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10 Networking Tips for Entrepreneurs

admin — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:26:36 +0000

10 Networking Tips for Entrepreneurs

internet marketing Articles from Moe Tamani, the SEO Services Consultant.

If you’re an entrepreneur who gets nervous at the very mention of the word “networking,” you’re not alone. While many business owners love the opportunity to talk about their business, others simply don’t feel comfortable walking up to complete strangers and starting conversations. The good news is that if networking is done properly, it doesn’t have to be traumatic or a big waste of your time. Use these 10 tips to prepare you for your next networking opportunity.

Keep Networking Tools at the Ready. Keep business cards, brochures, and a carrying case full of other people’s business cards with you at all times. You’ll feel more confident and look more professional if you can put your hands directly on the information you need right away. Also keep a professional-looking name badge with you all the time.
Set Networking Goals. The next time you attend a networking event, decide on an appropriate number of people that you’re going to meet. If you’re feeling energetic, 15 might be an obtainable goal. If you’re feeling less than bulletproof, go for a smaller number. But don’t leave until you’ve met your goal, and get cards from everyone you meet
Act Like a Host. Don’t sit back and wait for people to come to you. Greet people immediately and help them meet others you know.
Listen and Ask. There’s a reason we all have two ears and one mouth, so do twice as much listening as talking. Let the other person talk about himself first, and then share some about yourself and your business. They don’t need to know your whole life story, but you also shouldn’t assume that they know who you are or what you do.
Don’t Make Deals. Networking events are not sales pitch venues. They are opportunities to build relationships and partnerships. If you want to use the connections you’ve made later, that’s fine, but you’ll find yourself a networking pariah if you use these events to close deals.
Refer. A good networker is looking out for the good of everyone he or she meets. This includes providing referrals to other professionals. Even if you can’t provide a specific referral, at least pass on some helpful information.
Exchange Cards. Each time you exchange cards with someone, ask for two. One is for you to keep and one is to pass along to someone else who may be in need of their services.
Be Efficient. Don’t spend your entire time with one person. A good rule of thumb is to spend a maximum of ten minutes with each person you talk to. And while it’s tempting to cling to people you already know, drag yourself away to talk to businesspeople you’ve never met. If you find someone you’d like to talk with further, set up a time to get together later.
Use Business Cards as Notebooks. After you get a business card from someone, jot down information on the back that will help you remember who they were and what you talked about, plus any helpful information for the future.
Follow up. This is probably the hardest rule to follow. Given all the work you just did talking to strangers and exchanging cards, you’ll be tempted to simply rest in the fact that you checked off your networking requirement for the month. Set a deadline within the next week to follow up. That way you won’t keep putting it off. And follow up with any promises you made to the people you met. This goes without saying, but you’d be surprised how many business owners drop the ball.

Networking is one of the most important things you’ll do as an entrepreneur. Follow these 10 tips for efficient and effective networking, and you can make it work for you!

5 Reasons to Avoid Twitter, and Why You Should Not

admin — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:40:42 +0000

5 Reasons to Avoid Twitter, and Why You Should Not

internet marketing Articles from Moe Tamani, the SEO Services Consultant.

If you’re not familiar with Twitter then you are probably not up to speed on social networking. But if you haven’t decided to create a Twitter account, you’re definitely not alone. Many internet marketers are wary of using Twitter for a number of reasons. Here are the top 5.

1. Useless Information. It’s true that many Twitter users update their Twitters with completely useless information. Do you really need to know that someone just finished their second cup of coffee or is leaving the office early for a pedicure? The good news is that if you find that you don’t particularly enjoy a person’s tweets, you don’t have to continue following them. But don’t eliminate this option altogether. One of the most important aspects of Web 2.0 is engaging people in all aspects of their lives, even the mundane stuff. Share yourself, welcome the opportunity to let others share themselves with you, and you will go a long way toward building a loyal customer base. People are much more willing to do business with you if they think you have a vested interest in their needs and thoughts.

