Do you, ask for help I mean or do you believe that it’s some sign of weakness upon which you’’ll be judged?

Ridiculous thought, but I have been guilty of not asking in the past and I know others just like me. What is it that stops us while at the same time we may be advising others to do just what you won’t do yourself?

For me, I believe it’s a mix of things and some of this might just resonate with you. In the early years of coaching I felt that I should have it sussed so be able to do these things myself. But why did I think that way? I’m not superwomen, I know she doesn’t exist and wasn’t I making myself look like some unapproachable paragon of virture, how awful. This, at some stage at least, it was coupled with, well everyone else I know is busy and I shouldn’t burden them with my stuff. Somewhere also was probably how can I admit I don’t know how to do this?

Thankfully I’ve moved on and it’s probably linked to my authenticity as I’ve stopped worrying what others think. I’ve also learned that there are so many other people out there in a position to help so why reinvent the wheel when time is tight and there’s always so much to do. I’m not perfect yet, unlikely to ever be so but I’m so much better at asking for what I want.

If you recognise yourself then get over it sooner than I did and ask. Be clear about what you want and be happy to return the favour. That’s something I’ve always been happy to do. and of course always say thanks. It’s a real freeing feeling what you do it and you find yourself wondering what stopped you in the first place.

Asking for help, can aid your business growth because you learn things more quickly from someone who’s already mastered it or because you’ve contracted out work to someone like a va or other expert freeing up your time to concentrate your skills where they’re of most use. In fact outsourcing is vital for taking your business to the next level, you’ve got to bite the bullet and build that team.

Bearing in mind Sue Ritchie’s guest blogpost the other day, I was interested to come across this and it’s ideas around making the most of your ‘dead’ time.

Thanks to Rebecca Burn-Callander at London Loves Business

Dead time. The useless minutes and hours we clock up every working day commuting to the office, delayed at stations and airports, travelling to meetings, and waiting for work to be sent through. These hours really do add up. The average UK worker spends five whole weeks every year commuting, according to a TUC analysis of data from the Office of National Statistics.

It’s a staggering statistic. Especially now that the UK is officially in recession, and hours that could be spent chasing leads, maximising outputs and optimising customer service are still being wasted on unproductive activities.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

There’s a whole world of exciting new technologies out there that empower you and your workforce to become uber-productive and efficient – any time, anywhere.

To continue with the article…..

One of the things that my clients often wish for is a desire to make somebody else do something, or be another way. An example of this is from a client this week who said, ‘I wish they would respect my time.’ Time is a common issue for business owners.
Here’s the thing; you can’t make anybody do anything, or change. Change starts with us. My reply to my client was ‘How would it be if you started respecting your time?’ I challenged her to explore what it would look and feel like to be truly valuing her own time.What would have to change? What conversations might have to take place? What obstacles might she encounter along the way, and how could she overcome them? What would she have to do differently? What would she have to do more of, and less of, to demonstrate that she valued her time?
It’s all about working out our priorities, cutting through the chaff of what’s not important and setting boundaries. Some things can’t be changed, that’s life. There may be on-going projects that just aren’t appropriate to pull out of at the moment. Working out what can be changed and what you do have control over is a matter of recognising the choices that we make daily.
Sometimes those boundaries might be tough to communicate to both ourselves and to others. Changing our habits and getting used to new working practices can challenging, as we begin to re-educate our brains into new patterns of behaviour; the going may get bumpy, but we need to persevere and keep our ‘why’ firmly planted at the forefront of our minds.
Setting new boundaries with others can be even tougher. Showing other people that we value our time, means that there may be difficult conversations ahead. Working out what we need to say ‘no’ to now, in order to protect our time, changing the way ‘we’ve always been’, and combating feelings of guilt can be obstacles that may make setting those boundaries seem daunting.
With practice, saying ‘no’ becomes easier. Making changes in small steps or pre-warning others that change is on the horizon can help, by letting them know that in advance that you’ll be changing the way you do things. Planning ahead to ensure that others aren’t ‘left in the lurch’, explaining your priorities to them and asking for help, and their ideas, to help you achieve what you need to, can make sure that family members and friends don’t feel suddenly jettisoned. Understanding exactly what obstacles you may face, and preparing for them, as well as working out a strategy for dealing with other people’s reactions, can help you to stay calm and resolved in the face of opposition.
Recognising that for every time you say ‘yes’ to a demand for your time, you are saying ‘no’ to something on your own agenda; I’ve found that this leads to resentment, an awful and destructive emotion that eats away at relationships. It’s far better to be honest.
Once you learn to value your time in this way, then magically, others do too…try it and see 

