CKME Marketing Tips 101: Expand your LinkedIn network

The way business is being conducted is changing. No longer can you do everything on your own.

Having a large network on LinkedIn can be beneficial whether you use the site to network, look for a job, or market your business. Having a large network makes you a resource for others with whom you can share information. You will also be able to utilize the expertise of the people you are connected with, and to create possibilities for business transactions.

I am by no means saying you need to have 15,000 direct connections to make LinkedIn worthwhile; however, there is nothing wrong with having a large network. The way I look at it, every connection could be beneficial in one way or another. When anyone sends me a connection request, I look over their profile. Nine times out of ten, I connect.

Below are five tips to help you expand your LinkedIn network:

1. Give value. I have talked about this before in past blog posts. If people view you as someone who provides valuable information or if you are always paying it forward, you will receive countless invites to connect. Share news articles, information, expertise, and give advice, and you will draw others to you.

2. Utilize the features LinkedIn offers to import contacts from Yahoo, Hotmail, Outlook, and other web mail contacts. These are the people you already know. The process is very simple and LinkedIn walks you through it.

3. Invite people you meet to join your network. One of the first things I do after I attend a networking event is invite the individuals I got business cards from to connect with me on LinkedIn. Often these individuals already have profiles; if they don't, you may have just introduced them to the power of LinkedIn!

4. Ask for introductions. If you come across someone on LinkedIn who is connected to someone you know, and you want to connect with them, utilize the introduction feature. LinkedIn makes this a very simple process.

5. Join groups. I have found that groups are one of the easiest ways to expand my network. Groups offer a platform where you are able to send a message to fellow group members whether you are individually connected to them or not.

Having a strong network on LinkedIn can give you the satisfaction of helping others to achieve their goals, while achieving your own goals at the same time. Would that be worth connecting with some people you haven’t gotten to know yet?

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

Edited by Brenda Bernstein, www.TheEssayExpert.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: A new social media site worth checking out

Since posting my blog on jumping on the online video bandwagon I have been searching for social media platforms where people can post videos. I became aware of a new site that I thought I would share with everyone. RezBuzz is a platform where business networking meets social branding.

RezBuzz launched last week and offers opportunities for all. Whether you are looking for a job, or just wanting to network as a means of growing your business, whether you are an executive looking to build an online video presence, or a company who benefits from online video branding, RezBuzz is a way of doing business networking in the digital world. And the video component makes it entertaining, effective, and interactive.

The site is simple to use. The first thing you do is fill out a free profile, which will ask you to check off whether you are looking for work, or just on the site networking. Once you fill out the profile, you can peruse the features of the site and arrange to create a video.

For those looking for a job, RezBuzz allows you to create a video resume. The site offers three ways to create one: a webcam feature to create on on the spot, an upload feature to upload your own production, or an option to get a professional video resume (PVR) produced by a RezBuzz production crew in your area or at your college campus. Job seekers can find jobs by area or by industry.

Individuals and companies can create a dynamic customizable profile for free which provides another opportunity to brand and market. Not to mention the ability to post videos. Companies and recruiters use the site to identify top talent, save time and money, and and get to know candidates.

The site is still in beta mode as it recently launched and RezBuzz is continuing to add new features. I was very impressed at how simple the site is to use and how simple it is to set up a profile. I expect to hear more great things about RezBuzz as the site continues to grow. Go to www.rezbuzz.com and create a free profile. Let me know what you think.

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.midwestbusinessexpo.com

CKME Marketing Tips 101: Jump on the online video bandwagon

I had someone ask me last week at one of my LinkedIn Live events, "what's the next big thing that's going to hit social media?". My answer to them was, "Online video marketing." More and more, businesses are utilizing online videos to market themselves. Are you?

Last week Nielsen released some interesting numbers that show that Web and mobile video watching are experiencing skyrocketing growth. Nielsen’s Three Screen Report, which measures the viewing habits of Americans in terms of TV, the Internet, and mobile phones, shows that while TV viewing might still be dominant, online video usage is up by 53 percent since this time last year, and the number of people watching video via cell phones is also up by an impressive 52 percent.

Online videos offer an inexpensive way for you to market yourself or your business. There are several ways to use videos online, whether you want to market a product or service, promote an event, or run a commercial. You can place your videos in various places on the web such as your website, youtube, and even your facebook page. While LinkedIn & Twitter CURRENTLY don't allow us to post videos on our profiles, you still can promote links to your online videos.

Creating an online video is simpler then you might think. Not all videos require an expensive production team. Below are five tips to keep in mind when it comes to online videos to market yourself or your business:

1. Use a quality camera. While your online video does not need to be made with a $100,000 camera, always remember that your video represents you and often your business. Find a good quality digital camera -- not a cell phone camera or webcam! If you don't have a good camera, borrow one from a friend or family member or rent one (which often costs less than $50/day).

2. Remember: Presentation is everything. Don't use a sheet as the backdrop of your video. Find a place to shoot the video that represents you or your business. Great potential locations for your video are your office, a local park, or even a city attraction. Just remember you might need to get permission to shoot your video in a public place, especially if you’re using the video for promotional purposes.

3. Keep your video short and to the point. Make sure you edit your film so that your video isn't more than 2-4 minutes long. If you are marketing your business online through video, people won't pay attention to it if it is too long.

