Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome
Welcome to our newest agents that have just joined our office:
Emily and Daniel Fu come to us from the RMGA Dunwoody office.
Scott Wagley comes to us from Re/Max Unlimited.
Patrick Gilvin comes to us from the Benchmark Group.
Richard Dillard comes to us from Palmer House Properties and will be working with Veda Wood as a team member.
We are very excited to have them with us as we grow again!!
Emily and Daniel Fu come to us from the RMGA Dunwoody office.
Scott Wagley comes to us from Re/Max Unlimited.
Patrick Gilvin comes to us from the Benchmark Group.
Richard Dillard comes to us from Palmer House Properties and will be working with Veda Wood as a team member.
We are very excited to have them with us as we grow again!!
7 Ways To Market Yourself On LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one of the most powerful resources online in order to market yourself. I would even argue that it is the number one social networking site in the world to help you market yourself.
Marketing Yourself On LinkedIn
Since there are a number of goal and objectives individuals have in marketing themselves, I'm going to explain a wide variety of ways everyone can use LinkedIn. It doesn't matter if you are looking to become known as an influential person in your industry or niche, if you want to sell more products, get more leads, drive traffic to your website, find a killer job, get more clients, build your brand, sell tickets to an event, receive funding, venture capital, or sponsorship dollars, there here are seven steps you should take advantage of while marketing yourself on LinkedIn.
1. Give
This is important to do on any social networking site, not just LinkedIn, but it's particularly important to do on LinkedIn when so many people are focused on wanting to receive something for themselves or their business.
The best way to give to others would be to make recommendations. I see a lot of people asking for recommendations from people all the time, when they haven't written any for others first. The more you recommend others without asking for one in return, it will give them a refreshing feeling about you and they'll want to be helpful in return.
Making introductions is also a great way to give. If you are trying to make a name for yourself then connecting two people together who you think could help each other build their business and achieve their goals will give you two people willing to help you in return, as opposed to one.
2. Complete It 100%
Your profile. It needs to be completed 100% in order to properly market yourself.
Most people do background checks on others whenever we want to buy something from them, bring them in to speak, or do anything with them. We Google people to do our research.
LinkedIn is usually one of the top five search results that pops up for anyone's name. First impressions leave lasting perceptions about people, and you don't want someone to come to your profile and realize that you make spelling mistakes, you don't have a picture, no one has recommended you, there is no personal story in your summary, and so on. You need to make sure you complete it 100% and have your profile make you look like a rock star. Doing so will ensure your maximizing your marketing opportunities.
3. Connect With Everyone
It pains me to see when people only have less than 100 connections and they think that having a "small trusted network" is the way to go. That's a joke, and those with that mindset are going to be asking themselves why their message isn't spreading to the world and why they haven't achieved their marketing goals.
Connect with everyone on LinkedIn.
You never know where an opportunity, or big breakthrough can come from. If you only share ideas with those you know and don't branch out to connect with new people, then you will only know about a limited amount of opportunities, and the same people that you talk to on a daily basis will be helping you connect with the same limited network. It's a never ending circle of limitations, and it's time you break through that mindset if you haven't already.
The best way to start connecting with everyone is to import your entire contact list and ask them all to connect with you, start adding your personal LinkedIn link to your email signature, on other social networking sites, on your business cards, and anywhere else you think would help inspire others to connect with you. Once you start receiving 10-20 inbound invitations to connect on a daily basis, then you know your doing a good job marketing yourself.
4. Make It Personal
In general, people love human interaction. We don't want to connect with a business, we want to have relationships with others who we know, like, and trust.
Every time you send an invitation to connect with someone, make it personal. Take out anything generic and make it as personal as possible.
Your profile should also include a personal element. Instead of making it look like a boring resume with a bunch of bullet point achievements, share your personal voice. Tell people who you are, who you help, and how you help them throughout your headline, summary and the rest of your profile. Adding this will make others want to connect with you instead of put them to sleep with your boring resume.
5. Start Your Own Community
I like to make things easy, don't you? Wouldn't it be fun if you could lead a community of the exact people you wanted to market yourself to? That would be pretty sweet, huh?
That's what I did a while back when I wanted to market myself and my sports business blog. To achieve accelerated marketing success I started the "Sports Industry Network" group on LinkedIn. When people join the group they see my name as the creator of the group, and my website as the primary website.
