More on Social Networking – This is a hot topic and we have yet to exhaust the depths of this subject. I just finished conducting a half day seminar on “Leveraging the Power of Social Networking Tools in Selling”, with particular emphasis on LinkedIn, for partners of BMC Software. While conducting this training, I learned that there were only two Google hits (at least on that day) for “Information Security Sales Training”, and just one for “Business Service Management Sales Training”. I happened to be on the first list! So, an important question important question you need to ask is, are you searchable? Social networking sites can be great devices, if you know how to use them.

Those who are signed up for LinkedIn are off to a good start, but those who are actually using it are way ahead. If you’ve avoided Twitter just because you think it’s a waste of time, you could be wrong. What matters is not your personal preference, but where your customers are connected, and Twitter or LinkedIn could be their network of choice. Imagine having prospects and clients receiving your updates on a daily basis. Don't waste any more time. Get set up right away and start using this valuable tool– it’s free.

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In the last newsletter, I focused on making blogs work. This month, let’s look at LinkedIn:

• Do you have a profile picture that works? The goal here is to link up with people, not symbols. Get a photograph that looks inviting, but not overly informal or sensual. Your goal is to build trust and connect professionally.
• Start connecting with people you know. Connect with everyone. This is a free calling list, like one you would buy from Hoover's, so don’t reject anyone. He or she could be a prospect. You can always disconnect if they start spamming you and if you report them, LinkedIn will take care of it. They are very serious about keeping their network clean and their clients happy.
• Stop hiding your contacts. As a security person, I understand the need to be careful concerning what you put online, however, this is about networking. If people have their information visible, they must be okay with others seeing it. With an upgraded account, I can view every profile, so you are not actually hiding anything other than the fact that you’re connected to someone. Not a big risk. What you really want is to have people visiting your LinkedIn page and the best way to keep them there is to have plenty of things to read; including your connection list.
• Be a LION – LinkedIn Open Networker. That lets people know you are willing to connect. I connect to everyone, so if you’re not connected, reach out and link with me. The value of the LION status is that people will feel like they can reach out without the fear of rejection or being reported.
• Rewrite your profile. This is probably not a resume you would use for job searches, although it could be. It is important to remember not to be so formal that no one wants to read about you. Write searchable, usable content that appeals to current and potential clients in a format that is easy to read.
• Fill in all past jobs – this allows people to find you more easily. With 40 million users, multiple ways for the search engine to get them to your page is beneficial.
• Use groups. Groups allow you to meet others you normally would not encounter. You can join a basket weavers group if you like, but I would recommend finding groups where your clients are involved.
• Learn to use inmails. This is LinkedIn’s internal communication system. You can send these at no cost if you belong to the same group as your target. Then start writing in that group; which will then allow you to meet others. People reach out to me all the time just because I shared an opinion or fact, and that is exactly what you want!
• Add slide shows with appealing themes, books that will attract conversations, and interests that create more searchable content. You can list pursuits like water skiing, but consider putting up subject matter that would appeal to a decision maker.
• Then start asking for recommendations and offering your own. When you write a recommendation, the network updates everyone with whom you are linked. When you receive a recommendation, the same process happens. It also helps if you are recommended, since every recommendation you write shows up with your name – more searchable content. It also communicates your character and benevolence to those you are linked with.
• Once you have completed the above, consider upgrading to get the most out of LinkedIn’s advanced search capability. You can find just about anyone out there, and when you are in an account, moving through it is easy as names and titles are at your fingertips.

What happened to Wachovia? When Wells Fargo bought them, someone in management must have decided to keep the Wells Fargo systems, support people, and fee structures in place. However, these were not the things that made Wells Fargo a stable financial institution capable of buying out failing Wachovia, and Wachovia didn’t tank because of their systems, but rather their lending. Having banked at Wachovia for years, I often touted their benefits by telling others about the great service, the user-friendly online tools, and my overall satisfaction. But now, all this has all come to an end. In fact, I invested several hours last week researching and selecting a new bank. Why? Because, it appears, managers made decisions that were politically right for their career paths and did not ask the customers what they wanted. The result was down time, more fees, and a new laborious process for me to download banking transactions. This is also, most likely, another example of IT making decisions/recommendations that have no personal liability. When you sell exclusively to IT, they may get the latest technology, but there is no guarantee it will be what’s best for their patrons or the company. In the end, we all know who pays the final price.

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Please pass this on to anyone you know who is working to build a profitable solutions business today. Consider having David Stelzl speak at your next quarterly meeting or customer event. Create a value proposition that positions you as the expert and attracts new clients. Consider hiring a professional coach to accelerate the process.