Linda Parkinson-Hardman

Finding Your ‘Great Aunty Jean’s’

by Linda Parkinson-Hardman on July 16, 2014 · 0 comments

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Your network is a unique mix of individuals who know, like and trust you. It won’t be the same as anyone else’s network as it’s made up of family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and other business buddies. It’s this diversity which makes each network distinct from any other and we should celebrate that fact.

However, it is also worth remembering that not every network is born equal and some are more relevant to particular areas of our life than others. For example, past colleagues and business buddies are often those we associate with our business networking activities. But that doesn’t mean to say the other groups should be ignored. [click to continue…]

LinkedIn for Entrepreneurs and Why You Should Use It

by Linda Parkinson-Hardman on June 10, 2014 · 0 comments

images[1]There are many online social networks around that can help you to become more visible to a potential audience, no matter who they are. Customers, potential customers, suppliers, stakeholders, collaborators and supporters can all be added to the social media mix.

However, it would be fair to say that not all social networks are created equal, and that some are better than others at supporting specific tasks.  In my opinion, LinkedIn has to be one of the best at supporting entrepreneurs and there are a number of reasons why I think it’s such a great tool to use. There are many delights to being an entrepreneur, not least that of being your own boss. You get to call the shots, decide what you are going to do and when you are going to do it.  If you wish, you can change your business at the drop of a hat; it’s all YOUR choice.  And that of course, leads us to the biggest issue with being an entrepreneur … you are the buck, it stops with you. You have to take responsibility for the decisions you make and if they go wrong you are the one picking up the pieces. As a result it can be quite a lonely existence, being the person at the top of the tree. [click to continue…]

How to prevent social media burnout

by Linda Parkinson-Hardman on February 4, 2014 · 0 comments

Cheerful businesswoman showing tumbs upWith its ‘always on’, 24/7 culture it is very easy to become so wrapped up in the world of social media that burnout is a very real risk that everyone participating runs. However, with a few simple changes to the way that we manage our online lives, we can avoid this pitfall and continue to enjoy the benefits for many years to come. [click to continue…]

I Like, You Like, We Like

by Linda Parkinson-Hardman on August 27, 2013 · 0 comments

If you have been around the web and on any of the social networks you will probably have noticed an increasing ability to ‘like’ something, be it a website, Facebook page or LinkedIn status update. It can seem as if the word ‘like’ is taking over the world. [click to continue…]

How to spot your next potential customer on LinkedIn?

May 2, 2013

Most of us, at some point in time, will have been part of a conversation where someone has said ‘I really need some help with x,y or z?’ Perhaps they’ve been explicit and told you that they need to find a bouncy castle by next Sunday for their daughter’s birthday party. The list of things we can be asked to help find by our friends, family and colleagues can be quite overwhelming sometimes and I know that occasionally I feel a bit like a telephone directory, doling out the contact details of the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker.

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How to use the social networks to increase profitability?

March 22, 2013

Most people believe that the social networks are only about attracting new clients and customers. I’d beg to differ and thought it might be helpful to share a few of my own guidelines about how you can use a social network to increase your profitability. First of all, I’d like you think about what you want to achieve from your online activities? I’ll bet it’s almost certainly increase the number of customers you have. After all the purpose of marketing your business is to grow it, right? But as you already know there is more than one way to grow [...]

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Spring Cleaning Your Social Networks

January 4, 2013

The beginning of the year is always a great time for resolutions of every kind, and I’d like to suggest that it might be worth adding one to your list which could result in better business relationships. It’s the task of spring cleaning your social networks, and then putting in place some useful strategies for ensuring they don’t get too dusty and tired in the future.

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Successful Networking; it’s all about the relationship

November 22, 2012

Successful networkers know that the passing of a business card or a brief chat at a networking event is just the beginning of the networking process. This is true whether you are in a face-to-face event or whether you’re online. The business success that a good networker has comes down to one thing, the strength and depth of the relationships they cultivate. Let me give you an example; you go to a networking meeting for the first time and you meet a fellow new member, after chatting for a while you both agree that it would be good to spend [...]

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