Kerry Rego Consulting Blog

LinkedIn Tools & Functions

Posted on February, 09, 2012 by - 0 Comments

Overall Site Functions

  • Reputation Management
  • Connections
  • Groups
  • Job Posting & Search
  • InMail Communications
  • Company Profiles
  • Events
  • LinkedIn Today (customized news)
  • Signal (network updates)
  • Questions & Answers

View more Kerry Rego Consulting blogs about LinkedIn

LinkedIn Profile Functions

  • Creative Titles
  • Status Updates
  • Website Listings
  • Custom URL
  • Summary
  • Applications
  • Job History
  • Education/Certifications
  • Volunteer Experience
  • Skills
  • Custom Sections
  • Groups
  • Recommendations
  • Contact Info/Preferences

Applications

  • WordPress/Blog Link (content)
  • GitHub (projects)
  • Real Estate Pro
  • E-Bookshelf (learning)
  • My Travel
  • Polls
  • Lawyer Ratings
  • Box.net Files (cloud storage)
  • Portfolio Display
  • Legal Updates
  • Google Presentations (slideshow)
  • Events
  • Reading List by Amazon
  • Slideshare Presentations (slideshow)
  • Projects & Teamspaces (collaborative)

WishList

  • Better Analytics
  • More Applications

View more Kerry Rego Consulting blogs about LinkedIn

Social Good: Social Media for the Non-Profit World [SLIDESHOW]

Posted on January, 28, 2012 by - 0 Comments

Kerry Rego presented to the Association of Fundraising Professionals in Santa Rosa, CA on January 25, 2012.  Providing the definition of social media, current statistics, categories of use, basic strategy, statistics specific for non profits and fundraising, obstacles, and case studies.

Excerpts:
Slide 2 - Why is Social Media Important?
  • Facebook 800 million users
  • Twitter 100 million users
  • YouTube 4billion + views per day
  • LinkedIn 135 million users
  • Google+ 90 million users
Slide 3 – Unique Visitors December 2011 , Comscore

Slide 4 - Social Media, A Definition: Social media use web-based technologies to transform and broadcast media monologues into social media dialogues. -Wikipedia

Slide 5 - The 7 C’s of Social Media – Dose of Digital

Slide 7 – Categories of Social Media Tools

  • Blogs, microblogs, RSS feeds
  • Multimedia – audio, video, pictures
  • Social Networks
  • Events
  • Mobile, texting, ads
  • Location based services, check in
  • Share & review
  • Bookmarking
  • Email marketing
  • Document sharing
  • PR tools
  • Monitoring

Slide 8 – Simple Social Media Strategy

  • Goal
  • Tools, Research
  • Routine
  • Measure
  • Adjust
  • Persist

Slide 9 – Market Research

  • WHO is the audience?
  • WHAT is their preference?
  • WHEN do they want to hear from you?
  • WHERE are they?
  • WHY are you there?
Slide 10 Realistic expectations. It’s just like going to the gym, it takes 6 months + to have a good showing in social media just like getting a 6 pack. Setting your expectations in a realistic space will help eliminate disappointment.
Slide 11 – Social Media Use by Non Profits
  • 92% of nonprofits use at least one social network – Blackbaud
  • There has been a 61% increase in online giving from 2001 to 2011. The average donation was $226 now $73. – Network for Good
  • 33% of online donations come from email appeals while only 7% come from Facebook. – Razoo
  • Four out of five nonprofits agree that social networking is valuable to their growth and community engagement. – Nonprofitsocialnetworksurvey.com

Slide 12 – Nonprofit’s Social Media Use (image on Frogloop)

Slide 13 – Where the Money is Coming From, WePay [sorry the original link was lost :( ]

  • 36% Facebook
  • 9% Email
  • 5% Blog
  • 4% Twitter
Slide 14 – How to Fail at Social Media Fundraising
  • Don’t have a budget
  • Don’t dedicate staff
  • Don’t have a focus
Slide 15 – Social Media Budgets (image on Frogloop)
  • Hire or assign a current staff member
  • Allocate Budget
  • Add social media to your fundraising appeals
Slide 17 – Pay Attention to Mobile!
Slide 18 – Case Study, Human Rights Campaign

Human Rights Campaign recruited an additional 30,000 new supporters through timely action alerts and petitions on the Care2 network ’09-’10. HRC developed an integrated multichannel marketing approach that sought to connect, engage, and convert warm recruits through telemarketing, direct mail, email and text messaging.

