Are you Googleable?
May 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Yes, Googleable IS in the dictionary-the Urban Dictionary anyway.
So, are you Googleable?
Do you want to be? Do you need to be?
I hope you answered YES to all 3 of the questions above.
In 2009, being Googleable is ESSENTIAL for all who want to lead online and succeed in business.
Professionals must be known as experts in their field.
Businesses must maintain a reputation for producing quality products and services.
Non-profits must demonstrate how they are making a difference in the cause they advocate.
Today, getting word out about ourselves or our organization is done in large part online.
Those who aren’t googleable will miss out on the opportunity to be found in the millions of searches that take place online every minute of every day all over the world.
Stop now and google your name, your company name, brand or product name. How did you do?
Do you dominate the page? If you do, then you are Googleable!
Congrats!
If you don’t dominate the page, I can help.
The answer: Develop a web presence not just a website. Scatter your personal or organizational brand around the web. Social media is one of the best ways to quickly become Googleable.
To get started with personal branding:
- Create a LinkedIn profile that reads like the resume of your dream job.
For best results, edit your profile URL from the random characters to your first and last name. - Create a personal Facebook profile and build it to represent who you are professionally.
- Create a personal Twitter profile using your first and last name.
To get started building an online business reputation:
- Have company employees create personal profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
- Create a company page on Facebook that highlights your strengths
- Create a company profile on Twitter that links to your website
- Create a company page on LinkedIn
Just creating the profile, even if you aren’t actively using the accounts, can jumpstart your goal to become Googleable. There are many other ways to become Googleable, but these will get you started and move you toward page domination. I’d love to hear how you rose through the ranks to become Googleable. Be sure and post comments here about your success!
Is Your Mind on Overload? by Ellen Martin
May 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Are You on Overload?
Going through your day at a hundred miles per hour doesn’t leave much time for thought. When you are not thinking you are simply reacting to what happens around you. This anxiety causing cycle will cause you to feel as though you are losing your mind. When you feel yourself spiraling out of control, you must stop. Stop, take a deep breath, and think about what you are doing. Stop to really think about the pieces and parts. What is the next step you must take? Are you doing things in an efficient manner? How can you get control of the situation to avoid future anxiety-filled days?
I encourage my clients and students to do a “brain dump” at the beginning of each day. Get it all out of your head and down on paper. Write down everything that is occupying space in your head or causing you to worry. At this point you don’t have to categorize it or try to make it into some neat formatted list. You are literally dumping all of the “stuff” from your brain so that you can think more clearly. This will immediately help to calm the anxiety.
You can capture the information in a written list or use technology to help you. If you like using technology, here are a few options for you. Open a word document and start typing away! If you use Outlook, you can use the task feature to capture each of the to-do items in your head. You can also use a tool like OneNote to capture the information.
Once you have gotten everything out of your head you can organize the information into a usable format or you can just put the list aside. Sometimes just getting it out of your head is helpful and you don’t really need to do anything more with the information. Often once the brain dump is complete you will realize that you aren’t as overloaded as you felt. The information that you dumped is usually very valuable and can become an excellent task list. Now when you get started again, you will be working on purpose. If you get out of control again, you know that you can stop, re-group, and then get started again.
Ellen
Organizing Your Space. Simplifying Your Life.
www.organizationalexperts.com
Have You “Stretched” Today? by Myra Corrello, PhD
May 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Accomplishment. What a terrific feeling.Have you ever found yourself in a pickle and not sure how to get yourself out?
After taking the scary leap to spend several thousand dollars on an upcoming international conference, I found myself quickly sinking into a “money pit”.
Sadly, when you’re a solo act, there aren’t too many people around to bail you out – so you dig in & start getting creative – searching for a solution.
With $1300 in registration fees already paid I still faced the uphill battle of finding a decent hotel.
My fears materialized on the computer screen . . . “best rate: $279, $299, $289″ . . . yikes! I’ve never spent that kind of money for a hotel room – AND I needed one for 5 days! Suddenly, ka-chings were going off in my brain like popping corn. Where could I possibly afford to stay?
After 15 more hours of less-than-fruitful web searches on every discount-travel site & after checking out every no-frills B&B in my target city, I concluded it was time to “stretch” outside my comfort zone & try a new strategy. A friend had reminded me I still had never tried bidding for travel. Ughh. The thought had always turned me off – having someone TELL me where I’d be sleeping? Nah, I’ll pay the extra. And, the thoughts of having to learn something new while under-the-gun seemed exhausting but, backed into a corner, my willingness try increased substantially.
