9 Great Online Credibility Builders

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9 Great Online Credibility Builders
Team Building: Getting the Message Across Without Micromanaging
Small Business Sales Still Below Pre-Recession Levels: What to Do

Posted: 10 May 2012 08:30 AM PDT

Whatever your business, product, or service, credibility is key. It's also true with your personal reputation. On that note, the information that appears, or doesn't appear, whenever your name is searched on the Internet is a litmus test of your personal and professional credibility. It's called G-cred.

searching internet

To help with that G-cred, here are 9 things you can do:

1.) A maxed-out LinkedIn profile: Lots of folks have a LinkedIn profile, but few have a LinkedIn profile that's fully completed for maximum impact. Is yours?

Don't just have a short job title, tell folks as much as possible in that title space. The more key words, the better.
Have a bunch of recommendations? No? Then here's a tip: If you want more recommendations, try giving some.
Be sure you include all your website links and a Twitter feed.
Is your profile Summary awesome? Is it filled with juicy keywords?
Got videos or SlideShare presentations? Add them with the SlideShare app.
If you want you can even display your reading list.
Lastly, be sure your latest blog posts and Tweets are being displayed in your LinkedIn update feed.

A LinkedIn profile is usually one of the first things that comes up in an Internet search. Be sure you have a great one.

2.) A blog: It's easier than ever to create a blog. Not only will it help with G-cred, it'll help position you and your business as a leader in your field.

3.) A great Facebook business page: Your business won't be taken seriously without one. It will also allow you to leverage the many social media benefits within the Facebook ecosystem.

4.) A great website: Nothing new about this.

5.) Articles: For the same reasons that a blog is good, published articles highlight your expertise. E-Zine Articles is one place to submit them.

6.) Videos: Studies continue show that video use is growing In fact, a recent Cisco study says, "video currently represents a quarter of the web's traffic, but could be as high as 90% in only three years' time." Enough said.

7.) Slideshare presentations: Slideshare allows you to convert your PowerPoint presentations into an online post. And, it's free. How cool is that?

8.) Interviews & press: Nothing helps your online cred better that third party endorsement. So, seek out every opportunity for it and, if you get some, be sure you have it posted.

9.) A great email signature: To be taken seriously all professionals should set up a professional email signature including relevant links to your site, LinkedIn profile, Twitter profile, etc. If you don't have one, it's an easy thing to set up.

While most of these can be done by yourself, some will definitely benefit from the perspective and active support of a marketing professional. So, don't hesitate to ask for that help.

After all, there's nothing more important than your professional credibility and if you don’t have Google credibility, you don’t have credibility.

Internet Search Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

9 Great Online Credibility Builders

Team Building: Getting the Message Across Without Micromanaging

Posted: 10 May 2012 05:30 AM PDT

When the list is longer than the time you have, it's easy to sacrifice some important things just to get through the day. For the small business owner, communication with your team is one of those things that can get lost.

teamwork

It takes time to convey your dream and your standards for taking care of clients. And some of us truly believe that no one can do it better than we can. Well, it's probably true for certain areas of your business but not all of it. If you're awesome at sales but you do all of your own administrative work, chances are there's an administrative wiz right under your nose.

You need a team and if you have a team, they need some management.

Teams Cannot Train And Manage Themselves

Even the smartest group requires clear standards and leadership (and micro-managing is not the same thing as leadership). Managing your people takes time on the front end, but it creates momentum on the back end.

With a well-chosen and well-trained team you can move faster, be in more places at once and serve more people. It's like a new computer — it takes time to set it up, to transfer your data and to learn how to use the new features, but once it's ready to go, you can NOT imagine handling business without it.

Management boils down to one basic standard.

Make It Hard For Your Team to Mess Up Or Miss Out

You want your people to get the message and take action. It's not about "I told you so" or a litany of "what's wrong with those people." It's about results.

To get the desired outcome, leave a trail that reinforces your core message. Tell your team what you expect from them in multiple formats. Say it in the initial training/orientation. Reinforce it in the ongoing staff meetings by role playing and other hands on experiences. Use well placed signs around the property or well timed emails to your team. This allows you to use visuals to reinforce your message.

And then follow it all up with consistent consequences and rewards.

Give Your Team A Reason To Care As Much As You Do

This requires some brainstorming up front (with your leaders, mentors and management experts). Find the kind of rewards that gets the response you want.

Finally, monitor the impact. You can't just delegate and assume it's done, you have to inspect the work. For the busy small business owner who tends to forget, put a reminder in your smart phone – 3 hours, 3 days, 3 weeks later a little note pops up reminding you to ask for the sample that Mark created (or was supposed to create).

Two Things Are At Work Here

Each team member has a responsibility as well as the space and opportunity to excel without being micro-managed. They also have a check and balance and a deadline.

Teamwork Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Team Building: Getting the Message Across Without Micromanaging

Small Business Sales Still Below Pre-Recession Levels: What to Do

Posted: 10 May 2012 02:30 AM PDT

As a small business owner, you’ve weathered the storm of the recession. But if you’re finding your sales have still not fully recovered or returned to pre-recession levels, you’re not alone. In this roundup, we look at sales numbers and news from the small business community and add some insight into techniques for improvement.

Challenges Remain

Small business sales still seem sluggish. Small business sales gains since the recession are relative, says Scott Shane, Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Case Western Reserve University. While revenue is up, the numbers show small businesses are still in need of help. Bloomberg Businessweek

The good, the bad, and the ugly. A small business confidence index for April shows a two point increase among business owners and a three to four percent gain in sales; but there is some bad news too, showing the ugly truth that things have yet to turn around. NFIB

Policies Halt Progress

Policy could hurt small business exports. An important opportunity to expand small business sales in the U.S. could come through exporting. The Obama administration has pledged efforts to help improve U.S. exports, but one legislator says the policies will not help small businesses. Politico

Poor sales trumped by regulation worries. Poor sales are seen as less of a concern than government regulations and red tape. Another report on the recent small business optimism survey gives an interesting analysis of what’s really bugging small business owners. The Globe and Mail

Maximizing Your Market

Knowing how to deal with 4 types of customers. As a small business owner, you probably find your customers to be a real mixed bag. Handling them well will most likely result in more sales and revenue for your business, but navigating the various personalities you may encounter takes skill and practice. Small Business Trends

Boost sales by finding markets online. The Internet offers a huge market for your products and services, if you just know how to close the deal. Matt Mansfield has created a site full of resources for you. Matt About Business

Tips for Improvement

Trying a better sales pitch? If you aren’t making the sales you expect, take a look at the pitch you are using. B2B sales expert Al Davidson shares these four surprising things you’ll hear, straight from the mouths of the best sales people. Try adding them to your approach. Small Business Trends

Bringing your sales to life. Sometimes boosting sales can be tough. In this post, Pawel Grabowski gives four suggestions that help you look at your business with new eyes and find the places where big sales growth can happen. Tweak Your Biz

Pricing Perspectives

Avoid these 3 pricing mistakes. Could some of your sales success …and failure … be in how you set your prices? Nicole Fende, president of Small Business Finance Forum, suggests 3 all-too-common mistakes that small business owners make. Avoid these and you just may improve your bottom line. Small Business Trends

Why are we afraid to talk about price? Lack of published prices may be costing you sales. Should you be upfront with your prices? or be coy. Lots of discussion — over 60 comments — bandying about the pros and cons. Small Business Trends

From Small Business Trends

Small Business Sales Still Below Pre-Recession Levels: What to Do