4. Be creative. You want your video to be catchy. Involve your staff or friends and family in your video projects. Use props, add humor, and be unique. Search youtube for videos related to your business and see what others are doing.

5. Expose your video. Your video does nothing for you unless it is viewed by people. If you don't want to look for each and every video sharing website to start promoting your video, you can go to Tube Mogul. Tube Mogul will help get your video out to these websites and can help you advertise and promote your business. If you want to go the long way around, you can post the videos yourself on all of the popular video-viewing sites. Most sites will let you post for free. Also remember to share your video with clients & prospects.

Have fun creating your videos. You never know… You could become the next youtube sensation!

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 LosAngelesOffice
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.twitter.com/chriskokalis

CKME Marketing Tips 101: Getting the most out of LinkedIn

Over the weekend I read for a second time the book "LinkedWorking" written by Frank Agin & Lewis Howes. The book talks about ways to be successful on LinkedIn. I don't know Frank however I have spoken with Lewis a couple of times and he is a great guy, very passionate about LinkedIn. I highly recommend reading the book. In the book you will find LinkedIn tips along with several LinkedIn success stories from various business professionals, including one from my best friend & fellow LinkedIn expert Katie Felten. The book is available on Amazon.com or the book's website www.linkedworking.com.

LinkedIn is about building relationships. Agin & Howes talk about making the most of your LinkedIn relationships, something many of us could improve. LinkedIn is more then just connecting with people.

What are you doing to get the most out of your LinkedIn connections? Remember networking is about finding ways that you can help your contacts and hoping in return that they will help you. Often times I see people on LinkedIn with the me me me mentality. These individuals typically do not have success on LinkedIn or in business.

In order for LinkedIn to work, you need to make sure you are making the most out of your LinkedIn relationships. Below are five tips to help you make the most of your LinkedIn relationships. If you follow these tips you will not only feel better about yourself, you will get more out of using LinkedIn.

1. Make recommendations: We all know the amazing feeling we get from receiving a recommendation. Go through your LinkedIn contacts and think about your clients, vendors, or anyone else with whom you do business and send them recommendations. You will be surprised at how much this will mean to them, and often they will send you a recommendation back.

2. Offer help to your contacts: Go thru your contacts each day and reconnect with five connections. Ask how business is going and find out about their new projects. Offer your help and expertise.

3. Make introductions: If you know someone that could help or possibly do business with another of your contacts, introduce them. A simple introduction goes a long way and you never know what might come out of that introduction.

4. Start Groups: If you have an interest in something and can't find a group on LinkedIn, start your own group. It's also important to share your group with others, especially your contacts. Groups are a great way to become a leader, others will reach out to you for your expertise.

5. Take it one step further: Pick up the phone & call your contacts, schedule lunches, send greeting cards, and add your contacts to your other social networks. Make the most of your Linkedln relationships.

LinkedIn is like everything else in life, you get out of it what you put into it.

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 Los Angeles Office
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.twitter.com/chriskokalis

CKME Marketing Tips 101: Did you know you can update your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter profiles all at the same time?

I hear clients say to me all the time I just don't have the time to update my status on all the social media sites I belong to. Well now they don't have an excuse thanks to ping.fm. Ping.fm is a free website that allows you to update your status on several sites at once. Its easy to set up.

Ping.fm currently supports more than 30 services, including microblogging platforms such as Twitter, Plurk and Jaiku, social networking web sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Multiply, instant messaging applications such as GTalk Status and Aim Status, and most of the popular blogging platforms. Once you’ve set up a Ping.fm account and added your credentials for the services you use for social networking and social media purposes, you’re ready to return to your Ping.fm dashboard to send messages out to all of your profiles at once.

Adding you social networks can be a challenge for those who don't have there usernames/passwords remembered. I suggest writing them all down prior to setting up your ping.fm account. Ping.fm does a pretty good job of making the process as seamless as possible.

On the main page of the site which they call the dashboard page, you can send out messages to your selected services. You can choose to have ping send your message to all of your services, or you can also filter profiles by “micro-blogs” or “statuses.” A character counter also lets you know the size of your ping, which is vitally important for squeezing your message in under Twitter’s 140-characters-per-tweet limit, for example. And a “Record Video” link allows you to stream a video recording directly through Ping.fm.

My favorite feature of ping.fm is the ability to send out messages through “from” multiple locations. A huge array of “Services/Tools” on the dashboard allow you to set up your Ping.fm account so that you can ping via email, SMS, instant message, Facebook app, iPhone app, desktop app, and so on. This feature allows enormous flexibility in allowing you to send a single message from anywhere and distribute your message to a large number of profile destinations quickly and easily.

Ping.fm is a simple, easy-to-use, and effective tool that help you get more accomplished with your social media profiles

www.ping.fm

Have a marketing question? Send me an email to ckokalis@ckmemarketinggroup.com, also don't forget to check out www.soccalliveonline.com to learn more about our LinkedIn Live networking events.

Chris Kokalis
President/CEO
CKME Group Inc.
414-755-2410 Milwaukee Office
310-492-5058 Los Angeles Office
www.ckmemarketinggroup.com
www.socalliveonline.com
www.linkedin.com/in/ckmegroup
www.twitter.com/chriskokalis