WARNING: Facebook Spoof eMails – Happy Holidays NOT

While developing, implementing, managing and supporting over 100 websites I get to see every type of spam under the sun. If you saw the movie Forrest Gump, Bubba started a list of all the ways he knew to prepare shrimp… I won’t bore you with the nitty gritty details but my list is that long about spam and I am from the South. Go figure.

Identical to the email notifications from Facebook, the Facebook Spoof emails are the worst offenders lately. Currently there is a “Happy Holidays” Facebook Spoof which places a virus on your computer and infects your Facebook account. Even though you love and adore Facebook, don’t open the emails! Be cautious when it comes to networking sites. I use the email practices on the list below. Please add your favorite practices to the comments…

Keith Farrazzi – How Do I Start Networking?

If you ever have the opportunity to see Keith Farrazzi, the popular author of Never Eat Alone in a live presentation, GO! He’s just like he is in this short 2 minute video, passionate and animated. He brings up good points about getting involved where you will shine…and that’s where your passion comes in…Pursue it! Did you notice that he didn’t mention any formal business networking events?… and that is a detail that’s very important. Business networking events are fun, but you can connect anywhere! Think of all the places your can make business connections outside of your referral group or chamber mixer. You could even meet your next big business connection, standing right next to you at Starbucks!

Create a Memory

by Dale Furtwengler

Offering a referral or resource to a person you’ve met at networking events, well nothing creates a memory better than that. What is that memory of? Certainly your kindness and generosity, but is that enough to help you generate more referrals? Not if you aren’t clearly communicating who your ideal customer is. Here are the mistakes I see people making when introducing themselves at networking events: 1. They talk about what they do.

2. They don’t talk about what benefits their customers receive from working with them.

3. They use demographics to identify their ideal client.

I’m not going to spend much time on numbers one and two. You already know what it feels like when someone’s rambling commentary is all about them. How Boring! The least obvious is the third mistake.