Writers: Get Thee to an Editor

by Mark Bloom | Jan 17, 2017 | Editing

Use an Online Writing Editor for Best Results

find an online writing editor

Writers are everywhere. They’re like bookstores and libraries — seemingly on every corner and in most coffee shops. They have their own Meetup groups. They have their own schools and degrees. They are amateur or professional, full-time or part-time, committed or casual. Good writers even have their own websites to advertise their talents. And many writers specialize. Consider:

Ad writers
Mystery writers
Ghost writers
Novelists
Blog writers
Poets
Journalists
Grant writers
Copywriters
Short story writers
And more

Some, like the writers at Ray Access, cross boundaries. If you’re looking for a writer for a specific project — whether it’s to write your blog posts, memoir or web page content — you can certainly find one easily enough. But not everyone knows the value of a good editor. And they are much more difficult to find. In fact, many writers don’t even know good editors, especially good online writing editors.

What an Online Writing Editor Does

Editors are an invisible lot. Their names never appear in the byline. Their work doesn’t cry for headlines, even as the headlines in their work bears their influence. So how can you tell if an editor has worked on a piece of writing? What kind of tracks does an editor leave behind?

A good editor does much more than correct grammar and catch typos. When it comes to editing online writing, an editor molds the article to:

Ensure the lede, especially the first paragraph, captures the readers’ attention and compels them to keep reading
Cut, cut and cut some more to force the writing to be concise and to the point
Enhance the flow of thoughts from one to the next
Strengthen, not change, the writer’s voice
Place valuable information at the beginning of the article, so readers don’t have to wade through fluff to get to the good stuff

Writers Benefit

Writers understand what an online writing editor does. The best writers seek out editors to work with. They often develop a deep and lasting trust between them. The writer knows that the editor makes changes and suggestions that improve the writing. The editor knows that the writer takes the changes as constructive criticism, even if it appears harsh at first glance.

When a writer works with an editor, they create a team that improves every project they tackle. Edited writing is not just more efficient; it’s more powerful. Because an online writing editor has to know the target audience as much as the writer does, an edited article strikes the right notes to engage its readers.

Editing for an Online Audience

An online writing editor has to handle issues that are specific to writing for an online audience — issues that a book editor may not even consider. People read online content differently than reading something in a printed book; it actually closely mimics how they read newspapers:

With other content just a click away, online readers shrink their attention span. They want online writing to get to the point quicker.
The same people who wouldn’t balk at reading a 600-page tome expect a pleasant online format with lots of white space.
Most online readers don’t read at all, in fact. Instead, they scan for the information they’re seeking. Their eyes flit from the title to each subheading as they search.

So an editor has to ensure that titles are authentic. They have to come up with subheads that are both explanatory and inviting. They have to deliver information in chunks so that it’s not overwhelming. Otherwise, no matter good the writing is, readers may pass it by.

And every article posted online requires the judicious use of keywords. An online writing editor has to know how to best place keywords so that they work and yet are unobtrusive once readers find their way to the article. If you’re a writer, find an editor you can trust. If you’re a reader, thank your writer for using an editor.

Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.

What Writers Want for Christmas

by Mark Bloom | Dec 27, 2016 | Announcement

Christmas Gifts for Writers They Really Want

Everyone knows a writer. Some writers may even be on your Christmas list. (Whether they’re on the Good list or the Naughty list is an entirely different question.) So how do you choose the best Christmas gifts for writers? Easy. Get them anything. Writers love the attention, even though they won’t admit it. Here, then, is a sampling of ideas for:

Christmas Gifts for Writers

The classic gifts can still bring joy to your favorite writer. Or can they?

The classic Moleskin notebook. Good writing advice says to carry around a notebook for all the brilliant ideas you get when you’re someplace inconvenient. — Because apparently, a notebook is easier to carry than a smart phone.
A fountain pen. It’s a classy gift, right? — Because apparently, writers like writing with pen and ink whenever their smart phone runs out of juice.
A book on writing. It’s helpful and encouraging to read what Stephen King or Ray Bradbury or whoever had to say about the writing process. — Because apparently, writers who emulate famous writers become famous themselves.
Adult coloring books. Writers are a creative bunch. When they’re not writing, they’ll enjoy doodling. — Because apparently, writers have lots of free time and like to doodle.
A T-shirt with a clever saying on it. Writers are often witty, so great Christmas gifts for writers can include T-shirts they’ll be proud to wear. — Because apparently, all writer aspire to write clever T-shirts.
Boggle or Scrabble. Writers are word nerds, so it only makes sense to get them a game that uses words. — Because apparently, writers often get together to trade books on writing and play games.

