It’s easy to come at things from the wrong angle, and when promoting a business, that’s usually followed by rejection. If you always think of it as, “How can I get people talking about me or my business?,” then that means (a) you have to introduce yourself to someone without sounding like you’re selling something and (b) you have to somehow get them to feel compelled to mention you to others. If you think of it this way, it can seem purely self-serving.

Instead, find a way to help them, and of course, you have to always be sincere with your help. Maybe ask to interview the person for your blog or podcast, or if the person has written a book recently, offer to review it. By reaching out in this way, the person will actually look forward to learning more about you and your business, and if they enjoy talking with you, they may take the time to mention you to people in their own network.

The main thing to remember is that people are more than willing to help you. Most entrepreneurs are acutely aware of the value of networking, and successful ones understand that networking is all about helping others. Just remember, as Arrington said, it’s a two-way street.

What have been your biggest lessons in networking and helping others help you with your business? How do you make sure that you’re not perceived as self-serving?

Image from Flickr by crschmidt

A good bio shares your experience, builds your credibility, makes a first impression and displays your personality. Having a great Twitter bio is important as it can make or break a person’s decision whether to follow you or not.

Not only do you need to pay attention to what your bio says about you, but also the other fields in your profile including “Web” and “Location.” The Twitter bio may be small, but it’s powerful. Here is a checklist to ensure you your bio passes muster.

Does your bio include relevant keywords? Do you want people to find you by your career, company, industry, location? Why are you using Twitter? Who are the people you want to connect with? Use these to figure out what keywords to use.

The keywords for me include “writer,” “editor” and “games” (I do game reviews.) I built my bio around those and added a personal touch at the end: “Content maven aka writer, editor and bookwormette who plays with words and games (www.thegamezen.com) in between PTA work and refereeing the kids.” Yes, I snuck in a URL, even though it’s not clickable.

Does your bio cover what you do? People who use Twitter for networking and business tend to follow people based on what they do and their topics of interest. The “what you do” part can also get you on people’s lists. For instance, I have lists for writers, marketers, PR peeps and so on; and it’s the bios that helped me with building my Twitter lists.

What do you have under “Location”? While many of us can work with people all over the world, our locations can lead to surprising opportunities. In fact, I had lunch with someone I met in Twitter. Within just a few tweets, we found out that we live within a mile of each other! Again, this can get you on location-based Twitter lists like mine, which covers Dallas-Fort Worth.

Have you seen nonsense numbers for location such as UT: 12.345678, -234.5678? This comes from Twitter applications like Ubertwitter, but these mean nothing to most people. (FYI: you can enter these coordinates in Google Maps to find the person’s location.) Originally, I had “Plano, Texas” and changed it to “Plano, Texas, north of Dallas” so those searching for “Dallas” will find me.

What does your web link look like? This might seem like a strange question, but some people put in short URLs (tinyurl, bit.ly, ow.ly, is.gd, etc.) in this field. Most of us have learned the hard way not to trust this. Twitter doesn’t shorten the links in this field, so don’t use a shortened URL link. It reeks of spam. “Hidden URLs are usually spam sites or MLM marketing,” tweets Suzanne (aka ZeroCattle.)

Where does your web link go? There’s no one single obvious answer. Often I want to go straight to a person’s blog, if they have one. Sometimes I just want to read more about the person. Some people create a landing page specifically for Twitter, which is where my link goes. However, I wonder if pointing to my blog would be a better idea.

Suzanne suggests linking to your business’ web site or to a profile on a social network site, if you don’t have your own site. While it’s easy to set up your own site, not everyone has the need for one especially those in corporate careers. Peggy Dolane (aka FreeRangeMom) likes to see a person’s web link take her where she can learn more about them or their passions.

Don’t worry too much about having the perfect bio. Many of us have tweaked our bios over time while becoming more comfortable and familiar with Twitter. Even my own is probably version 3.3. Remember, be yourself. That’s what makes you stand out.

What do you look for in a Twitter profile?

There are other things you can do, things that are far more representative of your trade than a lifeless rectangular slip of paper with some contact information printed upon it. That’s not to say that all rectangular slips of paper are without merit, just that most traditional ones just aren’t getting the job done like they used to, following the demise of the Rolodex. Here are some alternatives you may want to consider.

Email/Blog Address Fortune

Maybe I just have a lot of superstitious friends with hoarding tendencies, but I, and people I know, tend to hang on to the fortunes we get from fortune cookies at Chinese restaurants. At least until the next time I wash the pants I’m wearing, at which point I empty out the pockets and re-read said fortune.

Lucky Brand jeans uses this as a marketing tactic, and includes a branded fortune in the pocket of a new pair of its product. You can do the same. Find a memorable quote or write an interesting fortune, print them on slips of paper with your logo if you have one, and put an email or blog address on the back. Handing these out will not only help you network, it should spark conversation, so long as the content you print on them is interesting enough. Try to come up with a variety so that you can hand them out in groups without doubling up.

QR Code

Depending on the crowd you’re mixing with, and whose attention you want to attract, you might want to riff on the traditional business card by handing out cards printed with QR codes. QR codes are a type of barcode that can be used to link to digital content via a scanned, printed symbol. Here’s an example:

QR codes can be scanned by software readers on smart phones with cameras (as long as there’s an app available for the phone, which there often is) and will process the information and launch the appropriate content. For example, the one above should open a link to WebWorkerDaily. You can generate your own QR codes here.

Obviously, you have to be careful who you give this kind of thing to. It works best with tech professionals who’ll either be familiar with QR codes, or with tech enthusiasts who’ll be interested enough to find out more about them.

Contact Info T-Shirt

If you’re going to a trade show or convention, and you aren’t afraid to do a little shameless self-promotion (which you really shouldn’t be if you’re in this line of business), then have a t-shirt printed up with either your email or web address on it.

Now that cell phone cameras are so prevalent it’s unlikely you’ll come across someone who doesn’t have one, all you have to do to share your info with someone is stand very still for a couple seconds while they snap a photo. It’s memorable, it’s environmentally-friendly, and you get to feel like a rock star for a day while getting your picture taken.

Business Rock

This isn’t mine, it’s something I found on Instructables, but it was so off-beat that I had to share. Basically, the idea is just that you find a well-worn lake or river stone, hand-write your details on it, and distribute that in lieu of a business card.

It’s time consuming, sure, but it doesn’t cost a thing, and it will help you stand out from the field, especially if you work in a creative line of business. You can pick up a relatively inexpensive customizable craft stamp if you’d rather simplify and save your hand some cramping, too.

It’s a little out of left field, but maybe in your line of work, that’s seen as a good place to be coming from.

Let’s face it. The business card isn’t useful. It’s a little like wearing a hat in public. An odd tradition left over from a bygone era that evokes some nostalgia, but that’s about it. You don’t have to start carrying around a sack of rocks, necessarily, but try and shake things up a bit, and your business relationships will benefit.

What business card alternatives do you use or have you come across and thought about using? Any tangible benefits to do doing things differently?

Photo credit: bargainmoose

Often, we fill out the fields provided by social networking sites like we’re filling out some random form that we don’t intend for anyone else to see, not giving it very much thought. It isn’t until we see how the information is displayed on our profiles that we even take notice.

“About” pages are often even worse. (I know. I build web sites every day, and I see how clients struggle with what to put on them.) They are frequently forced, flat and not at all engaging.

Think about it. Have you ever gone to an in-person networking event or even a class where the participants were asked to introduce themselves? Every person stands up and works his or her way through an uncomfortable 30 seconds in the spotlight. “Hi, my name is Bob. I’m a coach with Lifeline Consulting. I’ve been in business for nine years. I specialize in helping business professionals, and if you’d like to know more about me or my company, please check out my web site. Blah, blah, blah.”

Every once in a while, though, you’ll hear someone give a very compelling introduction that makes everyone in the room laugh or smile and perk up with enthusiasm and interest. Maybe the person says something about climbing Mount Everest or working alongside his potbelly pig, Mr. Bojangles. Whatever it is, it’s attention-grabbing and memorable, and chances are, he’s the only person you’ll remember from the event. In fact, you’ll probably never forget him.

The Internet is just one big series of personal introductions, except this time, we aren’t dreading it, because we aren’t even thinking about it. Every time someone visits your profile, sees your photo (or lack thereof) within a network, or visits your web site, you’re making an impression (or not), so it’s important to make sure that you’re telling a story that grabs the attention of your ideal client and target audience.

I recently spent time with publicity expert Nancy Juetten of Main Street Media Savvy, and we had several discussions about personal bios and the importance of a compelling story. Nancy had just completed a book on the topic, and I was very interested in learning how it might help my clients with their bios. At the end of our time together, I realized that my own profiles and “About” pages needed some attention.

She gave a few helpful tips. Most importantly, you have to be authentic. She also shared her four cornerstones of an exceptional bio, which include:

1. Stunning results. You have to be able to show how you help people. What have you done for your clients? Do you have several testimonials from satisfied customers to demonstrate your abilities and unique skill set?
2. Succinct stories. Why did you get into your line of work? Is this something you imagined doing when you were a child? Is it something you’ve always had a knack for? Do you have specific stories of how you ended up where you are?
3. Sassy soundbites. Nancy shared a story of Kim Duke, sales trainer and founder of SalesDivas.com, whose personal soundbite is that she believes “cold calling is best left in the freezer,” which is a much more interesting way of saying that she doesn’t believe in the tactic. What soundbites could you share about you, your beliefs, or your business?
4. Social information to help ideal clients connect. Do you love adventure? Are you an artist in your off time? Do you love horses? What about you might be attractive to others and help your ideal clients connect with you?

A big take-away from my time with Nancy was that we shouldn’t just “play it safe and only share facts about our credentials, clients lists and work experience.” Instead, we should “share our passions, our personalities and our unique perspectives that set us apart and make us memorable.” This is what makes people connect with us, and at the end of the day, our businesses come down to the relationships we establish with our customers and clients.

How do you set yourself apart by sharing a unique and memorable story? Have you seen an increase in the number or quality of clients coming your way as a result of being more personal and compelling?

Image from Flickr by Swift Benjamin

The first event was a camp in Santa Cruz, Calif., and there have been five of them held in various cities so far. Similar to BarCamps and other unconferences, the agenda is flexible in order to promote learning and free exchange of ideas:

“The concept is easy. Show up. Express interests and ask questions. Break into small groups and exchange knowledge. Become a better freelancer.”

Upcoming camps will be taking place in D.C., Sacramento, Calif., and a couple in Nevada, as well as in India, Italy and a few in Germany.

The network is asking people to help getting Freelance Camps going on every continent. You can go to the Register page on the site to join an upcoming camp, or learn how to organize your own.

Note that the group also uses a number of social media tools for networking and exchange. You can join their Facebook group, their LinkedIn group and follow them on Twitter, too.

See you there!

Are you planning on attending a Freelance Camp or setting one up in your city?

The real value that employers need to be able to see is in a prospective hire’s ideas. That’s the focus of Brazen Careerist, Trunk’s startup. The site focuses primarily on Generation Y. Trunk points to generational differences as a motivating factor: “Generation Y is surprisingly hard to find and recruit online; Facebook doesn’t work as a professional tool.” Brazen Careerist offers a community that brings people together into a professional community, offering a level playing field for individuals with good ideas but lousy resumes, as well as access for employers.

The community and networking opportunities are at least as valuable as the opportunity for Brazen Careerist’s members to showcase their ideas and abilities. “You’re unemployable without a network,” says Trunk. She points to the fact that while Brazen Careerist started primarily as a blogging community, most members didn’t see as much value in developing traffic for their own blogs as in building connections. It is particularly important in the face of recruiters’ changing strategies. “The recruiting industry is now establishing relationships, so that they know people before a job opens,” she says.

Especially for web workers, Trunk recommends making connecting a priority. Just because you’re working online doesn’t mean that you don’t need to make personal connections. In fact, you may need to work at it even more. “Build flexibility,” says Trunk. “Become a part of the pipeline now, because you don’t know what the future will bring. A job hunt isn’t ‘I need a job now’ — it’s a safety net you build now, for when you’ll need it later.”

Trunk points out that connecting just for the sake of connecting won’t build the network you need. She says, “Social networking is about being kind,” suggesting that to build connections, a person should be looking for opportunities to help other people out. “Not everyone blogs or is a thought leader, but everyone can connect and be kind.”

Brazen Careerist just relaunched, focusing on career management. The site offers a way to aggregate ideas, letting users bring together blogs, Twitter, networking and other elements of their careers, which just don’t show up on a resume. The site also provides opportunities for recruiters looking to hire Generation Y employees. You can also find more information about Penelope Trunk on her blog.

Does your resume fit that traditional format?

Learning How to Participate

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around certain social networks, specifically Twitter and Facebook. I recently visited Twitter in hopes of understanding it a little better. As I scrolled through the conversations, I started feeling overwhelmed and wondered, “How am I going to figure this out? I don’t get these conversations or even want to follow most of them, so how will I ever participate?”

Then I thought, “Let me find some people I know.” I found several people and scrolled through their recent tweets. Immediately, I felt better, and, in some cases, I was actually following the conversations. It occurred to me that the important thing was to find and follow people I knew and supported or who knew and supported me, which immediately took away the intimidation (or fear) factor. All of a sudden, instead of feeling overwhelmed and confused, I could see that we were simply people supporting each other’s endeavors and sharing in friendly conversation.

Learning Who to Follow

The second thing I had to figure out was who to follow, which can also be overwhelming. I decided not to feel obligated to follow anyone simply because the person was popular on the network or because the person followed me. Instead, I would only follow people I was truly interested in following. That way, I would be more likely to engage in the conversation. If someone followed me, great. If I discovered that we had common interests or that I was interested in his or her work, I might follow the person in time, but I didn’t have to decide that right away.

Learning How to Find Followers

The final consideration was how to get people to follow me, and that was the easiest part. I simply had to be myself. I decided to only post information and resources that are relevant to my target audience, and then I’d let the audience find me. I’ve discovered that the more I do this, the more my followers increase. Sure, I lose some followers here and there, but that only means that they were never part of my target audience anyway, which is actually good news.

In the end, all we can be is ourselves, and most of the time, we already have our own set of true fans. Find them, follow them, and communicate with them regularly. Everything else will take care of itself.

How have you figured out ways to participate on social networks without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated? Share your strategies for building your online audience and engaging in conversations.

Image from Flickr by chanchan222

When I participate in a scheduled Twitter chat, it neatly sidesteps those barriers. I feel like I’m in the know and a real part of the conversation. Twitter chats reflect what I’ve always thought face-to-face conversations should be like. While online conversation means missing out on the personal connection of seeing others and their personalities, it’s worth shattering the barriers that come with it.

How Quiet Marketing Led to a New Career

I never considered having my own business because I feared the marketing aspect; knowing it needs to be a regular part of the job. I fell into freelance writing as a side dish to the entree that was my corporate job. Since I had the corporate job, I felt no pressure to do marketing or keep my client list full. Over time, I discovered that I could keep the clients coming.

In 2005, I made the leap to full-time freelancing. In four years, I’ve been lucky enough to keep roping in new clients and staying busy even when the economy fell in the dirt. So what worked for me? Referrals and social networking — even before people started called it social networking. I call it “Quiet Marketing,” because it doesn’t involve using my voice. It began with starting a blog in 2000, before most people had heard the term. I was interacting in online forums before the Twitters, LinkedIns and Facebooks moseyed onto the web.

How to Hit a Bonanza with Quiet Marketing

The key is to mix it up and cross-reference (link from one site to others.) If you’re still uncomfortable with social media, break out of your shell first. If you read WebWorkerDaily on a regular basis, you’ll be familiar with most of the tasks that make up Quiet Marketing:

1. Create a social networking plan, identifying your goals and strategies.
2. Respond on at least three different social networks per day, or a set number per week. Blogs count.
3. Share other people’s stuff. Karma pays.
4. Duck the hard sell, so you don’t scare your prospects away.
5. Change up your the type of content you post: share links, original thoughts, comments on other people’s thoughts.
6. Reference your own stuff seldomly.
7. Read up on what people consider social networking spam.
8. Remember to reference your email newsletter, blog, Twitter and other social network accounts. Mix! Mix!
9. Accompany links with short commentary to make them more meaningful. Stand-alone links don’t entice people to click.
10. Join chats and live conversations. Keep your name out there.
11. Avoid dominating chats and live conversations. Listening matters.
12. Respect rules and other people’s opinions. It’s okay to debate — just play nice.
13. Connect with people in your industry, not just your ideal customers. Competitors, too!
14. Keep a mindset of “building relationships” and ensure your constantly communicating valuable information. Prepare for no instant gratification.
15. Use snail mail. I hand write (complete with a pen and stationery) notes to my clients every year.
16. Send emails to clients to show you thinking of them or to check in with them. Stay “top of mind.”
17. Think before you post anything online. Even if you’re just having fun, do you want your future clients to see it?

I’ve been interviewed, invited as a guest expert, quoted in books and connected with editors, all thanks to my Quiet Marketing techniques. This by no means skipping face-to-face meetings and phone calls entirely. Quiet Marketing just offers options, especially for those who are shy or don’t like phone conversations.

What’s in your Quiet Marketing toolbox?

Photo credit: wawal