Networking / 10 posts found
Professional Relationships: 4 Executive Tips to Improve Your Marketing Success
Learn how to build professional relationships that don’t just open doors — but blow them wide open. Building strong professional relationships is your secret weapon for marketing success. The right connections can open you up to new ideas, reveal valuable opportunities, and give you the insights you need to solve tough problems. As Kieran and I discuss in a recent episode of Marketing Against the Grain, however, building impactful relationships takes more than just attending networking events and exchanging business cards. So how do you find the people who can truly elevate your game? And how do you actively add […]
What is Career Cushioning? Why You Might Want to Try It in 2024
As I started writing this article about career cushioning, I couldn’t help but wonder … am I a career cushion-er? I have a side hustle (shoutout to CKTL Candle Co.). But it technically only “counts” if I’m using that side hustle as a sense of security in case I lose my day job as HubSpot’s Marketing Blog Editor. That’s what the concept of career cushioning is all about — and a lot of people are doing it in 2024. Table of Contents What is career cushioning? Why Career Cushioning is Hot Right Now Should you start career cushioning? How to […]
40 Inspired Business Card Designs Too Useful to Throw Away
If you network a lot, you likely have dozens of business cards in different bags, pockets, and wallets. But when you’re looking for something about the same size and thickness as a business card? It becomes clear how alike most business cards have come to look. As a company rep or prospective employee, you need to stand out from the pile. So, we’ve gathered business card examples based on insights from marketing managers, recruiters, and decision-makers to help. 5 Good Business Card Examples To Help Get You Started 12 Business Cards for Company Reps 12 Business Cards for Prospective Employees […]
Professional Email Address: How to Create One [+ Examples]
News flash — your email address from high school won’t cut it in the real world. Even if “baseballbro25@aim.com” is a reminder for your athletic years, it’s not a professional email address and can result in your email being ignored. That said, there’s probably at least one person who has the same name as you, so the email address with just your first and last name is most likely taken by now. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can choose a business email address that any recruiter or hiring manager would consider professional. How to Create a Business […]
17 Events and Conferences for Black Entrepreneurs in 2023
Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success. It can feel isolating if you’re the only one in the room who looks like you. Meeting peers and mentors with a unique understanding of your lived experience and business roadblocks can help you connect the dots needed to grow your business and community. However, finding spaces for this […]
10 Events and Conferences for LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs
Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success. LGBTQ+ people often face higher rates of isolation and discrimination, meaning that this community can especially benefit from gatherings that foster support and connection. This is especially true for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and professionals, as finding opportunities to learn from people who share similar life experiences can be challenging. […]
5 Networking Tips for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
Running your own business can be a great career choice for people living with long-term disability or health condition. This may relate, in part, to the increased flexibility around working hours that self-employment brings. Working for oneself can also promote a sense of being a master of one’s destiny and not having to contend with misconceptions and discriminatory attitudes from others that are often encountered while job hunting. For entrepreneurs of any background, business networking, be this receiving the support and advice of others, identifying collaborative opportunities, or expanding the customer base, remains an essential undertaking. Unfortunately, as in almost […]
17 Great Conversation Starters to Break the Ice at Networking Events
With fall on its way, the countdown to September’s INBOUND 2019 event is in full-swing. Every year, thousands of marketers and their peers gather to learn, inspire, and network. That last one — networking — gets a lot of us pretty excited. After all, it’s how 85% of people say they’ve landed a job. And personally, if I’m really into an event and I’m feeling super energetic, I love to network. But I don’t always feel so peppy. Then what? Sometimes, we have to fall back on an arsenal of conversation starters. It helps to spark a discussion, even when […]
How to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation in 2020 [Quick Tip]
When you get a recommendation from someone you respect and admire, you may feel honored and want to return the favor. But figuring out how to write a LinkedIn recommendation that is specific, honest, succinct, and helpful isn’t easy. Most people get stuck. You might not know how to start or what to say. But with some simple templates and tips, you’ll be writing stellar testimonials on LinkedIn for your favorite people. Keep reading to learn how to write a LinkedIn recommendation. Then check out some recommendation examples and a quick recommendation letter template. You can use these tools to […]
How to Network Effectively: 10 Tips You Can Start Using Today
“Networking” is a buzzword that many of us have a serious love/hate relationship with. Whether you’re trying to develop your personal career or forge new business relationships, making offline, personal connections has become even more critical as online social networking becomes the norm. This guide will help you navigate those uncomfortable face-to-face networking situations, so the next time you step into a room of potential connections, you’ll feel ready to dive right into relationship-building conversations. Network before job searching. Come prepared with a clear goal in mind. Have some conversation starters ready. Introduce yourself to someone more experienced. Ask people […]