Lip-Sticking

Do You Network Face-to-Face or Online Only

Guest post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

Where do you market? If you’re like  lot of entrepreneurs, you find it much easier to simply network from the comfort of your keyboard than to wear something other than sweatpants and slippers, right? Well, if you’re not “out there” shaking hands, passing out business cards and talking about your business face-to-face, you’re missing out on some great ways to network and grow your business; there is no better way to interact with potential clients and business partners than with face-to-face interaction.

Even with the ease and speed of social media networking, to truly brand yourself and your business you need to have face-to-face interaction.  Networking at business events means you will have to perfect your “elevator pitch,” shake hands and hand out business cards, it is a great way to meet potential clients.

Introducing….You!

Guest post by Hannah Morgan

As you are out there networking (or just having conversations with people you know) have you found yourself stumbling over your words when someone asks you “What do you do?” You’ve probably figured out you need a way to introduce yourself, but what makes a good introduction?

 

 

Loss of Identity

I think job seekers struggle with this because they either don’t know what they want to be when they grow up or because they can no longer say “I work at XYZ company as a ___________”. Overcome this by researching and figuring out what you want to do. Even asking “what do they call this where you work” can make for an interesting networking meeting!

Humility Reigns Supreme (or does it)

Most people I know generally don’t like selling themselves. They say they were raised not to boast or brag. But that isn’t what I’m suggesting.  I merely want you to take credit where credit is due.

Friday Musings - A Lot of this a little of that

by Yvonne DiVita

I watched the superbowl. For the first time in my young life. Oh, sure, I've been places where it was 'on' in the past, but I never watched it. This year, I decided to watch for the halftime show and the commercials, since they get so much media press. 

I'm woefully disappointed. 

The commercials were - ordinary, for the most part. I'm routinely disappointed with TV commercials, however. So, expecting more from the superbowl, where brands paid upwards of $3.5mill for 30 seconds, was just foolishiness on my part. Right? Yes, right. As far as I can tell, commercials these days are created by the same people who think Bridesmaids is a funny movie. Wait - I hear that Bridesmaids is a funny movie, just not my kinda funny. Ok, so, commercials are being made by new graduates from... kindergarten. Yes, that's better. It has to be kindergarten kids because so many commercials are just... plain...stupid. <sigh>

These, on Sunday, were just not what I'd hoped to see. Mostly. There were a couple that I liked. But, they weren't really all that good because now I can't remember them. 

On to the halftime show. 

The Madonna "look at me aren't i great as usual" show. I expected a show. Even a short one. I expected good music. I expected to be entertained. Oh, caveat: I am no fan of Madonna's. I consider her a minor talent who made it big because, if nothing else, she's a marketing genius.

Correct use of the word Awesome the Lilly Ledbetter Story

by Yvonne DiVita

This is for my daughters, my granddaughters, my friends, and everyone who has ever worked hard through discrimination.

It's the first anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Act where President Obama went to bat for women and equal pay. This video is of Lilly, herself, talking about her story, sharing what brought her to this purpose and showing us all that we need to continue standing up for women to make changes in how business and politics look at us, how they treat us, and how they view us as human beings.

As a woman who understands this issue - and too many of us do - I cannot stress the importance of getting behind this story and sharing with everyone you know. It's not a party issue. It's a people issue.

This isn't a story that is hard to watch or hard to hear. It's a story that is uplifting and encouraging. Despite the setbacks and the long enduring timeframe needed to make this happen, Lilly shows all of us that change is possible and that never giving up makes a difference. I hope you'll share the Lilly Ledbetter story with others and spread the word.

This link goes to President Obama and his words on the Fair Pay Act and Equal Pay For All Workers video. Another video worth watching and sharing.

 

Clarity Leads To Cash

Guest Post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

I spent the weekend at an event called LEAP for Success and was surrounded by incredible business owners and dreamers who were making it happen. One part of the event I found originally off-putting was that the leader, Patricia Drain, made all participants move to a different table and interact with new business owners at each segment. It's a bit difficult to get out of your comfort zone and have to meet new people every three hours, but it was a great way to hear new ideas -- more than you'd hear if you stayed put at your original table spot. 

The days were full of inspiration, networking hints and tips and constant tabletop interaction and brainstorming with those around you. From working on ideas for passive income to making a decision on if you're truly following your passion in your business life, I walked away with a notebook full of ideas and a burning desire to implement all of them. 

Facebook for Places from Mari Smith

Professional Facebook expert, Mari Smith, shares insight into the way businesses can use Facebook Places. Do you use this tool? How is it working for you?

 

When bigger gets in the way of better

by Yvonne DiVita

Time to go shopping. Time to get groceries or birthday gifts or home goods. I search the ads in the Sunday paper (yes, we still get the Sunday paper), I look at my email and check the incoming from my favorite stores and... I sigh.

Bigger is not always better. 

That's what I think. When ready to shop, I seldom - almost NEVER - go to Walmart. I call people who shop at Walmart 'walmartians'... and if you're one, I apologize but...seriously, do you know what you're doing? You're supporting big business when small business really needs your help. 

While Walmart is the favored place to shop, with Targee' (fancy spelling of Target) a close second, I think, it wasn't always so. Back in the day, when I was a kid, we shopped for groceries and some home goods at the A&P - the Great Atlantic & Pactific Tea Co. They gave out green stamps - not loyalty cards. You licked the stamps and put them in books and when you had enough, you could get free stuff. It was our job, we being the kids, to lick the stamps and put them in the books. You had to have LOTS to get anything. Much like the loyalty points on my bank account... I have about 10,000 but it gets me little or nothing. I need 100,000 to get anything that's worthwhile. 

Breaking Bad Habits

by Yvonne DiVita

Life is not a box of chocolates, it's a series of habits. You learn what works and what doesn't and, as a human being, you lean towards what works over and over until it becomes... automatic. For instance, as a child you learn that crying gets you attention, good or bad, it doesn't always matter. The older you grow, the more you understand that crying isn't the best attention getter in your arsenal. (laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone)

A plaque on the wall near my desk reminds me daily:

Using the Right Keywords In Your Job Search

Guest post by Hannah Morgan

First and foremost, you need to know and label the skills and qualifications you possess, want to use, and want to be known for. Keywords are as unique and individual as you are. But, it doesn’t stop there. You need to test your key words against those being sought by companies.

What Are Keywords?

These are the important words employers and recruiters are using when they search for candidates in resumes and online profiles. They could be related to technology systems and tools, industries, job titles, important skills, certifications, company names and/or anything else that will help the candidate-seeker sift through the millions of pieces of data.

Words I'd Like To Lose in 2012

by Yvonne DiVita

Banished! Words We Wish Would Go Away I wrote on BlogPaws today. January is the month we begin to see the lists of "what to do to succeed in 2012" or "what to leave behind in 2011" - so, a list of words to banish fits right in.

What I didn't include in that post, other than one or two, are words I'd like to see banished to ... some nether region of inaccessibility - especially to presenters.

Of course, every year, my favorite "get rid of" word is: very. Too often we want to qualify a statement with 'very' and it's so unnecessary as to be nerve-wracking. Remove the word very from your vocabulary. Well, use it sparingly. If you've added the word to your writing lately, go back and read the sentence out loud. Then, read it without 'very' in it... does it still make sense? Did 'very' improve the sentence? "I'm very angry!" Anger is a strong emotion, why try to be 'very' about it?