Being a planner, I can’t just jump in . . . not on something that could cost me hundreds of dollars if done wrong – or accidentally put me 50 miles out in the boonies with a bad click.
Folks posting in the travel message boards recommended a website that allows all bidders to build a database of best practices from their bidding experiences. From their posts you learn how to bid. Ever the good student, I voraciously read hundreds of posts to increase my skill level.
Finally, after 12 hours of research on the prep site (yes, I have a tendency for overkill), I made the big, nervous click onto the bidding site to try my luck. First bid: “Sorry, your bid was not accepted.” OK, I can deal with this. At least I have my Plan B in place. Let’s try again: “Rejected”. Rejection again. Rejection still again. Ughh, this is NOT exactly fun! And then finally on the fourth try: “Congratulations! Your offer of $135 per night has been accepted for the four-star hotel in the neighborhood of your choice.” Yipee!! A $1,600 hotel bill was miraculously cut to $773 – over a 50% discount!
Now that this 5-day ordeal is over, I’ve learned a few things:
- Invest in yourself – somehow, some way, it will work out.
- We’re more likely to try new things & take risks when our familiar options are limited.
- Spending the time to learn how to expertly build and use a new skill should be weighed as an investment – will it be something you’ll be able to use over and over? Can it help you accomplish your long-term goals? Know the true cost of your time investment versus the payoff.
- Listen to good advice – from your friends & from the unlimited “communities” of experts out there in cyberspace – and reciprocate whenever possible.
- Allow adequate time to plan any new pursuit but, at some point, you gotta jump in & get your feet wet.
- Use your new-found confidence to tackle another “stretch” while you’re hot!
Have you taken a productive “stretch” lately? What was it and what did you learn?
MINDSET: Sharing The Value of What You Offer By Tiffanie Z. Lyon, MBA
May 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment
It’s important to realize that what you are actually selling is not necessarily a product, a service or an idea, but “THE BENEFIT” the other person will gain from investing in your offering and the ULTIMATE RESULT they will experience. By doing so, you will naturally be more persuasive and have positive influence. Think about this: Almost everything we sell offers one or more of these 5 general benefits:
• Make money
• Save money
• Save time
• Offer convenience
• Provide peace of mind/security
Which ones do your product or service address?
With that in mind, let’s do an exercise to dig deeper into this concept and really help you understand what you are selling. It will make it a lot easier to get excited and share with others. Enthusiasm sells!
Create a three-column chart. In the left column, list the core products and services you offer. Then in the middle column, list the first benefit or outcome a customer would receive after they invest in each of your products/services. Don’t contemplate too long; just write the first thing that comes to mind. Now, as you look at those benefits or outcomes for each service ask yourself, “so what?”, “what does that mean to the customer?”, “what is the ultimate benefit or end state of that?” Take it one step further.
Here’s an example:
Service: Life or Business Coaching
Benefit/Outcome: Clearly defined values and set of goals
Ultimate Results/End State: SUCCESS! Achieving personal, professional and financial goals and faster than you could on your own!
The far right column is what you are selling! THAT’S what people buy. It’s not just a service or a widget, but you are selling that intangible end state, ultimate result. Can you see how easy it is to get excited about selling what you offer when you focus on and demonstrate the ultimate value to your prospective buyer? So, instead of trying to sell the left column, shift your mindset and focus on selling the right column. Combine that with excitement and you’ve crossed the mindset hurdle to sales.
The Power of a Positive Outlook
May 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment
In the rough seas of today’s economy, many are moaning about how bad things are. Why not take the approach of mind over matter? I know you can’t pull the covers over your head and hope that it will all go away. What I’m suggesting is that you focus on what you can do for your organization, rather than what you can’t do.
I recently went on a Caribbean cruise, and before leaving, my cruising mates were concerned about a hurricane heading in our direction. I was anticipating this vacation so much that I did not want to hear it. I didn’t watch forecasts and continued packing bathing suits and sunscreen.
As a leader, your role is to guide your ship through the stormy seas. Here are a few of my tips to help you navigate these turbulent waters:
- Communicate clearly to your employees.
- Share the forecast.
- Ask for their input.
- Challenge team members to be creative
- Reaffirm your commitment to them and to the organization
Henry Ford said “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re probably right.” I totally believe in this philosophy.
By the way, we never did encounter the hurricane!
Here’s to sunny skies and smooth sailing ahead!
Jennifer
