As we all continue to network and connect with people, let’s not forget you are making and nurturing relationships.

As with a garden, you need to tend water, fertilize, harvest and rework the soil. Read More...

One of the satisfactions of networking is seeing it in action. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of putting people together for their mutual benefit as well as the well-being of a client of ours.

Lynn Felhauer, the co-owner of The Graphic Edge, a graphic production company here in the DFW Metroplex, is a contact from the North Dallas Chamber. Lynn and I now meet on a regular basis and share leads and ideas. She is an expert networker. Read More...

Watch those personal pronouns.

If you haven’t noticed already, this author makes a point of trying to avoid the personal pronouns “I” and “me”. Maybe it’s because it is better to listen that to talk (”God gave you two ears and only one mouth”) and hear what the other person in a conversation has to say. Wait and answer only when they ask, “and let’s hear about you.” Read More...

When I signed on with the agency I’m working with, they asked me to connect with the community and make our name known and visible. And along the way, gain clients.

I took a three-pronged approach, one that could be applied to networking in general. The outreach I proposed and followed was to connect with: Read More...

We have all encountered them: the person between us and the person we want to talk with.

Whether it is a job search or B2B call, or even a scheduled appointment, there is always a receptionist, secretary or assistant in the middle. Since most of the time this person is a woman, let’s call her: Read More...

This social networking site has had reams and volumes written about it. There probably isn’t anything new I can impart except what I’ve learned from my personal experience. A few Rules of Thumb when it comes to using and being a part of the LinkedIn community:

• Tailor your profile to match your resume. It is a version of your vitae, after all.
• Be honest. State the facts in your profile.
• Ask for introductions, when appropriate. Be sure you know someone well enough to ask and then have a solid reason to want to be connected to the person you’re asking about.
• Same goes for Recommendations: don’t ask someone you hardly know to write one for you. And really don’t ask them to write it and then say “just read my profile and write one.” Yikes.
• Keep visible periodically, but not so much as to be an irritant. And avoid trite or personal comments following the “is” statement. Keep it professional.
• Be mindful of your brand and awareness of it.

There are many other things–this is a start list. for more, visit Guy Kawasaki’s list at:
http://blog.linkedin.com/2007/07/25/ten-ways-to-use/ Read More...

With more and more of us being stationed in virtual offices without the advantage of an internal conference space, here is a list of favorite places to meet over a meal, snack or coffee in the Metroplex:

• Mi Cocina, MacArthur and LBJ.
• Big Fish, Grapevine.
• Paradise Cafe, Alpha and Tollway.
• Champs, Addison.
• Popolo’s, Preston and Royal.
• Champs, MacArthur and 114.
• Gloria’s, Addison.
• Mi Cocina, Legacy.
• Anamia’s, Southlake or Coppell.

Why choose these? Well, how about: Read More...

Being connected to marketers and market research people, I find that most everybody and every business is demanding a measure of products, services……and people.

Not to be clinical here, but how do you quantify yourself? I was at an luncheon today where the speaker said that “Since 1992, he has spoken about technology….in more than 30 countries on 6 continents.” Read More...

This goes without saying. In this day and age and with technology enveloping us, this is something we all do anyway.

The truth is, as our work lives have become more virtual, work and life are intertwined. When I say “integrate” the two, I mean it in a softer, more civilized way. Read More...