The Day Facebook Went Down - So What Can You Do?

Today was not a good day for Facebook and Instagram.   Its nearly two billion users day-to-day operation of posting, engaging and enraging came to a halt due to the multiple technical issues with the Facebook and Instagram platforms.  There was specific issues with slowness, posting links and some cases, simply logging in.   Considering how much much Facebook has invested in high availability and software, this is a big one.  It is amazing how consumed we are all are with social media, you would think we lost electricity or survival food.  This can't happen.   So what did we do back in 1995?

Anyway, since my business revolves around social media whether it is working with my clients, or interacting with my connections promoting my networking events or products and services, I started to think about the world outside of Facebook, and realized that there are other social media platforms that are pretty cool, very effective and contain much less drama.

So I pulled out my smartphone and started to go through my applications and I found some pretty cool social media alternatives to Facebook.   So here we go. 

Shapr - Yes, this is a new one which is sort of a dating meets professional networking application.   I have met some successful professionals on this site and it does a good job matching you with people you like to meet and do business with.  The key is when you make a connection, is to follow-up and take the next step.   If there is not an immediate need, I request to connect this person on Linkedin for future potential.

Which brings me to Linkedin, the ultimate professional network.   Linkedin is my favorite social media platform and it is truly the place to inspire, educate and engage with professionals.  When Facebook is down and you want to get serious, Linkedin is a great alternative.  You feel like you just listened to a great educational podcast versus some mindset drama on the entertainment channel on Sirrus.  I also recommend using Linkedin to prospect and connect and to share your knowledge and offering value to your connections.

Before Facebook, there was Twitter.  Before Facebook Live and Instagram Stories, there was Periscope, the first true live platform.  Twitter is more real time and you feel closer to your celebrity connections on this platform.   Twitter does not get the credit it deserves because it is still text based versus visual, although that has changed a lot in the past year.  I recommend spending some time on this platform and updating your profile and study what is trending.   Twitter is really enjoying days like today with all the Facebook problems, claiming to its billion users, that is it still here.

Another Social Media Platform that has held its ground is Pinterest, you known the Pin Board.  Pinterest is also a serious platform with lots of great options for education, shopping and visual delight.  I always recommend Pinterest for any business that is selling visual products such as real estate, clothes, food and jewelry to name a few.    Once you are on Pinterest, you realize that you can spend hours on the site and feel like you didn't waste any time feeding through the drama.   I really pin pictures on Pinterest and realized that I now have over 250k visits to my profile a month! 

Finally, I would mention Google+, but that went out of business on February 28th, so I will mention Google's Social Media Site, YouTube.   YouTube is another addictive platform and there could be some drama depending on what you are searching for.  It is an amazing platform for learning and also to share your expertise.   You Tube videos are not as viral for the standard user as Facebook Live videos are, but it is great platform for promoting your brand.   YouTube is still the most important platform for promoting music.   Check out how many views of that Despacito video and you know this site has some power.

So I hope Facebook can figure out its problems today and put everyone at ease that the world is all good.   But always remember, there is always an alternative out there.   I bet the millennials are thinking, what the heck did the old people do before Facebook?   It is same thought we had before electricity was invented.

Why Business Networking & Residual Income is Essential for Your Retirement

We are in a much different world today compared to your grandparents or even your parents world was like prior to 50 years ago. 

Back then, one parent worked full-time at one job or ran one business and was the primary breadwinner while the other parent stayed at home and took care of the household.   The family can easily survive on one income and the parents were able to retire knowing their company pension & Social Security was all they need to have a nice retirement of golfing and sunshine.  There was really no such thing as business networking in the format it is in today and if you had a side hustle, you may been classified as a greasy old car salesman and did not fit into the norm.   Honestly, it was a good life since it seemed there was less stress and family values were a priority.

Today, there is a lot of more pressure and the norm is change, whether it is your job, business, financial situation.   Less than 5% of professionals stay at a job more than 10 years and 60% of Americans live check-to-check and are not saving for retirement.  Most professionals are in a state where they need to be proactive about their career and their success and not rely on their company to be loyal to them and build their career path.  Everyone today needs to be the CEO of their own domain and those that don't, are left behind and fall into that "check-to-check" and "no retirement" demographic.

The good news with today's world is that there are more options than ever to build your own domain.    The options that stand out today are Business Networking and Residual Income.  There are more opportunities than ever to build your own legacy and retirement success using these tools.   You can networking offline at events, especially in big cities and online via social media platforms like LinkedIN.  In terms of Residual Income, whether you earn residual income via real estate, network marketing or online learning, the sky is the limit to build a financial component that makes you money while you sleep.   Residual Income used to be a dirty word back in the days of the one income family, but now it should be part of every professionals financial plan to stability.

I wanted to share my story.  Prior to 2007, I had one source of income from one job and once the work day was over, I did the typical activities like watching TV, going to the gym or hanging with friends.  In 2007, I went to my first networking event and then in 2008, I was introduced to residual income.  It was a whole new world, but slowly but surely it caught on, and now today in 2019, I run a successful business networking group and currently have multiple sources of income (most residually) with the goal to retire from the typical corporate job in a few years, much earlier than most of my colleagues I graduated with.

The model I have built for me and my family in order to have an amazing and financially free retirement is my business networking and side hustles I am doing alongside my primary job.  Now don't get me wrong, I still want to have a "working retirement" focusing on my passion of helping others whether is with their health, their business or their financial situation.  However, I feel like it is absolutely essential to build a residual income today.  Social Security is good enough to buy your monthly groceries.  Nobody has a pension anymore, and you how your retirement portfolio is doing.   The stock market today is absolute drama and most companies don't even match your 401k contributions anymore.  You are essential on your own to make sure you are not a Walmart greeter just to make ends meet at the ripe old age of 82. 

So where does business networking come in?  It is the referral base, the lead generator that introduces you to the right people that can use the products and services you provide via your side hustles.   Hopefully, you are building side hustles that truly provide you with residual income.  Real Estate investing is the most popular, but network marketing is the least risky.  I encourage you to take the idea of building a residual income seriously and if you are approached with an opportunity to build something, don't close yourself off, since it may be your path to controlling your own domain.

Why the Fitness Club is Better Than the Nightclub

It is hard to believe I turned the big 5-0 last month considering how I do not feel old at all and have a zest for life and am excited for what is ahead.   I am involved with a lot of side hustles and run professional networking events in the Boston area and the majority of the attendees are younger and serious about their career and life which is enlightening.  Hanging with so many successful young professionals has had an amazing positive effect on me that I feel like I have just turned 30 instead!

I remember back when I was in my 20s, it was all about partying till 4am at the various nightclubs in Boston, Providence and even the occasional trip to a warm climate.   My colleagues had the day job, then went out till 4am, got up at noon and may hit the gym to sweat out the hangover.   Fitness was important but not the center of life then.  It was all about how hungover you can get.

As I got older, the nightclubs started to close and more fitness clubs were opening.   I remembered a time when Rte. 9 in Framingham was a strip of nightclubs whereas today it is dotted with fitness clubs.   The fitness club was becoming the new nightclub where people congregate, shared workouts and diets and even met their significant other.   I was pretty amazed when I went to the gym on a Friday evening recently and it was packed.  Back in 1995, you went to the gym on a Friday night, you were a loser.

Today, people are healthier than ever.   With yoga, SoulCycle, Crossfit and your basic free weights, it is cool to be into fitness, and not cool to smoke cigarettes.    That is why of all of my business ventures, my health/wellness business is my baby.

So why is the Fitness Club Better Than the Nightclub?

1)  Being active in a Fitness Program is an Investment in Your Health whereas investing in a cocktail at a Nightclub will only result in a headache and oversleeping the next day.   You feel amazing after a workout and are ready to tackle the day.   After a big night out, the only thing you are tackling is your pillow.

2)  People are positive and happy at the gym.  You notice that people encourage you at the gym and smile (well except for those that overdid it with some of  those supplements).   There is no drama at the gym, it is all business.   At a nightclub, it is all about drama.   Well look at her or why is the bartender so slow.   Why are there so many brawls and bad stories at the end of a night out?   Don't see that at a fitness club.

3) Successful people tend to congregate at the gym.    I met a lot of entrepreneurs and forward thinkers at the gym, even on a Friday night.   Refer to #2, nightclubs tend to congregate people that have no direction in life.   It is all about who you  hang with, right?

So hopefully, you will join the fitness revolution and get strong, feel great and look great!   I am rooting for you and want you to think 50 is the new 30 and 60 is the new 40.   It is the best de-aging process there is, so let's rock, at the fitness club.

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The Business Networking Toolkit – Cheat Sheet

The Business Networking Toolkit – Cheat Sheet

By Jeffrey DeSocio – AIMC Business Solutions/Mass Professional Networking

I have been networking full-time since 2007 and have been running a successful business networking organization called Mass Professional Networking since 2013 and have recently expanded to the Sunshine State and started the Treasure Coast Florida Professional Networking Group in 2018. 

