Every website I create includes free email marketing capabilities. So if you not doing email touch campaigns, shame on you, it’s a great way to keep in front of your customers and prospects alike!

1. Be Clever about Content

The experts at Yesmail warn readers about writing lengthy e-mails: “If you want to be overly descriptive and drawn out, go write a book.” They advise keeping content “short and sweet,” and limiting length to about one or two paragraphs. Additionally, businesses should ensure that their content is comprehensible. That means having a friend or associate proofread the message before sending it! As Yesmail’s writers explain, “they might have some great suggestions that you didn’t even think of, or catch some grammatical errors that you skipped right over.”

2. Target Appropriately!

“The more familiar you are with your target audience, the better you can determine what the best message is to convey to them,” according to the people at Yesmail. This is one reason why you should mention that your Web solution makes it easy to target specific individuals within a contact list. This way, the messages are more personalized and thus more effective!

3. Always add a Call to Action!

Similar to Yesmail’s suggestions for content, it is important for businesses to adopt a sense of urgency in their messages to ensure that the reader’s attention is grabbed!
“You’ve only got a few seconds to impress the reader enough to click and take an action within your message,” according to Yesmail, “Make it uber-easy for a customer to take the next step.”

4. Don’t Forget about the Extras!

A marketing e-mail would be pretty dull of it only included two quick paragraphs, wouldn’t it? That’s why businesses need to add extras like virtual coupons, links to informative articles…anything relevant that a creative business owner can come up with!

5. Assess what’s Working.

The statistics tools available in your Web solution can help businesses gauge the effectiveness of such marketing efforts as e-mail campaigns. Yesmail’s experts advise readers to compare e-mail campaigns and determine what made one more successful than another. “This will allow you to learn from past mistakes, and make any tweaks you think necessary for the next round.”

Social Media has changed the way that working professionals represent themselves.

I wanted to share a couple of thoughts on a topic that I feel is becoming more critical for anyone working or looking for their next career: Personal Branding. There was a time in the recent past when professionals were connected to their employer because of the image of that company.  More and more purchases are made because of the relationship that is build, fostered and nurtured by an individual sales person and their ability to represent their employer.

Personal Branding is defined by Wikipedia as:  ”the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands. It has been noted that while previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging.”

Personal Branding for today;s professionals includes your online persona creation and the ongoing management of that living, evolving brand that represents who you are.  I recommend that everyone who is Googleable should have a Personal Branding Strategy.  Job Seekers and Professionals interested in learning how to brand yourself should consider contacting me to learn more.

My consulting clients will attest that I have two personal philosophies surrounding Social Media:  The first is that SM is allowing professionals to establish themselves as experts in their given field.  The second tenet of my consulting services is that “people want to do business with people the know and that they trust”.  I believe that these two statements are exactly why Personal Branding deserves the attention of every working professional.

Three reasons why you must put effort into branding yourself:

1. Your clients and your future clients are looking online for you and your company.  Being well established online will give confidence that you are someone that people want to do business with.  I cannot imagine a professional who does not have an online persona.   Personally when I search for someone online, if I cannot find them I am instantly suspect and wonder why they aren’t online.
2. Small investments in your time will pay benefits for years to come; the internet is forever and the sooner you begin working on this aspect of your professional life the sooner the benefits will begin to provide the return of your investment of your time.
3. If you are not personally branded, you are one step behind your competition.  Web 2.0 have allowed individual to connect with people that would have been inaccessible only a couple years ago.  You can now prospect for clients with tools like Linkedin or other Social Networking sites; You can contribute your expertise with a micro-blog like Twitter and develop and deepen relationships with Facebook , Myspace and YouTube.

If you need help branding yourself, I hope you will drop me a note or look for me at LivePerson.com or email me at david@davidwanika.com

Let me take just a couple of minutes of your time to recap options for web site development for small business owners. The three main reasons for having a website are as follows:

1) You are in an active Personal Branding development campaign.

2) You have a brick and mortar business and your company needs a web presence to compete with others in you industry.

3) You have a retail product that you can easily be adopted from your existing business model to be included in a successful e-commerce strategy.

Today I want to cover option 3, retailers who are desperately needing to adopt an aggressive e-commerce strategy to compete or totally stay in business.

Currently, I am working with two different companies who in my opinion are savvy enough to know they must enter the e-commerce game.  The first, a retail brick and mortar specializing in woman’s and children’s clothing and specialty items and the second is in my opinion one of Jacksonville’s finest Art Gallery’s.

The first needs to establish a web presence. They currently have very little online presence short of a personal Facebook page.  While they have a great local reputation and a family and close friend following, they have no web marketing strategy. The second have a very active Social Media presence and realize that their current website needs to capitalize on a very strong product catalog.

My honest opinion is that both companies should adopt an aggressive e-commerce strategy. Both companies will expand their market base, as well as develop the ability to promote their most profitable products. I am confident that the solution that I am suggesting to both companies will positively affect the overall profit margins of these companies.

If you are wondering how best to adopt a very Strategic Internet Marketing game plan, please contact me today for more info. I am more than happy to provide you my honest opinion based on your unique needs and requirements.

We will be discussing a ruling by the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee arm of the Florida Supreme Court, that prevents judges from adding lawyers who may appear before the judge as “friends” and vice versa on social networks like Facebook.

This issue raises the question about many professionals who are socially networking and may be in violation of Corporate HR policies and even in some case breaking the law.

My advise is to be careful who you friend. I really appreciate Linkedin.com being suggestion of only connecting with people you know and trust.  Hard to go wrong when the rules are so simple.

Barb Dybwad did a really nice job on this piece posted on Mashable.com

http://bit.ly/59JcP6

Thanks Kris!

Resume Reveal: Tips for Developing a Resume That Works

Developing a resume for many job seekers is a daunting task. Those that are naturally detail oriented can’t seem to keep it under 5 pages and those that only see the big picture leave out details that make the difference between a good resume and a great one. Finding the balance is the trick. Below are keys to developing a powerful resume that works!

Start with the easy stuff first. Begin with the contact information which should include your personal address, phone numbers and email address, not your employers. Next add your education and associations that will be used the end of the resume. If you have technical information or additional training to include it as well.

You can than begin on the Professional Experience section by adding the company name, city and state; dates worked there and position title for each position. At this point things can get tricky. Usually a resume should only go back 10-15 years, not more than 20 years.

If you haven’t already figured out your target position, you need to do so before proceeding. The position you target will determine the qualifications and achievements you will use in your resume. Target your experience for each position including the tasks and accomplishments on the requirements of the type of position you are seeking.

Use facts that are quantifiable. An example would be a bullet achievement regarding a project you have managed.  How long did the project last, how many people were involved? What was the budget for the project? Were you responsible? What were the results? So instead of just telling the achievement, you can make it more appealing with added details such as:

·         Led several project through to completion.

Or

·         Led marketing campaigns for 7 projects in 18 months, including the successful launch of the new XYZ software product, which utilized 5 months, a team of 16 direct reports and a budget of $1.4 million to complete.

 The second bullet just gives more flavor and allows the employer to understand the size and scope of your responsibilities – which increases your value to their company.

The final area is the top section, which is the critical and often the only part of the resume that is read, so it must be captivating. That starts with using a heading on the resume which is usually the title of the position you are seeking. A skills set or a section with highlighted achievements or value offered is effective here too. Many also include a short paragraph that gives a sentence on your background and a few more on your value to the reader.

So, you’ve got the content – don’t forget about the presentation. Make sure there is enough white space for the eye to easily follow the flow of the document. Use a little variety in font, bold or tabs to break up the writing for easier reading. Make the font large enough to be read on a computer screen and in person by someone with less than perfect vision. If it is too hard to see they won’t read it.

It will take a while, plan on a few nights or a weekend to work through your experience and dig out the nuggets needed to get noticed and get an interview. Once you are happy with it have others read it, send it to a few companies and tweak it if results are still not what you are looking for. Soon you will hit on a resume that is powerful and effective and will generate interview offers!

In an effort to further assist you in gaining vital information that will support you throughout your career; I invite you to check-out my website and blog. Visit me, Kris Plantrich – Your Career Management Authority and owner of ResumeWonders Writing and Career Coaching Services at http://www.resumewonders.com. Or visit my blog at http://careeressentials.wordpress.com for daily career focused tips, answers, information and insight. 

For those seeking a new position, job, career or whatever you prefer, Linkedin® is the site of choice for Professional Recruiters and Corporate HR Professionals. 

Here are three tips that will assist you in your job hunt!

TIP #1 – Your Linkedin® Profile

You have to have a profile that represents who you are professionally. Spend time creating your profile as if is your online resume. 

Your resume can act like a template for creating your Linkedin profile.  In some respects, it is the first impression that any if the 41,000,000 Linkedin member can access and review.  

TIP #2 – Be honest about your profile!

The internet is forever and you never know who will be reading the profile that you post.  Once it’s posted, you can modify the profile but you will never know who has viewed your information.

It may be a former co-worker, employer, professor and someone will know you fabricated the information.  Your creditability is everything period.

TIP #3 – Build a strong expansive network.

The cornerstone of Linkedin® connections is that you know the people that you connect with.  While that is hard to do initially, the more time you spend on Linkedin the easier it is to expand your network to include the very people you need to be in front of to gain that next career opportunity!

Working Linkedin means being committed to spend just 30 minutes per day working your profile, your group memberships and building relationships.  

In my workshop sessions on Linkedin® 101 and Linkedin for Job Seekers, I teach a proven process of working Linkedin as if you are mining for gold.  Check on upcoming workshops in your community, throughout the summer.

As those of you who know me are aware, I always want to know: “How you are using Linkedin?”.  

I have been networking quite a bit recently and on one occasion I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of my Linkedin connections that are professional recruiters and per my standard  ”MO”, I asked them the question of how they were using Linkedin professionally.  As they told me their stories, it occurred to me that they were both straddling a ravine between the people who need jobs and the companies that need to hire the staff they need to perform the work they need done.  Impressive, truly impressive all that they have to manage to place a candidate into a corporate position these days!

I came across a great quote on Linkedin that I would like to share: 

Timothy Farrelly, president of Coit Staffing, has placed many candidates using LinkedIn  “LinkedIn has become the place where top recruiters look for passive candidates. The quality of professionals who have joined the network and published their professional profile makes LinkedIn the most productive place to find and reach candidates for senior-level positions.

In this post there is a great list of tips for all those job seekers out there. Here is their press release, drop me a note and let you know if it helps.

Monogrammed stationery.
A Rolodex filled with business cards.
The Sunday want ads.

These job search tools have all gone the way of the dodo. But are you still using tactics that are similarly slated for extinction?

Like all trends, those that define the job search change over time — sometimes often, and sometimes dramatically. To give yourself the best possible chance of landing a new position, you need to use the most up-to-date approaches. And if you haven’t launched a job hunt in several years, you could be behind the times.

Here are some job search tactics that are “in” and “out”:

Out: Blanketing local employers with a résumé and cover letter addressed “To whom it may concern.”
In: Researching prospective employers and applying to companies where your skills and interests match their needs. In a competitive job market, a generic résumé won’t grab a hiring manager’s attention. The best applications are highly targeted to the opportunity. That means not only researching the appropriate contact so you can address the hiring manager by name but also detailing how your skills and experience can meet the potential employer’s exact needs.

Out: Stilted language in application materials (e.g., “Please find my résumé attached in response to the job posting …”).
In: More natural prose that provides a sense of your personality. Soft skills are more important than ever, and employers want to get a sense of your personality to ensure you will mesh well with existing staff members. So use your résumé and cover letter as a way to show the hiring manager who you are. But keep in mind that these documents should still remain professional — you can get your personality across without resorting to shorthand, slang or “text speak.”

Out: Using unusual résumé formats to hide employment gaps.
In: Filling potential gaps through volunteer or temporary work. Some job seekers have used functional résumés to downplay gaps in their work history. But this format — in which the person’s skills are listed at the top of the document, and the work history is truncated or omitted entirely — could raise red flags by making it seem like you have something to hide. Today’s hiring managers realize that many talented people are out of work right now through no fault of their own, so don’t feel like you need to hide a recent period of unemployment. Instead, demonstrate that you’ve remained professionally engaged while searching for a new position by taking on volunteer or temporary work.

Out: Overly detailed résumés.
In: Streamlined résumés that list relevant accomplishments. Hiring managers don’t have much time to devote to your résumé, so you need to make a positive impression right away. The best way to do so is to cut out unnecessary information from your document — for example, accomplishments from a job you held two decades ago, the clubs you belonged to in college (unless you’re a recent graduate) or that your references are available upon request. Focus on the skills you have that match the employer’s requirements and, in particular, bottom-line contributions you’ve made in previous roles.

Out: A narrow focus in your job search.
In: A broad view of how your skills might be useful in various roles. In today’s job market, you may need to be creative to land a new position. Think about the skills you possess and how they could be applied in new ways or in an entirely new position or field. For example, your experience spearheading a product launch could position you for a role as a project manager.

Out: Networking occasionally.
In: Networking constantly using tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, as well as in person. The best way to find a job remains through word of mouth. And, in the recession, a lead or referral from a contact can give you the edge you need to land a new position. Online networking websites make it easy for you to keep in touch with members of your network, but keep in mind that face-to-face interaction is still important. Offer to treat people to coffee on occasion to catch up and talk about your search.

Out: A set reference list.
In: A customized reference list for each opportunity. Like your résumé and cover letter, your reference list should be fluid and targeted to the opportunity. When providing this information to a prospective employer, think of who can speak best about your most relevant skills for that position, not who has the most impressive job title. For example, if you are interviewing for a management position, have the hiring manager reach out to individuals you’ve supervised in the past.

Out: Ending the interview by asking when they’ll be contacting you.
In: Ending the interview by asking for the job on a trial basis. It never hurts to be proactive. If you feel the employment interview has gone well, don’t be afraid to ask if you can prove yourself on a temporary basis. You’ll demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job and desire to hit the ground running.

The fundamentals of the job search — reaching out to employers and making a positive impression — haven’t changed. But the tools for doing so are different today than even just a few years ago. Make sure you understand the current trends to maximize your success on the job hunt.

KOR-Tx is a paradigm shift for our customers, but once that make the transition the benefits are obvious. Cost savings that begin in the procurement process and make their way through the entire company from the warehouseman to the sales manager. The CEO appreciates the detailed reporting and the COO gets the overall increase in operating efficiencies.

If you are in a Corporate situation where the budget is tight, the staff has been reduced and Management is pushing for increased sales. You should really give me a call and discuss KOR-Tx and how it can benefit your business. Drop me an email at david.wanika@leeprinting.com