What Writers Really Want

The best Christmas gifts for writers are the ones you may not expect. This is what they want:

A coffee mug with a clever saying on it. Send a writer to the grocery store for essentials, and she’ll come back with a quart of milk, a loaf of bread and five pounds of coffee. It’s the fuel that makes writing possible. And a mug differs from a T-shirt because it becomes a private joke.
Sticky notes. It seems so silly — and so cheap — that you wonder why they don’t buy sticky notes for themselves. It’s because they don’t have a sticky note to remind them.
A red ink pen. There’s an editor inside every writer, and he’s trying to get out. A red pen gives every writer the single most important tool of an editor and reason to print out that rough draft.
A desk organizer. Writers like to get organized. And they often have lots of things to organize, from scraps of notes to first draft printouts. You won’t get them to clean up their desks completely, but this is a start.
A lap desk. It can be just a finished piece of plywood or a specially shaped wooden surface with a padded bottom. They’re great for reading or working when your writer is away from the keyboard.

There you go. No matter what you gave the writer in your life this year (probably from the top list), now you know the best Christmas gifts for writers, what they really want. Better luck next year!

4 Reasons to Hire Professional Blog Writers

by Mark Bloom | Dec 6, 2016 | Blog Writing

A Pro Frees You Up to Do What You Do Best

Hiring independent, third-party blog writers may sound like more effort than it’s worth, at least at first glance. You have to find qualified writers. You have to test them out. You have manage them. Who wants all that responsibility?

Then you remember struggling with your blog. Finding topics to write about that other people might be interested in. Spending the hours it takes to actually write the darn thing, even when you know what you want to say. And your articles never come out as well as you want them to.

Hire professional bloggers

All that time and effort serves to remind you why you’d at least consider hiring out the writing. So let’s list both the reasons for and benefits of hiring professional blog writers for your company website:

Reason #1: Blog Writers Are Professionals

If you hire a third-party to write your blog posts, you’re hiring a professional writer, someone who makes his (or her) livelihood by writing. This has several significant advantages:

Professional writers hit deadlines, so your blog will never be late again.
Professional blog writers know how to write well — they do it for a living, after all — so your blog posts will always be easy to read.
Professional writers know how to connect with your audience.

Reason #2: Blog Writers Can Do It All for You

When you hire third-party professionals to write your blog posts, they can do it all. They present you with topics for approval. Because they’re not as close to your company as you are, they can come up with interesting topics about your business that you might not have considered.

Professional writers know how to do the time-intensive research to write about your industry. They don’t use Wikipedia or similar websites, but go to authoritative website sources for the information they need. And good professionals also have their work edited before they deliver it. Some third-party professional writers (like those at Ray Access) can manage the whole process for you, including publishing the blog posts on your website!

Reason #3: Blog Writers Free Up Your Time

If you don’t have to write blog posts for your website, you can spend your time more constructively:

Satisfying your customers
Managing your staff
Improving your systems
Making more money

You’re happier and more productive when you do the things you love to do. So if blog writing isn’t one of those things, leave it to an expert while you get to do the things you’re best at doing. In the end, you’ll save time and headaches by hiring out tasks like blog writing — just as you may do for your bookkeeping and marketing.

Reason #4: Professional Blog Writers Do It Better

If you’re not a writer, the process of writing blog posts takes you longer and the end result may not be as powerful as you’d hoped. Professional writers take pride in their work. They make it as good as it can be. They struggle over their words to make them sing.

The resulting blog posts are powerfully effective pieces of content. These articles successfully market your business. They help your customer base by answering questions and building trust. Blogging works to attract visitors to your website. Attract more visitors with a professionally written blog. Because that’s what professional blog writers do.

How Content Can Save Your Business

by Mark Bloom | Nov 22, 2016 | Content Provider

Protect Your Business Name & Your Reputation

If you’re a savvy business owner, you know the value of content marketing. Fresh, original content on your website — delivered consistently — can:

Catch the attention of search engines
Engage your customers
Bring traffic to your website
Deliver potential customers to your door

protect your business name

But while it’s true that content can help you grow your business, consider for a moment how it actually can save your business. The answer lies in the power of the written word. And the written word can protect your business name by sharing the best that your business can offer.

Online and Offline Marketing

Marketing on the Internet is inherently different than marketing in the “real” world. Out there, the saying that “any publicity, even bad publicity, is good for your business.” Any publicity in the real world is like free advertising, and even bad publicity can bring in new customers — people who want to see for themselves if the story was true or those who always side with the underdog.

But online, bad publicity is bad publicity. If someone leaves a bad review on any number of social media sites or review sites — like Google My Business or Yelp — it’s there for everyone to see. Fortunately, you still can protect your business name from that kind of publicity.

Content Saves the Day

Customer reviews definitely make a difference to your online reputation. A bad review can actually drive potential customers away. So you have to take steps to protect your company name online. There are two strategies for dealing with negative reviews. Both involve content.

The first strategy to protect your business name is through engagement. If someone writes a negative review, the worst thing you can do is ignore it. Engage the writer. Even if they’re wrong, offer to make it right. For the price of a free meal or a replacement widget, you can get an amazing public relations win. You don’t always have to offer something for free, but you should always respond to a bad review with genuine concern.

The second strategy is to bury the bad review with positive reviews. If your company is in the habit of encouraging reviews from your customers, you’ll get many more positive reviews than negative ones, assuming your business provides goods or services people want. You know you have satisfied customers; get them to write how they feel. The new positive reviews will push the bad review so far down the list that hardly anyone will see it.

Protect Your Business Name

Content isn’t just a one-way street in terms of communication. While it’s important to get your message out there and provide the kind of information your potential customers are looking for, don’t overlook the fact that your customers want to talk to you as well. Engage your customers — and potential customers — with quality content.

Having an online presence means being vigilant. The Internet is forcing businesses to expand their ideas of what customer relations mean. In today’s world, “your call is very important to us” rings hollow and false. Instead, use online content through blogs, blurbs and posts to engage your customer base, educate the public, seek feedback on how you’re doing, and yes, protect your business name.

If you can’t do it yourself, you can find reputable businesses to help you. Ray Access can provide the online content to protect your business name, but it’s not specifically a reputation management firm.

Does Your Website Trick or Treat?

by Mark Bloom | Oct 31, 2016 | Website Content

Build Trust with Your Website Content Honestly

This Halloween, more children are going to be treated than tricked. Those costumed kids may shout, “Trick or treat!” from your front stoop, but you know there’s no trick, just plenty of treats. Candy. That’s what the holiday is all about.

Use Halloween to build trust with your website

In the virtual world of the Internet, people still want that kind of innocent simplicity. They expect it, just like the kids on your stoop expect candy. If you’re looking for information on how to make your own chocolate, for example, you don’t have the time or patience to sit through a commercial, you want the darn recipe. And yet many businesses still deliver ads instead of information. That’s a trick.

Treat, Don’t Trick

When your business builds trust through its website by delivering on a promise, visitors appreciate and remember that. It’s a simple thing to be honest with your online content, and it’s something Ray Access prides itself on. If your website has a page explaining how to make chocolate, visitors expect to see a simple recipe or even better, a video. If you can manage to present the information clearly, in a way that’s easily scannable, you’ve won some converts.

If, however, your website lapses into hyperbole or outright lying just to draw a crowd, it may enjoy an early surge of popularity, but eventually it has to fail. Don’t trick your visitors. While you may attract a small stream of new visitors, no one will ever return — kind of like the creepy house that gives out that hard candy from the 1940s. No one ever goes back for seconds.

Build Trust with Your Website

Your website is more than your online storefront; it’s the face of your company. You can use it to build a community loyal to you, or you can fill your pages with ads. Consider which site brings visitors back. When you build trust with your website, you connect with your visitors in an emotional way. A positive way. When you use your website to sell everything you can, you also spark an emotional reaction. A negative one.

Build trust with your website content, and you’ll get to sell your products or services because people do business with people and companies they genuinely like. And you get people to like you by being honest with them. Treat your website visitors; don’t trick them.

Click-Bait

“Click-bait” has become the new irresistible Internet advertising scheme. And it seems to be everywhere. Click-bait is the headline that piques your interest enough to click on it. When you land on a click-bait page, however, you’re treated to a multi-page advertising engine that provides just enough enticing content — on average about 10 percent of the total page — to keep you clicking.