Thanks to Sue Ritchie for her post this month. If this means something to you, please share it with others who can then benefit as you have.

This is Simple Way number 11, to get hold all of all 12,free to you, then please visit my website.

In business many of us have specific ideas of how we should act, who we should be and what role we should play. My advice to you is to be yourself. Don’t act it out, don’t do what might not feel right because you think you should, do what feels right for you. Be true to you, be guided by your intuition and speak from your heart because if you do, you can never be wrong. Yes, people may disagree with you but that’s healthy and not something to worry about. Some people will be attracted to you and others won’t but not everyone will be you ideal client so that too is fine. Do your best, try hard and build confidence in your product or services so that you can stand back and feel fine if some people go elsewhere. You will always know that others will love what you stand for and will flock to you.

Being authentic isn’t easy and it can take time to get there. Authenticity and integrity have always been very important to me but it’s only now, after much work and continuously striving to be the best that I can that I feel I am in a place of true authenticity and you’ll know it when you get there. I have no problems with the fact that it took time as the journey is what has made me who and what I am and of course that journey never ends.

Don’t let others tell you who to be, be you with all that means and don’t worry about what others think of you as long as you know who you are that’s all that matters. This is what makes you unique and in business you want to stand out hence the reason we talk about our unique selling point (usp) as it set’s us aside from others Let your authenticity do that and recognise and honour your values, gifts and skills and how you can bring them to others.

Being authentic is freedom as you have nothing to hide and so spontaneity and integrity have space to flourish, how lovely if more of that were to happen.

I wanted to share  a section of a post by Guy Reichard posted on January 8th 2011 in his blog. The article was entitled ‘the power of being authentic‘ and he says -

“

There comes a time in people’s lives when they begin to value how they feel about themselves more than they value what others think of them; where they value self respect more than the respect or acceptance of others. There is an astonishing power and sense of freedom and lightness that comes from being authentic. It is so powerful and fulfilling that after a while, being ‘real’ is the only option worth considering.”

When you are authentic everything in life gets easier:

• You feel more confidence & clarity

• You experience less self doubt and second guessing

• You are more effective at doing your work, collaborating with people, leading others, being led by others

• You feel more alive, energetic, enthusiastic, positive,

• You are more flexible and less rigid

• You experience more inner peace and don’t feel threatened by many people

• You are more convincing to everyone you communicate with

• You are less judgmental and more accepting of yourself and others

• You are more engaging and dare I say more attractive to everyone

• You are more motivated and can motivate others without force

• You are just as attentive to the outside world as your inner world instead of focusing only on how you are being perceived or interpreted by others

• You are in harmony with the world, with people, with life

• You have more passion and vibrancy

• You are happier

• You are freeThat is certainly true of my experience. And finally in researching I also came upon the following – “Take your truth, tastes and talents out into the world. It’s generally believed that like attracts like, so those who don’t value authenticity will drift away and those who enjoy being real will be drawn to your magnificence.”

  I love this but I can’t find it again so cannot give credit to the person who wrote it, I hope you will forgive me for sharing this as it is an ideal way to end this 11th tip.

You can tell people about how you can help them, you can share how wonderful you are but there’s nothing more powerful than someone else saying it instead because they have experienced your service or bought your products. Whether on your website, spoken at a meeting or posted on the internet, these words are just so much stronger. They provide the social proof letting potential clients know that you deliver what you say you will and it shows that you are trustworthy.

