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Gen Y Biz Dev

Learning Business Development from the Perspectives of 20 Somethings

10 Do’s and Don’ts for First Time Conference Goers

By Jenna Running on Posted in Business Development, Legal Marketing, Networking

Last month, I joined my conference-savvy co-author Kara at the Legal Marketing Association’s National Conference in Las Vegas. Although I’ve been to numerous large events for various associations, this was my first major conference experience, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous. But, meeting my clients face to face, listening to the same sessions they do, and what concerns/questions they raised was invaluable. I also walked away with a number of tips for any first-time conference goers, who aren’t as lucky as I am to have someone like Kara to show them the ropes:

1. Do change up who you sit with. It is easy to meet a person and follow them around for the next two days….until they hand you a restraining order. You’re there to learn and network, and so is everyone else. You’ll connect with some more than others, but try to use every session, networking event and luncheon to meet new people.

2. Don’t forget to bring some comfy shoes. I bought a pair of new leopard print wedges that I thought would be perfect. And they were, for the first four hours. During the next four, my hate for anything leopard gradually increased, which is a problem when you’re in Las Vegas.

3. Do have a glass of wine, or two with colleagues and/or clients. It’s okay, really. I think somewhere early on I was told to NEVER drink in a professional setting. I realize now that’s beacause “College Jenna” probably shouldn’t have. We’re all professional adults now, loosen up and have a little fun with your peers.

4. …but don’t let “College [Insert your name here]” come out. Going back to point 3…a couple glasses of wine, cool. Shots of Fireball Whiskey…probably not, even in Vegas.

5. Do practice your networking skills before you go. This isn’t selling, or flirting, or just free lunch. This is about listening and making connections. Make sure you understand the difference.

6. Do take some time to relax. These things are exhausting. If you get too tired, your ability to connect with people goes down hill, especially when you’re yawning in the middle of a conversation. If you need to skip a session or event for a power nap, or a minute to recharge, do it.

7. Do perfect your handshake. Try it on a friend or colleague before you go. Think strong and confident, not dead fish.

8. Do dress appropriately.  A conference is a not a time for you to try out that new mini skirt you bought or or break in those jean shorts. Play it safe the first day, and if you feel over-dressed, leave the jacket in the hotel room on the second. Not the other way around.

9. Don’t forget your business cards. Having to reply “I forgot them” every time someone asks for your card not only gives the impression you’re forgetful, it also gets very old, very fast.

10. Most important: don’t make it a one night stand. You will meet many people while at a conference. Take their card, give them yours (because you remember them right), and write a note to remember them by.  DO NOT blow off following-up with them when you get home.

Attending a conference is such a rewarding part of your career and can lead to some invaluable connections. Control what you can, and be ready for anything. And, above all…have some fun.

 

 

Happy International Women’s Day

By Jenna Running on Posted in Fun Stuff

In 1908 15,000 women marched the streets of New York City, demanding shorter hours, better pay, and voting rights. We’re one-for-three…so not bad (kidding)! Today is International Women’s Day (IWD). I would love to tell you that every March 8th I sit down and reflect on those who fought for the liberties I take for granted, followed by an evening of bra burning and man bashing. But, this is not the case. Rather I turned on my iPad during my morning commute, opened up Zite, and thought “why the heck is everyone discussing women’s rights this morning?” After shamefully realizing my ignorance I decided to do penance by, you guessed it, some reflection.

My  mother was a feminist, or so I always thought. She told me to speak up for myself, as so many women before me weren’t given the same right. She taught me to be independent, have goals, demand equal treatment. She emphasized the importance of education, especially reading and writing. She had a lot of female friends, and sometimes they would wear colorful scarves on their heads and go hiking, hey, they grew up in the 70′s. She also happened to be a liberal. But, does this list define a feminist, or just good parenting…does it really matter?

As female professionals we will probably be coined as a feminist or the anti, whether we like it or not. Just ask Marissa Mayer and Sheryl Sandberg who have not sat pretty with the movement feminists these days. I must say, I’m a bit confused, shouldn’t the female Execs of FaceBook and Yahoo! be the posterwomen of female equality in the workplace? Are there different types of feminists? Do I even know what a feminist is?

With this in mind, and in light of IWD I thought I would help all our female readers out. Below is the official Seventeen Magazine Quiz: What kind of feminist are you? I found it right under their other official quiz titled “Is it a Flirtationship or Something More” so this one should be pretty accurate.  

Click the image below to take the quiz:

What kind of feminist are you? 

 

Happy International Women’s Day! Make sure you take some time tonight to sit back and relax and let the man do the dishes for once…oh wait, that wasn’t very feminist of me…or was it?

 

Parents on Facebook: It might not be as bad as you think

By Jenna Running on Posted in Fun Stuff, Relationships, Social Media

Teens around the world let out an agonizing groan the moment they receive their parent’s Facebook request. In a recent study, 50% of parents admit, emphasis on “admit”, to joining Facebook to keep tabs on their kids. For a teenager, this can lead to social suicide, and a few weekends in the doghouse. But, for my generation, those who “friended” their parents for the first time as adults, it may not be such a bad thing.

My mom was always the “tech savvy” one; a typical Northwesterner with Birkenstocks from Nordstrom and a Mac computer for no reason other than it was a Mac. While I was in college, before Facebook existed and we were still aimlessly wandering around MySpace, she used my online debit card transactions as a means for monitoring my whereabouts. I frequently received emails asking what Wine World was and how I could spend $50 at some place called Mullys. I almost had her convinced it was a coffee shop, until she also picked up Googling.

In our household she did anything and everything requiring a computer, while my dad read the newspaper and preferred driving in circles to using Mapquest. This worked for them. But, in 2009 my mom passed away, and my dad was left to fend for himself. He’s had to learn everything from scratch at the age of 65: emailing, looking up directions, paying bills, checking bank statements (thankfully I had my own account by then), the list goes on. I worried about him, living alone in the house I grew up in.

Two years later, when I was 26, I received my dad’s official Facebook friend request. His “About Me” section read:

“Born and raised in Tacoma WA. Spent 4 years in the military and acquired a masters degree in Social Science. Worked at a psychiatric hospital for 36 years and retired in February of 2010. Wife passed away in January 2009 and we have 2 children. My daughter lives in Maple Valley and my son in Denver”

He may not get a date anytime soon with that piece, but I was relieved to see him begin to use social media to connect with family, old colleagues, and especially my brother and me. As time went on, he began to “like” things, such as Earthlink and American Idol. He also used it as a platform to update us on his life:

“… a sad event was that my dog had to be put to sleep. On the brighter side I bought a new Honda Civic on January 4th. I really am pleased with it…”

He posted pictures of himself golfing, and commented on the ones from my wedding. After my brother broke up with his girlfriend, he found her page on Facebook and wrote a note on her wall before the break-up had become FBO (Facebook Official):

“…sorry things didn’t work out, good luck with life”

We spent some time discussing the difference between writing on one’s wall (public) and messaging someone (not public).

Of course our best moments are always in-person over a cold Manny’s discussing who he thinks will win American Idol. Our online relationship helps fill the gaps between those moments. Connecting on Facebook is not at all about monitoring the other at all, it’s about allowing access into each other’s lives in a way that was unheard of when I was a teenager, but connects us more as adults.

I know by now you’re thinking, what does this all have to do with Biz Dev?” And the truth is, nothing more than to point out that the need to feel connected is simply human nature, no matter where you are in life. Social media can help grow and nurture those relationships, both personal and professional if we are willing to let people in. Stop looking at it as a means of monitoring, and start thinking about it as a way to build relationships.

Generation Y’s impact on your business, and guess what…it’s not so bad

By Jenna Running on Posted in Technology

As I was doing some research for another planned post, I came across many articles advising managers and CEO’s on how to deal with a Gen Y employee. I began to believe I was reading instructions on how to proceed when confronted by a bear, rather than a 20-something:

When faced with Gen Y employee, do not make eye contact, and back away slowly. If Gen Y employee attacks, curl up in a ball and play dead, while covering any major organs. Hopefully the Gen Yer will be distracted by a Facebook update…before it’s too late. Apply Neosporin to any open wounds.

Most of us have heard the sad torrid tale of the Gen Y employee: we received too many BS awards growing up and now we don’t know what it means to work for something. We don’t take criticism well, and must be handled with care. So, when I came across a guest post by Barrie Hadfield, CTO of SkyDox: 5 Ways Gen Y Is Changing Your Business, Like it or Not I was prepared for the worst, another post about how to “handle” a Gen Yer, and our insatiable need to be coddled. But instead, Barrie discusses what we bring to the table, and being a typical Gen Yer who needs constant acknowledgment, I appreciate that. Below are a few of Barrie’s points to pay attention to, combined with a bit of my commentary:

File Sharing

“File sharing platforms are one of the first significant technological achievements developed by Gen Y, with many being launched at the beginning of last decade” says Barrie. As CTO of SkyDox he may be a bit biased on this one, but I agree. It’s cleaned up our servers, inboxes, and what I think is most important: simplified seamless syncing between multiple devices. In Forrester’s Forrsights workforce survey, 74 percent of workers surveyed used two or more devices, and 52% used 3 or more. How do companies plan to accomodate this? Invest in personal cloud services of course.

Instant Messaging 

Ah yes, instant messaging has exploded since the a/s/l conversations being had in the AOL chatrooms of the late ‘90s. Now IM is the way many professionals internally and externally communicate, including here at LexBlog. Barrie points out: “IM platforms are now found in file sharing platforms, company intranets, and conference software, in addition to the contemporary ubiquity of consumer platforms, such as MSN Messenger and G-chat.”

The “off-the-grid” extinction 

It’s not news that Gen Y is constantly communicating via multiple platforms, whether it be text messages, social networks, or G-chat.  But what is interesting, is the result: the dissolution of the line between office and home. “Understandably, this has been embraced by companies. Forrester Research states that 70 percent of organizations now encourage teleworking” says Barrie.

So waive your techy, over-connected, ipad carrying flags high my fellow Gen Yers. As Barrie so eloquently put it  we are “arguably the most communicatively adept generation in human history” and there is much for the professional world to learn from us. Albeit, there is much we have to learn as well, but I’ll save that for a different post.

Purchasing Decisions in the Digital Era – Is your service/product being overlooked because you aren’t online?

By Jenna Running on Posted in Business Development, Fun Stuff

First of all, I owe a HUGE thank you to my fabulous Co-Author Kara for holding down the fort, and keeping this blog updated. While Kara was diligently posting to the blog, I was in the final planning stages of my wedding (that’s a nice way of saying I was having a panic attack), but now that the Big Day has come and gone, and I am fresh off my honeymoon, I’m ready to get back in the blogging saddle.

Planning a wedding has taught me at least three things: eloping isn’t a bad option, breathing into a paper bag is not cute, and seating charts are not for the faint of heart. But, since this isn’t a blog on how to recover gracefully from nervous breakdowns, let’s focus on a fourth: If you don’t have a solid internet presence, or  dare I say none, you are missing out on a HUGE amount of business.

Having attended about 15 weddings in the past 3 years I started my planning process with a stack of recommendations: florists, caterers, venues, coordinators, hair stylists, make-up artists, photographers, bands, DJs…the list could go on. So, where do I start? Easy. I googled each and every one of them. Sadly, I was able to eliminate close to 60% of them based on zero to no Internet presence.

Then came the fun part: I delved deep into their social networks: I stalked Facebook pages, and Twitter streams, I perused Pinterest accounts, read reviews, read other reviews by those reviewers to make sure we had similar taste, studied online menues, scoured the Internet for pictures, dissected LinkedIn profiles, and at the end of it all I had a short list of vendors to call, and only a few restraining orders to deal with (kidding). This is how my generation makes buying decisions.

It’s not just B2C vendors that need to pay attention to their digital footprint. In fact,

on average nearly 60% of a typical purchasing decision by B2B customers—researching solutions, ranking options, setting requirements, benchmarking pricing, and so on—are made before ever having a conversation with a supplier. Harvard Business Review

I know, it’s not completely fair. Your DJ skills may make my great-grandfather swivel his titanium hips. Your product may end world hunger. But if someone looking online can’t figure that out after 10 minutes of searching…world hunger will continue, and great-grandpa will stick to his usual 2-step.

As a society, we have come to expect the information we want, the moment we dream it up. I can get a new pair of stilettos at my doorstep in less than 24 hours from Zappos. I can download movies, music and books in an instant. Your information as a business professional, needs to be just as easily accessible.

It doesn’t mean that referrals aren’t valuable, word-of-mouth is what got me that initial stack of cards in the first place, but to get your ideal potential client to pick up the phone you better have the online presence to back that referral up.

 

 

Technology Through the Eyes of a Seven Year Old

By Kara McKenna on Posted in Fun Stuff, Internet, Technology

This year for Thanksgiving my husband, John, and I decided to head home to Chicago to spend my favorite holiday with loved ones. Much to my surprise, and despite what everyone told me, traveling on Turkey Day was seamless. I am the oldest of five and have a special bond with each one of my siblings that I am thankful for everyday. And because I live over 2,000 miles from the ones I love, I rely heavily on technology to keep us connected. In fact, a recent Pew Research Center survey said 25% of us think that technology is bringing families together. The research demonstrated that rather than keeping us isolated, modern technology has become a force for increased social interaction and in some cases actually helps strengthen family ties.

Each day I communicate with my family through multiple channels such as text messages, FaceTime, Email, Facebook and live conversations. I’ve noticed that my brothers, Eric and Dave prefer to text, while my sisters Kim and Rickie are an even mix between texting, phone calls and a whole lot of FaceTime (thank goodness for iPhones and iPads). I should point out that Rickie is seven, probably one of the smartest seven year olds I know with one of the biggest hearts. She amazes me everyday and I have recently become fascinated with her use of technology, especially since the text messages have started rolling in. There’s nothing better than to wake up with good morning messages or pictures from both of your sisters/best friends.

During our routine sister sleepover a few weeks ago, I interviewed Rickie on her use of technology and the role it plays in her life. Interviews questions and answers are below:

Question 1: Rickie, how old were you when you first started using technology? Answer: I believe I was about four.

Question 2: What is your favorite device to use? Answer: My iPhone because I enjoy using Safari easily to search different things and watch videos.

Question 3: What is your favorite thing to do on the iPhone? And how often do you use it? Answer: Text, search the Internet and FaceTime. I really like to text because you can have a long distance conversation quickly. I probably use my iPhone about five or six times a day.

Question 4: How do you use technology in school? Answer: We use iPads and computers in first grade, mostly for reading, math problems and sometimes to play games. Each person has their own iPad to use. The teacher also uses a really cool projector screen that she can write on.

Question 5: What do you think life would be like without technology? Answer: Really boring because I would not be able to have a real conversation with my sister in Seattle without Skype or texting.

Question 6: What is your favorite app? Answer: Hatchi, the virtual pet because it is like a pet that you can take care of virtually and it shows your progress.

Question 7: What do you know about Facebook or Twitter? Answer: I do not know a lot about Facebook except that people have conversations and comment on stuff. And isn’t Twitter kind of like Facebook? I’ve heard about Twitter on television. I guess you can tweet about different places and things. I probably will not join Facebook until I am 19.

According to my research, Rickie represents Generation Z, a group of individuals who have been connected to technology practically since birth. You better believe Rickie will vet just about anything by conducting a search online or tapping into her future social networks through her mobile device. I can’t vouch for a lot of kids her age but I can tell you that the world better start to prepare for this little girl as a future professioal. She is incredibly smart, beautiful, technologically saavy, energetic, athletic, extremely loving, hard working and passionate. Even at such a young age she puts 100% into anything she does and no matter what path she decides to take, I know she will be a leader. She has already taught me so much. Go get ‘em Rickie!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effective Social Media is About the Message NOT the Volume

By Kara McKenna on Posted in Internet, Social Media

The digital age makes it easier than ever to get your message out immediately via myriad platforms. But you can’t lose sight of your goals and your message, which must be consistent and clear whether you’re breaking budget for a glossy spread or tweeting for free. – Faisal Hoque

A couple weeks ago, a Fast Company article, “5 Social-Media Commandments For Better Brand Tweeting” by Faisal Hoque caught my eye. Although this article was focused on Tweeting, in my opinion Faisal’s recommendations can apply to all social media tools. Regardless of your reason for engaging in social media, your message matters, just as it would in a conversation you might have with someone offline. I feel that the term social media comes with a lot of buzz, misconceptions and causes some to forget all common sense, as in Faisal’s example of the Red Cross employee who Tweeted from @RedCross about #gettingslizzerd (slang for getting drunk). Common sense people, please do not lose it because you are Tweeting, Facebook liking, blogging or writing an email for that matter. My single rule of thumb is if I don’t want the public to know it or would not say it out loud, I don’t Tweet it, blog it or Facebook it.

Ok, I’ll get off my soapbox now and get to the point. I think most of us have realized (or are starting to) that the Internet is a force to reckon with especially for professionals who are trying to build their business. Regardless of the tools you decide to use to build your Internet identity, it is important to first implement a strategy. What is your end game? Who is your target audience? How are you going to engage them? What is your message?

To be effective, you  need to focus on the quality of your message and less on the volume. Tweeting all day long is ineffective if your message is not clear. Regardless of the tools you decide to use, I will leave you with some “basic rules for communicating to connect, shape, influence and lead”, via Faisal.

  • Honesty Matters: When hasn’t this been true? This starts with being honest with yourself. If you are having trouble being honest with your message, think about stepping away from your keyboard, touch screen or whatever device you use.
  • Be Direct to Connect: Talking in circles is not going to get you anywhere. Be direct with each message, the reverse could hurt you.
  • Think Ahead: Try to anticipate how your audience will react to your message.
  • Inspire and Influence: Directly from Faisal “Communication is key for inspiration. The right message can have a major impact, especially in a digital age where a viral tweet or YouTube video can add far more value than the priciest ad campaign. An inspirational message is far more influential than one that just makes a point.”
  • Be Yourself: How else do you expect people to get to know you? Remember when I said, people connect over a shared interest that often times is not related to what you do professionally? It is okay to show personality, in fact its a good thing.
  • Know When to Stop: This is perfect for the saying, in some cases “less is more.”
Finally, do not forget to think before you Tweet. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand Out in the Digital Age: Tell a Story

By Kara McKenna on Posted in Internet, Legal Marketing, Relationships, Social Media

I just returned from the LMA Northwest Chapter lunch program and find myself extremely inspired to blog after listening to Hanson Hosein’s presentation on the importance of storytelling in the digital age. As most of us recognize and as Hanson pointed out, traditional media is having a hard time keeping up. Social media has given us an opportunity to share information and tell our stories at the push of a button and on a much larger scale. For me, that is fascinating, exciting and makes my head spin. My colleague, Helen Pitlick (who attended the program with me), published her recap today on Please Advise, which includes some tips for lawyers and how they can incorporate storytelling into their blog posts.

A part of Hanson’s presentation that resonated with me was when he shared this quote from Daniel Siegel,

Shared stories create a connection to others that builds a sense of belonging to a particular community.

Think about how much easier it is to connect with someone once you know their story, especially if it is similar to your own. In an age where information on just about any topic is instantly available, there is also a lot of competition. And as Hosein pointed out today, nobody wants to be sold to. Instead, tell a story and create trust by showing people how you think about and relate to their world.

