The Importance of Privacy Settings For Social Networking

You have to be visible to build an online reputation. There's no way around it. However, in most online networks you can control exactly what information people can see about you. This is done through privacy settings.

Facebook

Facebook's privacy settings are extremely detailed but can be complicated. They also change often, which doesn't make it any easier. Under 'Privacy,' click on 'Profile', and then 'Basic.' Here you can set who sees which information. You can choose different groups, such as your close friends, friends of friends, anyone in your network, and so on. You can set this for your basic information, personal information, updates, tagged photos and videos, and contact information.

Settings can be changed for each individual photo or video. When people tag you in a photo or video, it automatically appears on your Timeline, but you can remove it or change the settings for it if you don't want everyone seeing that photo or video.

Also under 'Privacy,' you'll see 'Search.' Here you can change how users find you through searches, although most companies leave this open so that their profile is easy to find.

Twitter

Everything on Twitter is public by default. Your profile is so small that there's not much private information you could give away. Unlike Facebook, where you have to confirm friend requests, you have no control over who follows you on Twitter. However, you can set it so that follower requests must be confirmed. You can do this by going under 'Settings' and clicking the box that says 'Protect my updates.'

Most companies keep everything public on Twitter. It's not in their best interest to turn away would-be followers. Some celebrities use the privacy settings to create multiple feeds, one for fans and one for people they're closer to.

Instagram

Instagram is all about sharing photos and you have little control over who snaps you and shares. You can control your own photos' privacy by going under 'Profile' and then 'Settings,' and if you're using an Apple device, set 'Photos are Private' on the ON setting. If you're using an Android OS, click on 'photo privacy' for options. Doing this blocks your feed from everyone except for followers you approve.

LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, you can change both your profile's privacy settings and how your profile appears in searches. Go under 'My Account,' 'Account & Settings,' and then 'Public Profile' to adjust your profile settings. Under 'Settings' and 'View Preferences,' you can control how you come up in searches.

Your Privacy on Social Media

Don't rely completely on privacy settings. They're not foolproof. Many users have accidentally published private information about themselves on Facebook because they didn't understand how its privacy settings worked. Others have embarrassed themselves horribly by tweeting the wrong thing on Twitter. Use social media with the assumption that anything in your profile, updates or other content could be seen by anyone. If you really want to keep something private, don't post it at all.

Tonika Outerbridge Image and Style Consultant

Photo is from Pinterest

How to Be More Productive

An office or workplace is more than just a bunch of people. It's a support system for every individual that works there. Some people are good at some aspects of business and others have different skills. Nobody is good at everything. When you work for yourself, you need to look outside of your office-of-one to get the resources and support you need.

Good Information Websites

A good place to look for help and support is the Internet. Find information sites that provide real advice on running your type of business. Look for professionals in your industry from whom you can learn. Online forums and professionally-oriented social media sites, such as LinkedIn, offer a great way to connect with others in your field and get support from them. Question and answer websites can also be helpful. Whenever you get information online, make sure you know who it's from. You need to be able to tell good advice from bad.

Mastermind Groups

No, a mastermind group isn't an underground secret society, even though it sounds like it. Mastermind groups consist of like-minded entrepreneurs who help each other out. This was an idea from Napoleon Hill's book Think and Grow Rich. The idea behind it is that a group of minds together create a 'mastermind' that's bigger than any individual. Group members offer each other different perspectives, valuable feedback and inspiration when it's needed. You can find industry-specific mastermind groups online or in your community. If you don't find one, you can form your own.

Accountability Partners

Accountability partners keep you on track through a buddy system. They coach you and make you stick to your word. Accountability partners give you advice, but for the most part, they just listen. They provide a springboard for your ideas and support when you find yourself slipping. You'll also feel a bit guilty if you go back on your word. Accountability partners meet on a regular basis and discuss plans, and then follow up with each other to see how things went.

A Coach or Mentor

For anyone who works for themselves, it's a good idea to have a coach or mentor. This is someone more experienced than you with no vested interest in your results. They help you by sharing their long years of experience and they help you keep the big picture in sight. Your coach or mentor can tell you what your choices are and, like an accountability partner, help to keep you on track. It takes a bit of time and searching to find a good mentor, but it's well worth it.

Knowing When to Ask for Help

When you work for yourself, never be afraid to ask for help and never beat yourself up about it. Don't be stubborn and try to do everything yourself. Realistically assess your abilities to see where you're lacking and enlist help in those areas. Once you start working for yourself, you'll learn exactly what those areas are and when you need support.