Crazy as it may sound, most business owners need to get batter at gathering and using testimonials. Many have some on their website but often those they have have been there for a long time and don’t change to reflect new business, services and practices. There’s a place for testimonials on a number of pages on a website and they have a place to be shared at networking meetings and in proposals for contracts. Let them speak for you.

In my experience testimonials, sometimes the most glowing can be delivered when you least expect them. I often get them at networking meetings so I always have pen and paper to hand so I can scribble down what’s said. Then I contact that person after and share what they said asking if they’re happy for me to use it on my website or in other relevant material. I’ve never been turned down and I always put the person’s name and website if appropriate so that can be looked at. As far as I’m concerned that promotion of them is a thank you for the testimonial. Once you get into the habit of doing this, it’s very easy.

I also act quickly when a client sends a thank you note or email or posts on facebook as a recent participant on one of my workshops did. She posted about the blogging workshop she’d just been on and talked about how she now couldn’t stop blogging, it was wonderful. So I contacted her and asked if I could use her words. 

A bit like follow up, I believe that people often don’t know what to ask in terms of a testimonial. Ideally testimonials should happen naturally and then asking would not be needed but they don’t. Good times are when you’ve successfully solved a client’s problem, they’ve achieved a goal they set or they say thank you. Another time is when you’ve run a course or event and then by handing out evaluation forms you capture people’s thoughts and feelings immediately. Ask if they’d be happy to share their story. At an event you can also ask people if they’d be happy to give a video testimonial for you which you can put on your website and also use on social media and in blogs.

Sometimes you may need you to prompt them and you can do this through a specific email or a survey that asks things like -  What prompted you to work with me? What outcome were you looking for? What benefits did you get from working with us? What results did you get from working with us? What would you say to someone else considering working with us? This information will provide a detailed and specific testimonial talking about benefits such as increasing profits by ‘x’ amounts or easing pain in my legs; backing up claims or promises such as how much time clients saved by using a specific system; it should also be real so other people relate to the experience and with a name, position, company name and perhaps photo, be credible too.

Testimonials can act as marketing tools giving potential clients confidence in you and they really help in the case of unknown, new and small business. Therefore they need to become part of your marketing so there is a system that’s followed when working with clients.

A few other tips to consider – Always ask for permission to use people’s words; identify them as fully as possible, if you want to display a letter ask for them to write in on headed paper; use a photo of the client and always always thank people.

This is very appropriate as when you read this I shall be ‘moving’ in France…..

In 1999 I walked the Great Wall of China, not all of it, but five days along parts of this famous monument. This walk, and the nine months training that went before it both saved my sanity and revived my love of walking.

Although I loved the training for this challenge, I was not in a good place in my life. My job, which I’d been in for over 8 years, was being ruined by a single individual who had become my boss but who was well out of her depth and as part if her survival was controlling me and all that I did. After 7/8 years of being in my role and having so much autonomy, it was horrible.

Walking, with a real goal in mind, was my form of escape and once a month I escaped to the Lake District where I trained for my trek. Among this fabulous scenery, I could lose myself and really cut off from life apart from what I was there for. I got up every day planning where to walk and then did it pushing myself further and further so that as the months passed I could see the improvement in my ability and fitness. When I was away walking I could leave the family behind and think only of my needs and I could also forget the things that were causing me trauma and anxiety.

That trek was a fabulous experience and started off my love affair with this simple movement which the majority of us have the ability to do, whether from your front door in small chunks or whether like me, long distance treking become a way of life.

In August 2005, tweaking my back when getting off the sun bed literally changed my life. It led to me deciding to take action and give more time to my own health and wellbeing. Having to cut short a holiday was the catalyst I needed. What’s yours?

In wanting to find an exercise to focus on, I started to walk regularly at 7.00 a.m. and within only 2 months; I had people ask if I’d been to a spa or on a diet? People told me I was glowing, that I’d lost weight and seemed full of energy. All this was true – I was also calmer and on my walks I would watch my area come to life, see nature change, have time to plan my day and in the quiet, have time for me. Today I walk daily as much as possible and it’s the time when I come up with most of my ideas, it’s also my meditation time, when I plan my day etc. 

I use my walking with my clients too, through full and half day walking experiences, please check it out here – Walking Experiences – http://waringwell.com/working-together/ These are so creative end enjoyable so have a look at what others say.

In 2007, my walking helped me fulfil a dream and I walked the Inca Trail in Peru. With me were three of my walking group who I met when I trained them, along with twelve others, to take part in and complete the Breakthrough Breast Cancer 60k (38 miles) walk over two days in September 2006. It was a fantastic experience and one that you could do if you wanted to. It might seem an awesome task but if you can get past being paralysed by the enormity of it and break it down into stages, putting in the training, and having fun as you do so, then you will succeed.

There are so many walks I want to do, I have lists of them long and short.  One of the great things about this activity is that it also allows me to indulge in many of my other passions such as travel, photography, food and wine so perhaps you can understand how it’s become such a part of me.

For the moment, I’m walking my way across half of France and Spain from Le Puy en Velay in central France to Santiago de Compostella in Spain, 1000 miles of glorious countryside. It’s introduced me to parts of the country that I’d never have found otherwise, brought me into contact with lovely people and beautiful architecture and culture.

Every time I go away to walk, I come back relaxed but also buzzing with ideas and clear space and at so much more peace.

Try it for yourself and watch out for updates on the latest part of my Camino. I return on May 3rd so catch up on the journey to date by visiting Tales from the Camino and then find out what I’ve discovered and experienced on the last section as I update it too.

For me, I’d rather have viewer contacts and followers that are all of good quality and who I know and know me than large numbers, many of whom I have very little knowledge of. Many people I know would disagree with what I’ve said and that’s fine because I feel that there’s no right or wrong. It’s down to individual preferences and also perhaps what you are aiming to do, what your goals are and what you are wanting to achieve.

For some it’s all about building some kind of relationship with lots of people as it’s a numbers game and the more people they can get involved the more people they can market to and the more people that will buy. I understand that and I can see that what you are selling may play a large part here too. For me, at the moment, what I do is about services and working with small groups and individuals. I can see where I want to take things to and where products might become involved and realise that I might need access to more people and I’m doing that so I’m growing my numbers but I’m investing in those relationships as I go.

In one of the earlier tips, I was talking about follow up and I mentioned meeting up with people after an initial introduction. At that follow up, which may take an hour, I find that I can get to know the person so much better and vice versa. We can talk, exchange information about our businesses including talking about the kind of clients we’re looking for and often how we can refer on to each other. We can also get to know the holistic person so get a much more rounded feel. I find it sets a really good foundation for ongoing relationship building and business development. I will then, with the person’s permission, keep in touch. I may see them at a networking meeting, send them a regular newsletter, invite them to an event and let them know when I’m running a workshop etc. They will hopefully do the same and then in the future we’ll make time for coffee or lunch again.

I meet many new contacts now on facebook groups, forums, Twitter and LinkedIn and as with face to face contacts I work hard to build relationships by responding to posts so I’m adding value, helping where I can and getting my name out there. I’m sure you are doing the same. I don’t do it with everyone but with those who I feel a connection with.

In this way I’m building the know, like and trust factor that’s essential for business and through doing this when I run events, I have little trouble getting participants along.

I’m sure you’ve heard of this but if you haven’t here’s an insight. Just think about the people you do business with – do you know them? Probably, if not personally then do you know the brand? This is true of big organisations. You will not know the individual staff in an Apple store but you know what they stand for and you’ve heard others talk about the products or you’ve personally used them before. Do you like them? Well I think we’ve answered that already but you’re not going to do business with someone you dislike. Do you trust them? Yes, why would you do business with someone you don’t trust? It may seem a no brainer but it happens.

