Link for Success

I admit, I was never a fan of the term "social selling".  You never sell on social.  And Social Selling is not about selling on social.  It's about exactly what I believe... providing value and building long term relationships.  Here's my take.

Whether I ask the question "Who's the star of your LinkedIn Profile" or "Who's the star of your podcast", I usually get the same response.  "ME!"  Not exactly.  Listen to this episode to find out who the star of your online content should be. 

I heard the other day that Social Media has changed the way we communicate.  I disagree with that as Social Media enables us to reach people that we wouldn't otherwise be able to.  It's only technology.  The most basic ways in which we communicate are the same ways my son with Autism was taught when he was non-verbal.  What do you think?  Has Social Media changed the way we exchange information or do we just need to go back to basics?  Let me know using hashtag #linkforsuccess

2020 is fast approaching and here are my top 5 trends for the upcoming year.  From building community to Live Video, the trends continue to focus on building relationships and video based content.  What do you think are the trends for 2020?  Let me know your thoughts using hashtag #linkforsuccess

Tammy and I had a great conversation around building relationship on Social Media.  We discussed the differences between Facebook and LinkedIn and how planning, being yourself and focusing on value are strategies that can be used across all social channels.  It is not a Facebook vs LinkedIn debate as both are highly valuable platforms.  

Check out Tammy at https://tammyhudgin.com/

You’ve probably used hashtags on Twitter and/or Instagram because it’s "what you do there".  But you might be caught in two minds about using them on LinkedIn. Are they even allowed on the ‘professional’ network? Well, the short answer is, “Yes, they are!”

And if you want to reach a wider audience with your content, then it makes sense to start using them. But before you dive in, you need to know how to use them correctly so you can create the right impression.

Using hashtags on LinkedIn will make your content more discoverable and help you connect with members outside your network that may be interested in your content.

Anita empowers entrepreneurs to share their stories on social media so they can grow a business that facilitates living their best life. She is also the co-founder of Social Media Day  Halifax.  Anita and Stacy talk about building relationships over selling on Social Media, linking with forethought and going past just connecting on LinkedIn. 

Anita’s social media experience extends all the way back to the 90s, when she joined the first generation of bloggers, launching a crafting blog in a flurry of cardstock, buttons, and fabric swatches. She promoted it using new-at-the-time marketing tactics like blog circles, link parties, and roundups. 

Since 2011, she’s been helping businesses and agencies improve their social skills through social media consultations, training sessions, and profile audits. She’s also the pioneer behind Responsible Scheduling—a set of guidelines for scheduling posts that helps clients make the most of their content without overwhelming or ignoring their audience.

But Anita doesn’t do all her talking online. She’s also a public speaker specializing in (you guessed it) social media. Over the years, she’s shared her expertise with audiences at Atlantic Internet Marketing Conference, Blog Jam, PodCamp, and the Centre for Women in Business.

It's Spring, which means LinkedIn has made some changes.  They made some major desktop changes last spring and this spring is not different, except the changes are minor. Have you seen the new look for the top card of your profile?  Do you have reactions, LinkedIn Live or LinkedIn Events.  These are all features that are coming to your profile and if you don't have some of these features yet, it won't be long until you do.  In this episode, Stacy talks about all these changes/updates and how they impact you, your profile and your brand.  #linkforsuccess

A Strong Vision and a Road Map you can follow is crucial to your growth.  Do you have a vision?  When was the last time you looked at it?  Did you know you have permission to... ack... change it!  As you grow and evolve, so does your business and so does your vision!  Carolyn is all about thinking bigger and bigger!  She sees what you don't see and hears what you don't say.  Anything is possible when you have a clear vision -- it can ignite a powerful action plan to achieve your ultimate success.

Trust builds loyalty.  Loyalty builds brand advocacy.  The conversation today is around how to build trust and whether you need to have someone "like" you in order to refer or do business.  I would like to take "sales" and "liking" off the table.  LinkedIn is about building professional relationships and extending your hand to say hello to kick off the relationship.  Unfortunately, most leave this part out and extend your hand without saying hello (insert personalized connection request) and then pull it back saying "nope, I don't want to actually talk to you."   

Don't just link for the sake of linking, Link for Success!   #linkforsuccess