by Aliza Sherman

You've probably been hearing about Twitter this year as you were hearing about Facebook last year and blogs the year before. But when you're focused on company, can social media really help you get down to business? The answer is absolutely, if you are strategic and focused.

Here are some smart ways you as a businesswoman can use social media to enhance your communications, marketing and networking efforts.

1. Join a professional social network to network for business. The word "social" in social network can lead you to believe that people join social networks only to socialize on a personal network. Many people, however, use social networks to strengthen their business networks. To stay focused on business, you can join a more professional network such as LinkedIn or BizNik, or you can get business networking benefits from a social space like Facebook if you connect with professionals and conduct yourself in a business-like manner on the site.

2. Blog to build your brand. Blogging allows you to control your content and publish it more easily than on a traditional web site. People go to blogs to read current content but also to follow the blogger. A blog can let your personality shine through and also convey your depth and breadth of expertise in your chosen field. Keep your posts focused on topics that strengthen your brand and reputation and that showcase the work you do.

3. Tweet to expand your reach. Twitter can be used in several ways to grow your following and expand your audience. First, you can link your blog to your Twitter account so when you blog, it automatically adds a link to the new blog post to your Twitter page. This is a helpful feature so you don't have to go to Twitter to repost information. But don't just rely on auto-tweets to bring your Twitter account to life. Tweet links to the interesting articles you are reading or other content you've written and published online. Respond in helpful ways to your followers is they pose questions you can answer. Retweet what other people share on Twitter if you find it particularly interesting or valuable. Again, keep a focus on what image you are trying to project and the following you are trying to engage.

To participate in social media, you don't have to be looking for a date. You can seek - and find - strategic business partners, new clients, talented people to hire, interesting content to consume, and other business-oriented activities. Don't underestimate the power of social media for your professional life.

How are you using social media tools for business?

by Gina Blitstein

A recent Wall Street Journal article, Opportunity Knocks and Uncle Sam is at the Door, reports, "Since the federal government has a goal of awarding 23% of contracting dollars to small businesses each year, and state and local agencies have individual small business goals as well, the time is ripe for small businesses to start selling to the government." It is encouraging to know that these opportunities exist - and even more plentifully within the economic stimulus plan - to augment small business growth. Yes, small businesses really can and do get these government contracts.

Lynn Sutton, founder of Kairos Consulting Worldwide, has discovered this for a fact. This is a success story, the story of how a Chicago-based management consulting firm landed a $1.26 million one-year contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Here's how Kairos did it. First, some specific background on the contract.

Lynn explains, "The Navy is preparing to transition their warehousing and distribution functions to the Defense Logistics Agency. Kairos was contracted to facilitate that transition. Our consultants are the project managers for the Navy, conducting assessments of the existing sites, gathering data, and facilitating the transition of resources."

Lynn says that she first heard of the opportunity to work with the Government when another woman business owner in a complimentary field brought it to her attention. Preparations were made to get the business poised to go for the contract. This included becoming certified as a women-and minority-owned business. This certification assures the government that your firm is indeed owned by a demographic with which they may be seeking to do business. Lynn joined industry-specific associations, networked with others in her field who often did business with the government, and even sought out the advice of a competitor about her experiences working with government agencies.

Lynn was fortunate that the process in Kairos' case took only about 8 weeks from initial introduction to signed contract. She credits the introducing firm's experience, insight and guidance for facilitating the process. She says, "My advice would be to team with other firms first so that they can guide you through the process."

The next step was identifying and securing the right resources to work with the government. According to Lynn, Kairos got the contract because of a couple solid strategies:

• We were able to put together a program team that combined Change Management experience with Supply Chain expertise. Says Lynn, "The consultants on our team each have more than 25 years of supply chain management or change management experiencewith the Navy/Department of Defense."
  
• We were able to pull in resources with substantial experience in the target areas of work. Lynn says, "Our consultants are well-versed in the broader Department of Defense initiatives, as well as the specific requirements within the regions. This put the Kairos team in position to hit the ground running.

Lynn says that going through the process was an education. "I came to understand how government contracting works. I also have a better appreciation for the specific differences between government contracting and consulting in the private sector. There are several nuances (differences) both in the contracting process and the execution of the contract.

Lynn recommends contracting with the government as a way to propel your business forward. "There is great opportunity and need for more small business in the federal government sector. I have found that in addition to providing a great service, it has been very beneficial in growing my business." It seems that partnering with the government can help the economy as well as your bottom line; a real win-win situation.

By Gina Blitstein

Mentorship can have many faces. There are formal mentorships where you either seek a mentor or a mentor seeks you through a program specifically designed to match up beneficial relationships. Then there are more casual mentorships which develop naturally and spontaneously which are of different - yet equal - benefit to their participants.

Here is the story of one such casual - yet meaningful - mentorship between two dynamos, Selena Cuffe and Lillian Lambert.

Lillian Lambert is Harvard Business School's first black woman graduate. In the course of her career, Lillian built her Centennial One, Inc. into a $20 million empire. Selena Cuffe is President and CEO of Heritage Link Brands, the first company to import and distribute black-produced African wines and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School herself.

These two businesswomen met three years ago at a Harvard Business School conference. It was there that the two successful women struck up a relationship based upon the commonalities of family and career. Soon they developed a casual mentor/protege relationship revolving around their mutual experiences managing the roles of business owner and mother.

Through her interaction with Lillian, Selena says she has learned these lessons which are proving vital to her success by keeping her focused in her career and life:

• Make family as much a priority as business. Lillian says from experience you can have success in both so long as one doesn't overshadow the other.
  
• Reach out for help and guidance. No one can do everything alone. Get the help you need to succeed.
  
• Always remain down to Earth, no matter the scope of your success. Remember everyone is human - even you!

Lillian taught Selena these lessons by her graceful example, giving generously of her time and experience. She provides a sounding board for Selena's ideas and advice for her problems. Her insights are credible to Selena because she has been there, working a business and raising a family...and doing it with great aplomb! Lillian has inspired Selena with the trail she blazed over 35 years ago. Thanks to the path she and many courageous others paved, Selena is thankful for a reasonably smooth road to success, free of racial or sexist discrimination.

In Selena's opinion, a mentoring relationship is unique in that, as opposed to more formal learning situations, she feels free to be completely honest with even her deepest feelings. Due to the depth of intimacy and trust which develops, it is easier to expose vulnerabilities that in other situations may be interpreted as weaknesses. That intimacy goes both ways so don't underestimate the importance of the protege to the mentor. Lillian has written her memoir in a book due out in January, 2010, and to Selena's complete surprise, not only asked for her opinion on its readability, but mentions her protege with pride within its pages.

What should you look for in a mentor? Selena says to keep your mind and heart open for those with whom you share a kinship and common ground. This will facilitate that fluid communication which will set a strong foundation for learning and growth. Selena says she will always cherish and be inspired by Lillian's continued mentorship. It is important to always be on the lookout for those who can provide you with their valuable insights and benefit of their experience.

Selena "pays it forward" too, by being a mentor herself. From the vantage point of having benefited from a mentoring relationship herself, she knows how important it is to a protege's success. Continuously learning from her mentor and teaching her proteges, Selena has the advantage of knowing the whole gamut of the mentoring experience.

Mentorship is a valuable asset to a professional's career and overall success. Sometimes being a success is learning how to make all the aspects of your life work in conjunction with each other. Who better to teach that lesson than one who has done it herself!