To get clients to know you they have to know of your existence, you have to get in front of them and then by connecting and sharing face to face, on your website, through social media, through marketing they can get to know you. It’s good to be open and honest so talk about mistakes and how you overcame them so they see you as a real person, share something of your wider life, not just business and expand on this over time. It will amaze you what things people pick up on. I once tweeted about going blackberry picking after finding all these ripe blackberries on a walk. What followed were numerous tweets about people’s love of apple and blackberry crumble; recipes for making my own cassis; plans to go blackberry picking themselves, I was astounded but this clearly struck a cord. Through knowing someone you then get to like them and you build on that by keeping in touch and by remembering things about them, sending relevant info etc. Finally trust which grows through knowing and liking and then seeing testimonials – the social proof, and being referred to others.

Trust is also built by proving your value directly i.e. by giving something away such as a report or 12 tips as I’m doing here. The idea is that you’re giving away something of value, that has taken time to develop and that has shares your expertise and it has to be good otherwise people will not look to buy more. So I’m putting my neck on the block here. You can build trust by helping others even before they’re clients of yours and it’s done by being easily accessible and keeping promises.

Customers or clients must have a connection to you on all three levels before they purchase from you and become long-term buyers and you have to be persistent staying in front of people for many months and sometimes even years. Experts say that people need to have heard from you seven times or more before they feel they know, like and trust you enough to give you their money but when they’re in the right place they’ll want to do business. No-one wants to work with a faceless company, they want to work with real people that they know. Is that you?

All successful small businesses have one thing in common, that being that their owners know how to build and maintain relationships, yes, it’s that important. While it’s easy to get engrossed in products, services, financials and staff, building relationships with all is essential as you never know when you may need to call in a favour or ask for help and you want to feel that your relationships will sustain that.

These things are the basis as to whether you’ll refer to your friends and colleagues as we know that to make a recommendation that fails is just as much a reflection on you as the person who wasn’t up to scratch. It may mean people being unsure of any future recommendations or referrals you make. Because of this, I am very clear that I will only refer people whose products I’ve bought, services I’ve used or who I’ve got to know really well that I will vouch for them 100%. They’re the people I’ve invested in and that number steadily grows. Perhaps I’ll be referring you one day too.

I love to feel the buzz of it and to feel ready to embrace, not only what I’ve planned to do but also what might just turn up. Being full of energy is a lovely feeling and has enabled me to get on with things and feel productive. 

There are, of course, times when my energy levels wane and I desperately crave more of it so I build re-charging into my system regularly. It’s something I’ve had to learn and there have been some hit and misses but I’ve persevered because I know that this is important to me and how I work.

The pace of life we live today is fast and furious. We all juggle lots of balls in the air, so where do we get the energy to do it all, to cope and to fit in things for us too? It’s a subject that many books have been written on so I thought a few tips might be useful for you.

Below are 12 ways that you can use which will all boost your energy. You can do most of them anywhere – in the car, on the train, in your office, when shopping etc.

• Breathe deeply through your stomach. In this way you take in more oxygen and oxygen equals energy. It will perk you up instantly. Only 5 deep breaths will make a difference.

• Eat a banana. As well as lifting your blood sugar more slowly and sustainably, it contains potassium which regulates your blood pressure.

• Think of a time when you felt really energised and fix it in your mind. Then when you need a boost, close your eyes and recall this scene.

• Put a picture of an energising scene or photo etc on your wall or have a token like a stone or shell which reminds you of an energising walk, somewhere handy.

• Use essential oils – Rosemary increases awareness and enhances memory; Rose enhances your mood and lifts your spirit; Lemon is stimulating; Jasmine promotes positive thinking.

• Disappear to the loo, look in the mirror and tell yourself how vital and energised you are and how this is energising others. If you can say it out loud as you look into your eyes all the better.

• Start the day with a list and cross things off as you achieve them. There is nothing more energising than seeing the list get shorter and knowing that you have done it all. But don’t put too much on the list in the first place.

• Get a small piece of topaz and keep it close or wear some topaz jewellery. This stone motivates and energises.

• Take a 15 minute walk preferably in the fresh air but failing that round the building. Great to clear your head at lunch time.

• Smile at yourself in a mirror – even a hand one or a make-up bag mirror. Even go a step further, look yourself in the eyes and tell yourself you love you. It get’s easier with practice.

• Start the day with an energising shower using peppermint or lemon shower gel, body wash or body lotion and if you feel brave stand under the cold shower for 60 seconds!

• Eat a power packed lunch of protein and vegetables but go easy on the carbohydrates as they slow you down.

A point to note – You will be of much more use to others and have more to give to others if you are happy and fulfilled in yourself so appreciate the benefit of spending some time on you, every day. Even if you start with 15 minutes of putting your feet up and doing nothing and build on it. That’s recharging too.

At the moment, I am definitely energised by my work, the fact that my office and home are both more organised (I have been decluttering too) and I’m walking every day so getting my exercise.

I’d love to hear from you how you get energised and what actions you plan to take as a result of reading this.

Do you ever feel any of the following?

• You want to stay under the duvet when the alarm goes off.

• That “Monday morning” feeling lasts all week.

• You have no enthusiasm.

• You cannot be bothered.

• You’re always moaning.

• You only do what has to be done to get you through the day.

• You clock watch, yearning for the end of the day.

• You are out the door as soon as it is 5.00p.m.

• Procrastination has taken over.

Although any of these as a one off is understandable as we are all human, if they continue over a longer period of time then investigation and exploration is called for. Ask yourself if this is just a phase and look into what could possibly be causing this lack of motivation and what you could do to change it.

Consider what is happening in your life in general. Are you having problems with something outside work and business that could be impinging on it?

When you have looked at all the issues above and put together and orchestrated an action plan, how are things then? have they changed? If things are no different or if you know that there is too much to deal with and you are not willing to do so, then help may be needed. It can be so easy not to see the bigger picture when it’s just you looking. Perhaps there is a much bigger issue that you are pushing away and ignoring. Find someone who could coach or guide you and invest in getting this sorted. It may be a block that once cleared gets you flowing again or perhaps major changes are needed.

In terms of working through what is causing the lack of motivation, do any of the following give you any answers?

• Are you surrounding yourself with people who drain your energy and pull you down too? What can you do to leave them behind?
• Focus on what you enjoy about your work and make sure that some of that comes into every day.
• Do you feel that no-one gives you feedback or considers your ideas? Do they know about them?
• Tell people about your ideas and ask for feedback.It’s really important to have support and to be able to discuss ideas etc with people you trust.
• Do you work in clutter? That could be draining your energy and ensuring that you spend ages looking for things. Set some time aside and clear that clutter, you will feel brilliant in so many ways and full of energy.
• Are there any working methods, systems or processes that you can change?
• Look for opportunities to take on a project or a bit of work that will allow you to shine.
• Are there extra skills that you could attain or experience that would help you get ahead and add a new dimension?

Are the issues coming from outwith but are affecting things? Consider what this might be and what action you could take. What would it be like if you were truly motivated? How would you feel? what would your day look like?

Could these be what you are striving for?
To be excited about your work and business
To be regularly thinking about and talking about what you do?
To have loads of energy
Be full of ideas
Love to achieve 
…also all the things that are opposite to demotivation.

Now that you have it back, use it to get the results you want. Using the high energy will get things done as it’s infectious and will carry people with you. When you are achieving you’ll be motivated to achieve more and creativity flows through high energy.

But do look out for the down side which could include working very long hours often including weekends; boring friends to death with stories about work; not good at taking holidays because you have so much to do and not enough time to give to relationships. Having a lack of balance in your life and living on adrenalin. Be careful of not trying to do it all yourself so do look towards delegating or asking for help.

Are you back where you want to be? I do hope so.

Do Let me know what you think and if this has given you food for thought, please share with others too.

