Connect with Your Colleagues ... Even If You're an Introvert

At yesterday's Career Thought Leaders Career Brainstorming Day 2012 session, we talked about assessment tools resume writers and career coaches can use with their clients -- and one of the most-frequently used tools is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). (You can take a free online test to determine your four-letter personality type here.)

If your results indicate that you are an Introvert, you may find it difficult to connect with your colleagues — but this connection can be essential to your success as a resume writer.

You may think that being introverted means that a person is shy. That's not necessarily the case. Introverts do tend to prefer one-on-one conversation over group meetings. They also tend to require a significant amount of quiet time to think and reflect.

Introverts are motivated internally. They are thinkers and can become so locked inside their own head that they appear cut off from others. These tendencies can make it difficult to meet people, make connections, and network. Yet connections can help you build your business.

When you meet the right people you...

• Can build a team of experts to support you to succeed
• Can forge powerful partnerships and increase profits and success
• Leverage relationships 
• Lead people within an organization (for example, a team of subcontractors)
• Build a community of followers, prospects, and customers

In short, relationships are essential for success. Yet introverts can struggle to meet people and forge these powerful and profitable relationships. Here are a few things you can do to meet more people if you're an introvert.

How to Meet People and Build Connections

#1 Set goals

Set a goal to meet one new person each day. This is easily done online — for example, on LinkedIn. (In most communities, you have to make a concerted effort to run into someone who will be a valuable connection for your resume writing business -- for example, another resume writer, a career coach, a therapist, a Realtor®, someone who works in a career services department.) But you can use LinkedIn's  "People You May Know" function to find at least one person to connect with on LinkedIn.

Remember, relationships build a business. The more people you know, the more opportunities you're exposed to.

#2 Build connections

As you begin meeting people, start asking those you connect with on a personal or professional level who they know. You can leverage 5 connections into 25 if each person you meet introduces you to 5 new people. Your network will begin to grow and you'll be meeting people who are like-minded. It's a wonderful way to build a support network.

#3 Set time aside 

Set time aside to recharge and refresh. This is particularly important if you're taking time to get out and meet new people. For example, if you spend an hour networking online, then make sure to schedule an hour of downtime that day too. It's too easy to become overwhelmed and burned out if you spend a lot of time networking and neglect the downtime an introvert requires.

Introverts have a spectacular ability to brainstorm, problem solve, innovate, and build a business. Yet the ability to meet new people and leverage relationships is a challenge. Appeal to your ability to connect with people on a one-on-one basis and start meeting more people in a relaxed and comfortable manner. There's no need to force yourself into a public speaking situation or into a large-scale networking group. Work to your strengths.

More Things to Send To Clients

Yesterday, I shared 25 things you can send to clients in your email marketing. Here are 25 MORE ideas for you!

26. Answer the most frequently asked questions you get. This is a great email to add to an autoresponder sequence.

27. Announce a beta test. For example, say you’re promoting a new membership program. You can launch a “beta” version at a discount for a few weeks before launching the full priced version.

28. Tell your client's success stories. For example, “How This Woman Got Two Job Offers From Her LinkedIn Profile"

29. Critique a method you disagree with — or take a contrarian view. For example, “Why you shouldn't use informational interviewing as a job search strategy."

30. Ask your readers a question. Start a two-way dialogue to really build your connection with your community.

31. Offer a series of tips on a topic. For example, "10 Ways to Tweet Your Way To Your Next Job"

32. Give them a free MP3 download. This works a lot better than reading information for a lot of people.

33. Put the time constraint in the headline. For example “A Seat for You – Only Until Tomorrow.”

34. Go against something you said a while ago. For example, if you’ve been against using Facebook in the job search and came across new research that changed your mind, write a detailed post to your list.

35. Have a question panel. Post the same question to a panel of experts and email out their answers.

36. Poll your audience for their tips. Share the best ones with your list.

37. Teach them something that depends on them having your product. For example, teach people advanced strategies for LinkedIn (after they've purchased your introductory LinkedIn training program).

38. Do a motivational email. Instead of how-to content, have an email just dedicated to getting people fired up and motivated.

39. Let people pre-order an upcoming product at a discount. (For example, your new information product — like an ebook.)

40. Send an affiliate promotion for a product you genuinely believe in. Make sure you tell your personal story about why you like the product before promoting it.

41. Make something seem easy. For example, “How to Find a New Job in 15 Minutes a Day.”

42. Do something outside the ordinary. For example, write about a tangential industry. As a resume writer, you might write about working with a therapist when you get stuck in your career.

43. Give a personal share. Tell a story that’s mostly designed to let your readers get to know you more.

44. Apologize. If you think you’ve been making a mistake in your company, come clean and apologize. For example, if you’ve been over-promoting LinkedIn as a job search strategy, admit your mistake and tell people how you plan to change going forward.

45. Make a comparison. For example, how your method for job search is like how Michael Jackson trains for basketball.

46. Appeal to someone’s sense of security. Explain how an updated resume can help them live a more secure life.

47. Write an email designed to generate social proof. Talk about your clients’ past results — include testimonials and stories from current/past resume clients.

48. Pick up a copy of Joe Sugarman’s “Triggers” and find an emotional trigger you can use. Write an email designed specifically to hit that trigger. 

49.  Every once in a while, send a simple sales message. Just a few benefit statements and a link to buy a product. This is a perfect strategy for your membership site or information product (ebook, special report, teleseminar recording/transcript).

50. Every once in a while, do a massive sale or re-launch of an old product. This can help you milk a lot more money out of things you’ve done in the past. (Again, a great strategy if you sell information products as part of your resume writing business.)