There is a built in discussion forum, job opportunity section, and you can send a message to all of the members of the group once a week. My group currently has over 30,000 of the top sports professionals from every major sports company in the world. It's the largest sports related group on LinkedIn and on any other major social networking site. This gives me a platform to market myself and share valuable content with the network. Creating a LinkedIn group may be one of the best ways to get your message out there and the most powerful way to leverage LinkedIn for a number of reasons.
6. Create A Call To ActionPeople need to be lead in the right direction. You can't just expect people to come to your LinkedIn profile, learn about some of things you do and how you help people without telling them what to do next. If you don't create a call to action, then you are guaranteed to get less than what you desire.
You can create a call to action by customizing your website links. LinkedIn lets you post three links, and instead of having them say "my blog", make it say "Contact Me Here" or " Download My Free Report". The more direct you can be the better.
Also, in your summary, after you tell people who you are, who you help, and how you can help them, tell them how they can and should get in touch with you or what they should do next. If you want more leads and sales then tell people to email you, or call your personal number. Whatever you desire, just tell them to contact you or do something in a way that best meets your needs.
7. Use Advanced Applications
The advanced applications are designed to help you market yourself better. You an author? If so, there is an Amazon app that you can put on your profile and showcase a picture of your own book. When people click on the book, it's takes them to Amazon where they can buy it.
Simple as that.
Do you have a blog? If so, the wordpress or blog app allows you to showcase your most recent article on your profile to help you drive traffic back to your site. There are other applications to help you showcase your creative design work, your slide show presentations, white papers, Tweets, and you can even have a video of yourself auto play when someone lands on your profile using the slideshare or google document application.
If you are looking to promote an event, then use the events application to help you spread your event in a viral way throughout the entire LinkedIn community. There are a number of applications you can use to help you market yourself, just start trying them out and see what fits your needs best.
LinkedIn Marketing Tips
I'm only scratching the surface here with these seven points on how to market yourself on LinkedIn. Once you start to maximize each point, you will start to realize how powerful LinkedIn really is and how big your personal brand will take off once you use it aggressively. It was the launchpad for me to build a large network and get my message out there to the world, and if you follow my steps the right way it could be yours as well.
Marketing Yourself On LinkedIn
Since there are a number of goal and objectives individuals have in marketing themselves, I'm going to explain a wide variety of ways everyone can use LinkedIn. It doesn't matter if you are looking to become known as an influential person in your industry or niche, if you want to sell more products, get more leads, drive traffic to your website, find a killer job, get more clients, build your brand, sell tickets to an event, receive funding, venture capital, or sponsorship dollars, there here are seven steps you should take advantage of while marketing yourself on LinkedIn.
1. Give
This is important to do on any social networking site, not just LinkedIn, but it's particularly important to do on LinkedIn when so many people are focused on wanting to receive something for themselves or their business.
The best way to give to others would be to make recommendations. I see a lot of people asking for recommendations from people all the time, when they haven't written any for others first. The more you recommend others without asking for one in return, it will give them a refreshing feeling about you and they'll want to be helpful in return.
Making introductions is also a great way to give. If you are trying to make a name for yourself then connecting two people together who you think could help each other build their business and achieve their goals will give you two people willing to help you in return, as opposed to one.
2. Complete It 100%
Your profile. It needs to be completed 100% in order to properly market yourself.
Most people do background checks on others whenever we want to buy something from them, bring them in to speak, or do anything with them. We Google people to do our research.
LinkedIn is usually one of the top five search results that pops up for anyone's name. First impressions leave lasting perceptions about people, and you don't want someone to come to your profile and realize that you make spelling mistakes, you don't have a picture, no one has recommended you, there is no personal story in your summary, and so on. You need to make sure you complete it 100% and have your profile make you look like a rock star. Doing so will ensure your maximizing your marketing opportunities.
3. Connect With Everyone
It pains me to see when people only have less than 100 connections and they think that having a "small trusted network" is the way to go. That's a joke, and those with that mindset are going to be asking themselves why their message isn't spreading to the world and why they haven't achieved their marketing goals.
Connect with everyone on LinkedIn.
You never know where an opportunity, or big breakthrough can come from. If you only share ideas with those you know and don't branch out to connect with new people, then you will only know about a limited amount of opportunities, and the same people that you talk to on a daily basis will be helping you connect with the same limited network. It's a never ending circle of limitations, and it's time you break through that mindset if you haven't already.
