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Referral Marketing: LinkedIn is a Free Website and Resume

Michael Griffiths is holding a series of referral marketing workshops in Sydney.
Michael Griffiths is holding a series of referral marketing workshops in Sydney.

When you start a new business, it’s incredibly important that you consider how you’re going to market your business to gain new customers. We cover the more traditional marketing strategies in our Small Business Management course, such as print advertising and even Google Adwords, but you shouldn’t only focus on these methods of marketing, as there are other, more powerful ways to market your business to customers.

I’ve written about referral marketing on this blog before, where I said that having a blog was a very effective way of getting people to talk about your business. If you frequently publish blog posts that your readers find valuable, they’re more likely to refer you on to their contacts. This is a form of referral marketing.

Have LinkedIn?, Need a Website?

Some people use their blog as a way to drive traffic to their website, but if you have a LinkedIn profile, I would say you don’t even need a website, since LinkedIn already gathers your professional information and then recommends you to other LinkedIn users with similar interests and professional experience.

I used to have my own personal website at the domain www.slisar.com.au, where I used to write and publish blog posts. I wrote a couple of blogs on it and tried to make myself seem amazing. After all, I had this domain and I thought, what on earth will I do with it if I don’t fill it up with stuff about me?

Sometime later I discovered the benefits of a LinkedIn profile, and I did away with my personal website. Now if you type in my domain name it directs to my LinkedIn profile (feel free to try it and connect with me, if you’d like) where you can see my online resume.

For many independent contractors – home-based bookkeepers, virtual assistants, etc – this is all you need to get started working in the digital age. You can still keep a blog, just as I do with the EzyLearn blog, which is connected to my LinkedIn profile so that when I write something, my LinkedIn connections can read it, like it, and start a conversation about it.

However, I probably don’t use LinkedIn as much as I should, but someone who does is Michael Griffiths, a small business marketing guru. He has helped companies with their online marketing for several years, and with a background in sports coaching, it’s little wonder he started teaching people about online marketing.

He now mostly focuses on referral marketing, and LinkedIn is a powerful tool he uses a lot. In fact, he’s created a training workshop that’s being held this coming Tuesday, August 19 in Milsons Point (in Sydney). That only leaves you with a few days to register, but if you’re serious about finding new ways to market and grow your business, it’s worth it.

Otherwise, if you don’t think you can make it on Tuesday, he’s holding another workshop in November. To register or find out more about Michael Griffiths’ referral marketing workshop click here.

Free Video: Michael Griffiths explaining the benefits of having a live and active website

Here’s a video of Michael talking about the value of having a blog and an active website that is regularly updated with new content. When you hear Michael in action during a presentation you realised how freely he shares his knowledge and experiences, enjoy.

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LinkedIn Profiles: What Not To Do

620_300_cropIf you are like me, or pretty much any other living, breathing person on the planet with access to the Internet, then you’ve probably Googled someone in the last 24 hours.

Actually, I Googled someone while writing this post; had a gander at their LinkedIn profile and then went about the rest of my business.

I’ve mentioned previously how a LinkedIn profile works in shaping a person’s opinion of you, but how do you ensure it’s shaping a person’s opinion of you in the right way?

Getting Mileage Out of Your LinkedIn Profile

If you’re a jobseeker and you need to overhaul your LinkedIn profile, then some things to avoid:

Lying: Lie on your resume à la ex-Yahoo CEO, Scott Thomson, and you’re running the gamut of being found out at some point; lie on your LinkedIn profile and you will definitely get found out (either by a colleague or former employer), but lie on your CV and not your LinkedIn profile: now you’re not only a liar, you’re also a stupid one!

It’s simple: don’t lie. Ever.

Too many recommendations: if a prospective employer is scoping you out — perhaps to verify some of the claims in your CV or interview — and you don’t have any recommendations it’s likely they’ll consider you a dud networker, or worse: a dud employee.

To remedy this, send out a few recommendation requests. But don’t overdo it (when you’re job hunting, for example) — a slew of recommendations all at once makes it obvious you’re job hunting, which your current employer may not think too highly of.

Your job description is vague: maybe you think it’s mysterious, but vague or ambiguous statements in your job description is just plain elusive, and it makes you seem as though you’ve something to hide. Like maybe you’re not as fabulous as you let on you are.

The statement “assisted with the grand opening of a new store” could mean anything. For all we know, you could have put out the plastic cups people were drinking their complementary bubbles from. Instead, write what you actually did. No matter how small the task was.