Manage Your Online Reputation

Reputation management isn't something to be improvised. Every company from a major corporation to a solo entrepreneur working at home has to have a solid plan for managing its reputation. There are five steps to doing this effectively.

Step 1 – Brainstorm Possible Reputation Damage Scenarios

Sit down and make a huge list of all of the different things that can happen. Imagine everything from a small bump in the road to a major emergency. The most obvious problem would be a negative post somewhere complaining about your company's service. There may also be a situation where a customer doesn't understand your company's policies and the complaint comes from this misunderstanding.

Brainstorm each place where a comment could appear so that you can create a plan for dealing with each. Examples would be personal blogs, your blog comments, social media sites, online forums, review sites, etc.

Step 2 – Determine the Best Response

For each item on your list, decide what would be the best response. Consider it from the point of view of other customers who will be watching. For example, you might respond to a complaint on Facebook by engaging with the customer, asking them to clarify, empathizing with them, and then offering them a solution. To other users who are reading the thread, your company shows that it cares about customers and not just its own reputation.

Included in this plan should be a chain of command notification. When a problem is discovered, how will it be communicated to everyone in the company who needs to know?

Step 3 – Set up a Plan for Monitoring

You know what to look for. The next step is to decide how to monitor. One way to monitor all online content is through alert notification programs like Google Alerts. You may also routinely check Twitter using hashtags and Facebook by searching posts or using HyperAlerts.no. You might identify certain online forums, review sites, and other sites where you're likely to be mentioned for monitoring.

Step 4 – Delegate Monitoring

Put someone in your company in charge of monitoring. You may want to delegate to several staff members. For example, if a certain staff member handles your Facebook account, put them in charge of monitoring Facebook for comments. Make sure everyone is on the same page with all procedures for dealing with negative comments.

Step 5 – Create Positive Content

This step is often forgotten. In addition to doing damage control, reputation management is also about creating content that shows your company in a positive light. Seek testimonials and reviews from your customers and create fresh content on your website, social media sites, and blog. Positive content will off-set any negative content. This is an ongoing job, so make things like soliciting feedback from customers a regular part of your sales process.

Many companies and online professionals decide to outsource reputation management to a company that specializes in this field. These companies have experience and tools to manage a company's reputation comprehensively.

Tonika Outerbridge Image and Style Consultant

Image is from Pinterest

The 8 Most Damaging Online Reputation Mistakes You Can Make

Warren Buffet once said, 'It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.' In the high-speed information age of the Internet, we might amend that to say it takes five seconds to ruin it, or nanoseconds if we're talking about viral content.

Surprisingly, most companies' reputations aren't ruined by angry customers or cunning competitors. You're much more likely to make a gaffe yourself that costs you in terms of customer trust. Here are the most damaging online reputation killers to be avoided at all costs.

1. Social Media Under the Influence

Perhaps the worst mistakes are made when you decide to get on Facebook or Twitter after having a few too many drinks. Companies have to be careful about what they say in posts and tweets. Even if you're slightly tipsy, the filter that keeps you appropriate may fall by the wayside. There's nothing more embarrassing than waking up and discovering what you posted the night before.

2. Badmouthing a Client

Never badmouth a client or customer online. The whole point of your online presence is to attract clients and customers. When you say something nasty or inappropriate about one, this sends the message to prospects that you don't respect them. Even if your product is popular and valuable, you'll drive them away.

Actually, it's never a good idea to trash anyone online. This goes for colleagues, competitors, or any other people that annoy you. This rule even applies if a person has said something about you that you don’t like.

You should be building a reputation for being a friendly person that anyone can feel comfortable sharing information with.

3. Flat-out Lying

The urge to lie or bend the truth online is always there. It's easier to lie through a computer screen than in person. In fact, you may be stretching the truth without realizing it. But the best thing you can do for your reputation is to be honest and transparent. You should always assume that a lie will be discovered and you’ll be exposed to the inevitable damage to your reputation.

4. Embarrassing Photos and Videos

One embarrassing photo or video can completely ruin your online reputation. Think of all the celebrities that have suffered this fate. Be careful about what you're doing whenever cameras are present. You want your viral video to be one about how cool your products are, not how drunk you were at a party last weekend.

5. Ignoring Customer Complaints

Always respond to customers quickly and attentively. When a customer complains about your company, other potential customers are listening. If you're AWOL, they'll be wondering what's up. Instead of disappearing, engage the customer in conversation. You can turn the complaint into a customer service opportunity by showing that you care.

