The Marketing Mentress: April 2017

Saturday 22 April 2017

Linkedin Tip 92 - What does 1st, 2nd, and 3rd beside someone "whose viewed my profile's" name mean?

Have you wondered what the numbers beside the top right side of people's names mean on LinkedIn?

You know, where you see 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

You will notice these numbers whenever you see someone else's profile, or when they ask you to connect with them, or when you view your profile viewers.

When you see 1st to the top right of someone's profile, that tells you that the person you are viewing is a direct connection to you. It also means that you can send them a direct message without having to use InMail.

When you see 2nd to the top right of someone's profile, that tells you that the person you are viewing is a second level connection. They are connected to someone you are directly connected with on LinkedIn.

When you see 3rd to the top right of someone's profile, that tells you that the person you are viewing is directly connected to someone who is a second level connection from you.

Eg: I accept a connection request from Joe. Once I accept, we become 1st level connections. If Joe accepts a connection request from Susan, someone I am not connected with, then Susan and I become 2nd level connections. If Susan accepts a connection request from Bob, someone neither Joe or I are connected with, Bob becomes a 3rd level connection from me.

It is kind of like genealogy, except we are not cousins.

Thank you to my LinkedIn network for asking the question.

I look forward to your questions.

Make it a great week!

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

Wednesday 19 April 2017

LinkedIn Tip 91 - Why do I need to have a blog?

Prove to me why I need to have a blog for people to read every week!

There have been many clients that I have had pass through my training system and what I have noticed is that most of them never post anything on LinkedIn, let alone anything close to a blog, online, period.

Now why is that, I wonder? Are people just too busy? Do they spend most of their time working in their business rather than working on their business? Or do they just not know where to start blogging?

I think it is a combination of all of the above.

When you have customers with orders you need to fill, or supplies that need ordering, or staff that need training, and a family, where do you find time to do any blogging?

I had someone ask me what the use of blogging was. He said that there are no statistics showing that people are making any significant sales as a result of their blog. So, "Why should I blog?" he said.

Good question.

Here is what your blog does for you! It gives you credibility!!!

People don't buy from you solely because they like your blog. They buy from you because of the trust you have built up with them over time as the authority in your field.

When you blog on a regular basis, you create credibility! Your blog gives you credibility.

For example, I have followers who read my blog posts regularly. It is my blog that shows up in their Home Feed the most. So, when they are looking for someone to help them with their LinkedIn or their blogging, who do you think they are going to call?

When they are meeting for coffee with a business associate and they mention how they need help with LinkedIn and blogging, who do you think they will refer to their associate?

Yup! They will go to and refer to the person who they know, like and trust.

I have had people come to me from all over the world as a result of them reading something that I have posted. It raises a question in their minds or answers a question that they have and they want to reach out to get more information.

When you write your blog and share tips about your business or answer the types of questions that your clients ask you, you are not giving away the farm, so to speak, you are adding massive value. You will be respected for that.

Remember that the person who shows up most often is the person who will usually get the business.

The big secret to building trust online is that real business gets done face-to-face. Be aware of how you are interacting with those people who are commenting and responding to your blogs. Always aim to bring them to a meeting of some sort, phone call, coffee, or Skype.

It is not all about you. It is about how many people you can help.

Having challenges writing your blogs? I can help you with those. So call me. 780-904-9557

Make it a great day!

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

LinkedIn Tip 90 - How do you add more sections to your file?

Is your LinkedIn profile missing some items you would like to have listed there?

Often I have clients who ask me why they need to enter their work experience and their education, etc. on their profile. When you are not bashful and "tell all" so to speak, you share some of who you are and people can relate to you much better.

LinkedIn is a professional platform, and people are there to do business. In order to do business, we all need to know, like and trust the people we are doing business with. Sharing some insights on our past work experience and education helps build this trust.

Just remember when you are entering your work experience and education that there are no gaps in your history. If there are gaps, then you will need to share your volunteer information and certifications that you may have been working on.

People will be able to piece together to see that there are no gaps in your history.

If you have been laid off, for certain periods of time, mention in your profile that you were volunteering for something. One computer programmer told me once that when he was laid off, he started a podcast show and invited corporate executives to be guests on his show every day. This process enabled him to eventually be offered a job, but it also filled the gap between his employment experiences.

People like to know that you did not just sit on the couch eating bon-bons between jobs.