No photo: this isn’t a beauty contest, nor is it the correct medium to post a picture of yourself drinking from a seven-foot beer bong. But the option to upload a picture is there for a reason.

A picture tells a thousand words and like it or not, visuals are important. If they weren’t, we’d never have to go for an actual job interview.

Ambiguous keywords: choose your keywords wisely; avoid overused buzzwords like “proven track record” or “team-player”. They may sound impressive (to you) but they really aren’t.

Instead of saying you have a proven track record in sales, show people what that proven track record was — if you pitched and won a multi-million dollar account for your company, say that. This turns an empty statement into a quantifiable accomplishment.

We work with professional partners that help combine our online training courses with services that help you to improve your chances of employability, or hone their talents and skills for running a small business. If you’re new to LinkedIn, we’ve discussed in a previous post how you can use your LinkedIn profile as your resume to find work. If you are looking for opportunities to become an independent contractor and operate your own business from home see the business opportunities at Workface.

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LinkedIn Profiles: How Useful Are They, Really?

What is the power of a LinkedIn profile?

how useful is a linkedin profile online learning social media training
We scrutinise the power of a LinkedIn online social media profile.

THERE MAY BE SOME debate over whether having a LinkedIn profile actually helps professionals make valuable connections with other professionals, but the same could also be said of traditional networking.

As a writer, I probably should network more, but personally, I don’t find much value in it. In the past I have either fallen prey to someone wanting publicity for their pyramid-scheme-type business or I’ve turned into a borderline stalker myself; harassing someone who perhaps only gave me their business card out of a feeling of social obligation.

Besides, a business card tells you nothing about how competent or capable that person is at their job. For writers and journalists, I’ve always found it pretty easy to validate their claims on Google; for other professionals: not so much. Until LinkedIn, that is.

The Professionalism of LinkedIn

LinkedIn may not connect you with the recruiter of your dream job, but Twitter doesn’t guarantee you’ll become BFFs with Mariah Carey, either. What LinkedIn does, however, is give you an online professional profile.

And it’s the rather perverse nature of today’s digital society that makes an online professional presence invaluable; LinkedIn itself can act as your calling card, demonstrating how others endorse you and your work; it can act as your resume; and it can help you to actively find the right job.

The Power of a LinkedIn Profile

Any time you meet someone, you can pretty much guarantee they’ll Google you. Whether they’re prospective employers you’ve interviewed with, people you’ve met in a professional setting (clients, industry alums) or even colleagues, you can bet at some point or another they have Googled you.

What that Google search turns up can totally change the way they interact with you.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve LinkedIn-stalked a fellow writer only to discover their LinkedIn profile is not so impressive, after all. From this point on the entire dynamic of our relationship has changed immediately; suddenly I feel I’ve got the power.

On the other end of the scale, discovering the meek-mannered, unassuming but otherwise seemingly-unimpressive editor I chatted to with extreme ease is actually a former Vanity Fair staffer or contributor to The New Yorker adds another dimension to our relationship — usually, I’m putty in their hands.

***

And it’s in this context that, yes, a LinkedIn profile does work. Whether you’re using LinkedIn as a job-hunter or a networker, your LinkedIn profile tells people everything they think they need to know about you.

The old phrase — first impressions are lasting impressions — is out. It’s online impressions that are the lasting impressions.

If you haven’t already, we welcome you to connect with EzyLearn at LinkedIn.

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Our Xero online training courses include EVERYTHING for ONE LOW PRICE. Furthermore, if you select our Lifetime Membership option, you’ll have LIFETIME access to our ongoing course updates. All EzyLearn courses are accredited by the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) and can be counted towards Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points. Find out more about our Xero online training courses. 

 

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CIA Provides Secrets about Linkedin

LinkedIn: The Living CV

I’VE WRITTEN A NUMBER of posts about the power of LinkedIn to replace the traditional resume, but after speaking with an expert from CIA (Sydney-based company, Computer Information Agency or CIAOPs) I learnt some new secrets about Linkedin. Robert Crane, CIA’s Director, shared some tips as to how and why LinkedIn is a fantastic tool to help you get a job AND find more customers.

Robert-Crane-Digitar-web-linkedin-secrets
Robert Crane is the Director of Computer Information Agency

Here’s what Robert had to say…

One of the greatest advantages that Internet based technologies can provide is leverage. Nothing could be more the case than with social media. Unfortunately, too many businesses and professionals fail to see the potential that it can provide themselves and their businesses. Probably the most effective social network for business is LinkedIn.

You may be surprised to know that LinkedIn in has been around for over a decade. It was around long before Facebook and Twitter as a source of connecting business people together. LinkedIn allows you to create a personal or business profile to which you can add all kinds of information.

[quote]Many professionals use LinkedIn as a “living CV” where they can post their career and achievement records for others to view.[/quote]

Sharing that information with others help them grow their potential network and makes it easier for others to locate people with the right skills.

The True Power of LinkedIn

This is where the key technology of search begins to reveal the true power of LinkedIn, for not only can you share your information with others, independent parties can search LinkedIn and locate individuals with the skills they need. This is reason why so many HR people use LinkedIn to locate and target individuals with the skills they require.

[quote]Posting resumes and trawling employment website is now ‘old school’. Indeed, the highest quality applicants are signed up via Linkedin even before a job is offered.[/quote]

Is It Too Late for You?

This means that if you are not using Linkedin your competition probably already is. So what can you do to catch up?

  1. Firstly, you’ll need to create a LinkedIn account and then fill in the information about yourself. The more professional information you provide the better. It is also important to include a professional headshot as part of the profile so if you don’t have one of these go out and get one.
  2. Once you have all your information entered start looking for people and associates you know who are already on LinkedIn. When you find them send them an invite to ‘connect’ with you on LinkedIn.
  3. Once you network starts to grow make sure that Linkedin becomes an ongoing part of your business strategy. Don’t let the information you have entered get stale. Revisit your account regularly and ensure it is always as current as possible. As you meet new contacts look them up on LinkedIn and ask them to ‘connect’ with you. Always be looking to grow your network and don’t be afraid to ask people in your network for introductions to others on Linkedin.
  4. When you start to feel comfortable with Linkedin use the testimonial feature to ask business contacts and clients for referrals. These referrals can be directly posted on your profile for all to see.
  5. Nothing lends credibility like endorsement so always continue to seek them out and grow the number that you have. Once the endorsements start to flow make sure you direct other information about your business to your LinkedIn information. Use it on your website, business cards, etc.

Other Powerful LinkedIn Uses

The more you work with LinkedIn, the more powerful you will find it. When you need something you can ask your network of contacts, you can search their skills for what you need, and you can join any number of special interest Linkedin groups on the very topic that you are seeking assistance on. Because Linkedin has become such a worldwide tool for business, chances are you’ll find the person or business you’re looking for, if you know how to use it.

Jump On the Social Media Bandwagon

I went to a seminar recently and heard Nick Bowditch from Facebook speak. He said that the businesses engaging with, and using, social media will be the ones still around in 5 years. Perhaps it’s arrogant to think that social media is so mighty, but given the speed with which technology is moving these days, and the ferocity of competition, it’s better to build a profile, reputation and brand that people know, like and trust — and social media is the opportune way to do this.

Social Media and Digital Marketing online training course_comp

Are you in business as a bookkeeper, tradesperson, retailer, trainer or real estate agent and want to stand out from the crowd? We can teach you the online marketing techniques to help you do just this! Check out what’s included in our comprehensive Social Media and Digital Marketing online training courses.

 

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Finding a job using Linkedin as your resume

How to use linkedin to find a job or new customers
How to use linkedin to find a job or new customers

LinkedIn + your resume

I recently wrote about the death of the resume and how Linkedin is replacing the written resume, now I have located a great ebook to help you master the art of using Linked in as a tool to help you find a job or get new customers.

The most interesting change in the employment market that I have noticed is the slow evolution from job seekers looking at job ads to employers searching for the best employees. Social media tools like Linkedin make this all possible.

Attracting the right people

If you are a business owner you have a website to attract customers. You combine great writing and interesting pictures to attract potential customers to your website and then contact details and an offer to ensure they make contact with you. LinkedIn is the same concept for individuals, you combine the right keywords and headings to attract people to your LinkedIn profile. Once people are attracted to your profile you can let them know that you are interested in a job, contracting work or other opportunities.

Find Bookkeeping work or customers

If you are completing our MYOB Training Courses you might want to consider joining LinkedIn if you are not already a member. If you are a member and want to get better results this concise ebook about LinkedIn has some excellent information that will help you get more results from your current LinkedIn profile.

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Could Linkedin replace the written resume?

Linkedin hands searching for potential bookkeeping employeesI’ve written a series of blog posts about various aspects of resume writing and other tips you can use to help secure the next great job and it’s fitting that we explore why Linkedin is a serious place for you to promote your MYOB Bookkeeping skills.

I was fortunate enough to attend a social media club (Sydney) education event that was presented by the managing director of Linkedin and he went to great lengths to explain just how deep the company wants to go into the recruitment and talent market. Upon visiting various parts of the LinkedIn website I found some links that might further encourage you to recognise the importance of Linkedin in your employment or business building journey.

Linkedin has a page for talent departments and case studies for companies that have used their services and employers can even place recruitment ads within the site to clearly target the right job applicants.

We found a great article written by Susan Heathfield about how Linkedin is being used as a recruitment tool for the HR team at many businesses. Do you need help in your job searching strategy? Stay tuned.

We will shortly be announcing a fantastic special offer regarding Linkedin and resume writing for all students who take advantage of our forthcoming Bookkeepers’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program. This program is a new service as part of our MYOB training courses. Make sure you subscribe to receive this information in your email inbox.

 

 

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Is this what you look like when you cram for studies? School Holiday CRAM Sale

Holiday Study CRAM sale - EzyLearn - online Xero courses, MYOB courses, Microsoft Office Courses 2024

Most complete courses are now discounted. If you want to learn something new now is the time to take advantage of discounted course fees and still have 12 months to complete your course. See the discounted courses here.

Do you like the featured image for this blog post? It was free and created by Canva’s Artificial Intelligence image generator and is another nail in the coffin for companies like Getty Images – unless you want real pictures of famous people.

Have you tried AI Image Generators?

If you are a LinkedIn member you probably see comments about “prompts” and how to master AI by telling it what to do correctly. I think it’s a bit tiring to be honest because it’s almost like teaching someone how to study or how to give commands.

I’ve yet to use some really impressive AI software. Even Microsoft’s Copilot hasn’t impressed me that much so if you have had a great experience where AI has created something amazing PLEASE reply to this email (if you are a subscriber) and let me know.

What do you want AI Image generators to do?

EzyLearn Office Admin Course student testimonials

What I’d like AI Image generators to do is created a 2 page glossy flier from a long web page – that would be awesome but I haven’t seen it yet.

The other thing I’m keen to try is those Deepfake videos where you can create a video using an Avator and your own words. I’ve seen some impressive ideas but not yet tried it. Again, please let me know if you’ve tried this and created something you love.

I really enjoyed working with Bella when we created our EzyLearn Students Worklife Videos and there is no chance I could imagine an AI Video generator from coming anywhere near doing this kind of work.

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Is Microsoft using Antitrust Techniques to Beat Google using AI

How is Microsoft and Bing Competing against Google using AI - Online Business Training Courses

I’m a Google fan, from the simplicity of using most of their software programs to their low cost services I’ve always loved how they compare to Microsoft who charge a licence fee for their software.

But once upon a time I was a Microsoft fan because of the low cost model they had compared to Apple.

I’m watching this Artificial Intelligence race with interest (everyone on Linkedin is commenting about it) but I noticed something recently that shocked me.

Continue reading Is Microsoft using Antitrust Techniques to Beat Google using AI
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Land or Gold? What should you buy now?

Australian capital city property value growth since 1900 vs gold - Residex - Property Investment Training Courses - EzyLearn

With the challenges of interest rate increases and cost of living issues we all seem to be questioning where to spend our money (after we’ve cut costs to meet our budget).

Have you noticed that there is now an interest rates and increased penalties if you pay anything late?! This was never a real issue a couple years ago because interest rates were so low but now it is critical.

Some people I know are juggling which bills to pay first based on the costs and charges of being late!

All the while people still want to invest in something that increases in value and land is a viable option.

Continue reading Land or Gold? What should you buy now?
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Mentor Education: Company Wound Up, but… Too Big to Fail? EzyLearn’s OFFER

Mentor Education ASIC notification of Special Resolution to Wind Up a Company - Learn MYOB and Xero Training Courses

If you’ve been following what has happened with Mentor Education you probably also have a strong interest in the integrity of Australia’s accredited training industry.

We’ve had a lot of Mentor Education students make contact just to learn more about what they can do about their courses because they hadn’t heard from Mentor Education, nor the receivers. Some students were counting on their qualifications to find work, others were promised a wage increase with a qualification and others have been through several different training providers while they juggle work, family and study.

