Keep entries and comments on other sites up-to-date. If you have spent the time and effort to place entries and comments in newsgroups and other sites, you will need to find a way to track when you placed the information. As you are probably quite aware, information can get dated very quickly, and once your data and information is posted for longer than a week, it is considered old news no matter how valuable you think it is. You must keep on top of the entries and keep them fresh. You do not want to be in the situation where you become the bottom of the list and people are reading responses from your competitors. In order to facilitate that process, here are three steps to help you along. First, when placing an entry, record that information into a spreadsheet. You may use Excel or any other spreadsheet. You must then record the URL (site address), the date of the entry, the title and the comment you made. Second, you will need to sort your list daily or weekly by the date. Make sure the oldest entry floats to the top of the list. You will then go to the link that you have placed in the spreadsheet and see where you can add other information or simply update your entry. The update does not have to be lengthy; you may only want to change a few words or a date. Third, once you have updated the information or added another piece of content, update your spreadsheet with a new date and the changes you made. Always make sure you know what you have on everyone's site! Following-up shows that you have the expertise stated. It also shows that you have a genuine interest in what is happening with the newsgroup. When you are updating, do not advertise your services! Only give out more advice and a way to contact you. |
