What's your BHAG?

By Ellen Curtis, Creative Commander, Whizbang

I saw an article in Fast Company about BHAG. (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).   James Collins and Jerry Porras coined this phrase in a book "Built to Last". They define BHAG as "clear and compelling and serves as a unifying focal point of effort, often creating immense team spirit."

Microsoft's BHAG, for example,  is " A computer on every desk and in every home, all running Microsoft software."

In the spirit of sharing, I offer my BHAG for Whizbang:

The marketing whizs of the Central Coast with 288 business people engaging our services in 2010.

What's your BHAG?

PN Mixer is a Success!

Over 50 business professionals came together for Professional Networking's first open business mixer. Lawrence Dieter, Dr. Backman and Professional Networking's Vice President said, "Our mixer was 1st class, from the weather, the seating outside.....the food, wine, and a myriad of significant business connections reported".  Chef Elizabeth Eggen of Mix It Up supplied the scrumptious food and the perfect venue. Amy Bakes Cupcakes supplied the fantastic cupcakes.  Claiborne and Chruchill supplied the delicious wine. Professional Networking's Erin Momburg, Sprigs n Things supplied the incredible flower arrangements. The rest of the Professional Networking group supplied the amazing conversation and the perfect environment for making new connections.

Join us October 1 for our Mixer!

Clever Ducks featured in top national trade magazine!

Weathering Economic Turbulence and Preparing for Economic Upturn

The current economic downturn has challenged many business owners to re-evaluate existing business models, operational efficiencies, and capital expenditures.  Many forward thinking organizations are finding unique opportunities and looking past near-term challenges to position themselves for success when market conditions calm and return to vibrancy.

Doing More With Less

A critical role information technology firms play in uncertain economic times is to help clients manage costs and identify inefficiencies.  Taking advantage of technologies that are already owned can create returns through reduced management costs, more effective compliance with regulations, and increased efficiencies in operational execution.  Cost savings and efficiencies free cash flow for investments and capital expenditures that competitors may not be positioned to leverage.

Clever Ducks applies best practice solutions that are unique and optimized to our specific customer’s needs.  IT is not a one size fits all business and through investments in technology and people we are able to deliver unique strategic solutions, exceptional customer service, and timely technical support.  Our Clever Ducks Flight Plan customers benefit from having quarterly business reviews in which strategic roadmaps, efficient application of technology, business process evaluation, and budgeting considerations are taken into account.

 Down to the Nuts and Bolts

Clever Ducks uses sophisticated tools to create efficiencies and to deliver services and support in a deliberate and consistent manner.  Software upgrades and Windows patches are often applied through automation in the evening; removing the labor, expense, and operational interruption of having a technician visit workstations and laptops.  Our tools are designed with early warning indicators that alert us to potential problems with workstations, servers, and networks so issues can be resolved before work interruptions or failures occur.  Additionally, secure remote access tools enable us to troubleshoot and resolve 80% of problems remotely eliminating extended system outages, downtime, and the expense of an onsite technician visit.

In 2008 Gartner released a study of the total annual cost of ownership of workstations and laptops in an unmanaged environment versus a managed environment.  The study took into account all direct (hardware, software, support consumables, network-related costs, facilities, and administration) and indirect costs (downtime, suboptimal functioning, user-induced problems, user-to-user support costs, non-business computer usage, time spent customizing desktops, time spent researching technology purchases, getting quotes, and dealing with vendor problems).  The cost savings on a well managed workstation was nearly $2,500 annually while the savings on a laptop was nearly $3,000.   These are real cost savings for companies, achieved by minimizing time spent by employees trying to make their systems work, minimizing downtime, and extending the life of equipment through proper maintenance. Ultimately, as the Gartner study show, well managed technology not only saves money, but provides you the freedom to manage your business. 

Where do we go from here?

If your organization is not realizing the cost savings and efficiencies that our Clever Ducks Flight Plan service provides, please contact us at 805-543-1930 to learn more about how we can help your business become more successful during these uncertain economic times.  Additionally, we welcome referrals of colleagues, friends, and customers that are struggling with IT.  Together we can harness technology to control costs, and make technology as asset to your organization.

August BizEd Lunch- Blackberry Tips and Tricks: Your first steps to becoming a Blackberry master

Presented by: Clever Ducks and Collaboration LLC 

Amy Kardel, of Clever Ducks, will help busy professionals optimize productivity when using the tool most at hand every day: the Blackberry. By gaining control and learning some insider tricks, you will get better business results while reducing stress and staying in sync with the flood of information that comes your way. RIM Co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie said 80% of subscriber additions in the latest quarter came from consumers and small businesses, rather than corporate users. That's up from 60% a year ago. RIM has introduced a slew of new devices, and there are a lot of tricks for mastering how to use them effectively in your business.

Although these devices serve as your primary access to calendar events, emails and other tasks, they often become a distraction because of the amount of information that is thrown at you. By effectively leveraging the Blackberry, you will find it is possible to stay on task and sort through the clutter. Amy can help make life simpler by setting up some systems, using some tricks and understanding some advanced functions of your technology.

Amy Kardel Bio
Amy Kardel brings over fifteen years of proven results and professional experience in the operations of international and high tech business to the job. She is the COO of Clever Ducks - Computer Network Services, a San Luis Obispo-based IT solution provider. A serial entrepreneur, she grew and then recently sold Global Accent Translation Services, a translation agency that provides technology, business and government with foreign language services. Amy loves to speak with other business leaders and share tips to help others grow their businesses.

Ms. Kardel completed degrees in UC Berkeley and Washington University, as well as graduate course work in at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Ms. Kardel returned to her native San Luis Obispo, California from Europe in 1993. She is active in the SLO Chamber of Commerce and Rotary. She enjoys living locally on the Central Coast while working globally with her husband Peter and four children.

When and Where?

• Friday August 28th, 12:00pm-1:00pm
• Cost of this seminar is FREE
• Lunch will be provided by Clever Ducks, so please RSVP so that we can plan accordingly
• Seminar will take place at the Collaboration Training Center
  3196 S. Higuera, Suite D, San Luis Obispo

Please RSVP to the program to http://www.collaboration-llc.com/august-bized-lunch/

From: Amy K. Kardel
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 11:35 AM
To: 'pro.netwrkng.post@blogger.com'
Subject: Visit Tech Brew, September 14, 2009

Keep up on what's new on the Central Coast in a casual, social atmosphere. Join us for a cash bar, appetizers and lots of time to talk to other technology professionals. Santa Barbara's best networking event for technology professionals has found a regular home in San Luis Obispo. This is a standing event on the second Monday of each month.

We meet at Mother’s Tavern in downtown SLO from 5-630 pm. See you there!

Check out pictures from the March Tech Brew when Kyle from iFixit demonstrated how to replace the battery in an iPod.

For more information, e-mail us or call Clever Ducks 8050.543.1930. You can also find us on Twitter and LinkedIn

  Amy Kardel, COO/Business Development

  1413 Monterey Street

  San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

  main 805.543.1930

  direct 805.547.2361

  www.cleverducks.com

Visit Tech Brew, September 14, 2009

Keep up on what's new on the Central Coast in a casual, social atmosphere. Join us for a cash bar, appetizers and lots of time to talk to other technology professionals. Santa Barbara's best networking event for technology professionals has found a regular home in San Luis Obispo. This is a standing event on the second Monday of each month.

We meet at Mother’s Tavern in downtown SLO from 5-630 pm. See you there!

Check out pictures from the March Tech Brew when Kyle from iFixit demonstrated how to replace the battery in an iPod.

For more information, e-mail us or call Clever Ducks 8050.543.1930. You can also find us on Twitter and LinkedIn

  Amy Kardel, COO/Business Development

  1413 Monterey Street

  San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

  main 805.543.1930

  direct 805.547.2361

  www.cleverducks.com

Want a Job in SLO Government?

Are you following the saga of the stupid in SLO county government? Is it making you crazy and are you reordering your anti-depressant meds like I . . . I mean, like others I know? Have you wondered how you could get a job paying $200k where you could have an affair that destroys confidentiality and creates a huge conflict of interest and where you could also send very personal and explicit emails back and forth with your boss? Geez, when most of us steal our employer’s time we’re just shopping online.

Maybe we should start a pool? How many times am I going to say: “Oh my God – what were they thinking??” before this – pun alert – affair is over? I counted 14,382 such outbursts during the Bush Administration.

And I sure wish I was still broadcasting my radio show, “The Wonderful World of Work”. There is certainly enough material here for a dozen “Stupid Employee Tricks” and “Bad Boss of the Month” segments.

 

Click here to follow  ONLY HUMAN

                                The HR blog for thinkers.

 

Strengthening customer relationships in times of crisis

by Mark Cox

During times of economic crisis, organizations struggle to communicate unfavorable news, from lower earnings and shrinking market share, to cuts in service and increases in prices. The conventional wisdom is that bad news damages customer relationships and breeds mistrust among consumers. However, a new Simplicity Survey from global strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale finds that delivering bad news is an opportunity -- if done in the right way -- to strengthen customer relationships and lay the foundation for increased trust and loyalty when conditions improve.

"It's important to communicate facts clearly, but clarity is not enough," said Alan Siegel, Chairman and CEO of Siegel+Gale. "In order to strengthen relationships with customers, organizations must commit to open, transparent communications that respect people's intelligence by offering complete, relevant, and insightful explanations of bad news. People are tired of self-serving platitudes."

Siegel+Gale examined a wide cross section of customer communications likely to appear in the average consumer's mailbox, and tested four representative examples, anonymously, in an online consumer panel. The examples tested included a:

1. Charge card company letter - announcing an increase in late fees

2. Major bank letter - announcing a credit card interest-rate increase

3. Not-for-profit institution letter - announcing budget cuts and soliciting donations

4. Mortgage lender pamphlet - explaining a new mortgage summary document

"We tested communications using six criteria: comprehension, clarity, credibility, relevance, usefulness, and engagement," says Lee Rafkin, Siegel+Gale's Global Director and Practice Leader of Simplified Communications. "We found that even though customers didn't like the bad news they were receiving, they still respected and trusted those organizations that clearly communicated the reasons behind the bad news."

The communications that scored the lowest on measures of credibility and engagement did very little to offer comprehensive, credible, and contextually relevant explanations. For example, the letter from the bank announcing a credit card interest rate increase gave as its explanation that it was raising rates "to maintain profitability." Predictably, it drew this comment:

"It feels like the bank wants to squeeze me for all they can. They're not interested in me as a loyal customer; I'm just a number to them."

The letter from the charge card company announcing an increase in late fees gave absolutely no reason at all for its change. "This is even more offensive to consumers than a dubious or incomplete reason," said Rafkin. "In a vacuum, consumers will 'fill in the blanks' and invent their own, sometimes much more damaging explanation," as represented by this comment:

"This company just wants average customers like me to compensate them for losses they've suffered due to their own poor business practices."

The letter from the not-for-profit was both comprehensive and relevant in the detailed explanation it provided. It used 2 pages to explain the impact of the economic climate on revenues and fundraising, detailed how and why it was cutting its budget, gave an overview of its plans, and reaffirmed its commitment to its core mission. The response from consumers was dramatic. This letter scored twice as high as the bank and credit card letters on factors including trust and loyalty. Respondents appreciated the organization's efforts to justify their actions:

One comment was: "This organization seems honest and upfront. They are forthcoming and direct with their information, which is always good."

Siegel+Gale's Simplicity Survey found that when communicating in times of crisis, respect trumps even clarity and comprehensive explanations. The communication that tested best overall was the pamphlet from the mortgage lender. It explicitly stated its commitment to transparency and easy-to-understand descriptions of loan terms and costs. It was judged to be most informative, balanced, and direct, and made respondents feel most loyal to the company. One typical comment was:

"This pamphlet makes me feel the mortgage lender is being straightforward and inviting me into their financial institution. I feel very good about this company."

The company's conclusion is that if customers believe that organizations are forthcoming, provide an appropriate level of relevant detail to support their actions, and show they value and respect their customers, people are not only more accepting of bad news, they are also willing to show such organizations deeper loyalty down the road.

ConnectIT
29-July-2009

Floral Art after Dark!

Do you want to see some great floral masterpieces?   Check out The Art Center this Friday evening for Floral Art after Dark. This is part of Art after Dark and I expect this to be a very interesting and showy good time! The winner of this will move on to the Top 10, a state competition for floral design.   I hope to see all of you this Friday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. I will be there from 6 till around 8 to answer any questions. If you can not make it the Art Center Friday evening then check it out sometime over the weekend. (See The Art Center for hours)   Thanks!!   Sprigs N Things

Trust Counts

In a recessionary time, cost is only a marginally more important factor than trust in determining people's product choices, with 53% saying that in the past six months they switched brands for a lower cost and 45% saying they switched because they lost trust. "Trust is now a tangible in both corporate reputation and product marketing," said Mr. Edelman.

 

 

Professional Networking update

Hi all, last week we covered a lot of ground at our business meeting. Below are the topics discussed.

1. Attendance - we were going to decide if we should take a summer beak the last two weeks of August. Summer has dealt a blow to our attendance it seems. Also it was discussed sending someone from your organization if you can't make it . The group all agreed this was a good idea as long as it didn't become the norm.

2. Energizing the group - we discussed holding an offsite meeting on the evening of Thursday, October 1st. This would be the first of quarterly events for our group. At this meeting, 4-5 professional networking members would be showcased. The rest of the members could market themselves more informally bringing any marketing materials they have. This event would be open to the San Luis Obispo County business community. We have the location, "Mix it up" a brand new food event/cooking school located on Fiero Ln in SLO. Next steps is to decide which members would like to be showcased and to discuss any other thoughts, concerns or possible publicity ideas.

3. August and September speakers - we have our new list and I have posted them on the blog. http://pnetworking.blogspot.com

4. Triggers list - we discussed updating them quarterly, keeping the triggers to three main triggers and reviewing them internally at our professional networking business meetings.

Getting things done

Last week, Eric Hubbs from Collaboration shared with us a new book, Getting Things Done, that he finds absolutely helpful getting things done at work. Add this to your to do list.

10 Bad Résumé Bloopers

 

When 76 percent of executives say that one or two typos on a résumé can be enough to remove a candidate from consideration for a job, a jobseeker who included "my work ethics are impeachable"

has probably sealed his or her fate.

 

That's actually one of the many egregious résumé errors that a recent survey by Accountemps uncovered.

 

The staffing firm conducted a survey that found that 40 percent of executives say it takes only one mistake on a résumé to rule a candidate out for a job. Another 36 percent of respondents said it takes two errors.

 

Fourteen percent of respondents said it would take three mistakes to remove a candidate from consideration, compared with 7 percent who said it took 4 or more mistakes.

 

Here are the other flagrant mistakes uncovered by the survey:

· "Hope to hear from you, shorty."

· "Have a keen eye for derail."

· "Dear Sir or Madman."

· "I'm attacking my résumé for you to review."

· "I am a rabid typist."

· "My work ethics are impeachable."

· "Nervous of steel."

· "Following is a grief overview of my skills."

· "GPA: 34.0"

 

Source: BLR

Aardvark - A Human Search Engine

Aardvark -- http://vark.com -- is an online tool that lets you ask a
complex question and get an informed answer from someone on the
network. It is little bit like Twitter as a search tool except
Aardvark uses profile data from Facebook to match your question with
someone who might be able to answer it. As a social network tool, it
is built on Facebook and when you sign up for it you will have to give
the system permission to access your Facebook profile data.

I asked if anyone knew of a lightweight, low cost camcorder capable of
recording audio and with a way to attach the camcorder to my bicycle
handlebars. Within 30 minutes I had my first very complete answer
from a guy near Boston that pointed to a good solution that cost
$50. A little later I had two more answers with relevant suggestions,
one from a guy in Toronto and one from a guy in Barcelona.

You can find all this info in ordinary search, but this gives a human
recommendation in the mix. And it is very targeted -- no browsing
through lots of results to get the answer.

Glenn Silloway
The Net Sells - www.thenetsells.com
Internet Marketing for Entrepreneurs
805-748-9475 - info@thenetsells.com

How to catapult your small business with a blog

Hi all, I sat in on this very informative and short webinar given by Typepad. Click here to download the presentation. At Whizbang we use Typepad, Wordpress and Blogspot to create blogs for our clients. The thing I liked about this webinar was the case studies. You can see how easy and inexpensive blogging can be. Happy viewing.

