Best of the Blog 2010

In the beginning of this new year I would like to look back at 2010 by sharing the top blog posts of the past year. For your convenience I have divided them in four categories.

Category Networking Insights

• What I learned from my taxi driver
• 7 Types Of Conditioning that Might Destroy Your Networking Results
• Listening is the Most Important Networking Skill
• The Power of Classmates

Category Networking at Events

• 9 Tips To Make New Year’s Receptions and Events a Success
• Why Many People Are Frustrated When Going to Events (and What to Do About It)

Category LinkedIn

• Company and Personal Branding Tip for LinkedIn: the use of Summary
• Why LinkedIn is important for Job Seekers and Recruiters
• 5 ways to use LinkedIn Companies to find more customers
• My personal policy regarding accepting LinkedIn Invitations

Category Networking Tools

• Track The Response To Your Tweets and Status Updates in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo and other Social Media
• HootSuite Makes Your Professional and Social Networking Life Easier

Enjoy !

Jan

Ivan Rapin-Smith (MySoloBusiness.com) interviews me about starting a business, LinkedIn and how to become an expert

I haven’t done many video interviews for websites so far (the main reason is that they are very time consuming), but when Ivan Rapin-Smith from MySoloBusiness.com asked me I could’nt say no.

Not because of his charming looks :-), but because he wanted to interview me about my passion: helping other people to succeed in life.

What was planned to be an interview of 10 minutes turned out to be one of 27 minutes (I told you they are time consuming :-)), but I gladly shared how I started my business, how people get more successful using LinkedIn and how to become successful as a solo entrepreneur (that’s how I started myself).

The interview is cut into three pieces, so you can choose yourself which part(s) you would like to watch.

Enjoy !

Jan

PS: click the links to get a free light version of “How to REALLY use LinkedIn” and free updates of the book (or “Hoe LinkedIn nu ECHT gebruiken” in Dutch)

Free e-book with 378 predictions

Many people are wondering what 2010 is going to bring.

Ann Andrews of the Corporate Toolbox asked her network of best selling authors, speakers, coaches and management gurus for their predictions. She got a staggering 378 answers!

You can read their predictions for 2010 in this free e-book.

Have a great year !

Jan

Jan Vermeiren is the founder of Networking Coach and author of “How to REALLY use LinkedIn” (in Dutch: “Hoe LinkedIn nu ECHT gebruiken“). Click on the links of the books to get a free light version.

Xing Now Also Has Applications

A few months after LinkedIn introduced applications, Xing now also offers them.

Most of them are the same, which makes sense since most applications are good tools that support business (net)working and collaborating.

Two of my favorite applications are the links with SlideShare and MindMeister. They don’t only offer the possibility to share information in a different and intuitive way, but they are also great for SEO (Search Engine Optimalisation).

They are simple to add, both on LinkedIn and Xing.

Just invest 10 minutes of your time (more of course if you still have to create good slideshows and mindmaps) and in two days you will see what I mean.

To your success !

Jan

Summer Sales Professional Networking Package

 Summer has arrived and for many people it means they have time to read or to reflect on how their career or business is doing.

Since you registered yourself to receive our newsletters and updates, you understand that having a network and being able to tap into your network is not only the cheapest, but also the most powerful resource to support you in your career and business.

However, not everybody has already given thought to what networking really is, what the dynamics are when you are communicating with your network and how to go about it in the best way so you get real results while respecting every party’s values at the same time.

Of course we regularly organise free and for-a-fee workshops, training courses, web seminars and presentations about networking and referrals (both in-company as public), but not everybody has always the opportunity or means to attend one of these.

That’s why there are also a number of books and CD’s at your disposal. And since the summer is the ideal moment to read or get tips via a CD, we want to support you by offering a special summer deal.

We don’t only give a discount on the popular Everlasting Referrals Home Study Course, but we have also created a special bundle at a very low price.

This is the overview:

Summer Action Bundle Professional Networking

This special bundle consists of: 1) Book Let’s Connect! (Amazon best seller) Get insights in the dynamics of networking, how to craft an Elevator Story, how to make contact at conferences, receptions and other networking events, how to follow up, which tools are available to network more effectively and efficiently and how to be more successful in your business or career by tapping into the power of your network. 2) CD Let’s Connect at an event This CD is especially made to listen to in your car when you are on your way to (or back from) a conference, reception, business club meeting and any other networking event. The 30 tips on the CD are categorized in 3 categories: How do I prepare myself in order to not only feel more comfortable, but also get results. What do I do at the event (how do I make contact, how do I present myself, how do I go beyond the superficial chit chat and how do I end a conversation)? How to follow up afterwards in order to increase my success rate and ROI (Return on Investment) in time and money? 3) Book How to REALLY use LinkedIn (Amazon best seller) You don’t only get insights in where the real power of LinkedIn resides, but also a short and effective 3 step action plan in order to get results fast. Next to that there are advanced strategies, for example to find more customers, to get more out of your business club membership using LinkedIn or to find a new job. Add to this the answers to the 24 most asked questions and 22 little known, but interesting features and behavior of LinkedIn that can make or break your actions on LinkedIn and a list of free tools to save time, and you know that “How to REALLY use LinkedIn” is THE manual for beginners and advanced users to turn your presence on LinkedIn into a gigantic success. Limited Summer Action Bundle: 30% discount: only 50 euro instead of 78.95 euro (incl. VAT)! The bundle is also available in electronic format (PDF and MP3): only 40 euro and no shipping costs (incl. VAT)!

