Hurricane Sandy

We had been offline preparing since 10/27, due to hurricane Sandy. On 10/29 we had a mandatory evacuation from our area, that was subsequently hit hard and almost completely wiped out. I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude and wishes to all who have survived this storm and send our prayers to those who are still in the recovery process. We were blessed in that we had a place to go to (my parents) and that our power was finally restored after 10 days. Although we are still going through some issues and are not 100% back in our home (as of 11/28) we are just grateful that we at least still have a home. Sincerely Patricia

17 Facebook Fan Page Networking Tips

Guest Post by Hilary from Craft Blog Uk

Boosting your fan numbers and Facebook fan page engagement is not just about your own updates. Choosing great, relevant content to share is essential to keep fans engaged. However, off page activity is an equally important way of increasing likes and engagement on your fan page and should not be overlooked.

Read tips here
http://www.handmadeology.com/17-facebook-fan-page-networking-tips

Social is the New Business: Power Networking 101 (PDF)

Courtesy of Michelle E. Villalobos
From "The Secrets of Success Series"

Everything you need to know to make a great first impression, generate rapport and quickly build relationships.

Read info here (PDF format file)
http://www.michellevillalobos.com/audio_video/power_networking_e-booklet/101_power_networking_tips.pdf

Pinterest's Impact on Users and on Your Brand

Some quick stats:

Pinterest has grown from 700,000 to 20,000,000 unique users in the past year; that's already almost half the number of Twitter's users.

It is cannibalizing other social media: Compete attributed a 3% decline in Facebook activity in June to users' preferences for Pinning.

1 in 4 users spend less time on other social media in Pinterest's favor, with 15% of Pinterest users saying they don't use any other social sites.

That number's even higher, 23%, among those with an income of less than $30,000.

Read more here
http://www.marketingprofs.com/short-articles/2642/pinterests-impact-on-users-and-on-your-brand#ixzz28S4pxro1

Business Networking in the 21st Century For Men and Women

by Alicia R Young

"...Since the inception of the Internet, email and online groups, men and women have been able to communicate with more people from more places across the globe than once imaginable. Online social networking is exploding across the Internet as more employers and agencies are turning to social network sites to find potential employees and to check work references. Knowing the most popular social networks on the Web in addition to offline network groups can dramatically increase your chances of being connected to the right people or your next employer.

Read article here
http://ezinearticles.com/?Business-Networking-in-the-21st-Century-For-Men-and-Women&id=2066865

How soon should I contact People I have just met?

by Mark Luscombe

"If you have just attended a conference or an exhibition, taken part in a Speed Networking Event sponsored by a trade organization such as the Chamber of Commerce and have walked away with a large number of contacts and cards you need to no what to do with these new contacts... Business Networking is a professional marketing activity and does not end after you have exchanged handshakes and said goodbye upon first getting to know one another. Work out how to develop those contacts before you make them."

Read his post here
http://www.businessnetworkingnow.com/business-networking-tips/how-soon-should-i-contact-people-i-have-just-met

What Is Pinterest?

by Kelby Carr

Pinterest is an online pinboard, a visual take on the social bookmarking site. Unlike other social bookmarking sites, such as Digg and StumbleUpon, content shared on Pinterest is driven entirely by visuals. In fact, you can't share something on Pinterest unless an image is involved.

Read more here
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-pinterest.html?cid=dn_article

The 59 Commandments of Business Networking

by Diane Helbig

"...Business networking is really about building relationships. It’s about finding those people with whom you have things in common. It’s like dating. Have you ever met a man or woman who was so aggressive and pushy that you ran the other way? You wouldn’t dream of dating them."

Read article and tips here
http://smallbiztrends.com/2010/11/commandments-business-networking.html

18 Part Business Networking Tips Series

One of the things I often hear from people when I talk about business networking is that they hate going to networking meetings or they just do not have the time. Yet it is possible to generate all the business you need without attending another networking meeting ever again!

Read tips here [Scroll down to bottom for 1st tip and than scroll your way upwards]
http://theaccidentalsalesman.com/nsg/category/business-networking-tip/page/2

Networking Simplified – 17 Networking Tips Any Entrepreneur Can Master

"Networking is a skill that successful entrepreneurs understand, utilize and master every single day to open up new doors of opportunity. In an effort to help you get out of your networking stupor, I have outlined 17 networking tips any entrepreneur can master."

Read tips here
http://andreabolder.com/2012/networking-simplified-17-networking-tips-any-entrepreneur-can-master