I met Dwana, creator of www.houseonahill.org and now entrepreneur of Healthier Happier You! on a social network site, WomenCo.com because we both get the basic concept of powerful networking, we connected. Then one day she asked if she could interview me for her blog. “Yes, of course!” was the answer!
When she emailed me final copy, I felt truly honored. First because I teach my clients that who you are is critical to what you do, and her blog proved the importance. Second, her personal description of me is truly a powerful testimonial:
“When I think of Ann Evanston, I immediately envision water. Ann is like water in that she gracefully fills up whatever space she is in, be it telecommunicating, on the web or in person, {or} while she conducts a seminar. You feel her and her presence is known.
Ann is powerfully demure (it’s possible), not easily contained, smooth, and douses any fire from fear. Need a life coach, mentor, leadership adviser or just a good friend- you can find it in Ann. ANN IS A WARRIOR-PRENEUR who has graciously honored my request to visit the House!!! I am SO excited that this vibrant spirit has taken a moment from empowering folks across this great land to share a bit of herself with us.” You can read the complete interview about Ann Evanston here.
Dwana and I have never met–>in person. My ability to project who I am online made this happen. There have been many interviews on radio shows and blog posts written over the years, Dwana was the first. Learning to project yourself online though all the chatter is what I teach my clients. Are you learning how to stand out, so that you aren’t just noise?
How are you projecting what you do online? And why is this important as a small business owner?
1. Google- visibility- this link consistently comes up on page 1 or 2 when you search my name. It’s a powerful interview that makes sure clients see how others feel about me, and adds to my credibility.
2. I have been able to use this to market myself on-line! I have frequently posted it to Twitter or Facebook; it’s great promotion!
3. Other groups you are involved with can use it as well. Womenco.com added it to their site as a featured article for example.
What’s the point?
- You need visibility
- You need marketing
- You need exposure
- You want credibility for your work
Learning to stand out and connect creates these opportunities for your business! Are you participating? Have you learned to project your unique voice?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
Her description of you is poetic and definitely highlights your strengths.
Thanks to Twitter, I “met” you. Thanks again for visiting my blog and sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate what you said about TCOYou.com.
Suzanne’s last blog post..Follow TCOY to Inspired to Write
Ann, spectacular ~ {and Thank You!}
Houseonahillorg’s last blog post..Wake Up Everybody!
You Dwana are an amazing read of people using that talent to share with others is fabulous! Ann
Love this post and ironically I have just started doing my own “Business Shout Out” blog posts (my first one is attached) to highlight the various business owners I have connected with on Twitter. Some will be on establishments I now frequent, others will be people whom I have been fortunate enough to have met in my “daily travels” on Twitter. Some are also clients and, of course, I am quite vested in their success and growth.
Additionally I know that my “small act” of including their website in my blog will help create backlinks for them to further increase their web presence.
Though I may be a “small cog” in a big wheel, I am a person – who by nature – believes it’s all about the small businesses and I truly want to do my part to help people I care about and believe in succeed.
I look forward to connecting more with you on Twitter now that we’ve made our initial connection today.
Hats off to you!
Michelle Mangen
Owner, Your Virtual Assistant
Internet Marketing & Bookkeeping
http://www.TheVirtualAsst.com
Michelle Mangen –Your Virtual Assistant’s last blog post..Appleton, WI Business Shout Out: Grassroots A Salon
Thanks Michele, it’s funny but relationship building is still the key! If there is one thing that is a “magic bullet” it’s relationship building, connecting and holding others up! Ann
Ann, you are totally right – one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in starting and selling businesses is that business – all aspects of it whether marketing, selling, partnering or customer service – is all about building relationships.
Especially in my core business of PR! Although I come from the traditional side – working with print magazines and newspapers, my clients and I are now embracing social networking opportunities as it has really removed a barrier. Now you can reach an influencer DIRECTLY where in the past, there has always been a barrier of access to reporters. Media are abound on sites like Twitter.
Online bloggers, and ‘citizen journalists’ have also made it easier in a sense for startups and entrepreneurs to get publicity – again because they are more accessible and not as inundated with emails and voice mails as print reporters. There is a huge desire to help each other out.
Thanks for this post!
this is a test
The difficulty is to disentangle your business profile from your personal profile. For a modern net generation youngster growing up in the internet environment, the solution is actually to keep them one and same.To become the same person both when wearing the business hat and when not wearing business hat.
However for a person that is of an older generation they may have built up to completly different profiles from their social to their working life. And for this person it is much more important to push their working profile to the top of the online marketing stack…
My first interview was with you! I have since done a Q & A for someone I met online (http://www.mom2mom.socialgo.com/members/profile/1/blog-view/blog_11.htm) and also been featured on http://www.thoughtsfromabroad.net/2010/09/27/not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost-by-louise-edington/ and on Cultural Care AuPair’s blog The Buzz (http://buzz.culturalcare.com/post/819813228/local-childcare-coordinator-for-cultural-care-au-pair). Thanks for the reminder as I realize that two of these are not on my bio! I do share my interview with you monthly and I think my voice is starting to really come out online. I must keep on sharing the others also. I was terrified when I did my first interview with you but now I love it! I am trying to get a feature and interview with our local paper actually so that I can get more business locally. You taught me the value of this and it’s working because I am very well known now.
Oh and btw – my interview with you is usually on page 1 when I google my name.