Slide 19 – Case Study, Text to Haiti

  • Contributions were often spur of the moment decisions that spread virally through friend networks
  • 73% contributed via phones on the same day they heard about the campaign
  • 76% say they often make text donations without doing much research
  • 43% of these donors encouraged their friends or family members to give to the campaign as well
  • 56% have continued to give to more recent disaster relief efforts via mobile
Slide 20 – Resources

 

You can contact Kerry Rego to book her to speak to your group by contacting kerry [at] kerryregoconsulting.com

Google is Killing Their Best Product

Posted on January, 26, 2012 by - 0 Comments

Google is destroying their productGoogle has managed to kill their best product with a variety of changes they’ve made within the last few weeks. They introduced Google Search + Your World, a tool that when you use their search engine, you have the option of seeing what your friends have shared on the subject.  Then they began pushing Google+ posts into their search results at the sacrifice of actually relevant search results. Watch this video by Focus on the User that explains how this compromises the tool and demonstrates a Firefox extension called Don’t Be Evil (developed by Facebook and Twitter engineers) that allows you to override what Google is doing. Then they rewrote all of their privacy policies into one and upped their tracking of users across multiple websites creating a what they call an improvement of service with no way to opt out.

They were already under Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation for their monopolistic business practices. When they released Google Search + Your World in mid January 2012, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) filed a complaint with the FTC and Google+ was added to the investigation.

Even though they only have 65% of market share on search according to Bloomberg, the phrase “violation of anti-trust legislation” is being used continuously. They aren’t technically violating anti trust laws with 65% but that’s not where they will lose the war. They are going to lose on user loyalty. The number two search engine, Bing by Microsoft, only has 14% market share but when users fully comprehend how much their privacy is being completely thrown away, I believe they will run to the next best competitor in droves. Maybe their hold will only change a few percentage points but the damage has been done. Privacy is rarely my largest concern but the magnitude of your personal shared information being rebroadcast in such a public way, has even me ready to reassign my default browser to the company that shall not be named. That’s how I felt when I talked about the company that brought us Windows. They had a shade of Voldemort for me but now I feel the evil has shifted.

I’ve had several upset people ask how jump ship so here are step by step instructions on how to delete your Google+ profile.

What is your biggest concern about Google’s changes? Or do you even care?

How to Delete Your Google+ Profile

Posted on January, 26, 2012 by - 0 Comments

Delete Google+Google has really messed up their number one product, Google Search. Many people are upset over their loss of privacy and their ability to have some control over their content. I’ve had several people ask me during my social media and technology training sessions how they can delete their Google+ profiles. If this is something you’d like to do, here are instructions on how to just delete your Google+ profile and not your whole Google account.

  1. Log into Google
  2. Click on your name in the upper right hand corner
  3. Select Account Settings
  4. In the Account Overview tab, look for the section Services
  5. Select Delete Profile and Remove Associated Google+ features
  6. On the next page, select the Required checkbox at the bottom then click Remove Selected Services (This I am not able to test to confirm because I don’t want to click on it until I’m ready. I am assuming there is some kind of confirmation on the next page. Use common sense and read the instructions.)

Let me know if you try this (in the comments) if they change how it’s done and I’ll update.

15 Easy Blog Post Topics

Posted on January, 23, 2012 by - 2 Comments

Blog. Done!Blogging is one of the best ways you can communicate the culture, values, and story of your company. Yet, it’s the one tool that seems to be the most difficult for organizations to commit to doing. Most don’t think they can create enough content. It is daunting, no doubt about it. But here is a great starter list to help reduce the fear of undertaking a blog for your business.

I like to start my clients off with one blog per month. Twelve subjects per year? Easy. Once you have the hang of it, up it to two per month, and when you’re ready you can tackle once per week. Take turns with someone else on your team or staff to lighten the load. Blogs should be shorter than you think so it’s not the thesis of your college days. Many marketers recommend blogging every day or three times per week. If you are just starting out, expecting that this is a pace you can do is simply setting yourself up for disappointment. One per month is achievable and you can quickly add to your routine if it’s working for you. Create a twelve month calendar and assign subjects to months that are appropriate for your business. Persistence is key!

