http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130429113637-15077789-how-to-write-more-successful-blog-posts

1) Write an amazing headline.

The value of a powerful headline simply cannot be overlooked. It’s the only thing a potential reader sees, it is the catalyst for social media sharing and it has power beyond any other part of your post to attract readers. Your headline should give readers an intriguing clue into what you will be saying. Lists, action verbs and questions are great ways to draw readers in. Remember, when readers tweet your article, or share it on Facebook, LinkedIn or another social platform, the only thing people may see is the headline.

2) Pictures are worth a thousand words.

There’s no escaping it: humans are visual creatures. We’re drawn to images and photographs. Graphs, infographics, sentimental imagery and stunning beauty are all excellent ways to draw an audience in, keep them there through the end of your post, and help drive more views through Pinterest and Facebook, where images reign supreme. If you can include a pic of a cute animal or child, even better.(Or both – say hi to my girls Charlotte & Kate and our cat Chiquita!)

3) Bullet points are extremely useful. Here’s why:

—–> They attract the reader’s attention. You were likely drawn straight to these bullet points when you read this article.

—–> They make data simple and easy to understand. When you see these bullets, with their key insights in bold, you know just what you need to read right away.

—–> They make it easier to reference key points. When heading back to an article at a later date, it is easy to find the most important information if it’s in bullet form.

4) Make your audience look good when they share your post.

Of course, great content with clear takeaway value in your blog post is most important. But remember, people are ego-driven. Ask yourself, before you hit the publish button, “When people share this post, how will they look smarter, or funnier, or more helpful, or more interesting to their networks?”

5) Call for engagement in your conclusion.

When you conclude your blog post, make sure you ask readers to share the post. Ask them thought-provoking questions, and invite them to share their answers and thoughts as comments on your post. The more engaged your readers are, the more they’ll want to share – and keep coming back.

Reposting from the Small Business Manila site… Does more time mean more profits for a small business owner? 

For me it sure does.

Small business owners are working more hours, even 7 days a week, leaving them less and less time for rest and relaxation. How much, in actual dollars, do owners value an extra hour of time per day?

To a small business owner, TIME is both the #1 commodity as well as the #1 asset. You cannot buy time, and despite many proclamations to the opposite, you can’t even save it. It passes, unrelentingly. So your most important use of your most important commodity / asset is simply how to SPEND your time.

Read more at Business2Community via http://bit.ly/Zubvkm.
Photo from garbled.com.

As a Small Business Owner and Entrepreneur… each hour is a measureable commodity that I have to use wisely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edutainment

I came across a word today I had not heard before… edutainer. Dr. Hans Rosling (my hero) of www.gapminder.org was quoted as be one of the foremost edutainers in the world. He uses an entertaining style to educate and I is famous for the enthusiasm and passion that comes about when he presents data. I am of the same mold. I see training/teaching as a form of edutainment.

The line between a good teacher and a stand up comic is very thin… both make money standing in front of people and talking about things they know. Some of the best teacher we ever had are the ones whose passion made science or history fun. And the line between trainer and game show host is also pretty thin. You have to be witty, engaging and charming to a wide audience to keep them coming back.

So yeah, I am proud to say that I am an edutainer… part teacher, part stand-up comic, part trainer, put game show host. You put it all together and you get what happens at my analytics trainings… you learn, you have fun, you gain skill and you are entertained.

P.S. If you read this blog via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, please circle back to the wordpress page and like the blog. The first five people who do so will go on the waiting list to get an advance copy of my e-book, Making Data-Driven Decisions as soon as its published.

Thanks!

https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130326165036-7668018-10-things-to-do-every-workday?_mSplash=1&trk=mta-lnk

Found this on LinkedIn. Pretty good tips for those who like me, are check off the list kinds of people. My ways of meeting each task are in Bold.

“I’ve always been focused on performance. I’m a list person. I love the feeling of crossing things off. It makes me feel productive. Plus, consistent productivity has the wonderful byproduct of accomplishing more. It’s the list of ten things I try to do every workday. Yes, there are days when I don’t get them all done, but I do my best to deliver. It has proven very effective for me. They are:

1. Read something related to my industry. I do this mainly via LinkedIn articles and posts via groups. I also subscribe to several blogs. I am a huge consumer of information.
2. Read something related to business development. – I read Seth Godin’s (marketing guru) blog daily. I connect with new people on LinkedIn daily.
3. Send two emails to touch base with old colleagues. – I Do this via replying to old LinkedIn messages and reaching out on Facebook.
4. Empty my private client inbox by responding to all career coaching questions within one business day. – I try to reply to current and former trainees asap, generally  via FB chat or e-mail. I have conversations everyday and consistently share info with them via FB groups.
5. Check in with each team member on their progress. – Since we are a virtual team, this is mainly done via FB chat or Skype.
6. Have a short non-work related conversation with every employee. – Same as above… gotta love FB chat.
7. Review my top three goals for my company that are focused on its growth. – This I can improve on, but for the most part its branding, networking and business development, which I do every day via e-mail, LinkedIn, Facebook and industry meetings/events.
8. Identify and execute one task to support each of my top three goals. – Here is where a list comes in handy. To do lists are SO important for me and make all the difference between a satisfying and productive day and a day spent chasing my tail.
9. Post five valuable pieces of content on all my major social media accounts. – Five? Wow that’s a lot. I try to blog 4-5 times a week, I share things on LinkedIn as much as possible and I cut and paste a lot of new stories, but I am now gonna tick off 5 a day to make sure I am at least doing that many. As a good friend often reminds me… content > readers > followers > customers.
10. Take a full minute to appreciate what I have and how far I’ve come. – I love what I do, so this is never a problem.

This list could be longer. BUT…

If it was longer, I wouldn’t be as good at getting them all done. This list is manageable to me. Of course, I do more than these ten things every day. But, these are the ten I choose to do with consistency. Why? Over the years, they’ve proven the best way for me to grow my career and my business. The collective results have made completing these tasks consistently; even when I don’t feel like it, well worth it. – I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Businesses that use analytics are 33% for profitable and 10x more efficient.

Take An Analytics Assessment and Learn How to Optimize Your Small Business

Per Wikipedia, the definition of analytics is simply the discovery and communication of meaningful patterns in data.

Check out our video here:  http://youtu.be/T7HPwzRJ9hY

While most people have an idea of what Analytics is: data, analysis, metrics, and business intelligence are just the start… it is an abstract concept that is difficult to summarize in a sentence or two. Most business leaders know that they need more analytics based decision making in their operations, however few have figured out how to obtain it as analytics software or engaging high priced consultants doesn’t suffice.

This is where I come in. Having spent 15 years as an analyst with Wells Fargo Bank, I get analytics. I have combined that practical experience with my educational background; I have a Master’s Degree in Education, and developed an innovative approach to introducing analytics into your small business.

Meet with one of our analysts and learn how to use data to develop your business strategy based not on hunches and guesswork, but on the data around you. We will show you how to use a combination of easy to master methodology and low cost technology to enable more data-driven decision making in your business.

Feel free to connect with us if you’d like more information or set up an analytics assessment for your business. You can follow us on the following sites:

• Facebook >>> https://www.facebook.com/dmaiph
• YouTube >>> http://youtu.be/T7HPwzRJ9hY
• LinkedIn >>> http://ph.linkedin.com/pub/dan-meyer/4/771/675
• WordPress >>> https://dmaiph.wordpress.com/
• Twitter >>> https://twitter.com/BPOElite1

In the end, analytics is all about finding the right data to answer the right questions at the right time. Get more of it in your small business today!

http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/dear-candidates-listen

This article made me rethink a couple of things as I am currently looking to fill a couple of very different requirements. Filling positions is often times as much about educating candidates as it is telling them about job openings, This article is full of good ideas for candidates to follow, but more importantly I think recruiters should get inside the mind of a candidate and figure out how to educate their target audience to do these things, My thoughts are the ones in Bold Italics.

1. Know What You Can Do. Recruiters are NOT mind readers!  We have absolutely no idea what you want to do if you don’t have any idea!  Simply picking up the phone and calling us to “help find a job” is NOT going to help us. We are happy to strategize with you, talk about your previous employment, what you’re good at and what you’ve accomplished, but we need YOU to tell us these things. A “master resume” that holds all your information and can be edited for different companies and positions is very helpful. This is so important. I am constantly reminded trainees and candidates to tailor fit resumes. Most people just like to mass send the same one because they don’t have any kind of appreciation for the fact that their resume looks almost identical to everyone else’s resume.

2. Be Easy To Find And Contact. It’s not all about applying to jobs, though that’s part of it. Do you know how much time the average recruiter spends on LinkedIn? We don’t either, but we’re willing to bet it’s a LOT. If a recruiter comes across your profile and there is no indication of how to get in touch with you, we’re likely to move on to the next candidate. Active job seekers should seriously consider how VISIBLE they want to be to the recruiters that are looking for them. Create a separate “work” email for your job search. This is no brainer. If you aren’t easy to contact then you are probably pretty much impossible to coach.

