It is important to have a social media presence. For that, LinkedIn continues to be the number one place to get exposure and let the world know your personal brand. However, it does not replace traditional networking. So when you have an opportunity to do face to face events, maximize your presence by ensuring you do the following:

• Own the room with confidence. Have your pitch-who you are and a success story—ready at all times

• Be engaging. Even before you say one word offer a firm handshake and make good eye contact.

• Follow up. Afterwards, connect either by e-mail or phone calls. If possible, meet for coffee or lunch.

• Keep a file of your networking events. This will help you remember names and faces.

Networking can be fun and energizing if you take the attitude you want to learn about folks and what they are involved in. The activity will expand your people knowledge and allow others to get to know you.

A recent article in Men’s Health discussed ties and what they say about the wearer. It confirmed my 22 plus years of experience. I’ve seen that a tie can change a perception about presence. I’ve also noted that ties are on the rise for men in the business casual setting because they set the wearer apart from others. Following are a few guidelines about power ties and business casual ones:

The Power Ties:

• The stripe (rep) in blue, red and burgundy

• The solid tie works well with a pattern or stripe shirt

• The silver or black tie is used mainly for formal events

The Business Casual Ties:

• The print – paisley or flowers

• The plaid pattern in cotton

• The skinny knit

It is best to tie a tie before you buy it. This is so first, you can see if it will tie easily and secondly, when it is tied, you can judge that the length is long enough when it hangs. The tip of the tie should never be shorter than the top of your belt.

You should have at least eight ties in your wardrobe that you can rotate with or without wearing a suit or blazer.

Keep these tips in mind when purchasing ties and you will stand out from others.

A new suit, pair of glasses or a hair style can be a game changer in building your confidence. Here’s an example. Years ago, I was interviewing a client who was referred to me. My role was to help strengthen both her presence and communication style. (I found out later that she was about to be terminated prior to coming to me.)

I spoke with her later after she had become a top producer in her industry. I asked her what made the difference to senior management during her interview years ago. She said the change in her presence and communication style (her new image) gave senior management at the time a reason to allow her to do her thing because she all of a sudden exuded confidence.

Don’t be the person who is always late. Being late lacks professionalism, shows you are not organized and indicates you have little respect for others who are waiting for you. It can be a hard habit to break unless you put in key steps to be on time.

Years ago, I heard someone say that she was always late. I promised myself I would never be that person.

So, I allow at least fifteen minutes in between meetings and set my clocks 10 minutes ahead of time. I am usually fifteen minutes early. This gives me time to get settled and gather my thoughts.

Also, remember that being on time is just as important for social as it is for business events.

In our fast paced environment, listening is a skill that takes patience and the ability to stay focused on the conversation. The biggest challenge is usually allowing the other person to finish their thoughts. I know I have been guilty of interrupting a speaker.

So, my tip is to count to ten to ensure the conversation has finished before you begin. Also, if you have interrupted because you thought the person was finished speaking, immediately apologize and let the other person complete his or her thought.

When you interrupt you may not hear that golden nugget of information critical to the solving the problem or miss learning something important.

When you smile the whole world smiles too.

• The average woman smiles 62 times per day.
• The average man smiles 8 times a day.
• 63 percent of people say they look best in photos when they are showing their teeth.
• 99.7 percent of adults say an attractive smile is an important personal asset.
• 74 percent of people say that an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for business or career success.
• 23 percent of people say they look best with their mouth closed.

Just recently I was completely surprised and completely caught off guard when given an award. In cases like this often, you hear folks either ramble on and on or go completely blank.

These are the keys to saying a few brief but impactful comments:

1. Take the time to walk up to the stage. This gives you an opportunity to collect your thoughts.

2. Share a story or a fact that will honor the award. For example, you might mention how the organization impacted you.

3. Give thanks to those responsible for you receiving the honor.

Remember these critical elements and you will always give a heartfelt, appreciative and graceful speech.

In a recent Chicago Tribune, Rex Huppke’s column addressed the value of being a nice person. In today’s work environment where results are critical there never seems to be enough time for niceties. This includes small talk such as how the family is doing or did you enjoy your vacation?

It has been proven may times that just taking a minute or two eases the way before we dive into everyday business work issues. Also, when giving feedback, be inclusive. The main goal is to strengthen social skills not tear them down.

A prized quality of a stellar reputation is being thought of as fair and nice.

Men’s fashions used to change every eight years. Today they change annually. What has been recently happening with men’s shirts in the business casual environment is that the senior men have been moving away from polo shirts (golf style) to oxford or pin point shirts.

Golf shirts are worn on the golf course or in a very casual environment. The days when they were business casual are pretty much over.

Another shift over the last few years has been the replacement of the button down collar with the classic pinpoint dress shirt sans button-down collar. However, in the Midwest, the button down collar is very popular in certain industries. So, for men I recommend you mix up your shirt choices. Choose colored and pattern fabric button down collar shirts for casual days.

Often, women make the mistake of either defining or not defining their eyebrows. This has been the subject of some of my blog postings. Just recently, I was involved in a program providing one on one counsel for high potential women. The second most discussed topic was the appropriate shape and color of eyebrows.

For men it was completely different. Most men had thick eyebrows. I noticed that the thicker the eyebrow the more one became engaged and listened to these folks.

Also, look at some celebrities. For example, Chris Pine (he was recently in in This Means War) has these amazing eyebrows. They draw you in as he speaks. So, take a look at your eyebrows. Do they capture your eyes so folks are drawn in to listen to every word you say or not?