The best way to start connecting with everyone is to import your entire contact list and ask them all to connect with you, start adding your personal LinkedIn link to your email signature, on other social networking sites, on your business cards, and anywhere else you think would help inspire others to connect with you. Once you start receiving 10-20 inbound invitations to connect on a daily basis, then you know your doing a good job marketing yourself.
4. Make It Personal
In general, people love human interaction. We don't want to connect with a business, we want to have relationships with others who we know, like, and trust.
Every time you send an invitation to connect with someone, make it personal. Take out anything generic and make it as personal as possible.
Your profile should also include a personal element. Instead of making it look like a boring resume with a bunch of bullet point achievements, share your personal voice. Tell people who you are, who you help, and how you help them throughout your headline, summary and the rest of your profile. Adding this will make others want to connect with you instead of put them to sleep with your boring resume.
5. Start Your Own Community
I like to make things easy, don't you? Wouldn't it be fun if you could lead a community of the exact people you wanted to market yourself to? That would be pretty sweet, huh?
That's what I did a while back when I wanted to market myself and my sports business blog. To achieve accelerated marketing success I started the "Sports Industry Network" group on LinkedIn. When people join the group they see my name as the creator of the group, and my website as the primary website.
There is a built in discussion forum, job opportunity section, and you can send a message to all of the members of the group once a week. My group currently has over 30,000 of the top sports professionals from every major sports company in the world. It's the largest sports related group on LinkedIn and on any other major social networking site. This gives me a platform to market myself and share valuable content with the network. Creating a LinkedIn group may be one of the best ways to get your message out there and the most powerful way to leverage LinkedIn for a number of reasons.
6. Create A Call To ActionPeople need to be lead in the right direction. You can't just expect people to come to your LinkedIn profile, learn about some of things you do and how you help people without telling them what to do next. If you don't create a call to action, then you are guaranteed to get less than what you desire.
You can create a call to action by customizing your website links. LinkedIn lets you post three links, and instead of having them say "my blog", make it say "Contact Me Here" or " Download My Free Report". The more direct you can be the better.
Also, in your summary, after you tell people who you are, who you help, and how you can help them, tell them how they can and should get in touch with you or what they should do next. If you want more leads and sales then tell people to email you, or call your personal number. Whatever you desire, just tell them to contact you or do something in a way that best meets your needs.
7. Use Advanced Applications
The advanced applications are designed to help you market yourself better. You an author? If so, there is an Amazon app that you can put on your profile and showcase a picture of your own book. When people click on the book, it's takes them to Amazon where they can buy it.
Simple as that.
Do you have a blog? If so, the wordpress or blog app allows you to showcase your most recent article on your profile to help you drive traffic back to your site. There are other applications to help you showcase your creative design work, your slide show presentations, white papers, Tweets, and you can even have a video of yourself auto play when someone lands on your profile using the slideshare or google document application.
If you are looking to promote an event, then use the events application to help you spread your event in a viral way throughout the entire LinkedIn community. There are a number of applications you can use to help you market yourself, just start trying them out and see what fits your needs best.
LinkedIn Marketing Tips
I'm only scratching the surface here with these seven points on how to market yourself on LinkedIn. Once you start to maximize each point, you will start to realize how powerful LinkedIn really is and how big your personal brand will take off once you use it aggressively. It was the launchpad for me to build a large network and get my message out there to the world, and if you follow my steps the right way it could be yours as well.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
CAR General Meeting Thursday May 19, 2011 9:30am-10:30am
It Gets Even Better! Hot From The Chamber of Commerce AND Lannar Homes Will Be Giving Away A Cruise!
For JUST $5.00 - Be In "The Know" straight from the source! Cobb County budget,
business and jobs!
(And don't forget the cruise)
May 19th 2011 - Only 3 days left so register NOW! See below...
The Cobb Association of Realtors is VERY fortunate to have the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce provide the information you need to know!
Understand the Cobb County Budget
Be among the first to know what companies are coming to Cobb
Get the edge on how many jobs are anticipated in Cobb
The Chamber wants your input on economic development
Be informed and stay on top so you can be the best at what you do!
___________________
When: May 19th 2011
Where: MUST Ministries 1407 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta 30062(This is NOT the shelter - it is the NEW administrative building) Click here for directions
Time: 9:00-9:30 Networking + coffee/light breakfast
9:30-10:30 Program
10:30-10:45 Q & A
Cost: ONLY $5.00 members $10.00 non members
Click here to reserve your spot now! or email Angela: angela@cobbrealtor.com
_________
Updates...