Louise Edington
International AuPair Finder
Facing Fears and Frontiers over Fifty
http://louiseedington.com
Oh you know I am watching you woman, you have done an outstanding job, and you remember to share these over again online, very important!
Great post. I had read her personal description of you somewhere before..I must have clicked through to it at some point. I believe with further training I can get all those needs mentioned under “what’s the point”
I use that post on Twitter regularly Julie, when others are talking about you it’s the best promotion you have!
What a great attribution. That’s the kind of thing that can’t be forced, it comes naturally. In regards to your question, I think the answer from me, is that I’m still figuring out what my voice is, so that is why I haven’t done much projecting. However I recently came to the realization that participating would help me refine and tailor what my voice is meant to be, so I stopped observing and started participating more.
I love this description of you! So fitting and what a wonderful complement. I think that often times people forget that what goes online, stays online. A rant or a few angry words could ruin your reputation so quickly! Best to keep your words kind so that wonderful reviews like this one can show up when people try to find you. :o)
This really is a powerful testimonial. Thanks for the reminder about gaining credibility.I’m just toying with the first attempts at interviewing so I had to smile when I read this. So I shall take you as a wonderful example and take a deep breath. Thanks for projecting your unique voice.
Fiona Stolze
http://www.thecosmicweb.com
Wow Ann…so many “aha” moments in this short article. The planning that is evident in your tweets and the “life-span” of an article like the one Dwana so beautifully penned…thanks for letting us behind the curtain so to speak and see a little of what you teach your clients by modeling it yourself. I will take my ‘aha’ moments, chew on them a bit and then model them back to you.
thanks Darcie for seeing the depth in the strategy!
Yes, I believe I have learned to project my unique voice, but at the same time, it’s something that’s constantly on my mind and requires continued practice.
Unfortunately I’ve seen a few people who aren’t really sure of their voice, so they either start promoting other people constantly or using only quotes for their posts. I’ve been on one to many blog where I’m not even quite sure what that person does or has to offer because their post is so ambiguous.
I’m so blessed that Ann Evanston taught me to find my voice early on when I decided to venture into SOME, and I try to never lose sight that people are more interested in me than anything else!
Sharon Hiebing
Follow Your Dream Compass
yes, i think i’ve been learning to project my own unique voice. it’s been almost 6 months since i joined twitter + my blog has been up for almost two months + i have improved immensely since then (i think). this is an awesome testimonial for you, by the way. thanks for sharing it with us!
This post beautifully captures your point–how critical it is to be able to project oneself on-line. I’m at a conference right now where I’m doing the in-person networking and presentation that come easily to me. I have to learn to translate that to on-line interaction. I think reading this blog while I’m doing the in-person work is bringing that home.
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
This post beautifully captures your point–how critical it is to be able to project oneself on-line. I’m at a conference right now where I’m doing the in-person networking and presentation that come easily to me. I have to learn to translate that to on-line interaction. I think reading this blog while I’m doing the in-person work is bringing that home.
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
My voice might seem a little schizophrenic now, but there IS a subtle method to my madness and as I refine, I plan on bringing everyone with me – mu-ha-ha-ha. Seriously, I feel I am digesting a little at a time of what you are saying and participating more and more.
Pat Zahn, Photo Solutions Superhero
http://www.patzahn.com
Very good one, nicely written by Dwana! Congratulations for such a beautiful testimonial. I recommend everyone to google yourself regularly to see how you rank and what posts show first. If you can’t find yourself on the first google search site, you definitely need to do something.
Franziska
@Flavor Designs
Actually Fran, everyone should just set up Google Alerts!
Great example on how and why to use publicity for your business. It seems that it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Thanks Ann.
Ann – I completely agree! We have the power to control what shows up on Google – to a point – and if we’re smart, and we GIVE of our knowledge and truly use the internet to build strong relationships, we can reap huge rewards! -Great reminder -Jennifer Bourn, http://www.bourncreative.com
Your post is a prime example of exactly what you are talking about! Here is an interview of you over a year ago and by repurposing it, it continues to give you and Dwana continual publicity.
I love your use of examples to illustrate what you are doing.
Candace Davenport
http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message
Thanks for this reminder, Ann. I’m still fine-tuning by unique voice. I worked for a company for 15 years and had developed that “voice” online pretty clearly. But, I started my own company this summer unexpectedly — without much prep. This is great encouragement to “speak out”, so to speak.
Haley Montgomery
http://www.smallpondgraphics.com
Ann it is true, you are like water. Dwana is right. You have created a world of possibilities in so many ways. The publicity factor is just one beautiful example of how projecting persona through the waves really does spark electricity! Jennifer DucheneThe Home Makeover Mixtresshttp://home-decorating-makeovers.com/
What a great post — I am new to yoor blog — but this sure made a great first impression!!
Here to opportunity!!!
Love the water analogy – its so appropriate! Great quetions about what we’re projecting online.
Jean Bentley
http://www.ConnectingLivesWithCards.com
Buildinging Relationships….One Card At a Time
Ann, I love how Dwana described you and I also love how you are telling 2 stories with this post. The first story is about the connection you and Dwana made and the other is the lesson of presence and exposure. GREAT post!
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Love the water metaphor! SNCC is helping me become more effective in my marketing efforts. It is helping me to clarify my voice and my mission. Thanks Ann!
Maureena Bivins, PhD
Acupuncture & Somatic Therapy
hppt://maureenabivinsphd.com
Curious. Committed. Compassionate.
What do you look for in a health care provider?