Over the past weeks, a lot of us have been humming the song "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus:
I can buy myself flowers.
Write my name in the sand.
Hmmm (clearing my throat). Let's start this again:
I can give myself a RAISE
Or a PROMOTION!!!
Create my own financial destiny,
By Learning new skills and acquiring new knowledge.
I can make new friends and build a community,
And increase my professional value!!!
Ladies and Gentlemen- Welcome to my rendition of Miley Cyrus's "Flowers" for Professionals.
Today, I want to show you how to accomplish all of the above. The only thing I ask of you is that you apply the ones applicable to you consistently for at least THREE MONTHS before deciding to give up and remain in a situation you have outgrown.
Beautiful People, this is how you buy your own flowers as a Professional:
1- CONTINUOUS LEARNING: As a professional, to stay relevant in today's marketplace, you need to stay up-to-date. The good thing is nowadays, you don't need to go back to school to acquire new knowledge or skills. A masterclass with a reputable coach can teach you in one week or two, what would have taken you months. Last year, I spent over $5,000 acquiring new knowledge and skills to increase my professional value.
2- NETWORKING: Beautiful People, if you are good at making friends to party, gossip, and do brunch with, you need to use that same skill to start establishing business relationships. Some of us assume that since people know our profession, they will automatically begin to send business opportunities our way. NOT HAPPENING!!! Have you heard the saying: "Out of sight, out of mind"? Every month, I religiously put time aside to catch up with my business relations so they can remember that I am still here and that we can help each other's business grow.
On that last note, about helping each other, a word of wisdom- Only start a business relationship if you are willing to go the extra mile by offering something to the other party. You don't want to be perceived as a user.
Things you can bring to a new relationship:
1- Offer to introduce them to your business relations that they share a common interest or goal.
2- Offer to assist them in an area where you see a lack. You would be surprised by what people could use your help with.
3- DEVELOP A PERSONAL BRAND: This one is a BIGGIE!!! You don't need to be an entrepreneur or a business owner to have a personal brand. As a professional, you need to brand yourself by developing a strong professional voice and reputation. When other professionals think of you, they should already know what to expect. A solid personal brand carries weight when establishing new contacts and can open new financial doors for you.
4- DEVELOP SOFT SKILLS: Can I tell you one of my biggest secrets in developing and keeping excellent business relations? I LISTEN TO PEOPLE!!! I listen to their pain point. How else would I know how to communicate with them effectively? Or know what to bring to the relationship if I don't listen to them.
5- LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA: You won't visit my Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn pages and not see me sharing my knowledge; then promote my website to invite people to sign up for my newsletter. I made them "public" for that purpose. Your friends and family can only take you so far, and you are missing out on business opportunities by either being quiet on social media or posting cute pictures. Nothing against that if you are content with your current professional situation. But if you want more, because THERE IS DEFINITELY MORE, I suggest you post the cute picture and, in the caption, promote your talents. That's a better approach, wouldn't you agree?
***Anyone interested in finding out how I grew my LinkedIn from 250 to 1000 followers in a year using it for only 30 minutes on weekdays, let me know in the comments, and I will post in the forum this week. Stop sleeping on LinkedIn. A lot of change-makers and CEOs live there.
That's all I have got for today :-) Do me a favor, let me know in the comments which one you will apply for the next three months, or if you have some questions.
Until next time,
Emma