6. Getting Defensive

Again, if there's a complaint or someone says something nasty about you, don't get defensive. This looks bad, even if you're in the right and the other person is a complete jerk. When you're defensive, it shows that the person got under your skin and that there might be some truth to the attack. It also shows a lack of confidence on your part. Always handle complaints in a friendly, professional manner.

7. The Invisible Man/Woman

To build a good reputation online, you need to be consistent. Don't disappear for days or weeks on end. Make it part of your regular routine to be present and interact with your audience online.

8. Online Reputation on Autopilot

Actively monitor your reputation consistently and frequently. Don't only get concerned with it when there's a problem. Set up alerts so that you know when people are talking about you and respond quickly when they do.

All on the Same Page

If you have a staff of even one other employee or contractor, make sure they understand how serious online reputation is. Create a reputation policy so that everyone is on the same page and you can effectively avoid making any of these mistakes.

Do You Have What it Takes to Be Your Own Boss?

Working for yourself is a dream come true for most people. There's no boss and you can do it your own way. But the truth is that there is a boss, and it just might be the worst boss you've ever worked for – yourself! Are you going to be an organized and merciful manager or a total pain to be around? That's the question that determines whether your work-at-home career is a dream or a nightmare.

Are You Passionate?

The great determiner is passion. Are you passionate about what you're doing? Every good boss or company owner has passion and vision. Without these, you’re going to snap whenever the going gets tough. Your work-at-home career has to be truly your dream. That's the only way you're going to be able to keep pushing yourself.

Create a Personal Development Plan

Bosses manage people. They spend a large proportion of their time working on developing their employees so that the company can grow and reach its goals. You have to do this yourself when you work at home. Take a pen and paper and write down your purpose. Take time out of your busy schedule to periodically ask yourself whether you're happy with how things are going and where you need to improve. Set clear and measurable goals for your own development, with the end result being a better and more efficient you.

A Vision for Your Business

Another important job of the boss is to handle the company's overall plan. Even if you're just a freelancer working on the dining room table, you have to have a business plan. Some questions to ask yourself include:

l  What are you offering?

l  Who will it help?

l  How will it help them?

l  What is your promise to your customers or clients and how are you going to deliver it?

Unfortunately, developing a business plan also means creating a financial plan. This is difficult because most of us aren't good at financial planning, but it's essential that you learn this skill and learn it well.

A Realistic Assessment

Nobody can do everything. When you're your own boss, you have to realistically assess your abilities. Write down all the skills you need to run your business. How good are you at them? Which of them do you know how to do, and which ones do you lack? Should you hire somebody else to handle some of your tasks? Don't try to do everything if you’ll have to spend an unrealistic amount of time learning.

Review Your Progress

Create a plan for reviewing your progress. There are plenty of ways you can do this, but what's most important is simply to have a plan in place. For example, you can measure progress by how many tasks you get done each day. Set milestones where you check to see how your business is coming along and give yourself a performance check. This will show you areas that need improvement.

Give Yourself a Break

All good bosses are forgiving. Be firm and disciplined, but don't be too hard on yourself. Remember that you're only human and you need a day off sometimes. This is a very important part of sustaining a business for the long term.

Tonika

Image is from Pinterest

My Love of High Heel Shoes

There are very few things in a woman's arsenal as powerful as a pair of sexy high heels.The birth of the stiletto in the 1950's ushered in a whole new generation of sophisticated shoes. The craze quickly caught on and high heels eventually became, in my opinion, proof that God does indeed exist.

Whether its a pair of high heeled boots or a sexy sandal, you don't have to have a high heel fetish to appreciate a great pair of shoes.

Rarely is there such a treat that is so good for both sexes. Men appreciate women wearing a sexy pair of heels as much as women enjoy purchasing them. In the battle between the sexes, as far as the high heel is concerned, it is definitely a time of peace for some.

Most women have a secret love affair with shoes whether they admit it or not. A woman's relationship with the high heel shoe may be a bit underdeveloped, but believe me its still there. Inevitably, it is a girl thing. I will also go way out on a limb and contest that the higher the heel, the sexier. A four inch stiletto commands respect. I remember my first pair of Pradas it was love at first sight. I think every woman should indulge themselves to at least one pair of classic designer shoes.

Here's a fun fact.High heels are also reportedly good for your health because they eliminate slouching. I'm also pretty sure that the high heel is the direct cause of many an impromptu bedroom tryst, which I know for a fact is healthy.