3. Follow The Process. Understand that for compliance reasons, we may ask you to do silly things like “send a resume” or “apply to this job”. We will do EVERYTHING in our power to make the process easy, smooth, and with a definitive result.  We, however, can’t just set up an interview without some routine legwork. Indeed. You have to follow instructions, if there are a 100 job applicants for a position, but only half follow the directions, its easy to screen out the other 50. And if you are one of the one who didn’t follow directions you get screened out no matter how much you are a perfect fit for the job itself. For recruiters, this means making directions simple and easy to follow.

4. Try To Be Flexible.  How bad do you really want the job?  We know you are busy and you probably have a very important job.  We will try to accommodate as much as we can, but sometimes the accommodations can’t be met.  Managers and Recruiters are busy also and if you make yourself totally unavailable at odd times, chances are, we will find another candidate before connecting with you. This one kills me. Job seekers who set their own pace doom themselves. But for recruiters, it is worth the extra time for a reminder text or a broadcast e-mail with the process, things to keep the recruitment process top of mind.

5. Respect Space & Time. Try not to be a stalker.  A good recruiter will set expectations with you.  We should clearly articulate when you should be hearing back from us.  If we set a time to talk in an initial phone screen, be on time.  Don’t follow up with 15 phone calls and e-mails trying to reschedule if you have missed your opportunity.  We understand things happen, but if it happens again, we have long forgotten about you. I don’t really see this one too much, most job applicants are pretty much in fire and forget mode, which for job seekers who do follow up.. they have a huge advantage. Encourage follow-ups!

6. Sending Random LinkedIn Invites to Recruiters Does Not Work  We both receive countless LinkedIn invites a week.  Yes we are connected.  Yes we work at big companies.  No, it will not help you to randomly connect with us. If you do send us an invite, GIVE US A REASON.  Chances are we are recruiting a totally different skillset than you have so we wouldn’t be able to help you anyway. We might, however, be able to introduce you to other recruiters who are looking for someone just like you. Help us by telling us what and who you’re looking for! It has to be personal on both ends… recruiters can’t treat candidates like the are all the same and candidates should personalize every connection they make with recruiters. It takes time, but shouldn’t you spend a little extra time on the job request? What’s 5 extra minutes to make something unique and memorable when you are talking about job commitments that could be years in length?

7. Research The Company And The Position  So often candidates are completely unprepared.  Take some time to ask as many questions as you need to understand the role that you are interviewing for with your recruiter.  Understand the organization.  Understand the goals.  Understand their backgrounds.  Understand the direction of the company and how you will fit into the equation. When in doubt – ASK YOUR RECRUITER. Wow. Anybody who goes to a job interview not having researched the company is an idiot. And any recruiter who has not reviewed the resume before the interview and checked out the previous experience/education is a fool.

8. During The Interview Process, Don’t Apply To Another Role Until Process Is Complete Simply put, if you are working with a recruiter and have applied and interviewing for a specific role don’t ask about 4 different roles within the company.  This just shows your lack of interest, or lack of confidence in the role in which you are interviewing.  If you are working with multiple recruiters at a huge company, it is okay to talk, but just make sure everything is transparent. There can be exceptions to this, for example Amy’s multiple Program Manager reqs. It may make sense to talk about multiple positions across different teams, especially when 90% of the roles need the same skillset and experience. Just don’t try to be an Accounting Clerk and a Forklift Driver at the same time. Not exactly the same skill sets, even if you can do both. Hmmm… not sure I agree with this one. Its a nice idea, but when you need a job you get forced into the shotgun approach.

9. Ask For Feedback, But Accept What We Can (And Can’t) Provide. Sometimes the only thing we can tell you is that someone else was more qualified. Sometimes that’s all WE know. It could be someone had an MBA vs just a BS.  The other candidate may have gone to a “better” school, or worked for a bigger company… Feedback on things you cannot change may not be helpful. Yes, continue the conversation, one both sides. Candidates need to figure out how to do better next time and recruiters need to do more to help near hires become hires. You’ve already both invested a lot of time in each other, so don’t waste it by just moving on to another blank slate… figure out who to evolve together!

10. Don’t Shoot The Messenger. Remember we are often the conduit between you and the real authority, the Hiring Manager. That doesn’t mean we don’t have influence, and can’t persuade the manager to take a chance (or not) on you. The interview and certainly hiring decisions tend to rest solely with the manager or team who will have to work with you. If the answer is “no”, we’re disappointed too. Yes, yes, yes! A no now doesn’t generally mean a no forever… again from both perspectives, you’ve invested time and energy in each other… don’t just throw it all away and move on and start all over from scratch again.