There appears to be some good news though you wouldn’t know it by any official announcements

Continue reading Mentor Education: Company Wound Up, but… Too Big to Fail? EzyLearn’s OFFER
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QuickBooks Payroll brand is changing to Employment Hero

Employment Hero owns KeyPay - workforce management training courses and employee benefits, loyalty and team building - EzyLearn

Intuit revealed the name change to their QuickBooks Payroll customers today as part of an acquisition of KeyPay owner by Employment Hero.

If all that didn’t make sense the only real change here is that KeyPay will be rebranded as Employment Hero. Employment Hero has been around since 2014 and purchased KeyPay owner, Webscale Pty Ltd in 2021.

The messy part of this from my perspective is that Intuit, who owns Tsheets is now depending on Employment Here for their payroll solution. It also means that we now have an Employment Hero training course 🙂

Continue reading QuickBooks Payroll brand is changing to Employment Hero
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Xero Sacks 800 Staff, Highlights Hiring International Workers & Improves Button

Average-wage-for-staff-accountant-in-India-is-equivalent-to-under-6000-AUD-per-year-Challenges-for-Australian-Bookkeepers-using-Xero-Software-EzyLearn

It certainly is an interesting time we’re going through financially. Most of us (around the world) are hurting because of higher costs and as a result the RBA increases interest rates so we focus on paying down our debts rather than consuming more things. Some people I’ve been speaking with are predicting even worse times ahead and the recent sacking of staff from Xero and Atlassian show the global trend is affecting Australia.

After hearing about the recent sackings at Xero it was interesting to see what else was going on at Xero. The two things that stood out the most to me was an improved Approval button for invoicing (and that there are now two versions of invoicing) and how Dinesh Aggarwal from Fortuna Advisory is finding it harder to hire local staff so he’s outsourcing.

Continue reading Xero Sacks 800 Staff, Highlights Hiring International Workers & Improves Button
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Could This Free Social Media Promotion Work For Your Bookkeeping or Virtual Assistant Business?

Social media isn’t just for selfies and cat pictures anymore.  A quick scroll through any popular social media platform will bring up posts from brands and companies promoting themselves and their products/services.

In their guide to digital marketing, Xero included a quote from a business owner who said the following about her approach to social media marketing:

“I don’t spend money on advertising. I create content aimed at helping my target customer and share it on Instagram or via podcasts. It attracts enough new clients to keep me busy.”

Olivia Park, Olivia Park Coaching

It begs the question: is shareable content the digital marketing that businesses should be focusing on? And not just content the business shares, but content that social media users will then share amongst themselves?

Continue reading Could This Free Social Media Promotion Work For Your Bookkeeping or Virtual Assistant Business?
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CommBank and Xero Integration to Help Small Businesses Get Paid Faster

It’s not a secret that in order to stay afloat businesses need to be making money.  Access to funds is essential for businesses to not only pay off debts, but also to finance everyday operations and pay their staff and suppliers.

It can become problematic, however, when a business’ cash flow is tied up in unpaid invoices.  If a business sells on credit – as many do – they might be in the unfortunate position of waiting to get paid by their customer and struggling to make ends meet in the meantime.

There are a few solutions: one is to use credit management apps like ChaserHQ or Debtor Daddy to help automate the process.  Things like chasing up unpaid invoices and escalating debts can be made easier by using these apps that integrate with your accounting software.

The other is to get a loan.  Commonwealth Bank’s (CBA) Stream Working Capital is a digital solution for businesses to access the money tied up in their invoices.  Here’s what you need to know about it:

Continue reading CommBank and Xero Integration to Help Small Businesses Get Paid Faster
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Xero Learn. Xero software offered for $6 per month. Why are businesses paying $60+ NEW: RESUME REVIEW SERVICE

It’s interesting and exciting that Xero now offer their Xero Learn service to training course publishers like EzyLearn for $6 per month. This ongoing access to Xero Accounting software seemed exciting at first but then I realised that it’s just accounting software! AND it’s just for training! AND 30 days is MORE than enough per case study!

Most students don’t want to access Xero accounting software forever. Even business owners don’t really want to pay an ongoing fee for their accounting software – they want something else..

Continue reading Xero Learn. Xero software offered for $6 per month. Why are businesses paying $60+ NEW: RESUME REVIEW SERVICE