Best,
Jason

I thought I would alert you to a fact that may have been easily overlooked.

In the past couple weeks, Facebook has made a few changes that may have altered your Privacy settings.

I recommend you take the following steps to update your profile and account privacy to the level that you want:

1.) Please your mouse cursor over “Settings” in the upper left-hand corner of your screen, near the Search box.

2.) Click on “Privacy Settings” from the drop-down menu.

3.) Click on “Profile Information” and set each item listed to your preferred privacy level.

For those using Facebook for networking and marketing, and not overly concerned with unknown people seeing your info, I recommend a lesser level. Most of my items are set to “Everyone” so that people will be able to read my profile info, status updates, etc and then can decide if they want to add me as a friend. Having the level of “Everyone” also helps search engines to index that particular piece of information on your profile.

4.) Click “Back to Privacy” above the list of items.

5.) Click on “Contact Information” and repeat choosing your level of privacy for all the items listed, as you see fit.

6.) Click “Back to Privacy” above the list of items. And now Click on “Search” to edit who can search you, as well as if you want your profile at all to be indexed by search engines.

I hope this helps to provide you with a better and when appropriate, more secure, networking experience on Facebook!

All the best,
Jason
http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com

P.S. To get regular helpful tips such as this and other social networking, marketing and sales support, join the Fabook group for Small Business Networking at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33103057507 
“Achieve Your Ideal Business Now!” on Facebook :)

It’s all about image, communication, relationships and style.  Especially for us business owners.  Remember that people are looking to you and will decide if they want to buy from you, do business with you, or network and help you connect with others.

Richard Laermer provides some very good points here about what you’re posting on Facebook, as well as how you are emailing to your audiece.  Everything you communicate reflects on you and your brand.

“… By now, we’ve all received the message that our online reputations and images are as important, if not more important, than their off-the-Web counterparts.

So here’s how to rise from the ground floor to a higher level…”

Read more here:
http://badpitch.blogspot.com/2009/05/online-communication-tips-for.html

Jason’s additional comments:

This is very sound advice!

I would add that if you are writing marketing copy (webpage, newsletter, etc.) think of your audience as they are reading a note from you specifically to them specifically. At times it’s appropriate to write in a “personal” voice. The grammar doesn’t have to be perfect in these instances; it should sound “natural” and even a touch conversational. But it still needs to sound intelligent, respectful and thoughtful. 

All the best,
Jason

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

Great summary!

I was once, too, temporarily suspended for unknown reasons, and for an unspecified period of time. But I was definitely told not to do “it” again, or else! lol

I couldn’t find in the terms of service what I had violated, and to this day have no idea what happened.

Thanks for sharing these tips. They are more specific and give an idea of what to watch out for and avoid in terms of being Facebook terminated.

All the best,
Jason

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

I agree with them, except maybe one (for business marketing reasons). But I’ll let you decide which are good for you. 

All the best,
Jason

10 Ways To Stay Safe On Facebook

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach

Helping entrepreneurs, home-based & small biz owners, and sales professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less.
Want to get started?  Sign up for your FREE “Business Success E-Series”!773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

I am a huge believer in networking and “mutually beneficial marketing”! I write articles, give teleclasses and live seminars. These are all forms of marketing and gaining exposure, but the goal isn’t to sell someone on something, but rather to provide useful, insightful info from my own experiences.

And now I am benefitting from the social networking arena – mostly Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Meetup and Ning – where they can all come together. So here is my take:

Successful online networking is not much different than in-person networking: Build your personal and business brand into a cohesive message and attractive experience.

The key to great networking is to develop relationships by:
• Connecting
• Finding common ground
• Being service oriented
• Providing great value – resources, content, ideas or connections

By doing all these, people can get to know you and at the same time enhance themselves and their business, while you expect nothing in return.

And the key to turning people off right away and therefore NEVER being able to make a sale:
• Beat them over the head with your sales pitch

People need to know, like and trust you.

Helping others without expectation is the easiest way to get that accomplished. Plus, others will be drawn to you as you truly are, not as some marketing guru wrote webpage copy to “spin” the real you. This starts off the relationship on the right foot, as people will know what to expect from you.