So when you are looking to fill gaps in your profile, click on the blue drop-down menu to the top right side of your profile. You will find many options to choose from.

Do you have a LinkedIn question? Please ask me. I will write a blog about it so some others will also have some answers.

It is not all about me. It is about how many people I can help.

Make it a great day!

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

LinkedIn Tip 89 - How do you create a professional profile address?

Does your LinkedIn profile web address look like a bunch of numbers and letters?

How professional does that appear to others who view your profile, or those you forward your profile address to for viewing?

Are you wondering how you can create your own "vanity" web address. It is also referred to as a custom URL for your public LinkedIn profile.

Here's how you can further enhance your personal brand on LinkedIn:

1. Go to your personal profile page.

2. In the upper right corner, you will see "Edit your public profile".

3. Click that link and it will open a new page where you can see what your profile will look like to others who view your profile.

4. At the top right side of this page, you will see "Edit your public profile URL".

5. Scroll down a few lines to where you see your profile URL and a blue pencil to the right of it.

6. Click the blue pencil.

7. Now you can add the extension you wish. Most people use their personal name in different formats, but it will not save if it is already taken. You may need to get a little creative. For example, I have discovered that there are two other women with my exact same name, so I use "marketingmentress" as my extension.

8. Remember to scroll down the page to save the changes you have made.

After you have saved these changes, then log out of your account and back in again. Go to the "view your pubic profile" page again and check to see if the changes have actually taken effect.

Voila! You now have your own public URL for LinkedIn!

Easy peasy!

If you have any LinkedIn questions, please feel free to ask. I will write a blog about it, so others can also benefit.

Make it a great day!

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

MM Tip 23 - Do you ever feel like you are not enough?

Do you feel like no matter what or how much you do, you will never be all that you need to be?

Are you one of those people who just keeps working harder and harder trying to be better than you feel you are?

Are you getting any closer to feeling like you are more?

As a business mentor, I often hear comments from people who are struggling with some inner voices day in and day out. These voices are telling them that they are never going to be good enough...that they will never be "enough".

I am reminded of an interview in Opra Winfrey's magazine with Barbara Streisand. When Barbara said that she has always felt like she was never enough, I about fell out of my chair! Barbara Streisand, the wonderfully talented and one of the biggest and best actresses and performers of all time, feels like she is never enough!!! How could this be?

As I have met with many business women and women who are casual acquaintances and friends, I have heard this reiterated many times. Most women feel like they are not enough.

Why is that? Is it something we are born with, or is it something to do with the way we are raised? Or is it just something that we all, both men and women experience with the little voice in our heads telling us that we all are never good enough?

It is my humble opinion that we are all susceptible to these negative voices. It is part of what we have to overcome in this life here on earth. Overcoming these voices in our heads is part of what makes us strong from within and helps us to move forward to become more than we thought we could be.

It is up to us to make the decision to ignore the negative voices in our heads and fill our heads with positive thoughts. Stop watching horror movies and negative things on "the box" and the internet. Search for all that is good, wholesome and uplifting. Avoid anything that pulls you down into the depths of darkness. You will never overcome your "voices in your head" until you change the things you do every day.

Set yourself up with a routine of positives from the beginning of your day. Rise, eat a good breakfast, exercise, meditate/pray, visualize all the wonderful things you are thankful for that day. It can be as simple as being thankful that you have stockings without holes in them.

My mother taught me a great lesson as a child. She had six children and had to cook for up to 15 people depending on what time of year it was on the ranch. She did all the laundry and patching and darning for all the family and the hired men. She had no time to deal with a grouchy face first thing in the morning. So if one of us children came to the breakfast table with a grouchy face, we were sent directly to our room to find our smile. Once we found our smile, we were allowed back at the breakfast table.

Thus I learned that it is a decision to listen to the negative voices in my head or the positive ones. I soon learned that it felt much better when I listened to the positive voices. I learned that it is a decision I must make every day. My positive feelings did not just happen. I had to make a conscious decision to choose the positives.

Are you just letting yourself drift into your day without any routines or conscious thought as to what impact your decisions will have on your successes that day?

Try getting yourself on a schedule of routines and positive thoughts and follow it for a month. You will be amazed at the changes that will occur within you.

Remember, you cannot control what others decide to do. You are the only one you can control.

I would love to hear your thoughts and questions.

Make it an awesome day!

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress