I am a twin. In case you are not one (I am sorry for you if you are not), you should know that twins like to work in pairs (or more), we are happy sharing the spotlight, and the burden. We hate having birthday parties alone, we get lonely fast unless we pretend we are talking to our twin in our head. In short, we are chorus members, not soloists.
When it comes to work, I have found that the twin approach is a winner. Partnering up with others is a great skill that will translate into offering a better product, and creating lasting and mutually satisfying relationships.
Collaboration is key. Doing everything yourself is lonely.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Clip and Scan those Articles Please!
This is a silly little piece of advice, but I am going to say it anyway.
Getting into a magazine or a newspaper is exciting. I know this because we live for that kind of thing. It doesn't matter what paper, either. Even if it is your very small, local, and provincial rag, it still makes us feel good to see our names and accomplishments in print. It is a special thing.
Let's talk about what you do after that, though. Please do not let these things pile up and take over. Copy them. Scan them. Save them. Link them to a database that you can find easily. Publish them on your website. Keep one copy of the clipped original if you must and if it gives you a deep feeling of satisfaction.
Then get on with your life. Make sure to keep and the news, products, events, launches coming so that they NEVER stop talking about you in the Press. But when they do... (repeat from beginning.)
Getting into a magazine or a newspaper is exciting. I know this because we live for that kind of thing. It doesn't matter what paper, either. Even if it is your very small, local, and provincial rag, it still makes us feel good to see our names and accomplishments in print. It is a special thing.
Let's talk about what you do after that, though. Please do not let these things pile up and take over. Copy them. Scan them. Save them. Link them to a database that you can find easily. Publish them on your website. Keep one copy of the clipped original if you must and if it gives you a deep feeling of satisfaction.
Then get on with your life. Make sure to keep and the news, products, events, launches coming so that they NEVER stop talking about you in the Press. But when they do... (repeat from beginning.)
Who doesn't Love a Fair?!
Trade fairs get a bad rap. For many, they're a lot about standing around, checking your email (if your boss kindly paid for wi-fi access when you signed up), and wandering around looking for promotional items (shopping bags! personalizied key chains! USB keys!) to take home.
Here is what WE do at trade Fairs and we have a blast every time. .
1. Size up your competition.
2. Make contacts with potential partners.
3. Get out of the office for a couple of days (oh, did I say that? sorry!)
4. Meet journalists and make friends with them. They will appreciate having a personal contact at your company, too!
5. Exchange ideas with other people in your business.
6. Get ideas from outside your business (if a more general fair).
7. Showcase the best of what you do through papers you present.
Remember:
8. You can use those giant signs and panels you spent a fortune having made for other events, you know!
9. If you're shy, this could be an opportunity to try being extroverted without anyone you know seeing you!
10. If you go with a colleague, all that time together may just solidify a positive working relationship for you!
11. Check out a new city in a place you would like to do more business.
12. Heck! Why not have a Press Conference while you're there and personally invite the people you would like to attend! This is especially interesting if you're launching a new product or have some other Exciting News to share with the world.
Most importantly, fairs are a great way to widen your contact base and therefore enlarge your network of clients, partners, friends. The human side of meeting people face to face cannot be underestimated. We cannot stress this enough.
Here is what WE do at trade Fairs and we have a blast every time. .
1. Size up your competition.
2. Make contacts with potential partners.
3. Get out of the office for a couple of days (oh, did I say that? sorry!)
4. Meet journalists and make friends with them. They will appreciate having a personal contact at your company, too!
5. Exchange ideas with other people in your business.
6. Get ideas from outside your business (if a more general fair).
7. Showcase the best of what you do through papers you present.
Remember:
8. You can use those giant signs and panels you spent a fortune having made for other events, you know!
9. If you're shy, this could be an opportunity to try being extroverted without anyone you know seeing you!
10. If you go with a colleague, all that time together may just solidify a positive working relationship for you!
11. Check out a new city in a place you would like to do more business.
12. Heck! Why not have a Press Conference while you're there and personally invite the people you would like to attend! This is especially interesting if you're launching a new product or have some other Exciting News to share with the world.
Most importantly, fairs are a great way to widen your contact base and therefore enlarge your network of clients, partners, friends. The human side of meeting people face to face cannot be underestimated. We cannot stress this enough.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Poca Spesa Tanta Resa
Sure, websites are good for contact information, getting directions and buying things, but not much else, if you ask me. Unless you have a huge budget or a really smart IT geek friend (I wish both on you!), keep it simple and enhance your page with ACCESSORIES ACCESSORIES ACCESSORIES!
Tweets, Facebook, Blogs.
Use things that people actually read. Keep them updated. Have fun with them. They are immediate, they are in your control, and it is fun to let people see your dynamic HUMAN side.
Tweets, Facebook, Blogs.
Use things that people actually read. Keep them updated. Have fun with them. They are immediate, they are in your control, and it is fun to let people see your dynamic HUMAN side.
You are Not Too Old to Learn a Foreign Language
Who decided that English would be the new IT language? I do not know. However, I feel pretty lucky that I speak it well.
That being said, I realized that talking to people was something I rather enjoyed at a young age and have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity, courage, and self-discipline to pick up a couple of other languages along the way.
I started speaking French fluently at age 17.
I learned Portuguese at 23.
I learned Italian at 30.
I am learning Slovene now at 40.
Don't listen to yourself or to others who say that you are too old to learn a foreign language. It is not true. You may not become perfect, but people will think you are adorable for trying. And that is a good way to make friends. And friends are everything in business.
If you would like to improve, say, your English (you can use this for any language, by the way), here is my basic recipe for fluency.
If you are reading this and understanding it, your English is probably pretty good already, but this may help you jump to a new level of fluency. For others, just adapt it to the language you are interested in learning or perfecting.
Karoline's Recipe for Fluency
1. Put your Cell phone in English (or the language you want to learn).
2. Read out loud in English (even badly) every day for 10 minutes.
3. Listen to NPR.org every day for 5 minutes. BBC is fine too.
4. Try to write in English (make mistakes, no problem) for 5 minutes a day.
5. Watch at least one movie a week in English with English subtitles. Don't cry if you don't understand much at first.
5. Look for local events in English.
Stop putting it off.
That being said, I realized that talking to people was something I rather enjoyed at a young age and have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity, courage, and self-discipline to pick up a couple of other languages along the way.
I started speaking French fluently at age 17.
I learned Portuguese at 23.
I learned Italian at 30.
I am learning Slovene now at 40.
Don't listen to yourself or to others who say that you are too old to learn a foreign language. It is not true. You may not become perfect, but people will think you are adorable for trying. And that is a good way to make friends. And friends are everything in business.
If you would like to improve, say, your English (you can use this for any language, by the way), here is my basic recipe for fluency.
If you are reading this and understanding it, your English is probably pretty good already, but this may help you jump to a new level of fluency. For others, just adapt it to the language you are interested in learning or perfecting.
Karoline's Recipe for Fluency
1. Put your Cell phone in English (or the language you want to learn).
2. Read out loud in English (even badly) every day for 10 minutes.
3. Listen to NPR.org every day for 5 minutes. BBC is fine too.
4. Try to write in English (make mistakes, no problem) for 5 minutes a day.
5. Watch at least one movie a week in English with English subtitles. Don't cry if you don't understand much at first.
5. Look for local events in English.
Stop putting it off.
FIND YOUR JE NE SAIS QUOI!
What does your company offer the world? What is your contribution?
Or, let's put it this way.
WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS?
Start with yourself.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER?
If you have lost your excitement, desire, or interest in what you are doing or offering, if you feel bored or dissatisfied, CHANGE SOMETHING! Work on getting that UMFFF back again, tweak your service, product or APPROACH until you are WHISTLING again on your way to work.
If you aren't that into your stuff, how can you expect your clients to be?
Find that spring in your step again and the results will come along nicely.
Or, let's put it this way.
WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS?
Start with yourself.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER?
If you have lost your excitement, desire, or interest in what you are doing or offering, if you feel bored or dissatisfied, CHANGE SOMETHING! Work on getting that UMFFF back again, tweak your service, product or APPROACH until you are WHISTLING again on your way to work.
If you aren't that into your stuff, how can you expect your clients to be?
Find that spring in your step again and the results will come along nicely.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Just say no to SPAM and BACN
Guess what. They just don't work. Not even the law of percentages is on your side with this one. Nobody likes receiving junk. Don't send it. The worst perpetrators are the free Wi-Fi spots around the world. I have (almost) stopped using them. I DON'T CARE WHAT IS GOING ON THIS MONTH AT THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT JUST BECAUSE I LOGGED IN ONCE TO CHECK MY EMAIL IN TRANSIT!!!
Airports, Groupon, other annoying PERPS take note!
Create relationships with people.
Listen to them.
Find out what their needs are.
Then take the time to communicate WELL!
Airports, Groupon, other annoying PERPS take note!
Create relationships with people.
Listen to them.
Find out what their needs are.
Then take the time to communicate WELL!
Your Best Strategy is Doing the Right Thing
When I first moved to Italy, I was troubled by how many people, especially women, in powerful positions treated their employees badly. It was as if there were some unwritten rule that said that to get ahead you had to be mean, that anything less made you look weak, and therefore less valid as a leader. It was discouraging as up to that point I had only had wonderful mentors in high positions to look up to and model.
Fast forward about ten years. None of those people are in positions of power. Cooincidence? I do not think so. My theory is that a global crisis gives markets a chance to clean up their act. That, and when there's no more money, the baddies magically disappear.
When you do the right thing, work finds you. People, especially now, want to associate with the goodies. There is good reason for this. When you don't put your own interests first, businesses prosper.
Are you honest? Do you treat your employees, colleagues, clients with honesty, compassion, and respect? Are your business practices fair?
Word of mouth is the most effective communications tool we have and it is free. All the advertising money in the world will not help you if you are a jerk.
If people leave the room when you enter it, suddenly in a hurry to be anywhere else in the world just because you got there, you are costing your company more than you are creating.
For more on this, read my favorite study of how employing baddies really ruins your reputation internally and externally. Read this. please
Fast forward about ten years. None of those people are in positions of power. Cooincidence? I do not think so. My theory is that a global crisis gives markets a chance to clean up their act. That, and when there's no more money, the baddies magically disappear.
When you do the right thing, work finds you. People, especially now, want to associate with the goodies. There is good reason for this. When you don't put your own interests first, businesses prosper.
Are you honest? Do you treat your employees, colleagues, clients with honesty, compassion, and respect? Are your business practices fair?
Word of mouth is the most effective communications tool we have and it is free. All the advertising money in the world will not help you if you are a jerk.
If people leave the room when you enter it, suddenly in a hurry to be anywhere else in the world just because you got there, you are costing your company more than you are creating.
For more on this, read my favorite study of how employing baddies really ruins your reputation internally and externally. Read this. please
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