2. It’s a Waste of My Time. This is probably the most valid reason of all. But the truth is that many marketers generate traffic and leads when potential customers find them through Twitter. When the content you share is relevant and high-quality, you can drive visitors to your website to learn more. Twitter is simply another tool for online marketing, so don’t write it off until you’ve given it a shot to see what it can do for you. Do some of your own research to discover the multitude of business uses for Twitter and you might just be convinced that it’s not a total waste of time after all.

3. It’s Time-Consuming. Like any online endeavor, you can blow a lot of valuable time following your streams and entering your own tweets. But you can salvage some of your time by using RSS feeds to follow relevant conversations. Visit search.twitter.com and click on the link to “Feed for this query.” You can then follow the conversations that are most important and relevant to you and your business. If that’s not optimal for you, simply discipline yourself to check only once or twice per day.

4. Twitter Doesn’t Cater to My Customers. Before you decide that your customers aren’t on Twitter, look for yourself. Go to Search.Twitter.com. Search for the name of your company, the name of your product, and keywords relevant to your business. If you’re afraid that your market may be too niche-y for Twitter, remember that your job as a marketer is to find people where they are. If there are a few folks on Twitter within your niche, put yourself there as well.

5. It Could Lead to Bad Press. Whether you’re on Twitter or not, people are still talking about you, and you need to know about it. Even if there’s poor feedback on Twitter, you need the opportunity to let folks know that you’re aware and that you’re going to do something about whatever it is that has disappointed them. If you respond quickly to the concerns of your detractors, you will go a long way towards putting out potentially damaging fires. Thoughtful responses make a huge difference in customer attitudes. Remember that if a critical mass of bloggers pick up on negative press and write about it themselves, things can get out of hand very quickly. On the other hand, you can make a great name for yourself if you address customer concerns promptly and tactfully.

There you have it. No more excuses for avoiding Twitter. Even if you think it’s the most ridiculous tool ever invented, you still need to check it out for yourself. Give it some time and see what it can do for you. Explore different applications of this valuable tool and let it help you grow your business.

7 Top Tips for Writing Blog Articles

admin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:12:22 +0000

7 Top Tips for Writing Blog Articles

internet marketing Articles from Moe Tamani, the SEO Services Consultant.

SEO experts know that one of the best ways to promote your business is to blog. Unfortunately, many business owners are under the impression that blogging takes a lot of time, or they have seen too many bloggers who start out with gusto only to abandon their blogs two or three months later. While both concerns are legitimate, there’s no reason to let them keep you from starting your own blog. After all, business blogging is a great way to build a following and shorten the sales process.

Rare is the sales blogger who settles in a quiet room with a pencil and a pad of paper to write down his most profound ideas. Instead, most bloggers spend their time reading other blogs and interacting with others within their market niche. All this interaction makes it easier, not harder, to blog. Once you’re in tune with what everyone else is thinking and writing, coming up with your own material is a breeze.

Here are 7 ways to quickly generate your own content.

1. Interviews. Find an expert in your market niche and see if she is willing to be interviewed via email. Read other interviews to glean interesting and timely questions, and then ask her those. Most experts are willing to be interviewed because they get some exposure out of the deal, too. And the whole process only takes about 15 minutes.

2. Guest Bloggers. Hunt down an expert in your field who has expertise in an area you lack and ask him to write an article for your blog. Not only will you increase your following by attracting your guest blogger’s base, but you’ll end up ranking higher for keywords that wouldn’t normally generate a lot of traffic for you.

3. Rewrite. Read some of your old blog posts and find one whose lesson remains applicable to your situation today. You probably have additional insight now, so share that with your readers. Link to the old post and add your new insights. Thirty minutes later you have a new article!

4. Have a Contest. This provides a bonus post because you not only have to post information about the contest, but you also have to tell everyone who the winner was.