50 Things to Send Clients

As you know, I'm a HUGE proponent of having a mailing list. However, a lot of resume writers wonder, "What should I send my clients?"

If you’ve ever struggled with coming up with ideas on what to send your email list, struggle no longer. Here are some ideas you can use just about any time…any place. Keep this list handy to plan your email marketing or grab it whenever you need a quick idea.

1. X tips to do something. For example, “15 Tips for A Better LinkedIn Profile.”

2. Warnings. For example, “Warning: The Most Common Job Search Mistakes to Avoid.”

3. Put a discount in the subject line. For example, “$20 Off Between Now and 7 p.m!”

4. Share a new theory. Ask people to give feedback and share their experiences.

5. Tell a story. Did one of your jobseeking clients fail or succeed? What did they learn? Try to make the story emotional, which is far more engaging.

6. Breaking news. If you know news is coming, try to be there for it. For example, if you see that new unemployment data is coming out, write about it immediately.

7. Something simple they can do right away. For example, an easy 10 minute update to their LinkedIn profile they can perform immediately.

8. A video. Give people high quality video content. Use a video metrics tool like Wistia to measure your dropoff rates and see what kinds of video content people like.

9. Share a victory. For example, “How Jane Jobseeker Got a New Job That Pays $9,839 More a Year.”

10. Do a time-limited sale. Give a reason for it. For example, do a 48-hour Christmas sale. (The week between Christmas and New Year's is often a slow one for resume writers!)

11. Challenge your audience. “I Challenge You to Make 25 New LinkedIn Connections by This Time Next Month.”

12. Give them something they can copy. For example, “My exact formula for getting an interview from every resume you send."

13. Address a common question or objection. For example, “How to Prepare for a Job Interview"

14. Give away a coupon. People love getting discounts.

15. Hint at future products. If you're thinking about adding information products to your resume writing business — ebooks, membership site, webinars — tease it! Building anticipation makes great content, as well as boosts your sales for when you do your launch.

16. Explain a problem. For example, “The 5 Reasons 90% of Jobseekers Fail to Find a Job in 30 Days.”

17. Rant. Just say what’s on your mind. This often turns out better than you think.

18. Promote your Facebook page or Twitter. Use email to build your social media audience.

19. Give a step-by-step guide. Walk people through how to do something complicated — like prepare their resume for use with an Applicant Tracking System.

20. Give proof for something. For example, film yourself doing something your target client wants to learn how to do — for example, changing your LinkedIn profile headline. This builds your credibility.

21. Interview an expert. Send it out to your list for free.

22. Ask other people to guest write for you. Make sure it’s super high quality before sending it out to your list.

23. Talk about someone you respect. For example, you could write a review of a new job search book. (Be sure to include an Amazon affiliate link!)

24. An opportunity to work with you. Give people the opportunity to get coaching or direct contact with you somehow.

25. Do a Q&A mailbag. Answer questions you get in the mail via your newsletter. Use your questions as content.

More Things to Send To Clients

Five Tips for Creating a Client-Attracting Website

Because so many resume writers get clients from their website, building traffic to your website — and being able to keep visitors on the site (and have them come back often) — can be vital to the success of your resume business.

What's clear is this: The longer someone spends on your website, the higher your chance of converting them from a visitor to a client.

Here are five easy ways to make your website more "sticky" — remember, sticky sites are client-attracting sites!

1. Stand Out
As a resume writer, sometimes it's hard to stand out from the crowd — but with hundreds of resume business websites to choose from, you have to be different. Nobody will visit a boring "me too" site — it's that simple.

To stand out, you need to know your unique selling proposition (USP). What sets you apart from all the other websites talking about resumes and the job search?

You also need to have interesting content that gets your visitors talking. Give them a reason to talk about your site. Offer them ways to interact with you. (Include articles, videos, and podcasts on your site. Offer an invitation to a monthly webinar.) The more interested they are, the more likely they will become a client.

2. Emphasize the Benefits 
It's important to focus on what you can do for your visitors. People don't buy resumes — they buy a tool that will help them get an interview. They are buying your expertise.

Before you can emphasize the benefits, you first need to know who your ideal customer is. Who needs your information, product or service? What is their age, gender, average income, interests, location, etc.? Knowing this will help you write specifically to them and will help you know which benefits to emphasize on your resume website.

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3. Stay Focused
The quickest way to lose visitor interest is to confuse and overwhelm them.

Your website should have a clear focus and stay centered on that focus. In addition, if you want visitors to do something, tell them what to do! Giving them too many options and no direct instruction can quickly cause confusion. You need a call to action (CTA) on every page — that can be your phone number, an email address (or email form), or a signup form to receive a gift (like a free resume analysis, or special report on a job search-related topic).

4. Work Your Email List 
If you don't have an email list, start one! With all of the low-cost options available these days, there is no reason you should be without a way to contact those who are interested in what you have to offer. (The idea of the signup form to receive a resume critique or special report or ebook is the best way to build your list.)

Studies show that it takes contacting the average customer five to seven times before they will buy from you. This time is spent getting to know you and building their trust in what you offer.

If you don't have them on a mailing list and they forget to return to your website, you lose out on a huge amount of business. They'll just pick another resume writer!

5. Update Regularly
Part of what keeps visitors coming back is updating your site regularly. This is especially important if you have a blog. A stagnant site will cause visitors to quickly lose interest and never return. In addition, search engines love fresh content. Making the search engines happy means more traffic for you.

Making your site sticky can boost sales exponentially and it isn't hard to do. With a little thought and time, you will have your visitors begging for more... and you'll land more resume clients as a result too!