How I built one of the strongest reputations on LinkedIn

I often am asked, "How is it that you're so successful in using LinkedIn for Business?"

I get this from people that know me, as well as those that see my profile and the fact that I typically have more than twice the amount of recommendations than those who hail themselves as 'LinkedIn Experts' (Actual Recommendations, not the silly little endorsements.)

My answers are as follows:
1)  Only add people that you've met to your profile. 
Becoming a LION or as often referred to with LI, FB, or other sites as "Social Media Whores" will only dilute your credibility.   Being able to hit  the ADD or LIKE button is not a feat or a contest.   This keeps your contacts more pure and it helps protect your network.  (The latter is likely why LinkedIn states this request in their Terms of Service.)

2)  Offer to help.   I often get approached after my posts in groups and in Forums.   Even though I may not connect with them, I will let them know I'm willing to help.    This is my nature anyway and as it happened, led to me being added to this group, simply because I was willing to help Jimeana when she was struggling.   Granted, I was pointing her to a much faster path and she chose the slower, more expensive route, but eventually, she'll get there!    I'm proud to have connected her to people that she could learn some basics from and is now beginning to learn even more!

3)  Be authentic.  Don't be afraid to tell someone what they need to hear.   Letting someone know that they were committing a Felony when soliciting Capital online, has been a big attention getter as well as business builder for me.   I'm oft surprised that I'm the first to mention it in threads and THEN the attorneys agree.    The attorneys should be the very first to be pointing this out.   Instead of them getting a shot at the business, the prospective person usually ends up talking to me and getting the same services from attorneys, CPAs, Architecs, Financial Planners and Social Media Experts for Free, because of my network.    The prospect wins, the professional wins, and my network wins.  

4) When you learn something, don't act like it's the hottest thing on the block.
I see this all the time with what many call "newbies" to a topic.   We see it all the time with Sales, NLP, Speaking, etc.    While it may be the greatest thing you've ever come across, there are likely people that have been studying, using, or knowledgeable about the topic for decades.

5)  Use an E-Signature.
On Every post, you should have your contact information.  LinkedIn tends to breed laziness and just as you should on every page of your website, you should have your contact information at the bottom of each of your posts.   So what if it's in your profile...  if you go to the tabs above and select "Who's Viewed Your Profile" you already know the numbers aren't what you want them to be!   Why?  Because people are lazy and not all are going to look at your profile, let alone find your contact info!  Give them the opportunity to see it!

6)  Request Direct Contact
This allows you to circumvent reliance on LinkedIn to deliver your communication to you.  You can go direct.   Besides, you've likely already experienced sending messages and people responding weeks later.   Why?  Many won't respond to LinkedIn messages and many more don't check LinkedIN every week, let alone every day.    Additionally, this allows you to build a list.   My suggestion, however is that you segment your list and send only appropriate information to those segments.   Never SPAM.

7)  Be gracious. 
When someone helps you.  Make sure you let them know it....CONSISTENTLY.
My mentors and friends are constantly reminded of how they have helped me get to where I am and what a difference they mean to me and the things I've learned from them.   Sending a 'Thank You' is a nice gesture....but it's weak.    Constantly reminding someone that you appreciate them lets them feel it in their bones and they won't forget you.


If you or someone you know is building a business and seeks:
- Guaranteed Flow of New Business on a Consistent Basis
- Increase in the Knowledge, Skills, or Ability of the CEO or Executive Team
- Access To Capital Resources
- Or anything else
...and would like to have those resources at far less the price and far faster the time than they can get from inside their own network, please feel welcome to connect with me (directly, not via LinkedIn) and let me know what you're working on and what you seek next for your business.

--
Dave Phillipson, Executive State Director & Global Development
CEO Space
http://youtu.be/Z9mPDOBdizQ
The World's Largest, Oldest & Most
Successful Organization for CEOs,
Entrepreneurs & Visionary Investors
http://www.GlobalCEOspace.com
Dave@GlobalCEOspace.com


P.S.  Those that know me, understand that there's not much that excites me more than helping a fellow entrepreneur grow their business!  I am passionate about sharing my resources, knowledge, and elite connections in order to build businesses cooperatively.

Do you or somone you know, have a product for TV?

If you have products suitable for MASS MARKETS, we invite you to preview the NEW – MASS MARKETING BOOT camp featuring:

·        Classes by Home Shopping HSN – Bob Circosta with private one-and-one work with your products
·        My classes on capital ramp-up
·        Tow Truck In A Box defining their strategy to reach 40,000 retail stores – that will take you along for the ride of your life
·        Erin Saxton of the IDEA NETWORK on PR for mass marketing
·        PITCH TANK SATURDAY EVENING – contestants are chosen from the boot camp

Bob Circosta will be hosting a Video Seminar this Thursday

5 May 2011, 8 pm ET

For those wanting to learn more and to get enough information to make a decision to go to CEO Space’s Mass Marketing May Boot Camp
May 17-19, 2011

Bob Circosta, as Chairman of the CEO SPACE BOOT CAMP is working very hard to provide a growing service standard of WORLD CLASS within each Boot Camp and to provide more value in each and every boot camp to the client account.

We are very excited about the May Boot Camp which will not only focus on TV and Home Shopping type of outlets for those seeking mass marketing for their products in our grad base and in new clients – but now with shelf space marketing connections and training – that was missing from the pilot program Boot Camp.

We are making your product better. The content for CEO SPACE BOOT CAMP in May will be all fresh and new.
FOR CALL IN AND CODE INFORMATION, CONTACT Dave@GlobalCEOspace.com
Put CEOspace Boot Camp in the subject.

Kevin Herrington of ABC's Shark Tank,  formerly taught this course with Bob Circosta.