5. Ask a Good Question. A good question can ignite great conversation. Use Twitter to help build a following for your blog if you don’t already have one. The great conversation generated by your question will ensure that your readers will stick around. Everyone likes to be asked for their opinion. Let your readers share theirs.

6. Use Lists. Lists are great article-writing tools because people are automatically attracted to bulleted or numbered content. Because it’s easier to read and digest, readers are more likely to slow down for listed material than they are for material that’s written in multiple paragraphs. If you’ve found a list that you like on someone else’s blog, repost it on your blog using only the bulleted phrases and add a link to the original. Change the title of your post, of course, but always link back to the source.

7. Aggregator Blogging. Scan blogs within your market niche to find articles that you think would interest your readers. Publish one or two paragraphs from each article, link to the original, and add a sentence or two of your own to tell readers what you did or didn’t find helpful about the article. This is also a great way to start good conversations and build networks with other bloggers.

Don’t forgo the opportunity to build links, network, and shorten the time it takes to make a sale simply because you think that business blogging is too time-consuming. Use what’s already around you to make the process quick and painless, and you’ll see what a difference it will make for your business.

7 Ways to Connect with Success

admin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:10:46 +0000

7 Ways to Connect with Success

internet marketing Articles from Moe Tamani, the SEO Services Consultant.

Any article about entrepreneurship includes advice to surround yourself with people who have been successful and learn from them. One of the biggest challenges, however, is finding those successful people and placing yourself under their tutelage. Here are 7 ways to do so:

1. Attend Events. Depending on the size of the city you live in, you may find it quite easy to find business events related to your product or service. Keep an eye out for them and attend whenever possible. Look for flyers at bookstores, libraries, and check out advertisements in the newspaper or other local publication. Many of these events are free to the public, which is an added bonus.

The events will not only be motivating to you, but they’ll also give you the chance to meet other people with interests similar to yours. There are excellent connections to be made if you keep your eyes and mind wide open.

2. Read, Read, Read. You may not be able to meet an entrepreneur in person, but have you tried reading his or her books? This is a great way to surround yourself with success, to be inspired, and to get motivated. But don’t stop with books. See if you can find snippets or interviews on YouTube.

3. Meet With Your Peers. One of the most difficult things about entrepreneurship is that it’s a lonely venture. More than anything you need a support system made up of other businesspeople who can help you get motivated and give you great ideas for your business. When you’re looking for a group to join, make sure you’re not the smartest one in the room. You want the chance to learn from other people. Also make sure that the group is structured and not just a free-for-all. If you can’t find a peer group in your local area, find one online to join.

4. Attend Conferences. Whatever your business, you can always find relevant conferences. Do your homework before you arrive and have good questions prepared for any keynote speakers that interest you. Be sure to talk to them before their presentations instead of after since that’s when everyone else will try to corner them and talk to them.

5. Help People Out. If you’re serious about connecting with someone whom you greatly admire and whom you believe will be able to help you out, find a way to help them out first. Keep up with their business using Google Alerts. Using the information you get from Google Alerts, think of offers you can make, ways you can help, or services you can provide. This will help them remember who you are and will make them more likely to help you out next time you need something.

6. Surf. The internet is full of great places to connect with others in your business and in your demographic. But remember that it will take some time for you to figure out whose advice to take and whose counsel to seek. So be patient as you weed out those who aren’t serious or successful while at the same time finding those who can help you out and hold you accountable for your business. Let your online community help you set goals, and then let them keep you accountable for your goals. Report your successes and failures and use the support you find to your advantage.

7. Keep Your Eyes and Your Mind Open. You are surrounded with people who can give you good advice and good help. You just have to be willing to see those people as resources. When you’re in tune with your needs and desires as a small business owner, you’ll be surprised by the opportunities that present themselves—some that you didn’t even know you were looking for!

Get connected with a community that can support you and help you! You’ll be glad you did!