Dream Catcher

Does your email signature help you promote your expertise and tell potential clients who you are and why they should do business with you? Your email signature can act as a free tool to promote you and your business. It can begin the rapport building between you and the reader.

These are key items you will want to include in your email signature.

Name – yes, you want to have your name listed. Make sure it is spelled correctly. Don’t laugh…even I’ve typed by name wrong once or twice.

Credentials – list your highest degree conferred. If you have a license or certification that is key for your industry then list it. Let people see your expertise. Let them see you are qualified. This is often used by massage therapists. You will see their license number after their name and title.

Title – Are you a business owner, Chief Operating Officer, etc….

Phone Number – I have been told by several people that they do not keep a rolodex any longer. They use their emails as their rolodex. So you will want to ensure you have a phone number on your email so people can call you.

Website – drive traffic to your website so they can sign up for your free newsletter, ecourse or downloadable  PDF.

Social Networking Sites – let people know how to connect with you on a daily basis. When they follow you on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter you can begin developing a rapport and share your expertise with these people.

Email Tag Line – this is a quick way for people to know who you are and what you do and how to connect with you.

There are several free resources available to aid you in designing your email signature. Some will help you insert your signature in your own handwriting. They can add creative colors and fonts.

Another reason to list the above information on your email is that when your email is forwarded to others people love to scroll down and see who sent the email. Admit you do it too. Your email signature is a quick way to connect with these new email recipients.

I encourage you to take a few minutes and update your email signature. Don’t miss another phone call inviting you to an event because your phone number or contact information was not on your email.

Jaynine Howard is The Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners the systems and strategies needed to grow their business while remaining debt free.

She invites you to join her Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club during its spring membership drive.

I recently had a conversation with several business owners on the purpose of a networking event. We all know that networking events have several purposes. But we came to the conclusion that many people attend networking events with the intent to snatch and grab free information from the other attendees.

Now, don’t get me wrong. We all love to share our expertise. But most people are at networking events with the high hopes they will meet prospective clients, people who can refer clients, or meet joint venture partners. We even go hoping to make new friends. We don’t go to networking events to be accosted or raped of our intellectual property. If you are a snatch and grabber you are being rude; so stop it.

Let me describe the snatch and grabber. The snatch and grabber has no intention of ever hiring you. He or she is there to snatch and grab free information. They will approach you each time they see you at events and ask one or two very specific questions which you will answer.  They will never invite you to lunch or coffee. Most likely they will not even return your emails. I have even had one snatch and grabber pretend at each event she had never met me before. Yet, at each event she had snatched and grabbed; that is why I remembered her so very well.  Your typical networking attendee would not think of asking such specific questions unless they had requested an appointment to meet with you and expected to pay you for your intellectual property or service.

So how do you handle the snatch and grabber? This takes you having a back bone and not giving away your knowledge for free. If clients typically pay you for the information the snatch and grabber is asking do not feel bullied to give it away for free.  It also takes you realizing that the person is a snatch and grabber and not just innocently asking a question as a way to establish rapport. After brainstorming with several business owners I realized I needed a script to follow when approached by a snatch and grabber. I have learned to say “That is a great question. Please call my office so we can make an appointment to discuss it further.” This is also a time for me to request their business card and offer mine.  After getting their card you will want to change the topic by complimenting them on their clothing or turning to another person nearby and bringing them in to a new conversation. The snatch and grabber will attempt to brow beat you into giving away your intellectual property for free. Be strong and do not give it away for free. I recently encountered a snatch and grabber on a social networking site too. So be careful snatch and grabbers have graduated from traditional networking events to social networking sites.

Business owners listen up. You must stand up to the snatch and grabber. A Realtor is not going to give you a free house so why are you giving away your information for free? A car salesman is not going to give you a free car and you won’t receive free stocks from the stock broker so stop the snatchers and grabbers in their tracks by having a script ready so you do not give away your brain for free.

Remember, networking events are NOT for snatching and grabbing. They are great ways to meet prospective clients, gather referrals and leads, make referrals and provide leads, meet joint venture partners and make great friends.

Jaynine Howard is The Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners the systems and strategies needed to grow their business while remaining debt free.

She is a retired Unites States Marine, doctoral candidate, psychologist and business owner. Jaynine resides in Jacksonville, North Carlina with her husband and blue pit Miss Savanna.

You can learn more about Coach Jaynine by joining her each Monday for The Coach is in or by downloading her free ecourse http://networkingdetox.com/

Are you ready to turn your dreams into reality?