Virtual Assistant Forums | Work from Home

My Office Zilla · #1 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008

I found this free download yesterday and thought you Linked In users might be interested. It is called Can Linked In Increase Your Sales? and I found it at a website called Selling to Big Companies.

My favorite tip...Set yourself up for an RSS feed of topics that interest you under questions. When questions and replies come across that you like do some more research on responders as far as website, blogs, etc. and "become a regular, ultimiately planting the seed for a possible business relationship to grow."

My favorite story...A person accidentally requested a connection from a President of a very large firm in his network. (This is totally feasible if a person uses the LI toolbar!) The President responded that he didn't know he knew the requestor. A humorous apology, several emails and voicemails later the President connected the requestor with a VP within the company in need of services! How awesome is that?

Has anyone at VAF had an accidental connection...even if it wasn't through LI?

Create an amazing day!

SupportMyOffice · #2 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008

I like LinkedIn but it has not led to any clients for me. I have retouched with some old colleagues in my old state but none have even asked about what I do. Once I settle in with new baby I plan to kick my marketing into high gear and get some new clients.

I have begun a rapport with a real estate agent in AZ that I would love to work for. He is very nice and knowledgeable and I am a regular on his blog comments. He has even helped me out with a RE matter recently and in turn asked me for my opinion on a new site he created. I think he's a future potential and all from just commenting on his blog.

eve_k0802 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008

Sundi,

Great tips Sundi - thanks for posting this! I've met alot of great people on LinkedIn, and some potential business.

Yvone

White Rose · #4 (**permalink**) 05-24-2008

Thank you for sharing, Sundi, I bookmarked it and will read it sometimes in the next week. It'll be very interesting!

Olinda Services · #5 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008

I have added it to my To Do list for a little light reading this weekend.

lanelt · #6 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008

Originally Posted by Sundi

Has anyone at VAF had an accidental connection...even if it wasn't through LI?

Sort of. I mentioned I'm trying to do some more social networking since I've had luck with it in the past for building great business relationships.

So, I was looking through some of my possible matches through old companies I worked at and found a senior VP who I'd sort of worked with. He was the head of the entire Southern California region of a large corporation I worked for. I was the accountant for a small portion of his region. I worked in the corporate office in Northern California but traveled to So Cal monthly to meet with the people on his team. He and I never really interacted except through a company sponsored fun day where I (

) demolished him at laser tag. Other than seeing him in the office when I was there we really didn't work together.

But, I thought, what the heck, and asked to connect with him. Honestly figured I wouldn't get a response. He replied the next day accepting my connection but saying he didn't know who I was. I told him some things about me and he says he remembers and wanted me to send him more information about my business because he recently started his own company consulting to large firms in the industry we worked in.

So, I didn't get a client (yet) but it boosted my ego to have him remember me and connect to me. He's not someone I ever would have thought to network with before (not that I would have been able to find him). Honestly, LinkedIn is what gave me the courage to try to network with him. Now I've opened myself up to a whole new world.

My Office Zilla · #7 (**permalink**) 06-06-2008

That is a great story Lanel! I've found using LI that way has been helpful because you had somthing in common in the past but now you just aren't sure. I've reconnected with several suppliers who I've worked for in previous positions. Usually if it is someone I REALLY liked working with and they accept my invite to connect I'll write a recommendation. You never now...they might write one back for you!

The funny thing is...you connect with someone you think might maybe sometime in the future decide it could be a possiblity you slightly cross their mind when their third cousin by marriage starts talking about their babysitter's mom's boss's wife thinking about doing blah, blah, blah (does that sound like a remote enough chance?

)...in a nut shell you never know where a connection might come from or what it might lead to!

Yesterday I got an email from someone I'm connected to on a regional networking site who has a friend on the east coast looking for copy to be re-written on a website...something I don't do...but guess where I'll come if his friend contacts me. VAF of course! :p

#8 (**permalink**) 06-08-2008

Hi,

Its a very usefull tool. and actully helping me a lot.

thanks
Matt

#9 (**permalink**) 06-09-2008

I have been hearing a lot about Linkedin. My only fear with doing too much marketing right now is that I currently work for a law firm as a paralegal and I am scared that me offering "services" similar to what I do at the firm may be a violation of my non-compete clause. I'm almost at the point to where although I'm scared, I'm more excited about my business venture than getting fired.

My Office Zilla · #10 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008

I would check with a lawyer...

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I don't think they can prevent you from earning a living, no matter what your line of work is because you have an education to do specifically what you do. At least that was my perception and I'm not lawyer. I also think that they can not say anything if the niche is different.

Does the office you work for provide your service to independent lawyers? Or do they provide representation for clients? If you are providing paralegal services to lawyers and they provide legal representation I don't see the conflict at all as your service is different than what they provide. See what I mean?

On the other hand if you are in violation and they win the case you could loose back wages from clients and the duration of non-compete could be extended.

If you have a copy of your non-compete and you want to ask a legal-type person you could check at SCORE.com. Look for someone in your state and they will probably want to see your docs or at least know the verbiage.

Hope this helps!

Make it a great day!