In other words, click-bait is a vehicle for ensnaring people browsing the Internet. But click-bait articles rarely deliver on the promises of their original headlines. Instead, it’s just a way to show you more ads.

Be a Halloween Favorite

If you don’t build trust with your website, you may be succumbing to click-bait mentality. Don’t be that guy, that girl or that company that gives out crappy candy on Halloween. Invest in candy people actually want, and they’ll come back.

It’s the exact same philosophy with your website. Don’t use click-bait headlines to draw in visitors. Deliver clear, consistent, honest information on your website. Visitors appreciate it; they’ll remember you because of it. When they need your product or service, they’ll return. And then, instead of asking for candy, they’ll be asking for your business.

Protect Your Eyes from the Computer

by Mark Bloom | Oct 17, 2016 | Office

Your Electronic Screens Can Hurt Your Vision

protect your eyes from the computer

The good news is that computers, televisions and other electronic devices aren’t as bad for your eyes as they once were. That’s because cathode ray tubes emitted a low level of X-ray radiation while the new LCD screens give off none. So there used to be an element of truth behind the admonition: “Don’t sit too close to the TV or you’ll go blind!”

A cathode ray tube once provided the only type of screen you could watch outside of a movie theater. Electronic devices today are much more sophisticated… and eye-friendly. But that doesn’t mean constantly checking your cellphone or spending hours in front of a computer screen is good for your eyes.

The Real Threat to Eyesight

Today, people are spending more and more time using technology. In fact, one report found that Americans spend 11 of 18 waking hours a day with some kind of electronic device, including television (as of 2014, see the chart below). To protect your eyes from the computer and other devices, you have to guard against eyestrain.

Find more statistics at Statista

Too much uninterrupted screen time can actually cause a condition called computer vision syndrome or digital eye strain. The symptoms of this medically recognized condition include:

Headache
Tired eyes
Blurry vision
Light sensitivity
Neck pain
Dry eyes
Contact lens irritation
Inability to focus

Working on a computer, reading on a tablet and messaging on a smart phone all take their toll on your eyes. It’s not the same as reading a book because electronic screens emit light. Long term, continued and unprotected screen time, especially up close, can lead to age-related macular degeneration, a condition that can cause blindness if left untreated.

How to Protect Your Eyes from the Computer

The principals of Ray Access are certainly no Luddites when it comes to technology, but it still makes sense to protect your eyes from the computer. Fortunately, there are several products and techniques to help you do exactly that. Follow these tips:

Think ergonomically. If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen, set it up so that the top of the screen is even with your eye level. You should never sit so that you’re looking up at the screen. Also, your computer screen should be two to three feet from your eyes.
Set the lighting. Make sure there’s no glare being reflected on your screen. Glare adds to eyestrain. Eliminate fluorescent lighting if possible and keep the light level slightly below the light level of your screen, whether it’s a computer, tablet or cellphone.
Consider filters. Either a specific blue light filter or special computer eyeglasses can protect your eyes from the computer. If you suffer from eyestrain, consider this an investment in the health of your eyes.
Limit your time in front of a screen. The 20-20-20 rule applies here. The idea is that every 20 minutes, focus your eyes away from the screen for 20 seconds at an object that’s about 20 feet away. Even 20 seconds gives your eyes a needed break.
Get proper eye care. If you look at electronic screens all the time, make sure you schedule regular vision tests with your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

And that’s how you can protect your eyes from the computer, tablet, phone and any other electronic device. It’s the best way to keep your eyes healthy.

How to Tap into the Digital Economy

by Mark Bloom | Oct 3, 2016 | Small Business Advice

tap into the digital economy

The Longer You Wait, The More Difficult It’ll Be

As of 2016, nearly 3.5 billion people, about 40 percent of the world’s population, are connected to the Internet in some way. In the United States, about 87 percent of the country’s men, women and children go online. Of that 13 percent who don’t use the Internet:

Over half (57 percent) are age 50 or older.
About a third never earned a high school diploma.
And almost a quarter earn less than $30K a year.

So unless your primary target market focuses on poor, uneducated retirees, your business needs to have an active (or better, interactive) online presence. Your business needs to be growing its Internet marketing activities year after year, because it’s the digital economy that’s expanding. By 2020, there may be as many as 20 billion Internet-connected devices (and only 7.5 billion people) in the world.

