Make the move from entrepreneur to expert by sharing your knowledge with others.

By Cambridge Who’s Who Contributing Author and Member, Chi Chi Okezie

As an entrepreneur, your level of industry knowledge and experience can be a prime factor in determining your business success. Your potential clients, vendors and business partners should believe in your abilities as well as the products and services that your company offers. Developing your personal brand can greatly affect how people perceive you and influence their willingness to do business with you. Here are several ways in which you can define yourself as an expert in your field and position yourself and your company for success.

#1: Join an online networking group.
Globalization is becoming increasingly important in almost every industry. Get involved with an online networking group in order to create and expand awareness of your company, products and services. Building an international client base and developing relationships with professionals in other industries and geographical locations will enhance your credibility. It will also improve the appearance of your company or organization as it relates to cultural awareness and diversity.

#2: Write about what you do best.
Whether they will be published in a book, journal, newsletter, e-magazine, website or blog, write and submit articles on your industry or profession as it relates to your skill set and business knowledge. Keep your colleagues, customers and potential clients informed by updating them on recent industry trends and challenges. Offer solutions to problems that they or their companies may face. Help them to make decisions that will improve their business processes and practices.

#3: Teach an online class or teleseminar.
Teaching classes increases your visibility, credibility and professionalism. In particular, offering classes online allows you to reach a wider range of students (and potential clients) and can give you an edge over your competition. If you are more comfortable on the telephone, set up a teleseminar using a conference call service. Once you have selected your preferred method of communication, hold training sessions on your products and services. Lead professional or business development seminars to help others realize success in their endeavors. And offer additional coaching or one-on-one sessions for those who would like to learn more from you. The more value that you offer, the more people who will attend your classes and recommend you to others. Teaching will also strengthen your knowledge and experience in your field, thereby elevating your expert status.

#4: Do interviews with the media.
You can gain exposure and awareness from being interviewed by the media. There are several channels that entrepreneurs can use to soar in their professional and social endeavors. Online magazines, radio, press releases, blogs and newsletter interviews are excellent ways to build your image as an expert in your field. You can include transcripts of your interviews in your corporate media kit. This will build your credibility among your clients, colleagues and business counterparts.

By Cambridge Who’s Who Contributing Author Chi Chi Okezie

Networking is becoming increasingly popular among entrepreneurs. It is an amazing means of allowing professionals to build relationships, grow their businesses, tap into resources, develop business skills and brand themselves within their industry or profession. Entrepreneurs can network within their jobs, clubs, organizations, associations and now online. Internet networking proves to be just as effective as in-person networking while adding several benefits for professional and social success.

Online networking is an excellent tool that entrepreneurs should invest in to develop their businesses. There are several advantages to online networking over traditional networking methods. Listed below are five key benefits of online networking that will open your mind to a host of endless opportunities for yourself and your business:

#1: Online networking increases and diversifies your network.
Online networking gives entrepreneurs a chance to develop relationships with several contacts at one time. Professionals can meet several people and communicate in a broader way than they are able to at face-to-face networking events. Business people are able to meet a wider variety of people through online networking. Usually, networking events will attract certain groups of people, depending on who is sponsoring the event. With online networking, many different industries are represented within the group.

#2: Online networking makes you more accessible to others.
Having a virtual business presence enables professionals to be contacted much faster than by phone or mail. Your ability to be accessible and reached easily allows you to conduct business in an efficient and productive manner. You are able to organize and execute projects and agendas in effectively, which can greatly affect your bottom line and give you a clear advantage over your competitors. It will also improve your credibility and image for your company, brand or service.

#3: Online networking shatters time and geographical boundaries.
By networking online, entrepreneurs are able to reach the world from their computer. Using the internet and email allows professionals to send messages to business counterparts during any time of the day from any location to be received anywhere around the world. The flexibility and practical aspects of connecting and building relationships online expands your target audiences and your network of clients, customers, colleagues, vendors, partners, investors and even employees.