Effective Networking

I was recently asked by a reporter to share tips on how to network successfullyat events.   "What tips, etiquette rules, and do's and don'ts should entrepreneurs adhere to when interacting with others at
networking events? Are there easy ways entrepreneurs can turn on the charm and attract the people and opportunities they want?"

Here was the answer I shared:

There are many opinions, but only one way to get the best results.

They are outlined as follows:
1) Set aside your own agenda and see how many people you can help.

2) Don't ask for cards.   Instead, help people so much beyond their experience of typical networking, that they can't help but ask for yours.   You've just made a friend for life... someone that will continue to look for you.

3) If you do get cards, don't plug them into your newsletter, unless you ask them when you meet them, "May I send a copy of my newsletter to you?"   Then let them opt-in!

4) Stay away from any networking group that allows only one of each category (ie: one realtor, one insurance person, etc.)   Those networks are already telling you that they are a competitive mindset and coming from scarcity.   There is enough for everyone, and if you help all, including your competition, you will be greatly rewarded.

Dave Phillipson, CP
CEO Space
The World's Largest, Oldest & Most
Successful Organization for CEOs,
Entrepreneurs & Visionary Investors
http://www.GlobalCEOspace.com
Dave@GlobalCEOspace.com


P.S. Those that know me, understand there's not much that gets me as excited as helping a fellow entrepreneur. I'm passionate about sharing my resources, knowledge, and elite connections in order to build business cooperatively. 

I do this by receiving referrals from people like you. Who do you know that's a business owner and wants to grow with strength & velocity?

Boot Strapping is Foolish

Based on the principles of Napoleon Hill's, Think and Grow Rich and just as Napoleon insists that one does not boot strap, CEO Space teaches people how to avoid it as well. In addition, CEO Space teaches those who do not have the necessary funds, how to generate $12-15k in an average of 72 hours.

Even further, it is found that most who are engaged with investors, are not in compliance. In fact, most believe that they don't have to be simply because they have a false belief that a private company is immune to the laws. Moreover, we find that they give up way too much of their company, for far too little. For example, one should not give up more than 20% for as much as $50 Million, but often we find that some will give up as much as 50 percent for as little as a couple hundred thousand, simply because they aren't aware of a simple formula that will attract money like a magnet.

Also, most have not even seen the "Show Me The Money" video at www.CEOspaceInternational.com

If there is anything I can do for you in the mean time, I'm happy to help.
It's not that last year was a great year for our members, every year has been - for over 20 years. Sure, last year and the year before were down years, but we still generated more than the government and VC did, for small business.

Now this:



Dave Phillipson, CP
CEO Space
The World's Largest, Oldest & Most
Successful Organization for CEOs,
Entrepreneurs & Visionary Investors
http://www.GlobalCEOspace.com
Dave@GlobalCEOspace.com
http://DauntlessDave.blogspot.com

P.S. Those that know me, understand there's not much that gets me as excited as helping a fellow entrepreneur. I'm passionate about sharing my resources, knowledge, and elite connections in order to build business cooperatively.

I do this by receiving referrals from people like you. Who do you know that's a business owner and wants to grow with strength & velocity?

Ground Hog's Day and your Business Plan

Puxatawney Phil has a very important metaphor for Entrepreneurs and their business plan....

If you lead with it, will you ever hear from an investor again?

Investors invest in the jockey, not the horse. Many self-proclaimed 'business coaches' and professors at business schools, teaching MBA candidates give what is perhaps the worst advice in the world: "to lead with a business plan." If they want to read a plan, they will ask for one. It doesn't work today, and it certainly was never that effective in the 'old school'. Fact is, some sent it to people they knew and it worked, so this then became the industry standard.

Very few so-called "experts" realize that VCs receive up to 40 plans per day... that's as much as 200 a week. They don't have time. If they added and looked at all the plans on line, that would add tens of thousands more. This is through no fault of the posters, they've probably never worked in VC or may not know many.

Few Entrepreneurs can even write a good business plan, so they end up looking worse. Too many plans matriculating and not enough hours in a day for investors to read them, spell doom and certainly is not a good first impression and you rarely - if ever - get a second chance.

Leading with a business plan is a waste of an opportunity, a waste of the time of the investor, and the Entrepreneur. It sends the wrong message. Don't get me wrong, will some investors read them before signing checks? Yes. Will they write a check before getting to know you? No. So why put your plan out there? It's like walking onto a used car lot and being told "Have I got the car for you" before the salesman says, "Hello." If you start by selling, you increase your chances for failure and practically guarantee it. If you can't raise capital, you can't get to the next level.

I get plans submitted to me just because I help people or because people know I write checks. The bottom line is that an investor is concerned with how they will get their money back and what is their reason for putting in the money.

Do you want your business to see it's shadow again?

All you really need are the following: Executive Summary, Projections and answer these four questions: Is there a market? What is the strategy to serve the market? Who is the management? Do I like you and do I believe in you? (You might call the last one two, but I see it as one whole, as do most who write checks.)

Chances are, you need other things than just capital. If you've read this far, and you are seeking to raise capital, then you'll probably be very intrigued in this You Tube Short: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn64F3ysPvI

Dave Phillipson, CP
CEO Space
The World's Largest, Oldest & Most
Successful Organization for CEOs,
Entrepreneurs & Visionary Investors
http://www.GlobalCEOspace.com
Dave [at] GlobalCEOspace.com
http://DauntlessDave.blogspot.com

P.S. Those that know me, understand there's not much that gets me as excited as helping a fellow entrepreneur. I'm passionate about sharing my resources, knowledge, and elite connections in order to build business cooperatively.

I do this by receiving referrals from people like you. Who do you know that's a business owner?

Berny Dohrmann Interview - Mess Before Success

CEO Space Founder, Bernhard Dohrman, is interviewed by Chris Steely of