“Do you know anyone with experience working on a dairy farm?”
That’s not a question I expect to be asked anytime soon, but after doing a quick LinkedIn search I know the answer is “Yes, yes I do.”
A decade ago, that was not the case.
I knew a lot of people, but generally, we all worked in the same nonprofit sector and lived in the same geographic region, Northeast U.S.
I was very well known in my area and even had a day named after me.
No joke – September 16 (my birthday) was named Robbie Samuels Day in Boston, MA in 2011.
What changed in the last 10 years?
The ability to network virtually has dramatically improved.
I started to stay in better touch with colleagues I met at national conferences.
I actively participated in Facebook groups that attract the people I want to get to know.
I sought out people with interesting lived experiences – that were vastly different than my own.
I deepened my relationships with people I’ve never met in person, yet they are among my closest confidants.
And I made an effort to connect with all of these people on LinkedIn.
Now, it’s rare that I meet someone that I don’t share mutual connections and I’m excited when it does happen because I know I’m diversifying my network.
In the abstract this all sounds good, but how do I benefit from having this diverse network?
A few months ago, I started to post articles about virtual events on LinkedIn written in major publications like Forbes and Harvard Business Review.
I send a connection request to the author the day before I post and every time we have had several mutual connections.
That adds to my credibility so the author checks out my profile and the very first time I tried this I was invited to contribute a quote to their next article:
“The History of the Webinar and Why the Webinar Should Be History”
Your Challenge For This Week
Want to get quoted in a major publication or write for one but not sure how to get started?
Try what I did or better yet search LinkedIn for “Forbes contributor” and see how you’re already connected.
I did this and 119 of my contacts write for Forbes, 40 for Harvard Business Review, and 41 for Fast Company.
Narrow that down by learning about what they write about and see if you have relevant expertise.
Any one of them could make an introduction to their editor if you wanted to send a pitch.
And while you’re doing your research, check out my latest HBR article, “How to Host a Virtual Happy Hour.”
Try this and let me know how it goes!
Business Growth Strategist & Business Coach
As a relationship-based business growth strategist, I work directly with a limited number of self-employed professionals, aka solopreneurs.
WHO YOU ARE:
You want to have a greater impact and increased income. The problem is that there are so many options for how to build your business that you can feel stuck, overwhelmed, and like you’re running out of time.
The reason options are overwhelming is that you’re looking at them as a series of disconnected steps, when to make the most of your time, you need a strategy that connects only the most important and highest impact ones.
You know that if you try to do everything, you’ll accomplish nothing. This means, to achieve your goal, you have to invest in a strategy to put time on your side.
What’s Included:
As a relationship-based business growth strategist, I will work with you to design a year-long plan that consists of three 12-week sprints, each followed by 4 weeks of reflection/assessment, rejuvenation/vacation, and strategic planning. This will allow you to sequence your goals, create momentum, and leverage your limited time.
We can build your plan through a half-day strategy session, a coaching engagement, or a mastermind program.
These are not right for everyone; they’re personalized offerings and are priced accordingly.
What might you work on?
In my coaching work with entrepreneurs and solopreneurs, we focus on the areas where you’d like to grow, which may include:
- Creating a strong sales conversation framework
- Building your referral network
- Lead generation through a relationships
- Growing your visibility in your industry
- Increasing your ability to attract the right kind of clients
- Identifying and launching a minimally viable offer
- Breaking through whatever bottleneck is holding you back from getting the results you want and deserve
- Becoming a published author and marketing your book successfully
- Improving your virtual presentation skills
Learn more about the different ways we can work together – deep dive 3-hour session, private 1:1 coaching, and masterminds. I’m excited to support you in reaching or exceeding your goals.
Stay Connected:
- Connect with me on LinkedIn to see the content I share.
- New to my website? Start here
- Listen to my On the Schmooze podcast – weekly since July 2016.
