Chris Morales Online Profile - Week 1 Update

I'm week 1 into this 8 week program to improve my online reputation and Page 1 of Google search for my name, 'Chris Morales'.  See last week's post, 'Your Reputation Precedes You'. Here's where I am after 1 week:  

• Online Reputation still mostly 'Neutral'.  
• No Images showing
• Page 1 Search Results improving:  
• 3 results
• Website now showing above the fold

 Here's what I did over the past week:

• 'Cleaned up' my personal website, chrismorales.ca 
• Added a photo
• Added key words related to my business experience
• Created an about.me profile, morales.chris
• Edited my Google My Business profile
• Removed previous business acronym, 'MMG' and replaced with my name, 'Chris Morales'
• Added photograph

For the next week, week 2 I'll be working on the following two online profiles as recommended in the article, How to improve your personal reputation:

1. Clean up and update my YouTube Channels
2. My Twitter profile (alt tags and key words)

 Chris Morales

Your Reputation Precedes You

Back in the day people checked references.  Employers, prospective clients asked for 2 - 3 references to check background, reliability, character.  Fast forward: Now you are just a click away from giving up all the information about yourself that you've shared online:

• Online search results
• Social Media profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (to name the Big 4)
• Google Reviews (and every other 5 star online review site)

In my case, here's what comes up when I search my name, 'Chris Morales':

These search results are generally positive for my Employment position:

• Position #2, 7 and 8...all above the Fold
• LinkedIn is prioritized...this makes sense since I spend the bulk of my energy on curating my profile
• My Part-time Teaching position in at #8 is a surprise...I don't actively promote this...I think it is a function of the high traffic volume on the George Brown College website (and interest in the Continuing Education Courses)

There are no negative results.  My Online Reputation would appear to be 'Neutral'.  What are the things I could do to edge it toward 'Positive'?  A little research led me to this excellent blog post, How to improve your Personal Online Reputation.  Here are the top 4 tips:

1. Create online profiles and optimize them for SEO
2. Get your own personal website
3. Start blogging
4. Increase your click-trough rate by setting up the Google Authorship Markup

I already have a personal website and have been blogging for years.  What confuses the Search Engines though is that I have multiple online profiles.  Some that conflict with my name, 'Chris Morales' and thus reduce my profile and dilute the sentiment.

What I want is to have a positive online reputation and dominate the page 1 search results.  Over the next 8 weeks I'll be applying the tips above.  I'll be posting updates about the results and sharing my learning.

Onwrds to improved online reputation!

Chris Morales

Thrive in the Gig Economy

Don't survive, thrive in the Gig Economy!

Just about everyone has a 'side hustle'.  A part-time job, a web business or consulting gig.  Other than the part-time job, success depends on generating qualified leads.  Then turning those leads into customers.  That takes selling skills.

While teaching over the past 3 years at George Brown College in the Continuing Education Program (Part-time of course), I've observed that no matter the course, Students crave three skills:

1. How to think like an Entrepreneur.  In this particular GBC course, 'Entrepreneurship', they learn how to look for unfulfilled market opportunities then develop a venture that satisfied that need.  They could be inventing something all new but more often it's providing a service just a little bit better than someone else.
2. Business Operation skills.  How do I set up my business?  What's a Balance Sheet?  How do use Cash Flow projections?  These are the things covered in the Small Business course at GBC.
3. Sales skills.  Not everyone will have 'Sales' in their job descriptions but these students want to learn how to sell better.  Most often, how to sell themselves!  In the Professional Selling GBC Course, they learn Trust-based, Relationship Selling strategies and techniques focused on solving their customers problems.

Taken all together,  these are the essential skills needed to thrive in business, and especially in the Gig Economy!

For more information and details on the 4 hour Sales Training Workshop for your Team or Organization, contact me at chris@chrismorales.ca

Selling: Not just for Salespeople

Everybody hates Salespeople. And many salespeople go to extreme lengths to hide their job descriptions. Think 'Account Executive'!

The stereotype of the pushy salesperson: The one who won't take no for an answer, the one who stretches the truth follows salespeople around like a lingering odour. Commission Salespeople seem to be the worst...we perceive them as particularly predatory, concerned about their conquests over prospects. Think 'Hunter Mentality'.

I started my career as a full commission sales rep at a radio station at the depths of a major recession. My training lasted 30 seconds: 'Here's the phone book...start making calls!' I lasted 4 years...a feat I've never tried to duplicate. In every 'sales job' since then the window of time I've dedicated to making it work has shrunk to the point where now I won't entertain a position with selling in the job description.

But here's the rub: I'm selling all the time! In my second career in Account Management at Advertising Agencies and my third in Marketing Management in Client companies, I'm selling every day. Ideas, Strategies, Programs, Events...everything related to getting the word out about a product or service. And I love it...thrive on it actually! Now I'm at the point where I'm teaching professional selling at a Community College in Toronto.

If you're asking how the heck that happened, you're not alone. Some days I even have trouble understanding how me, a non-salesperson, loves selling. The answer lies here: Uncover a buyer's needs, figure out what benefits are important to them, provide solutions, engage with them ongoing. This style of selling has a name: 'Trust-based, Relationship Selling'.

People respond well to Relationship Selling. When they find that person who looks out for their needs, they remain fiercely loyal to the company and brand. Example: I'm now loyal to a small men's boutique after a recent experience I had in updating my wardrobe. The Owner took the time to get to know me and curated a few high quality pieces. More expensive than the outlet stores but fitted to my body type and needs. I'm now fiercely loyal and don't think twice about shopping there for all my clothes...right down to T Shirts and Jeans! He didn't sell me anything...just solved my needs.

I love solving problems. Tell me what your desired outcome is and I'll find a way to get your there. Call it what you will...that's the true nature of 'Salesmanship'.

~~~~~~~

Sales Training for the Rest of Us Workshop