#4: Online networking can be an excellent low-cost marketing tool.
One of the best advantages of online networking is the ability to showcase yourself and your company, products, services or brand. As entrepreneurs, we are constantly looking for ways to create awareness, and online networking offers that unique benefit. Many websites allow members to post pictures, profiles, articles, books and various marketing materials for advertisements and announcements. Entrepreneurs can then share their online content with their clients, customers and business colleagues.

#5: Online networking allows entrepreneurs to develop professional skills.
Many online networking groups and companies offer incentives and benefits to their members, which can be extremely valuable to business and personal development. Blogs, articles, book recommendations, online seminars, teleseminars, announcements of local and national business events and discounts on business publications or services are just a few resources that entrepreneurs can use for success.

Entrepreneurs should consider investing in online networking for their professional and social endeavors. Online networking creates many resources for businesses and gives entrepreneurs flexibility in their business dealings. It is one more effective tool that can be used to accomplish business and social goals.

Chi Chi Okezie joined Cambridge Who’s Who in June 2007. Using the resources and networking tools available to her via Cambridge Who’s Who membership, Chi Chi was able to receive additional exposure for her company on www.cambridgewhoswho.com, including a feature in the Cambridge Business (CamBizTM) Directory, Announcements, Who’s Who in the News and Cambridge Events sections. SIMPLEnetworking LLC will also be spotlighted in the Featured Business section of the upcoming Cambridge Who’s Who e-newsletter, “Who’s News.”

Cambridge Who’s Who applauds Ms. Okezie for taking full advantage of her Cambridge Who’s Who member benefits and thanks her for the kind words about our services and staff that she submitted for the Cambridge Who’s Who Success Stories website.

For more information on Chi Chi Okezie and SIMPLEnetworking, LLC, please view her contributing author profile.

Biography
Chi Chi Okezie has six years of business consulting and instruction experience. She offers seminars, classes and presentations on the following topics: professional etiquette, social networking, image consulting and cultural awareness for non-profit organizations, professional groups, schools, universities and companies. Chi Chi is owner and founder of SIMPLEnetworking, LLC, a consulting firm based in Atlanta, GA.

Clients and colleagues alike refer to her as charming, amusing and accommodating, but Chi Chi Okezie’s main interest when conducting business is to make a connection with every person she encounters. As a daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Chi Chi has a diverse cultural background and enjoys learning about cultures and languages while traveling to foreign countries. Fluent in French and English and knowledgeable in Ibo (Nigerian language), this entrepreneur uses all her skills and talents to create opportunities in business and education.

Satisfied clients of SIMPLEnetworking include: Emory University; Georgia Institute of Technology; DeVry University; Delta Air Lines; National Society of Black Engineers; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Mu-Alpha Chapter); EEI-Inc.; Reach-One Inc.; Cleanis-Paris, France; French-American Chamber of Commerce-Atlanta; JCI-Atlanta; and Ann Taylor.

Chi Chi recently published a travel size guide for networking filled with tips, tactics and techniques for networking like a pro! SIMPLEnetworking: Creating Opportunities…The new form of success! will teach you how to polish your professional approach to networking, build relationships and follow-up with your contacts in an effective and timely manner. To read an excerpt or to purchase her book, please visit http://tinyurl.com/2nesco. For more information about SIMPLEnetworking LLC, visit http://www.snseminars.com/ or email info@snseminars.com.

Articles by Chi Chi Okezie
“Why Entrepreneurs Should Invest in Online Networking”
“Etiquette Tips for Online Networkers”
“Growing Your Business through Online Networking”
“The Best Experts Get Involved” NEW!

Related Links and Articles
Cambridge Who’s Who Contributing Writer Chi Chi Okezie Publishes Networking Guide
Radio Interview about SIMPLEnetworking: Creating Opportunities…The new form of success!
Podcast in Atlanta, GA: The Small Biz Brain, Being Beautiful and Culturally Acceptable