It Starts with a Website

Most businesses — including startups and nonprofits — now have a website. But that’s only the beginning if you want to really engage your customer base. If all your website does is list your business name, store hours, and contact information, you have a yellow pages entry, not a website. If you’ve paid someone to build your website but have never received a call or email from a potential customer who found you online, your website isn’t doing you any good.

A website is more than a 24/7 storefront in the digital economy. Your site can do so much more; all it needs is some attention. The principals at Ray Access have always maintained that “if you’re ignoring your website, your website’s ignoring you.” To tap into the digital economy of the future, you need to start now to lay the groundwork.

the devices of the digital economy

The Digital Economy Is Waiting for You

Not every business needs to be engaging social media. If your customers use it, then you need to engage them there, if for no other reason than to keep your company’s name in front of their eyes. (In fact, engaging social media is worthy of a whole series of future blog posts.) But every business can benefit from an active website.

To sell your products or services, your business needs a website that accomplishes a number of goals:

Attracts potential customers — not just “eyeballs,” but the right “eyeballs”
Answers questions about your business and your industry
Presents your business as a leader in your field with a distinct advantage
Establishes trust — because you do what you say you’re going to
Helps people like you — not in the Facebook sense, but in a real-world way
Persuades visitors to contact you

Let Ray Access Get Your Business on Track

You may think this is a tall order, but this is exactly what Ray Access provides its clients. Website content is the vehicle that helps you reach your business goals. A business blog provides your company an outlet to educate your audience and provide answers that people are searching for.

In the new digital economy, no one is going to beat a path to your door, even if you have the world’s best mousetrap. You need to engage the Internet to participate. You need an active website and a vibrant blog. You need Ray Access.

September: Time to Review Your Company Website

by Mark Bloom | Sep 19, 2016 | Website Content

Revise Your Business Site to Improve Sales

September brings change. The kids go back to school. The long summer days cool to brisk autumn nights. If you’re anything like the writers at Ray Access, you get energized when fall returns every year. You may be past school age, but you still feel the charge in the air. It makes you want to start a new project, complete an old project and generally get caught up.

So tackle something that helps your business. The fall season is the perfect time to review your company website. The holiday rush is still months away. Your fourth quarter marketing plans will get a boost from a revamped website. And your business will charge into the New Year with renewed momentum.

Review your company website, together

Why You Need to Review Your Company Website

Website design is a lot like automobile design. You may not notice big changes year-to-year, but by the end of the decade, you can definitely pick out the 10-year-old car, and not just because of the accumulated dents. Website design changes happen even more frequently than automobile design. As a result, your five-year-old website might look like it was designed by someone driving an Edsel.

The design of your website makes a first impression on your visitors. An outdated design says, “I’m excited to have a website, and it’s only 2002!” If you don’t keep your website current, potential customers might think you don’t keep your company up-to-date. When no one wants to buy last year’s model, your website visitors may disappear with a click.

Look Beyond the Design

In addition to your website design, review your company website content. In fact, even if your design is still current, you should reread the content that graces your website pages. Is it effective? Has it generated leads and contacts? Ideally, that’s what your business website is supposed to do.

Yes, that’s what Ray Access does — provide website content and blog posts. But whether you hire a professional writer or do it in-house, you want your website to work for you, don’t you? You want an active site that:

Engages your visitors
Connects with potential customers
Builds trust in your company
Establishes your authority in your field
Answers common questions
Persuades visitors to contact you
Turns visitors into loyal customers

If your website doesn’t accomplish these goals, than it’s a money pit rather than a moneymaker. In the world of online marketing for business, everything you do needs to pay for itself. Every ad campaign, every design change and every website investment has to have an ROI that makes it worthwhile. And no other investment pays off more than new content that reaches your audience.

Start Today

So review your company website. See it from an objective point of view. And then take action if it falls short of expectations. If you need help, Ray Access offers a service called a website assessment that reviews your website, page by page, from a visitor’s point-of-view experience. The experts at Ray Access can tell you what works on your site, what doesn’t work, and what opportunities you’re missing. Contact us today for your website assessment!