Press releases were sent to the MDJ and AJC - let us know if you see it!
We were on Capitol Hill last week representing our membership to your Congressmen (and women). We are letting them know the following:
We need to keep Fannie and Freddie (GSE's) or have something comparable to replace them.
We need to preserve the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID). House Resolution 25 (HR 25) has been introduced and as of May 11th 91 Congressional leaders have signed on to sponsor it. In Cobb County, Congressman Phil Gingrey was one of the first to sign on to sponsor however Congressman Tom Price has not yet done so. Congressman Price can be reached at: http://tomprice.house.gov/contact please email him and/or call him and let him know we need him to sign on and sponsor HR25
Flood insurance extension. We want Congress to extend flood insurance for at least 5 yrs. instead of 2 months at a time.
Access to money for consumers
Qualified Residential Mortgages (QRMs). The money regulators are trying to sell Congress on a 20% downpayment requirement for mortgages. It would take the average person 10-15 years to save enough money to put 20% down on an average home, not to mention closing costs, escrows, etc.
Short sale issues
Be sure to check out our blog.... http://www.cornoffthecobb.com/
Thank you for being a member of the Cobb Association of REALTORS®. Our members are the foundation of our Association! Please invite someone who is not part of our Association to become part of who we are.
We are always available for you. Carol can be reached on her cell phone at 678-414-0760 or please feel free to contact Donna Heavener, CEO at 770-422-3900 or donnaheaveaner@cobbrealtor.com
For JUST $5.00 - Be In "The Know" straight from the source! Cobb County budget,
business and jobs!
(And don't forget the cruise)
May 19th 2011 - Only 3 days left so register NOW! See below...
The Cobb Association of Realtors is VERY fortunate to have the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce provide the information you need to know!
Understand the Cobb County Budget
Be among the first to know what companies are coming to Cobb
Get the edge on how many jobs are anticipated in Cobb
The Chamber wants your input on economic development
Be informed and stay on top so you can be the best at what you do!
___________________
When: May 19th 2011
Where: MUST Ministries 1407 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta 30062(This is NOT the shelter - it is the NEW administrative building) Click here for directions
Time: 9:00-9:30 Networking + coffee/light breakfast
9:30-10:30 Program
10:30-10:45 Q & A
Cost: ONLY $5.00 members $10.00 non members
Click here to reserve your spot now! or email Angela: angela@cobbrealtor.com
_________
Updates...
Press releases were sent to the MDJ and AJC - let us know if you see it!
We were on Capitol Hill last week representing our membership to your Congressmen (and women). We are letting them know the following:
We need to keep Fannie and Freddie (GSE's) or have something comparable to replace them.
We need to preserve the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID). House Resolution 25 (HR 25) has been introduced and as of May 11th 91 Congressional leaders have signed on to sponsor it. In Cobb County, Congressman Phil Gingrey was one of the first to sign on to sponsor however Congressman Tom Price has not yet done so. Congressman Price can be reached at: http://tomprice.house.gov/contact please email him and/or call him and let him know we need him to sign on and sponsor HR25
Flood insurance extension. We want Congress to extend flood insurance for at least 5 yrs. instead of 2 months at a time.
Access to money for consumers
Qualified Residential Mortgages (QRMs). The money regulators are trying to sell Congress on a 20% downpayment requirement for mortgages. It would take the average person 10-15 years to save enough money to put 20% down on an average home, not to mention closing costs, escrows, etc.
Short sale issues
Be sure to check out our blog.... http://www.cornoffthecobb.com/
Thank you for being a member of the Cobb Association of REALTORS®. Our members are the foundation of our Association! Please invite someone who is not part of our Association to become part of who we are.
We are always available for you. Carol can be reached on her cell phone at 678-414-0760 or please feel free to contact Donna Heavener, CEO at 770-422-3900 or donnaheaveaner@cobbrealtor.com
Monday, May 9, 2011
FREE FormsPro Training Class
FormsPro is HERE!
FormsPro Training Class
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta-Cobb
2050 Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30062
4th Floor Training Room
with FMLS-Karen Reynolds
Don’t get caught in a jam. Space is limited.
Call (770) 973-9700
& reserve your spot today!!
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