There’s so much to know about Social Media and often it’s hard to know where to start and what is right and wrong. I came across this article by Jan Kearney a couple of days ago and as I don’t believe in re-inventing the wheel, asked Jan is she’s mind me putting it in my blog and circulating it. Thanks to Jan, here you are -

Social media, ís a minefield is’t it.  When you first start out using social media for business it can be a bit overwhelming, people give all sorts of conflicting advice too.  Don’t worry about it!  There are no rules but there are some really irritating social media practices that people fall into without much thought or through advice that is misguided (in my opinion!)

You know, I practically live online.  I’m not a social butterfly collecting fans, followers and commenting left and right.  But I do use many tools to listen, watch  and share.  So, this is rather a personal list of irritating social media techniques that really get up my nose.

In no particular order
Really Irritating Social Media Practices – please feel free to add your own in the comments at the bottom…

• The blog RSS feed snippet

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and it’s a way of sharing your content.  People can sign up to receive your feed through an RSS reader like Google Reader.  That way, they can read your posts without returning to your blog. If I sign up to your blog’s RSS feed it means I’ve found your posts interesting and would like to read more of them when you publish.   You’ve jumped the first hurdle and  I know about you and what you do.  I like your style enough to want to know more or share your posts. It does not give you permission to write single line snippets to RSS to try to force me to click back to your blog. I know why people do this – the misguided advice that people will click the title and go to read your post on your blog.  Increasing traffic to your blog therefore eventually increasing leads and sales. The thing is, most people don’t write interesting titles and snippets to get that click.  And in my case, I find it downright annoying and insulting. It just means I unsubscribe.  Youíve lost me.  Gone, never to return.

• The weekend Facebook user

There is very little more annoying than Facebook Pages you haven’t heard from all week logging in on a Sunday and blasting  the newsfeed with 20 image updates within the space of a few seconds. You’re doing yourself no favours.   Drowning the newsfeed with your latest products or offers is more likely to get you unliked (at best) or hidden (worst).  There are tools and even if they’re not ideal, that allow you to schedule updates to your Facebook Page.

Ok, so youíre busy.  You don’t have time for this social media stuff let alone a learning curve to get the most out of these tools.  Well, don’t do it at all or hire someone to do it for you.

• The LinkedIn random connector

LinkedIn has a feature that allows you to connect with people even if you don’t know their email address and tick the friend box.  Obviously, this is a feature abused by serial connectors. Even worse, you get a connection request from a ‘friend’ who you have never heard of and they don’t even have the decency to leave a personal message. Please, if you are using LinkedIn, make use of the personal message feature.  Let people where you met, how you know them or why you want to connect.  It’s only polite isn’t it?

• Over-zealous sellers

These remind me of those people in the town centre who hijack you to ask daft questions for their latest survey or product test.  They’re interruptive and annoying. If every status update or blog post is a ‘buy me’message then it is the ultimate reason to unfollow, unlike, unsubscribe. Nobody likes being hijacked and sold to. That doesn’t mean you can’t talk about your products and services -  just not all the time please!

• Facebook fly-by link droppers

I actually don’t mind people liking my Facebook page, introducing themselves and tagging their business page.  In fact, I encourage it.  I like to see who ís liking me, why and what they do.  I’ll often pop over and like your page too and keep an eye on what you’re up to. Be warned though, that is me. Most people will not appreciate you tagging your business page or linking to your website, even after saying hi. The really irritating part, especially since Facebook stopped the requirement to like a page before posting, is the fly-by link droppers. It’s incredibly ignorant. It reminds me of just walking into someone’s house uninvited with muddy boots and helping yourself to a meal.  I have no hestitation hiding these random links and marking them as spam because that is what they are.  It’s one of the few social media practices that is likely to get a response from me – anything from a polite request to stop to an angry personal message.

There are my pet peeves – the most irritating social media practices guaranteed to turn me off and have me heading for the unlike, unfollow, unsubscribe buttons. Do you have any to add to the list? Share your thoughts below.

Jan Kearney – My Local Business Online  – helping local business owners build an effective online presence, get found online and increase their customer base.