Dear Friends,

I'm a linkedIn Luddite.

Like many people I just collect friends, colleagues, and acquaintances on LinkedIn and don't do anything with them. All that is about to change for me since I met Chris Muccio. Chris is giving me hands on-lessons on how to improve my profile and you can watch the process through my examiner.com columns. 

I'm taking little steps each lesson so my brain doesn't get too full. I have a low tolerance for technology.

See the first one here.

I have a feeling a whole new world will open up for me. Another world already has....the world of Aikido. I'm now taking classes in the Iwama Style of Aikido with Hans Goto, the Sensei, the Japanese title of respect and honor for the teacher, at Bay Marin Aikido http://www.baymarinaikido.com in my hometown of San Rafael, California. It's a joyful and frustrating experience being a beginner.

No, that's putting it kindly. I'm a total spaz who is also a microscopically slow learner. In every class there are moments when I feel elated and defeated. I often hear myself saying, "How am I ever going to learn this? There are so many steps and so much to remember." It's a great reminder to me of the value of consistent practice. Something I think many of us forget when practicing PR and in our media interviews.

After each session I review the katas -- basic movements -- in my mind and look to remember what I did well and what I could improve. Right now the first half of my review is quite short and the second half quite long. With time I look forward to reversing that dynamic. The one thing that Hans Goto demonstrates beautifully in each lesson is how he embodies what he teaches. He is both relaxed and precise. Contained and expansive. Focused and flexible. He's a great model not just for Aikido, but for how to live.

I'll keep you posted on my progress and I hope you'll keep me posted on yours. I'm consistently looking for people to profile in my examiner.com column so if you have strategies, successes and tips to share please send them on.

Warmly,

Susan

P.S. I'm doing several teleclasses this month -- which I haven't done for some time -- so please join me if you like. See below for details.

P.S.S. I'm building our community for The Cosmic Mending Kit. We have over 40 members so far and would love to count you as one of them. We are a group that is creating art and beauty and peace of mind through our ongoing effortlessness. Check it out ....

LinkedIn: How to Polish Your Profile for PR, Connections, Clients, & Jobs

There are currently 37 million people on LinkedIn with a projected 70 million users by end of calendar year. Chris Muccio LinkedIn expert told me that there were many subtle things LinkedIn members can do so people can find them. There is also a strategy to get connected so they can achieve their goals. Which brings us to his first question. What do you want to use LinkedIn for exactly? Knowing your objective will then drive how you create and manage your profile and how you interact with other LinkedIn users.

It will also dictate your strategy. More about that in another column.

The real opportunity for LinkedIn users is how to leverage their connections and profile for business. In essence you're setting up a 24 hour persona. We're not just looking at the return on investment (ROI) with social media, explains Muccio. We're also examining the impact of relationships (IOR). This includes generating awareness, credibility, a path of participation and making subtle tweaks to build a foundation for relationships.

Muccio and I decided that we'd make my profile an ongoing case study -- perhaps the first one of it's kind. So this will be a first in a series for my LinkedIn make-over.

For my profile Muccio recommended I make some small tweaks that would have big impact. We started with some of the easiest as I have a low tolerance for technology. For some of you these changes might seem too basic or obvious, but for me, a LinkedIn Luddite, they were a revelation.

Change #1.
Muccio informed me that the "Specialties" area of my profile is best used for...Read the rest here.

Create a Successful Training Program Free Teleclass with Christy Whitman

Join me and Christy Whitman, best-selling author, certified law of attraction coach, and CEO and founder of The Quantum Success Coaching Academy. Christy is considered one of the top experts on Law of Attraction. She created a wildly successful certification program and filled it up using processes that are unique to her aspect of Law of Attraction. If you want to know what Christy did to apply the Law of Attraction and sold out her coaching academy during these tough economical times, you don't want to miss this call.

Here's what we'll cover and why you don't want to miss this call:

• The formula for a successful training program

• Why it is so important to position yourself as the expert in your field

• The first steps to getting started on creating a successful training program (yes, you have to take action with the Law of Attraction).

• Successful framework, not just hopeful thinking

• Three things you need to succeed in creating any product or service

• How to get people eager to join your program and sell out every time.

• How to get affiliates to want to promote your product, so they can't say no.

• How to Law of Attraction and the Law of Abundance & Sufficiency plays an important role in the success of your training program. It is not what you think.

Date: April 14
Time: 4 pm PST / 7 pm EST
Length: 60 minutes
Register Free: http://www.christywhitman.com/harrow

Do PR 20 Times Faster: Free Teleclass with Don Mitchell & Susan Harrow

Just about everyone I know wishes their PR would take hold faster.

What if I told you that it's possible not to do it just faster, but 20 times faster?

Join me and Donald Mitchell, considered by the media to be one of the most influential thinkers in the world, about how to do everything 20 times faster and less expensively, on how you can use the advertising and PR spending of celebrities, movie studios, best-selling authors, television shows, major companies, and billionaires to attract twenty times more customers and supporters to your business or nonprofit organization at no cost. He is the founder and chairman of the 400 Year Project to advance human progress 20 times faster.

He's also the author or coauthor of seven books related to the project, and the number one reviewer of nonfiction books in the world. As an Amazon.com Top 10 reviewer over 7 million people a year read what he has to say and make decisions affecting billions of people based on those views. Authors donate thousands of dollars to charity every year just to obtain one of his precious reviews.

You will learn how to:

• Strategically use other people's money to pay for your publicity campaign.

• Use powerful tools at amazon.com like lists, guides, comments and your profile to grow your business astronomically.

• Access a hidden secret to easily become a leading expert in your field.

• Employ unusual strategies to create and dominate a niche market.