These are my philosophies, and they have worked very well. Here are two recent articles about online and offline networking strategies and skills here:

“10 Holiday Networking Tips”
www.tinyurl.com/Networking10Tips

“How can I use Twitter to draw business to my website?”
www.tinyurl.com/7dpqrm

Good luck, and please feel free to connect so we can help each other. :)

All the best,
Jason

P.S. If you ever want to check out what free teleclasses and workshops I have coming up on these topics, just go to www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/events.htm

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach

Helping self-directed and self-managed professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less. Ready to start? Sign up for your FREE “Business Success E-Series”!

773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Blog: http://blog.DistinctiveCoaching.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

Q: Jason, I have a question about Twitter. How can I use it to draw business to my website?

A: Great question.  There are several different ways to use Twitter for business.  Here are ten off the top of my head:

1.) Have conversations over Twitter by replying to other postings to build your network and relationships so people get to know you better – Type “@TheirTwitterName” at the beginning of the post to indicate who you are talking to, or click on the reply icon from their original post.

2.) Make announcements about your services, specials, etc.

3.) Provide helpful links to info, articles, blog posts, videos and other resources that are of interest to your target market.

4.) Ask others to “Re-tweet” important messages that you want to be spread “virally”.

5.) Use it synergistically with Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning, Meetup, etc.  When you connect to someone on one platform, see if they are on Twitter.  The more familiarity they get with you, the faster the relationship is built.

6.) Post questions that you have about anything at all.  If they have the answer, someone will generally try to help out.

7.) Announce networking events or ways to facilitate more in-person or virtual interaction.

8.) Give testimonials and recommendations to support your network.  I have done this when I had a great customer experience, and others have gotten business from it.

9.) Post some personal stuff once in a while, so people get to know not just your business, but you as well.

10.) Promote BizCoachJason and DistinctiveCoaching.com, because I rock :)  (Just kidding)

I have had people sign up for my E-Series and teleclasses from posts I’ve made, and others have retweeted for me on Twitter. 

Just aim to share the love, and it will work well.

All the best,
Jason

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach

Helping self-directed and self-managed professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less.
Want to get started?  Sign up for your FREE “Business Success E-Series”!

773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason

I just received another friend request from someone I don’t know. This time on Facebook.

That’s great! I’m happy that somebody out there came across my profile and decided “Hey, this guy isn’t too bad. I’m going to ask to be friends.”

How nice! :)

WELL…. I believe that we are all mostly on these networking sites to network (radical idea, I know) either socially, businessly (yeah, I just made up that word), etc., and networking is about creating great, useful relationships. So why not start off by giving the poor soul a clue as to why you wanted to connect?

Please, when you request to connect to someone on LinkedIn, Facebook, Ning, Plaxo, Pulse, whatever… If it isn’t completely clear already – like you’re married to them or mugged them on the bus this morning – please spend the 10-20 seconds to pound out a sentence to let them know how you happened across their profile and why you think it would be a good idea to connect.

It makes the relationship so much easier to move forward, as well as positions you as someone that is good at relationship building and has some courtesy.

Ok.. now I have step off my soapbox and get back to other demanding things.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!

All the best,
Jason

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach

Helping self-directed and self-managed professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less.
Want to get started?  Sign up for your FREE “Business Success E-Series” at http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason

I borrowed this question from a LinkedIn group discussion board (http://snipurl.com/53kna).  Here is my posted answer:

I like the question as a way to start a good discussion.  Here are several actions that people can take to expand their professionals networks:

 - First, you have to be in the presence of someone – physically, virtually, etc.
 - You have to meet and connect with people
 - Go to networking events such as Linked n Chicago, BNC or Meetup http://www.meetup.com/ChicagoBusinessDevelopmentForum
 - Follow up with people you meet
 - Create relationships based on common interests, goals, causes, or philosophies
 - Join online groups (such as http://snipurl.com/4zcvf)
 - Introduce yourself both one-on-one and also to a group discussion board
 - Tell people about how you can help them
 - Be of service without expecting anything in return
 - Don’t just try to sell people. Networking isn’t about sales (but the sale will come if you do the other things)
 - In addition to offering help, also ask for it when you have a need; allow others to be of service to you and share their expertise.

There are many more ideas. These are some of the big ones that I help people plan out and execute when they are building their businesses.

What are some other thoughts from the group members?

All the best,
“Biz Coach” Jason Rosado

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason