Link for Success

On this last episode of season 2, I am joined by a very special guest who was part of my podcast launch for season 1 and her show had the most downloads.  Since then, so many things have happened, changed, shifted for so many.  Whether it be in their business life or personal, we have all had to pivot in the past few months. I wanted to have this conversation as so many have changed directions recently.  Learn how I have pivoted during our times of Covid and what recommendations Fay has for those who have started something new. Between people learning more about going online and taking on new projects, it's interesting to see the creativity that has come out of it. 

Fay is a leading expert in speaker training. We chatted about the difference between speaking on a digital platform vs speaking on stage and how to deal with various tech hiccups. Even without any notes or any presentation software.  

Join us for Season 3 coming soon. 

In today's episode, I chat with Bob Minhas about the term "Coach", working with competitors and using the term "expert".  A lively conversation that I'm sure you will enjoy.  Spoiler alert... who puts a failed business on their LinkedIn profile?  

Are you a name dropper?  Remember when people used to do that in person?  I ran into this person, I had coffee with that person.  It showed they were in the "in crowd".  Well, we have moved this concept to social media, especially LinkedIn.  Tagging influencers for the sake of tagging them to showcase they are connected to them.  Have you seen this happen?  Well, there is a right way and wrong way of going about this.  Here's my take.

Sounds simple enough.  Have the same voice across all platforms for brand consistency.  Easy, right? Well, I'm calling myself out on this episode as I was not doing this.  If someone meets you in person, do you sound the same as your social voice or radio voice?  Authenticity is a huge part of gaining trust.  So.. here's what happened to me when I was asked about it. 

I hear of people being fearful of sharing too much.  Fearful of giving away too much information for free.  I don't believe you can ever share too much. I love giving away my information.  In this episode we talk about why sharing is a great way to build followers and increase trust.

Linking for Success also means dressing the part.  Whether you are meeting someone for the first time at a professional event or in the Digital Space, you should be consistent.  I believe in authenticity and being real... but have we taken these terms too far?

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

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 

Founder of H.U.B Inc tells us how Connections matter.  H.U.B Inc helps connect you to the people, ideas and influences that will accelerate your business.  Today’s businesswoman deserves a new model, one more in sync with the rapidly evolving changes impacting her personal and professional life. 

The right connections truly help you Link for Success. Listen to why Mary feels that in-person networking is important to your business success.