• Become a thought leader in your field--even if you're unknown.

• Use your bio to attract clients and sales.

• Be an instant influencer through the products and services you recommend.

Date: April 29
Time: 10 am PST / 1 pm EST
Length: 90 minutes
Register here: http://prsecrets.com/teleclasses/DonMitchell.html

P.S. When you register you'll get access to Don's Free ebook with some of his best insider secrets.

Market Yourself Like A Media Pro with Be The Media (by David Mathison)

Renowned media consultant and author David Mathison has interviewed the equivalent of a who's who of new media experts in this essential guide to the "personal media renaissance."

Before now, publishing books, music and film required years of education and the expensive assistance of publishers, labels, studios, distributors and lawyers.

No longer. Today, artists, entrepreneurs and savvy business people can leverage low-cost tools and new methods of distribution to connect with their audience directly, and keep more of their royalties and rights.

This book covers everything from how to blog and podcast to the ins-and-outs of social networking and Internet syndication. Specific chapters help authors, musicians, filmmakers, and journalists.

When you get Be The Media you'll gain access to $10,000 in Bonus Gifts provided by over 100 media experts.

==========================================
Services I Highly Recommend
==========================================

Many people ask me about the services I use and trust. The businesses below are a few of my partners or companies that provide services and products that I rely on that truly work.

I recommend them without pause. Please explore them to find out if they are right for you.

VIRAL VIDEO MARKETING: It doesn't pay to spend your time submitting your videos manually. Instead submit your video using automation simply and easily. You get 100 submissions per month to 35+ top video sites, 12 social bookmarking communities and numerous blogs, blog Directories and podcast directories. This service has already saved us dozens of hours of time and put our videos at the top of the search engine rankings. 30-Day Free Trial. http://snipurl.com/2jdga

PRESSKIT 247: Both an online database where journalists and producers find you when they're searching for experts and your online press kit where all of your press materials including audio and video are instantly available to the media. Get listed here and to increase your media appearances and expand your business: http://snipurl.com/1a2he

OUR SHOPPING CART: I use a shopping cart system called 1shoppingcart for online transactions, autoresponders, my affiliate program and tracking links. This shopping cart is the most widely used one by successful entrepreneurs and online marketers. You can trial it here: http://snipurl.com/1c8uz

THE WEB SITE TOOLKIT: "This is a complete tutorial and guide (written and audio) on creating an effective professional service business web site," says Robert Middleton, the creator. This is a best, most organized and comprehensive system that I've found to guide you through writing the copy and organizing the content for your website. Included are resources and directions for writing, design and technical requirements. Hundreds of people have used Middleton's methods to develop sites that attract the clients they want:
http://snipurl.com/1c8vb

EZINE MARKETING: Using an E-zine like mine is one of the fastest and easiest things you can do to promote your business. To learn how to create yours so it works for you and gets you ongoing results I suggest taking a look at Alexandria Brown's complete manual on marketing with your E-zine: E-zine: http://snipurl.com/1c8vf

THE INFOMERCIAL TOOLKIT: Online videos are the wave of the future. Your clients or customers may be all over the world, but they can meet you quickly right on your site. Sell your products and services, demo new ideas or just give people a small taste of what it's like to do business with you: http://snipurl.com/1cbd8

PRLEADS: This is the best deal on the planet. The only complaint my clients have lodged about it is "I wish I would have done it sooner". You respond to reporters and producers queries for comments and insights on stories they're working in your area of expertise and then get quoted in the media instantly: http://snipurl.com/w9xy

THE SEDONA METHOD: Order your free two-hour introductory Sedona Method DVD and introductory CD or tape and learn to instantly release uncomfortable or unwanted feelings on the spot. Whether it's fear of speaking, becoming a more public person, losing weight, or letting go of stress, or past issues or trauma, this will help you achieve your goals effortlessly and with great joy.  http://snipr.com/1n6ki

Come Meet Me

Anywhere in the World
Create a Successful Training Program Free Teleclass with Christy Whitman
Date: April 14
Time: 4 pm PST / 7 pm EST
Length: 60 minutes
Register Free: http://www.christywhitman.com/harrow

Anywhere in the World
Do PR 20 Times Faster: Free Teleclass with Don Mitchell & Susan Harrow
Date: April 29
Time: 10 am PST / 1 pm EST
Length: 90 minutes
Register Free: http://prsecrets.com/teleclasses/DonMitchell.html

Anywhere in the World
Exceptional Wisdom Radio
How to use sound bites to double or triple your business
http://snipurl.com/4zqk5

Anywhere in the World
Chat with Women
Love Oprah, Want to promote your business-find out how!
http://snipurl.com/4zqk5

Anywhere in the World
The Dr. Pat Show
A conversation about all things publicity
http://snipurl.com/4zqk5

Anywhere in the World
The Art of Blowing Your Own Horn
Indie Business Radio
http://snipurl.com/4zqk5

Anywhere in the World
Authors Access
Get a 6 Figure Book Advance: Before You Write Your Book
http://snipurl.com/4zqk5

Anywhere in the World
Q&A to Get on Oprah & Other TV Talk Shows Teleclass
1 hour
Download it at no charge at: http://snipurl.com/38obn

Anywhere in the World
Get a 6 Figure Book Advance Teleclass
1 hour
Download it at no charge at: http://snipurl.com/38obf

Anywhere in the World
Become a 60 Second Sound Bite Genius
(For Pitching, Producer calls, Networking or Presentations)
1 hour
Download it at no charge at: http://snipurl.com/38oav

For further schedule information and course descriptions please vis.it: http://snipurl.com/38ob4

Quote

Hidden in any misfortune is good fortune.

~ Tao Te Ching, verse 58