 

Everlasting Referrals Home Study Course

This Home Study Course is especially designed for business owners, sales managers, business development managers, account managers, sales representatives and everybody who needs to sell products or services and who doesn’t have the time or budget to follow the two-day Everlasting Referrals Training. This Home Study Course makes sure that you will be introduced by your network to prequalified prospects. As a consequence not only more gets sold with less effort, but after a (short) while you don’t have to cold call anymore. Your network brings in customer after customer after customer. This is the content of the Everlasting Referrals Home Study Course: Manual Workbook Book Let’s Connect! CD Let’s Connect at an event Some samples of tools that can support you Weekly follow up emails during a full year (52 weeks) Extra: Online Networking Power Pack with a 10 step action plan to develop a successful online networking strategy Summer Action: 30 % discount: only 249 euro instead of 347 euro (incl. VAT)!

 

Go to the webshop of our partner Amerone to benefit from these special offers:
– Summer Bundle in English.
– Summer Bundle in Dutch.

In the meantime we wish you a fantastic summer and we look forward to meeting you after the summer at one of our web seminars, training courses or presentations or on another networking event!

Jan and the Networking Coach team

Free Light Version of the New Book “How to REALLY use LinkedIn”

Today a quick blog post to let you know that a FREE light version of my new book How to REALLY use LinkedIn is now available.

For Dutch speaking people: gratis light versie van boek Hoe LinkedIn nu ECHT gebruiken is beschikbaar.

Also sign up for the free webinars on March 9 (Dutch) and March 10 (English) via the same website.

 

The book itself will be released on March 17. On that day we do a special launch action (English) / speciale lanceringsactie (Dutch).

 

Have a great networking week !

Jan

 

Jan Vermeiren, founder of Networking Coach

Networking Tip: Rolodex Dipping

I have been writing a few blog posts about the NSA convention and the things I learned there. This is another one 🙂

It’s something I learned from Christine Comaford-Lynch and which she also mentions in her book “Rules for Renegades“.

She calls it “Rolodex Dipping“.

This is how she describes it in the book:

“This is a fun practice when you want to connect with someone but aren’t sure who. Flip through your contact database until you find a name that makes you smile. Then call that person up just to see how he or she is. Your contact will be surprised and delighted.”

Note: if you don’t know what a Rolodex is: it is a simple system to store business cards. Not in a box, but kind of a wheel. Google it if you want to see the picture 🙂

As you could already read in a previous blog post I am an advocate of storing your contact details electronically as well.

For me this “Rolodex Dipping” works also in other ways. If I’m stuck with a project or want to have new ideas, just going through my contacts always helps. Sometimes in strange ways: by reading a name I come up with things that have totally nothing to do with hem or her.

I don’t know the psychological explanation for this (if you do, please post this so I can learn :-)), but the result is there and that’s what matters.

I have a small assignment for you: do some Rolodex, Outlook or other contact database dipping for a few minutes and see what idea comes into your mind or which person stands out from the rest. Act upon the idea you get or call that person and see what happens.

Have a great networking day !

Jan

Founder of Networking Coach

Spreker bij Stay Great and Grow: lots of referral tips

Last month I was invited as a speaker for the Stay Great and Grow club of KMO/PME magazine.

There was also a journalist of this magazine/website present who wrote about the session and interviewed me afterwards for camera.

Unfortunately for many of the readers of this blog only in Dutch this time.

If you do speak Dutch: lees het uitgebreide verslag van de referral workshop die ik heb gegeven (journalist Frans Uyttebroeck covert veel van de tips die ik geef) en bekijk het interview met mij als spreker.

Have a great networking day !

Jan

Network tips in MP3 format

A quick blog post this week to announce that the CD “Let’s Connect at an event, 30 immediately applicable networking tips to make every event a success” now also can be downloaded in MP3 format at a reduced price.

If you want to know what is exactly on the CD or want to buy the CD rightaway, visit one of these websites:

English version: Let’s Connect Online, 30 immediately applicable networking tips to make every event a success
Dutch version: Let’s Connect Online, 30 direct toepasbare netwerk tips om van elk evenement een succes te maken

If you’re not sure yet, you can listen to 8 of the 30 tips for free at the website of Networking Coach:
English: page of the network book and network CD
Dutch: pagina van het netwerk boek en netwerk CD

Have a great networking day !

Jan

International Networking Tip

If you travel often or just once in a while, you probably have the same questions as me when you go to a restaurant: is a tip expected? And if so, how much should I give?

You don’t want to be rude by giving not enough, but also don’t want to spend too much money or don’t want to be perceived as someone who brags.

This link: http://www.raileurope.com/international_tipping_guide.htm is a help to all of you who recognize this situation. On this page you will find the customs with regard to restaurant and taxi tips in Europe.

Have a great (international) networking day!

Jan