Greetings,
The weather may be different where you are, but here in the Berkshires it's been a very rainy summer. For the most part, it hasn't kept us from our summer pleasures of dance and theater, but concerts on the lawn at Tanglewood have been curtailed. Before long, the robins will head south, the kids will be back at school and business will begin again full swing.
To be sure Web Words is meeting the needs of its nearly 1,000 subscribers, we're doing a survey this month. When you give us your opinion, you'll automatically enter a drawing to win a free half-hour's edit of a document of your choice. So be sure to take the survey.
The third in the series on social networking is about building an online presence. The article provides information about photos and references. There's some useful information here even for people who are already listed. Many of you don't have photos on your entries. It only takes a few minutes, and it's another way of setting yourself apart from the crowd. "Here's looking at you, kid."
Last month our article Self Defense chronicled a host of equipment failures and talked about how to get help, even when it seems elusive. There's a really happy ending to the story about Will's laptop, which he just couldn't believe was truly dead. He called Dell and spent several hours on the phone with a great tech in Malaysia. Bottom line, the computer is fine. Its new name is Lazarus.
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In Your Opinion
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Last month I attended an all-day education session at Constant Contact's home base in Waltham, MA.
"Find out what your readers think of your newsletter," they suggested. My, what a good idea!
So this month, I'm using a survey to accomplish a host of goals:
- Get your opinion about Web Words
- Remind you of the Constant Contact survey tool
- Give myself a summer vacation from writing two full articles (sneaky eh?)
Of course, no opinion should go unrewarded, so we're having a drawing. The winner will get a half-hour edit of a document of their choice totally free of charge. This could be the homepage copy of your Web site, a letter you send to prospects, an article you're planning to publish in your newsletter. Your choice.
Next month I'll give you a summary of the feedback I've received plus some insights into the do's and don'ts of surveys.
Take the survey now. And remember, only respondents who complete the questionnaire are eligible for the drawing.
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Social Networking
Building a Presence
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This is the third in a series of articles about online networking.Previous articles are in the June and July issues.
In the real world, first impressions are everything. How you dress, the way you speak, your energy--they all make a statement when you meet a new acquaintance. It's the same for online networking, but because you have less to work with, it's important to make the most of what you have.
Let's say you're ready to take the plunge. For simplicity's sake, I'm going to use LinkedIn as our social networking system. But the principles are the same for all of them.
The Basics
Begin with a nice photo. You've got a very small space to work with, so select a clear, direct picture. For some good examples check out Andi Tuttle and David Fried Oppenheim. (If you're not a LinkedIn member, you'll have to join to see these pictures. But you were planning to do that anyway, right?)
Depending on the impression you want to make, you can also use a graphic rather than a photo--something that will visually connect the reader to what you do.
Given the limited space, the photo isn't good for much more than recognition. "Oh yeah, that's Charley." Or, as happened to me recently, "My, she's aged in 30 years!" (As an aside, this technology is great for finding people you haven't seen in a long, long time.)
Describe what you do. You can tell a longer story or a shorter one. Because I believe in getting to the point, my statement is brief. After all, anyone who wants detail can get it from other sources such as your Web site and LinkedIn itself, which allows you to enter considerable detail about your work experience.
Recommendations
If you liked asking people for dates when you were in high school, you're going to love getting social networking recommendations. For the rest of us, here are some tips.
Begin by giving some recommendations. After the person you praise says OK to your write-up, they will be asked by the system to return the favor.
You can also just. . .ask! Explain that you're developing your online presence and hope they will write you a recommendation. The system makes it quite simple and does send you a copy of the draft. You can accept it, in which case it will show on your profile.
Now here comes the hard part. What if you find errors or don't think the comments further your case? It's tricky, but I recommend honesty. Write a gracious email thanking them for their comments and asking if they would be OK with your suggested revisions. So far, that's worked fine for me. You might ruffle a few feathers, but most people will probably be happy that you're happy.
Before you begin, take a look at Naina Redhu's LinkedIn recommendation examples. And spend a few minutes on your system of choice noticing what others have done.
OK, so you're all set up. Now, what can you do with this stuff? I promise some answers in the September issue.
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| Web Tips |
 We all know that the Web can tell you everything about everything. But sometimes you have to go looking for the information you want. No longer.
Now there's eHow, which "offers tips and practical advice for whatever life throws your way." And, would you believe, there's an entry on "How to Create and Respond to Recommendations on LinkedIn." How timely.
What life threw my way recently was a seriously blackened aluminum pot. I couldn't remember the solution I had used years ago. A general search on the Web came up with the great idea of boiling onions. Something about the acid in the onions. But nothing about smelling up the house for days. And, worse still, it didn't work. But eHow had a simpler solution--baking soda and ammonia. No smell and it worked.
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And Finally . . .
Shawenon Communications collaborates with small businesses, solopreneurs, professionals and not-for-profits to get their messages across in the written word.
We specialize in electronic communications, including e-zines and other forms of email marketing, and Web site content. We also ghostwrite articles and other business communications. As a business partner, we resell Constant Contact's email marketing service.
Thanks for reading. If you liked this issue, please click on the Forward email button below to share this newsletter with others.
You're also welcome to reprint material in this newsletter as long as it is unaltered and credited to the author. Be sure to send us a copy, too. If being reproduced electronically, the following link must also be included:
www.shawenon.com
Sincerely,
Susanna Opper
Shawenon Communications
413-528-6494
Copyright © 2008 Shawenon Communications.
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Contest Continues
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We're still seeking the magical 1,000th Web Words subscriber. We're over 950.
You can help and win a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble at the same time.
Here's how. Be the first to bring in five new subscribers, and you'll get the reward. You can forward this email
or talk up Web Words to your business colleagues. It's up to you.
Our seminars are taking a summer vacation. We'll be back in the fall.
Contact us for more information
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