3 ways to write about your business

May 23, 2009
1038121_76724335People who are really smart about how to make money by selling insurance, investments, real estate or running a restaurant all say the same thing: “I don’t know what to write about my business. I don’t know what to say.”

As a result, you don’t know what to make of Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, blogs and the rest of the booming social media and online communications tools.

You gotta be kidding, right? You’re the experts and the rest of us want to know more about what you’ve already figured out. So there’s opportunity for you to share some of your knowledge. There’s also a big opportunity for you to share some of yourself by joining online conversations and groups and getting to know people.

That’s what social networking is all about. And conversations online are in so many ways no different that conversations you have in person — if you approach them in these three ways:
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Why waste time on social media?

April 11, 2009

At a networking breakfast last month, the owner of an engineering firm wanted to know why anyone would use Linkedin, Twitter, blogs or any social media in their business. He couldn’t have been any more blunt.

“Why the hell should I waste time on that?” the owner said.

My answer to him, and you, is just as direct. Don’t.

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Make friends, then sell ’em a house

April 2, 2009

1108380_74849221A real estate agent who’s in business in the northern Cincinnati suburbs asked if we could talk about ways to improve his web site.

My response surprised him.

“Don’t do anything to your web site now,” I said. Instead, “Let’s talk about what you want to accomplish.”

And, by the way, how much time are you willing to invest to get it done?

The Realtor didn’t have his answers right away. I didn’t expect him, too. But I wanted him to understand that our conversation should not be about whether the design of his web site is dated or whether he should be Twittering or expanding his use of Linkedin and other social media sites.

The more important questions in my mind need answers first: Read the rest of this entry »