Rules of Engagement: Lessons Learned

bybobrseno

768 followers

Updated 7 years ago

A True Beginner

It’s been quite a ride for me since October 18th, 2017. That’s the date I began a Premium membership at Wealthy Affiliate. My initial intention was to build an online presence to promote my network marketing business to a wider audience.

I came into this endeavor with some computer skills however, no real experience with online marketing or building websites. My professional life was not career-minded as I spent a total of 32 years performing mostly production work in manufacturing and 10 years of tractor-trailer operation, mostly in the New England area.

Suffice it to say, I did not come into this with a head full of knowledge! I have had my share of ups and downs, moments of clarity and moments of frustration. If you started as a true newbie like me, I can almost see you nodding your head in agreement. Such is the stuff of learning anything new.

A Lesson Learned

Of all the lessons I’ve had the privilege of learning, from “building” websites to the art of writing good content, I would consider the “rules of engagement” to be one of the most important. Allow me to “engage” you right now and explain what I mean by “rules”.

First of all, this post is not about rules, per se, but rather about patterns of behavior; Patterns that can and will play a role in our future success. These patterns of behavior are merely the things we do or don’t do when interacting with other people.

A lot of importance is placed upon creating and developing your “brand”; everything from choosing a niche to website design to attracting an audience through valuable content. All these and more are important, for sure. However, I wish to put the spotlight on engagement and interaction with others and what it has to do with “branding”.

What did I get myself into?

When I first started at Wealthy Affiliate I very quickly became aware of this amazing community we are part of. First, I received a message from Kyle which I found interesting. Why would the owner of this company bother to “engage” me? Then, someone else welcomed me to the community and I thought, “Oh no, what did I get myself into?!” “You mean, I’ll have to interact with people as I try to learn this stuff?”

You see, I’m an introvert at heart and interaction with others is not my strong suit. Don’t get me wrong, I like people and can socialize with the best of them. Introverts find that social interaction drains their energy and so they evaluate the worth of the interaction carefully. Within a few short days though, I not only started to get use to the communication, I was discovering the value in the relationships I was building and the value of giving and receiving help. I find this important because I believe many of those who wish to build an online business may not necessarily wish to build relationships. Yet, relationships at some level are inherently part of any business.

The way I see it, Wealthy Affiliate is a microcosm of the internet community and as we’re learning to engage here, we’re learning to engage and interact in our business world, as well. You can know how to do things and have systems and tools at your disposal, but if you don’t know how to interact with people those skills and tools are for nothing. Why? Because, it’s all about them, not you!

Personal Branding

OK, so what does engagement and interaction have to do with “branding”? Well, it depends on what you consider branding to be. I’m referring to personal branding. I consider personal branding to be the image or persona you are presenting to the world. I’m finding that personal branding is just as important as business branding.

This is the lesson I find so important: As we engage in business we must consider the total image we present. We cannot be complacent or satisfied to hide behind a computer and expect our target audience to trust us.

So, what are the Rules of Engagement?

These 7 items are not an exhaustive list. Consider these points at the very least and add to them as you identify areas in your life, personality and behavior that need changing or improvement.

1) Please, identify yourself!
Are you a real person? If so, then prove it!
Let’s talk Profile pictures, for example. This should include profile photos and any avatars that identify you; from your profile here at Wealthy Affiliate to any Social Media platform you engage in.
Consider using a photo of yourself that is:
Clear (not “grainy” or unfocused)
Presentable: the idea here is to present an image of a person others can trust. It does not have to be a professional head shot. In a time where every phone has a decent camera, this should be very possible. My profile picture was taken by a smart phone at my nephew’s wedding. I cropped it in order to use it for this purpose and I use it in other profile applications, too. (I think it’s a good example of “presentable”, if I do say so myself!)

2) Please, present yourself!
What persona are you presenting?a) Image
Although I just touched on the photographic aspect of image, this sub-point has to do with your persona. Your Profile should include a BRIEF biography. It doesn’t have to be overtly personal and probably shouldn’t be. (No one wants to know you had a Gall Bladder operation; can anyone say TMI?) Do include a BRIEF current status of F.O.R.M. (family, occupation, recreation and motivation) and a BRIEF description of your goals.

Your persona will be most important when dealing with the “public”, potential customers and clients (generally speaking, our target audience).

Remember, everything we do at Wealthy Affiliate can be considered a “dress rehearsal” for what we do online. Try different things out to see what works or doesn’t work. Here we can get valuable feedback and insight on how to improve.

(Note: If someone’s opinion doesn’t match the vision of what you have in mind, disregard it and move on. Opinions are like noses, everybody’s got one! So, evaluate accordingly.)

b) Grooming
While it is important to practice good hygiene at all times (even if you’re working your home-based business in your PJ’s), I am referring to grooming our image to reflect the level of trust and respect we want from those around us, especially in business.

If your image is that of a “ragamuffin” then you can expect the level of trust and respect that that gets you. Do not let your grooming distract from your message.

c) Profile
You will be building your profile over time as you proceed. What you were when you started your online business and presence will change.

I have been updating all my profiles online (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) to reflect my marketing business endeavors. I’m doing what I can to promote myself as a marketer and blogger. As such, I have to “own” that identity. The point is made in the training provided here at Wealthy Affiliate of becoming an “authority” in your niche. As we present our websites, blogs and posts, reviews and comparisons to our internet audience, my hope is that we intentionally build that authority and our online presence by purposefully following these rules of engagement. Let’s show the world we’re serious about what we’re doing!

3) Please, be helpful!
Being helpful is one of the wonderful aspects of our line of work. We should consider having a mindset that is so wrapped up in being helpful that we hardly think of the profits it will earn us. We can develop a pattern of behavior where we give not expecting anything in return yet trusting we will receive everything we need.

Consider this quote from Zig Ziglar: “You will have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want.” Food for thought!

4) Please, be respectful and kind!
This will cost you nothing. DO IT when it’s easy; DO IT when it’s hard; but by all means, DO IT! ‘Nuff said.

5) Please, be friendly!
This, also, will cost you nothing. I’ve often wondered about people who go around calling even acquaintances “friend” until I started doing it. When I consider someone a friend, I treat them as a friend. It’s pretty simple, really.

Also, for that new profile picture you’re going to use, how about using one where you’re smiling… It’ll be a nice touch and might, just might cause people to think you’re friendly!

6) Please, be yourself, honestly!
The point of all this advice is not to create a false persona but rather the best you that is in line with your business objectives. If you want people to do business with you then present yourself to them in a way that exemplifies attributes they can trust.

7) Please, sign off!
If your username does not really identify you, then consider signing off on all your correspondence. Simply signing off with your first name can go a long way. In a forum as large as Wealthy Affiliate, other members may not be able to remember everyone’s first name. Signing off can be part of your branding strategy. Like this:

All the best to you,

~Bob

Conclusion

My hope is that we learn and grow to such an extent that others see the attributes of integrity, confidence and service. When people hear our names, our reputations will speak for us: trustworthy, competent, friend, etc.

None of us is perfect but we can and should hone our behaviors to create a better opportunity for success. Our income is relying on it.

Ask yourself, “What one thing can I change today that will help create the outcomes that I desire?” Then, go for it! Make that change happen and you’ll see results in how people approach you.

Please Comment and Share!

If you found this helpful, please like and leave a comment with your thoughts. Also, consider sharing this link with others who might be new to online business if you think it would be a benefit to them.

And now… to sign off…

All the best to you,

~Bob