There are no drawbacks here people. Men love high heels, women love high heels, and shoe manufacturers love men and women who love high heels.Happy shoe shopping.


Tonika Outerbridge



Image is from Pinterest

What Does a Personal Branding Expert Do?

What Does a personal brand expert Do?

Everyone has a voice via internet and in person. This means that your reputation is more important today than ever before. Since anyone can publish virtually anything about you, you need to proactively monitor and manage your reputation and your image. Many people hire a personal branding expert or image consultant to do this for them.

Why Hire an Expert?

There are several reasons that and individual will hire a personal branding expert to help them with building their personal brand. The main one is that an image consultant is skilled and experienced with creating a strategic plan to obtain the desired image. They're good communicators who understand how to listen to customers well. They also have an in-depth knowledge of how search engines, forums, social media sites, and other online communication channels work.

It takes time to manage your personal brand. It's not something you do once and then forget about. Many people hire someone to handle it for them in order to save time. This is especially true for people who lack the knowledge of how to create the perfect image for their profession.

Assessment and Monitoring

When you hire a personal branding expert, the first thing they'll do is an assessment of both your online and offline reputation. They'll do a series of searches for information about you and your company that affects how your customers see you. Research will be conducted through search engines, review sites, social media sites, blogs, online forums and anywhere else where your market is surfing, reading and talking.

Once an assessment is done, your personal branding expert will create a shopping plan based upon where you want your image to be and will make some recommendations about your hair and make up.

Proactive Reputation Control

Personal branding experts will also suggest ways you can improve your online reputation. This can be done by soliciting good reviews and comments from customers to rebrand your image. If there is plenty of positive content online about you, negative content will have little impact.

Taking Control of Reputation Management

Whether you hire an image consultant or choose to do it yourself, personal brand management is something that should be dealt with immediately, and preferably from the very start of your career. 

Tonika Outerbridge

Image and Style Consultant

Image is from Pinterest

Plan Your Personal Style Makeover for the Year

Goal setting is crucial to finding and improving your personal style. There is simply no other way to produce real lasting change. Look closely at anything you've achieved in your life and you'll discover that there was probably a thoroughly planned and well executed goal behind it. Here are the reasons why goal setting is so important.

Clarity

Goal setting gives you clarity about what you want your personal style to be. Be clear about the the type of style and look that interests you. Find pictures or visit department stores to determine your new image.Most of us have vague desires floating around in our heads. If you don't set down in concrete terms exactly what you want, you'll end up spinning your wheels and getting nothing done. You actually create your goals twice – once in your mind and once later in reality. The clearer the vision in your mind, the easier it is to formulate concrete steps that will get you there.

Responsibility

When you write down your personal style goal and start working toward it, you give yourself a sense of responsibility to see it through. You can easily understand that whether or not you attain your goal has little to do with outside influence and everything to do with your attitude and actions. You can no longer blame others for your failure to get what you want. You become solely accountable.

Action

If you write clear and specific personal style goals it will give you a concrete action plan. Wishing for a new personal image doesn't do this. Just like losing weight, planning to change your look takes an action plan. You know that you have to get started today and take small steps toward your eventual target. An important part of the goal setting process is breaking up your goals into smaller goals and a daily action plan that will get you there. Start creating a shopping list for the next season this will stop you from buying unnecessary items and it will force you to stick to your plan.

Motivation

Without a personal style goal, how do you stay on target, especially when things go wrong? Making daily progress toward your goal through your action plan gives you the motivation to keep going. You can see how far you've come and you know that it would be a shame to turn back. For many people, simply putting your goal into words and getting started is a great motivator. You can also keep a picture journal to see your progress.

Focus

Without laser-sharp focus, you’re unlikely to ever achieve a total makeover. Having a personal style goal and a shopping plan keeps you completely focused on what you need to do in order to make changes. It's much harder to be distracted or led astray by sale items or by impulse shopping. If you set goals, you know exactly where to put your energy to get things done.

One Goal at a Time

Personal goal setting is important but there's a right and wrong way to do it. Like any skill, it's something you need to learn and practice. Most people don't learn from their goal-setting mistakes and they continually struggle to attain the goals they desire. You're motivated and you've got lots of changes you want to make in your life or business, but slow down. Take it one goal at a time. Choose which is most important to you and focus on it. Let the others wait. Once you're in the groove with the first goal, you can think about adding something else. Most of us are too busy to tackle more than one and there's the risk of burning out. Take your time and have fun planning and shopping for the new you!

Tonika Outerbridge Image & Style Consultant