Net Sells presents Internet Marketing for Results

At today's meeting, Glenn Silloway of the Net Sells gave a great presentation on Internet Marketing to get results. You view his presentation via slideshare on Linkedin. While their make sure to join our group Professional Networking SLO.

"HARASSMENT" HAS A NEW MEANING

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA (May 28, 2009) – After decades of lawsuits & legislation, & the institution of mandatory biannual prevention training courses for supervisors, sexual harassment may lose its place at the top of the discrimination heap; the new office evil is ageism. United Staffing Associates in San Luis Obispo is responding by offering open enrollment for a new, comprehensive harassment prevention course. Defined as terminating, demoting, or otherwise making employment decisions based on the age of an employee over 40-years-old, HR experts at United Staffing Associates (USA) in San Luis Obispo report that ageism is running rampant in this tough economic climate where replacing older, more expensive employees with younger, less experienced (& hence cheaper) workers might sound like a bright business idea. USA advises local companies to be on the watch for even subtle civil rights infringements that could lead to costly lawsuits. READ MORE

Presenting with PowerPoint: 10 dos and don'ts

7 June, 2009 By Jeff Wuorio

Cherie Kerr knows how PowerPoint can be both provocative and persuasive in a business meeting.

She's also aware that precisely the opposite can occur.

"It can be the very best friend you have," says the Santa Ana, Calif., public relations consultant. "But you have to use it right."

Kerr's two-sided view of Microsoft's popular presentation and graphics program mirrors a debate coursing through business and academia. While many embrace the values of Microsoft Office PowerPoint® 2003 as a potent business tool, there are others who contend that it's a drag on effective interaction -- that it confuses, distorts and even strangles communication.

But, as Kerr points out, any discussion of PowerPoint's merits and miscues merely illustrates the importance of using the program to best advantage. Here are 10 ways to use PowerPoint to help make your business look brilliant, not brainless.

1. Hold up your end with compelling material. In a way, PowerPoint's ease of use may be its own worst enemy. However simple and engaging it can be to build eye catching slides and graphics, bear in mind that PowerPoint isn't autonomous. The audience has come to hear you, not merely to stare at images tossed onto a screen. Build a strong PowerPoint program, but make sure that your spoken remarks are no less compelling. "PowerPoint doesn't give presentations -- PowerPoint makes slides," says Matt Thornhill, president of Audience First, a Midlothian, Va., business that offers presentation training. "Remember that you are creating slides to support a spoken presentation."

2. Keep it simple. We've all likely seen PowerPoint and other presentations where the speaker seemed ready to propose to the program. After all, it was clear that he fell in love with every wrinkle, special effect and other bit of gadgetry available. But the most effective PowerPoint presentations are simple -- charts that are easy to understand, and graphics that reflect what the speaker is saying. Some authorities suggest no more than five words per line and no more than five lines per individual slide. "Don't gum up the works with too many words and graphics," Kerr says. "Do you really need to have everything up on the screen?"

3. Minimize numbers in slides. PowerPoint's lure is the capacity to convey ideas and support a speaker's remarks in a concise manner. That's hard to do through a haze of numbers and statistics. For the most part, most effective PowerPoint displays don't overwhelm viewers with too many figures and numbers. Instead, leave those for a later, more thorough digestion in handouts distributed at presentation's end. If you want to emphasize a statistic in PowerPoint, consider using a graphic or image to convey the point. "For instance, when I once was talking about the prevalence of Alzheimer's patients, I used a photograph of an old woman rather than just throwing up a number on the screen," Kerr says.

4. Don't parrot PowerPoint. One of the most prevalent and damaging habits of PowerPoint users is to simply read the visual presentation to the audience. Not only is that redundant -- short of using the clicker, why are you even there? -- but it makes even the most visually appealing presentation boring to the bone. PowerPoint works best with spoken remarks that augment and discuss, rather than mimic, what's on the screen. "Even with PowerPoint, you've got to make eye contact with your audience," says Roberta Prescott of The Prescott Group, a Connecticut-based communications consulting firm. "Those people didn't come to see the back of your head."

5. Time your remarks. Another potential land mine is a speaker's comments that coincide precisely with the appearance of a fresh PowerPoint slide. That merely splits your audience's attention. A well-orchestrated PowerPoint program brings up a new slide, gives the audience a chance to read and digest it, then follows up with remarks that broaden and amplify what's on the screen. "It's an issue of timing," Kerr says. "Never talk on top of your slides."