Through the years, I have learned a lot about what works with business networking and what doesn't work.   The following is a reference about why professional networking is important today, how to research and prepare for an event, what to do at an event and the importance of follow-up.    Enjoy!


Why is Professional Networking Important Today?

• Networking can help you start your own business, climb the career ladder.
• Networking is a long-term investment, leads to lifelong friendships.
• Business people that network are usually great positive influences to be around.
• Increase in confidence as you push yourself to talk & connect with new people.
• Expand you sphere of influence and practice & perfect talking about your business, use this in your marketing.
• You can ask questions at business networking opportunities as a form of market research.
• You will meet people that you don’t normally come across in your everyday life.

PLAN - What to Do before the Networking Event:

• Get your business cards ready
• Eat first, since it is awkward eating food while socializing
• Know your Goals and Purpose
• Understand the Dress Code
• Remember Everyone Is There for the Same Reason
• Get Your LinkedIn Profile Ready to Network – How to Have An All-Star LinkedIn Profile?
• Start with A Professional Profile Picture – Of Course!
• Professional Header With Targeted Keywords
• Concise Summary With Media Links
• Don't Be Shy With Experience for each Job
• Complete Education Section
• Practical Examples & Recommendations
  

ACTION - What to Do at the Networking Event:

• First, get to the event on-time
• If you are shy, ask the host to help introduce you to people
• When meeting someone, use eye contact and repeat their name
• Ask questions, and do not pitch and/or have a roving eye
• Questions to Ask To Engage in Conversation.
• What is your biggest professional accomplishment and how did you achieve it?
• Who is your favorite business mentor, whether it is a colleague or a celebrity?
• What is your favorite business book, show or podcast?
• What is your biggest challenge in business?
• Who is your perfect client and who can I introduce you to, that will help your business?
• What is your top marketing and networking strategy?
• What social media platform do you use the most to market your business?
• What is your favorite business networking group?
• What other talents do you have? For example, do you play a musical instrument
  

FOLLOW-UP – What to Do after the Networking Event:

• Send a “Nice To Meet You Email – Personalize it and mention something you chatted about
• Connect on LinkedIn and review profile in anticipation of a follow-up meeting.
• After initial meeting whether on phone or in person, set up your calendar to reconnect
• Remember events such as birthdays and anniversary events for business or career milestones
• Give Give Give First. Be a resource forever for your new connection.

Need more guidance to kick-start your Business Networking? Ask us about the “Networking & Personal Branding Toolkit” by contacting us via email at jeff@aimcbizsolutions.com. Also join Mass Professional Networking on LinkedIn and Facebook.

A Perspective on 2018 and Looking Ahead to Great Success in 2019 w/ DeSocial Connector

By now, you have probably received your share of Happy New Year wishes and email newsletters providing great advice on how to start the new year off on a positive and successful note.    As soon as the Christmas and Chanukah holidays are over, the next focus is the New Year ahead.

2018 was a challenging year from me personally and professionally in a good way.  But through adversity, I learned how to navigate through the bumps in life by always looking ahead and not to dwell on the past.   I made some mistakes, but rather looking at them from a negative perspective, I learn and spin it into a positive outcome.

Through my various business ventures, I am involved with Health/Wellness, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Business Networking.  What I like to do is provide a tip for each venture for you to focus on in 2019.

Health/Wellness:    Exercise in the morning whether it is at home, at the gym or going for a run and take a multi-vitamin supplement.

By exercising in the morning, you are kick starting your day by being less stressed, more alert, and full of positive energy.   If you wait till after work, you are more likely to skip working out and go through a stressful day.   I have noticed since I have been exclusively working out in the morning,  I have leveraged my time for resulting producing activities in the evening.

Finally, take a multi-vitamin supplement in the morning.    By taking a good vitamin, you are strengthening your immune system and will allow your body to recover from your workout and the stresses of the previous day.   Unfortunately, most food today and especially your breakfast cereal do not have the vitamins you need to get through the day.


Digital Marketing:   Keep it positive and offer advice to your social media connections.

Unfortunately events in 2018 brought out the worst in people especially with the political situation going on and it was reflected in the social media posts..  Social Media has exposed the worst side of the First Amendment.

Going into 2019, follow a simple strategy, if what you like to post is negative and can offend anyone, do not post it.  It is that simple.   Instead post something that is positive and encouraging.   If you have a skill such as financial advice or how to exercise, provide some tips for your connections.




