Networking ... it's something we all do. We attend early morning
meetings, break away in the middle of the day for lunch hour events, and
sometimes get home late in the evening because of business social
obligations. You are working to make others aware of you, to promote your
business and obtain referrals, while at the same time, meet new people, learn
about the services they have to offer and how you can be of help to them. It
can be a full time job in and of itself.
Many networking groups have websites that offer their members the
opportunity to create an on-line profile through which they may provide site
visitors with information about themselves and their business.
Make the most of this sales tool by including relevant, useful information:
- Your full name. When visitors scroll through a directory, don't make them guess how you listed yourself. They will simply move on to someone
else.
- Contact information. This includes email and a
telephone number. If you have a
website, include that as well. If you aren't promoting it, why do you have
it?
- The name of your company.
- A brief description of what it is that you do. Just as you
have worked to perfect your 30 second introduction, you should also be able to
describe what type of services you have to offer in a few
sentences. The name of your company doesn't always provide
adequate information.
- A photograph. It doesn't necessarily have to be
a professional head shot; a nice photograph of your face without a lot of
background distraction will also work. This is especially helpful as it
can foster name / face recognition when you actually meet someone in person.
If the site allows for you to include upcoming activities your company
is
hosting or participating in, list them. If you have a blog or write
articles, include them, or a link to them, on your profile. You
want to draw people in to your site, spark their curiosity and
interest. Just as you strive to make a good impression when you are
interacting with someone in person, you want to do the same when your
on-line
profile is being reviewed. If someone is curious enough to look you
up,
provide them with information!
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Remember...
Keep in mind that just as you do not stay the same, day
after day, neither should your profile. Go back and periodically review it. Do
you have additional information to add? Has anything changed?
Having a complete on-line profile is part of networking; it
will help you sell yourself when you aren't around.
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