The Best Networking Article You’ll Ever Read

by Mark Bloom | Sep 5, 2016 | Small Business Advice

Networking Tips to Get the Most from Meetings

Linda & Mark put networking tips into practice

The principals of Ray Access believe in the power of networking. For local marketing, face-to-face networking has provided us with a local web of clients and partners. These connections serve several business purposes. They’ve:

Created professional relationships that we continually nurture
Effectively spread word-of-mouth brand awareness for us
Delivered projects and referrals that directly add to our bottom line
Provided opportunities for us to give back to the business community

In short, networking is a valuable tool for increasing your local business. At Ray Access, we think so highly of networking that we’ve written about it before:

How to Work a Networking Room, which discusses how to approach a room full of people
10 Tips for More Effective Networking, which provides networking tips to help you make a great first impression

But There’s More to Say

Networking tips don’t end there. While these two articles offer valuable advice for any businessperson, you may want to know more. There’s certainly more questions about networking. For example:

What about when you finally sidle up to a prospect?
How can you give that person (or group of people) your undivided attention while making a positive first impression? Sometimes, it’s difficult enough not to say the wrong thing, let alone trying to say the right thing.
How can you leave a conversation confident that others you’ve met will remember you?

Questions and Answers

It’s a tall order, especially if you’re an introvert given to mumbling in a one-on-one conversation. It’s OK. If you use these networking tips, you can still be yourself and leave a positive first impression. To get to a good place in the conversation, remember three essential networking tips that will serve you well:

Listen attentively to what others say and be able to comment on it.
Don’t force your way into a conversation; wait for the pause.
Focus not on what people can do for you, but how you can help others.

If you can act on these three networking tips, you’ll leave your mark on the person or persons with whom you’ve spoken. Networking at a business event isn’t much different than making the rounds at a party. You want to be entertaining, yet learn a little bit about the people you don’t know. So your approach should be the same: ask interesting questions, let them talk and don’t talk business unless someone else brings it up.

Mark using networking tips to make a connection

Moving the Conversation Forward

You’ll fail at networking if all you can add to the conversation are generic comments on the weather, the economy or local sports. In fact, whenever we hear someone mention the weather, a bomb goes off in our heads warning us that this conversation is turning tragic. So we work hard to turn it around. If successful, we not only rescue a conversation from oblivion, but we end up building rapport. Other people, consciously or not, understand the conversation-about-weather time bomb.

Granted, we’re writers, so we know a little bit about a lot of different topics. We can draw on the research we’ve done in many medical disciplines, hiring practices, real estate, marketing, education, website development, or even disaster recovery and plumbing, just to name several. Our clientele take us all over the map in terms of subject matter, and we’re always eager to learn something new.

But you too can do what we do with a little practice. It’s a matter of listening attentively and thinking of something valuable to add to the conversation. For example — and this is an easy example — if someone comments on the weather (especially after an uncomfortable pause), turn the conversation back on that person. Ask him if the current weather pattern reminds him of his hometown or if it’s any different from where he grew up. That question can spur a whole new conversation.

Asking Good Questions

Staying with the topic of the weather, there are other questions that can reinvigorate a conversation. In the meantime, the answers tell you something new about the person you’re talking to. Everyone has a weather-related story. Ask about it. Ask about the most favorable place, regarding the weather, that the person’s lived. Ask about the favorite season, but probe to get reasons. Never ask a yes-or-no question, or if you do, ask follow-up questions.

Mark makes friends by following networking tips If the subject of work comes up, as it often does in a business networking event, don’t stop at asking what other people do. Ask what brought them to their profession. Ask what they like most (and least) about it. It’s one thing to know what a person does; it’s quite another to know why.

Once you get on the subject of career, it opens a whole window of past experiences that can really shed light on the person’s personality and work history. You’re not being nosy; if someone prefers not to answer, don’t push it. But if they do answer, you’re off and running on a conversation that will help you really connect.

Networking Tips Return to Basics

When you’re out networking for your business, keep in mind your goals:

To make connections with other local businesspeople
To make yourself useful by connecting people as needed
To leave the people you meet with a positive impression

Networking isn’t about handing out business cards to every single person. If you connect with someone regarding your business, then it’s OK to hand over your card, but in general, the best networking tips are about connecting with other people. Hardly anyone gets business directly from a networking event; it comes later, when someone you’ve met needs your product or service — or better, when others refer you to someone who does need what you offer.

So venture forth. These networking tips will guide you as you hop from one conversation to another. Putting these tips into practice will help you reach your networking goals, which will eventually lead to the success of your business.

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