Networking How-To
Networking is not just about handing out your business card and hoping someone will call you. It is somewhat of an art to get it right. If you have an outgoing personality, you will probably be fine. But if you are a bit nervous about attending your first networking event, here are a few suggestions.
1. Arrive on time. You can be fashionably late to a friend's dinner party, but it is more professional to be on time for a networking event. Some of them are short sessions before a business meeting. If you arrive late, you will miss the networking.
2. When you walk in the room and are deciding who to speak to first, look for small groups. If you start with a large group, you will probably get lost in the mix. A small group will be more receptive to a newcomer.
3. Always have a business card with you. You want the people you meet to remember your name, so make sure you have a business card handy to give them.
4. Practice your elevator speech ahead of time. Make sure you know what you are going to say to introduce yourself and your business. Have a 90 second recap ready to go. Practice ahead of time so you don't stumble on your words.
5. Don't talk about you. Sure you want to introduce yourself and let people know what you do. But word it in such a way that you are telling them what you can do for them. Don't make it about you.
5. After it is all over, follow up with a few of the people you just met. Send a short note to let them know you enjoyed meeting them. Consider following them on Twitter or friending them on Facebook. Check out their LinkedIn profile. Start building relationships as that is what Social Media is all about
And most importantly, have fun networking.
Transcription Basics
If you do any public speaking, you know the value of having your seminars, workshops or podcasts in written form. You can take this information and repurpose it into newsletters and articles for publication. But how do you go about getting it in written form? Here are a few suggestions to get the best quality audio file to give to your transcriptionist.
EQUIPMENT: Test your equipment ahead of time to assure it is in working order. If it is battery operated, make sure you have extra batteries in case the need arises. If you are recording in a group situation, use more than one microphone to make sure everyone is heard clearly. Think about the external noises that could cause problems - children playing, dogs barking, telephones ringing, wind blowing. Try to avoid any outside noises as these can compromise the quality of your recording.
WHO WILL DO THE TRANSCRIBING: If you will be working with a Virtual Assistant, make sure she has done transcription before. Get references if possible. Anyone can say they transcribe, but not everyone can do a professional job.
COST: Most Virtual Assistants will charge by the audio hour. If you add more than one speaker, heavy accents or noisy backgrounds, there could be additional charges. Keep in mind it could take three or four hours to transcribe one audio hour of good quality recordings.
FINISHED PRODUCT: Think about how you want it to look in print form. Specify the font type and size. Do you want it single spaced or double spaced. One and a half is a better option as it doesn't take up as much space and it is easier to read.
LANGUAGE: No one speaks in correct grammitical English. No one speaks in complete sentences all the time. How many times will you say um, oh, or like in your seminar? Do you want your Virtual Assistant to transcribe as you speak or do you want her to do some editing as she goes along? Of course, there are times that you will want the transcript to be exact, as in the case of legal matters or police and insurance records.
This is just the basics but hopefully it has given you something to think about. Let me know if you can add anything to this list - or if you need help with a transcription project.
How Does Your Email Signature Read?
Most businesses have a "signature" at the end of every email they send. Some are very lengthy and colorful and some are short and sweet. But what is best. Below are some tips on how to get the most out of your email signature.
1. If you keep your signature simple it will not take away from the important facts in your email. Include your contact information in simple fonts. Avoid colors and graphics. Last thing you want to do is confuse your reader.
2. Decide what is most important and include the basics. Do not list multiple addresses and phone numbers. Include numbers where your readers will be sure to reach you. No need to include your mailing address. Not everyone wants or needs this kind of information.
3. Hyperlinks do not always work so include a written URL so your reader will be able to find you.
4. Always include your email address as you can't always rely on your email client to include this header information in replies and forwards.
5. Reconsider using a quote at the end of your signature. You don't want to offend someone or give them the wrong impression.