  1. Seasons, weather, and holidays. How is your business effected by the seasons? If you are a tax accountant, first quarter looks very different for you and your clients than the rest of the year. Clothing retailers adjust their offerings based on the season. What are your seasons? Also, each day, week, and month celebrate something. If today is National Peanut Day and you sell peanut butter, talk about it!
  2. Busy time and quiet time. Your communications are quite different when things are slow as opposed to when they are busy. What product or service would you like to sell more of during the slow season?
  3. Industry related events. Most industries have annual conventions and educational events. When you return after attending one of these functions, what have you learned that you can share with your customers?
  4. Education. Every industry has it’s changes and you are an expert in your field. What changes in your industry do your customers need to be educated about?
  5. Employee features. You probably don’t do it alone. Highlight the great team you have that helps you provide great products and service. Your team will get a boost in their morale due to recognition and your customers will learn more about the faces and families behind the product they are getting from you. It becomes personal.
  6. Vendors and partners. The vendors you work with are great for a reason, tell us about it! Talk about why you choose to work with them. Those partners will be grateful for the free press and it will solidify your relationship.
  7. Case study and/or client success story. Seeing how you’ve helped others will help your reader identify and apply the story of success to themselves.
  8. Testimonials and interviews. Get client testimonials (especially when they are really happy!) and let their words to the talking. Video testimonials are the best. Talk to industry experts, your best customer, vendors, thought leaders. It takes content out of it’s normal context and provides a new way to talk about your subject matter.
  9. Product release. What new product are you proud to be releasing? Give us some excitement by building it up. Let us know why you created it, what the demand was, how we can get it, and when it’ll be ready.
  10. Hot topics. If there is something exciting and dramatic going on with your industry or if it’s in the news right now, weigh in with your opinion or break it down for the audience if the subject matter is confusing.
  11. History and story of your company. Why did you start your business? What is important to you? People want to like the people they do business with and want to do business with people they like. Give them something to go on. They will tell your story for you when they recommend you to their friends.
  12. Differentiate yourself from your competition. What makes you different? What is the benefit that your customer will get using your services? You can take this opportunity to clarify if there is any confusion about who does what. This is also very important to be able to express in all marketing scenarios.
  13. Identify obstacles and solutions. These are the ones that you know like the backs of your hands. The problems they will encounter and the solutions that will help them overcome. Walk yourself through the typical client conversation, what problems do they experience?
  14. Survey. Take a survey of your clients or prospects and release the information as a dataset. Tell them if you were surprised what you learned, what the community thinks, or what was reiterated.
  15. Frequently Asked Questions. These are the 10 or so questions that everyone asks you. You answer them all the time. Since people continue to ask, you should continue to answer. These never get old. The trick is to express the question and answer in new ways.

What was the best blog you ever read or wrote? Tell me in the comments.

Constant Contact Now Features QR Code Newsletter Signup

Posted on January, 21, 2012 by - 0 Comments

Constant Contact QR Code Signup for Email NewsletterEmail marketing has proven time and again it is a tremendously valuable tool for businesses to drive conversion. It also allows for a light touch in continuing communication with our clients and customers. It serves them with a reminder in this recovering economy that we are, in fact, still in business and available to provide service.

I’ve been using Constant Contact for four years and am very pleased with their platform and customer service. I work with many different email marketing services at the request of my clients but I recommend Constant Contact. I find they are AMAZINGLY responsive (I mean lightning fast) if you communicate with them via Twitter @constantcontact or @CTCTHelp.

Demonstration of Constant Contact QR Code to Join Process

I received an email from them yesterday touting a new service they offered (conversion, right here!) that allowed for me to create a QR code that sends the scanner to a signup form to join my mailing list. This was on my to do list anyway but they beat me to it with a nicely branded form, thank you! It was really easy to setup and I wanted you to know it’s yet another way to promote your very valuable email marketing efforts.

What can you do with the QR code? Put it on a sign at your front desk, on your brochures, or a tent card in front of a business card drop bucket at tradeshows. But before you start showing off your brand new promotional toy, make sure it works from beginning to end. Test the procedure so your customers and prospects get a smooth experience. You can see below what the mobile landing page looks like. When you test, you’ll be able to make changes if something doesn’t appear the way it should and you will know if the process is cumbersome and/or worthwhile.

Constant Contact Mobile Landing Page QR Code Signup

Stressful Pace of Technology

Posted on January, 11, 2012 by - 0 Comments

“That is so 12 seconds ago!” AT&T’s new ad campaign is really funny. But just seeing that written down makes me anxious (How about you?). You don’t NEED the newest phone, gadget, or dohicky. These ads are created by marketers whose goal it is to get you to adopt new technology at a dizzying rate. This kind of campaign stresses people out and adds to the frenetic pace. As a technology trainer, I see the consequences of this. My clients come to me asking if they need this or that and how to possibly do it all. You can’t do it all or own everything. So I’m giving you permission to stop trying.

