Filling Out Your Skype Profile (Part 2)

• Country/Region, State/Province, or City: Skype is international. It’s important for callers to have some idea of where they are calling. Knowing where someone lives, and letting others know where you live, can help you both prepare for cultural differences in communication. Whether used for business or social reasons, this is an essential piece of information for smooth customer relationships. In addition,
• All locations are searchable in the Skype directory.
• Location provides information on local time zones. If this information is not included elsewhere in the profile, at least you’ll know when to call (and when not to call).
• Language: Choose your language from a drop-down list.
• Indicating your native tongue lets callers know whether they share your language. If they don’t, they may choose to engage a translator in advance.
• Language is a searchable item in the Skype directory.
• Home Phone/Office Phone/Mobile Phone: Skype allows you to list three phone numbers, one for home, office, and cell. Some good reasons to add these numbers are the following:
• Your Skype profile is available worldwide, so your phone numbers have a global reach. If your phone number is listed in your local phone directory or your business is listed in the Yellow Pages, you would do well to place the equivalent listing in your Skype profile.
• You can update your telephone information on Skype instantly. This feature enables you to provide the most current contact information, even if you are in the middle of a major relocation. Updating local directories, or even Web listings, takes much longer.
• If someone cannot contact you on Skype, your profile gives that person options in an emergency. People can SkypeOut to you from within the Skype program, or just use a cell or landline. In either case, they have instant access to your phone numbers

• Homepage: It costs nothing to create a Skype account and list a Web page that you want all the world to see. The Homepage box has room for only one Web address, but it can be an effective contact tool for you because:

• Web site links are active. A contact can navigate to your Web site directly from your profile.
• Posting a Web site in your profile is free advertising for your business, product, service, or just yourself.