Storytelling will only help you connect with others if it is truthful, authentic, has a sense of community and is engaging. This might be a “duh statement” to a lot of you but that wasn’t the case for Kony 2012. This viral video included a lot of false information which resulted in the creator’s public meltdown. A great example of the power of story telling was Caine’s Arcade about a 9-year old boy who built an arcade out of boxes in the back of his dad’s auto body shop. I encourage you to watch the video for the rest. Get your kleenex out because it is a bit of a tear jerker (all in a good way).

A recent Forbes article, “Not Just for Bedtime, Marketers Corner the Market on Storytelling,” published by Phil Johnson shares a few suggestions that caught my eye.

Tips from Johnson:

  • If a story only exists to disguise a marketing message, you aren’t fooling anybody
  • Your story will be boring if it does not reveal something personal and unknown
  • Move people to action by telling a story that taps into a specific emotion (fear, desire, anger, happiness)
  • A story should take people on a journey where there is a transformation between the beginning, middle and end
And finally,

The best stories represent a simplicity of purpose and tap into the audience’s imagination so that they willingly go along for the journey.

Do you remember a story from your childhood that you insisted on listening to over and over again? I encourage you to channel your inner 5 year old. What is your story?

 

Image courtesy of 123rf.com 

 

 

Networking Events: 3 Survival Tactics

By Jenna Running on Posted in Business Development, Networking

During the first weeks at my first “real” job working in corporate banking, I was asked to go to a luncheon for the sole purpose of filling up an empty space at our table. I had never actually been to a luncheon before but I was broke and hungry, so I quickly accepted. “Besides” I thought to myself “I’m awesome at socializing.” What I failed to consider, was that socializing while at Free Taco Tuesday in college, was not at all the same as professional networking.

Fast forward to the luncheon: I was sweating bullets. To my right was a CFO of a major Seattle company, and to my left the Senior Vice President of Corporate Banking, aka, my boss. First, I tried to keep up with the conversation. I soon found myself pretending to know all about bear market rallys and derivatives, and shared my thoughts on each. Apparently I was a bit off. I received blank stares and one very obvious eye roll. And so I sat there silent, except for when I faked an emergency phone call just so I could have an excuse to leave the table…twice.

I found out that day, that networking isn’t easy. A select few are naturals, but for the rest of us networking is something that takes practice and some finesse.Vanessa Merit Nornberg, Founder of Metal Mafia wrote an article for Inc. titled “Hate Networking? 3 Ways to Get Over It”. Had I read this before my luncheon, I may have made fewer fake phone calls. Below are her points, along with my commentary:

1. Listening is the best way to start a conversation.

Had I been less stressed about how I was going to insert myself into the conversation between the CFO and SRVP, I may have been able to learn a thing or two. If you are sitting next to people who have been in the industry longer than you, don’t be afraid to ask them questions. How did they get where they are today? Do they have any advice for someone just dipping their toes into finance for the first time? People love to answer questions about themselves. People don’t love a 22 yr old know-it-all , especially when you really don’t.

2. Honesty begets honesty. 

I should have left my corporate banker costume at the door. Really, who was I kidding?  I was 22 yrs old, with bad highlights, wearing a suit that was 2 sizes too big. No one in their right mind thought I was a seasoned corporate banker. I should have owned it. Be your authentic self and you won’t need to worry about somebody looking up your LinkedIn profile when they get home, just to realize you’re full of it. Don’t be afraid to let people know you’re new to this. More than likely there is someone else who feels your pain, or is willing to shell out a few pointers.

3. Everyone has something interesting to impart. 

I failed to mention my biggest flaw during this fated luncheon. Why is it, that the only people I remember are the CFO and SRVP? Who were the other five people at my table? What could I have learned from them? Although you shouldn’t treat networking events as a competition to get the most business cards, you should be trying to make a connection with at least one person. Start with who is sitting next to you, and if they are discussing derivatives, look at who is across the table instead.

Since my first awful networking experience, I’ve gotten a little better each time, although I am far from a pro. Face to face connections can be some of the strongest we can make as professionals, it would be a shame to miss these opportunities just to avoid a bit of pre-networking anxiety.

If you have any pointers, or a good “first networking” story that puts mine to shame, please share!