Focus on what you need to do. Take care of your priorities. Identify your problems and then seek solutions. These ads are solutions yet they may not be addressing your need. Maybe you need to be less distracted. Quieter. More people focused. There is a major backlash coming against all these extraneous tools.

Before being swayed by good copywriting, ask yourself some important questions:

  • Do you need it?
  • Do you want it?
  • Do you have the budget for it?
  • What problem does it solve?
  • How will you learn how to use it and incorporate it into your existing systems?
  • How soon will it be out of date?

I am frequently asked how I stay on top of it all. I can’t. All I can do is read and pay attention to what’s happening. I miss things. No one can know everything. But if I feel stressed out about the changes, I know you do. I just wanted you to know it’s okay to not have the newest phone, computer, or tablet. You don’t have to know everything. Take a deep breath and go outside for a walk. Trust me. It’s the only way we’ll survive this ride. Take care of yourself.

Technology to Take Your Breath Away

Posted on January, 04, 2012 by - 0 Comments

It’s cliche to say that something gives you goosebumps. But once in awhile, I see something that really does make the hairs on my whole body stand up and this is one of those videos. It features the Kinect from Microsoft. It’s a video game system that takes a 3D rendering of physical space and you interact with the game via your body. No wand or controllers. I believe that this is the best thing Microsoft has come out with since Windows.

This video shows that this isn’t just a video game. The possibilities for this tool are breathtaking. From music to science, art to medicine, we are only bound by our own thoughts. We have no limitations.

 

LinkedIn Privacy Settings You Should Know About

Posted on December, 30, 2011 by - 0 Comments

I spend much of my time either researching or training. I love to dive into settings for my clients. I like to quickly take care of the most nefarious and get their settings optimized right away. This is where I find many people run out of steam and give up because it’s simply too much and generally confusing. I found a few privacy settings I think you should know about on LinkedIn.

  • Log in to LinkedIn
  • Hover over your name in the upper right hand corner and Settings shows up on the drop down list, select
  • At bottom left, look for Groups, Associations, and Applications, select it
  • Under Privacy Controls, there is “Turn on/off data sharing with 3rd party applications”. Select or deselect at will.
  • Again under Privacy Controls, there is “Manage settings for LinkedIn plugins on third party sites”
  • This one is important: on the Account tab, there is “Manage Social Advertising”. This is where you select whether or not LinkedIn may use your name and photo in social advertising.

I recommend you read each of these carefully but I would bet money that you don’t know these settings are even there. Make sure you know where your data is going. I actually chose to keep the first two I mentioned but I opted out of social advertising. Be educated. Knowledge is power.

Where Do You Get Ideas For Content?

Posted on December, 16, 2011 by - 0 Comments

Everyone that has internet and social media channels struggles for content. We have to constantly focus on what’s most important in our field, what our audience wants to hear about, and balance what we like with what we write. The biggest concern is where the content is going to come from. I won’t lie, this is an issue for me as well. But I wanted to share with you a tool I am going to be using from now on and I anticipate my own struggle will get much easier.

I talk about the benefits of LinkedIn all the time. I think it’s one of the most under appreciated (and most valuable) social media tools of them all. Every time I give a lesson to a client, I am excited to tell them about one of my favorite features: LinkedIn Today. If you struggle for content, look no further than your LinkedIn Today tab.

LinkedIn Today was introduced in March of 2011 yet most people have no idea what it is. It’s a customized newspaper, if you will, based on the industry information and key words you type into your LinkedIn profile and those you are connected with. It mainly shows you three things:

  1. What your connections and coworkers are sharing on LinkedIn
  2. What your industry peers are sharing
  3. What stories are interesting to a wider audience that are outside of your industry

The resources of information range from Harvard Business Review, NPR, Bloomberg, CNN, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and many many more. You can follow your industry or those of your clients. Every time I open it, I am blown away with how valuable I find the information. My problem is, I never go there. But I found a simple solution.

I put LinkedIn Today on my browser toolbar. Whichever browser you use, bookmark it, favorite it, do whatever you can to make sure you regularly check in on the most up to date news from around the internet in your field or that of your clients. You won’t regret it.