Entrepreneurship:  Even if you have a day job, start a side business.

You hear the stats all the time.  3 out of 4 millionaires have multiple streams of income or no job is safe anymore.   We are now in an entrepreneur economy and we are not going back.   The days of working 9 to 5 at the same job and then going home to watch TV or have a hobby and expecting Social Security and that 401k to cover retirement are OVER.   I experience it all the time, good friends of mine at the same job for years and years and they look at me like I am some crazy unstable person with multiple ventures and going from job to job.   But that is today's reality.

Do you have a hobby or a drive to dictate what you earn.  Do you want to have control of your own financial destiny?   If so, start a side business alongside your day job.  It is that simple.  With the internet today, you can do anything from anywhere.   What the side business will allow you to do is build another income that can be used toward retirement or investments such as real estate while the day job pays the bills.   There are so many options out there for side businesses whether it is consulting or network marketing or even owning a traditional business.   If you like, contact me if you like to discuss some options.



Business Networking:  Go to networking events even if you have never been and make friends.

Just like I mentioned in the entrepreneur section of my blog, we are in a different economy now.  The traditional way to connect with people and to look for work has changed.   Gone are the days of looking through a newspaper or on monster.com for your next opportunity.   You have to network at events to meet professionals and build great relationships.  It is extremely likely that your next opportunity will come from someone you met at a networking event.

Everyone at networking events are there for the same reason, to meet professionals and build relationships with like minded professionals.  So with the new year upon us, make 2019 the year you attend at least one networking event a month and build that contact list.   Linkedin is the best social network to track the people you meet and stay connected to them.  Finally, join my group on Facebook and contact me if you need help getting started in the world of business networking.
So hopefully,  I was able to provide some great tips to start the year for you.  It will be exciting year ahead with lots of great change.  Let's connect and help each other out and be successful together!

Networking is a Waste of Time - If You Do It The Wrong Way

It is hard to believe that 2018 is coming to a close and my business networking group Mass Professional Networking is closing on its sixth year of existence.    Since it is the end of the year, I am not going to bore you with some end of the year formal list of business networking tips, but I like to provide some feedback of what I have learned over the last few years why networking is actually a waste of time for some people, if you do it the wrong way.

Business Networking is the #1 way to build a trustful leads database.  Now I am not talking about some names list, but simply a list of people that you know.   You hear it all the time from sales training education to "make a list" but in reality, if you use social media, you already have a list by default.

I would like to provide you some approaches to how you can network that will help make the most of your events and the time you spend before, during and after an event.

The first tip is the most important.  You need to serve the people that you meet, not sell to them.
Everyone has a skill or a service, but not everyone needs you or your service.   That is why you need to lose the elevator pitch now and just go into a networking event with the mentality that you are going to serve the people you meet, or in other words, help them.  If you don't want to help people, then networking is a waste of time.

The second tip is easy, lose the elevator pitch.

I have met thousands of professionals over the years, and at least 80% of the people I meet, start with a fifteen minute story about their company, their business or simply themselves before they even ask me my name or even what I do.    I understand that time is money and your boss wants you to make appointments, but a networking event is not the place to do this.   For this reason, networking is a waste of time, and you are better off dialing for dollars doing cold calling.

The third tip is more of an online tip, what you do after an event or after connecting to someone on Linkedin.     I have thousands of Linkedin connections as a result of all the networking.  The biggest pet peeve I have is the elevator pitch follow-up message from someone I met at an event or even from someone I connected to on Linkedin.   For example, I connected to this IT professional from Denver since I figured they had similar skills and perhaps I wanted to expand in Colorado someday.   Five minutes after I connected, the person proceeded to send me a long elevator pitch message asking if I had any computers that need to be recycled.   Gee, can you wait a few days?   If you intend to use social media to mass message your elevator pitch, then online networking is a waste of time.

Finally, there is the networkers that think a networking event is a dating event.   I am a very happily married man and because I am an extrovert and run business networking events, I have no problem going up to people.   So one day, I went up to a very attractive woman to introduce myself and she proceeded to turn her back on me pretending to be on her phone.   She proceeded to do this to anyone that came up to her.   Again, I am there for business and part of the deal at events is that everyone is supposed to be friendly and look for ways to help each other professionally.   So if you go to a networking event with the thought that if some guy or girl goes up to you to introduce themselves for non-professional reasons, then for you, networking events are a waste of time.

So hopefully some of these tips will help you and provide some insight.   To summarize, help one another,  stick to business and hold the elevator pitch, and you will notice that networking events are no longer a waste of time.