6. Give it a rest. Again, PowerPoint is most effective as a visual accompaniment to the spoken word. Experienced PowerPoint users aren't bashful about letting the screen go blank on occasion. Not only can that give your audience a visual break, it's also effective to focus attention on more verbally-focused give and take, such as a group discussion or question and answer session.

7. Use vibrant colors. A striking contrast between words, graphics and the background can be very effective in conveying both a message and emotion.

8. Import other images and graphics. Don't limit your presentation to what PowerPoint offers. Use outside images and graphics for variety and visual appeal, including video. "I often have one or two very short video clips in my presentations," says New York technology consultant Ramon Ray. "It helps with humor, conveys a message and loosens up the crowd."

9. Distribute handouts at the end -- not during the presentation. Some people may disagree with me here. But no speaker wants to be chatting to a crowd that's busy reading a summation of her remarks. Unless it is imperative that people follow a handout while you're presenting, wait until you're done to distribute them.

10. Edit ruthlessly before presenting. Never lose the perspective of the audience. Once you're finished drafting your PowerPoint slides, assume you're just one of the folks listening to your remarks as you review them. If something is unappealing, distracting or confusing, edit ruthlessly. Chances are good your overall presentation will be the better for it. .

Jeff Wuorio is a veteran freelance writer and author based in southern Maine. He writes about small-business management, marketing and technology issues, and can be reached at jwuorio@adelphia.net.
 

 

Mission Possible: Mastering Your Email in Outlook and Blackberry

Amy Kardel, of Clever Ducks, will help busy professionals optimize productivity when using the tools most at hand every day: Microsoft Outlook and mobile devices, with a focus on  Blackberry.  By gaining control of both tools, you will get better business results while reducing stress and staying in sync with the flood of emails that come your way.

 

Although these devices serve as your primary access to calendar events, emails and other tasks, they often become a distraction because of the amount of information that is often thrown at you.  By effectively leveraging both tools, you will find it is possible to stay on task and sort through the clutter.  Amy can help make life simpler by setting up some systems, using some tricks and understanding some advanced functions of your technology.

Friday, June 26 12-1 pm at Collaborations Office at 3196 S. Higuera Street, Suite D, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

RSVP for your free lunch at: http://www.collaboration-llc.com/upcoming-programs/educational-business-lunch/

 

 

Amy Kardel Bio

Amy Kardel brings over fifteen years of proven results and professional experience in the operations of international and high tech business to the job. She is the COO of Clever Ducks – Computer Network Services, a San Luis Obispo-based IT solution provider. A serial entrepreneur, she grew and then recently sold Global Accent Translation Services, a translation agency that provides technology, business and government with foreign language services. Amy loves to speak with other business leaders and share tips to help others grow their businesses.

Ms. Kardel completed degrees in UC Berkeley and Washington University, as well as graduate course work in at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Ms. Kardel returned to her native San Luis Obispo, California from Europe in 1993. She is active in the SLO Chamber of Commerce and Rotary. She enjoys living locally on the Central Coast while working globally with her husband Peter and four children.

 

 

  Amy Kardel, COO/Business Development

  1413 Monterey Street

  San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

  main 805.543.1930

  direct 805.547.2361

  www.cleverducks.com

 

 

 

 

EVC ANNOUNCES ROLE IN FEDERAL ECONOMIC STIMULUS PLAN FOR STATE

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., June 4, 2009 - The Economic Vitality Corporation (EVC) of San Luis Obispo County has been designated by the State of California as a district coordinator for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the federal economic stimulus plan.
 
Since April of 2009, the EVC has been coordinating proposals for projects needing economic stimulus funding on behalf of the State's Business Transportation and Housing Agency (BT&H) for a region that includes the counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz.
 
The EVC partnered with the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) and J. Knight Consulting on this first-ever project. Two reports were submitted by the EVC to the State that include proposals from cities, counties and non-profits throughout the five-county region. Projects, ranging in type and cost, include transportation, infrastructure, energy, environmental, visitor serving projects, and others- all intended to create jobs and bring outside revenue to the central coast.
 
The most recent work plan, submitted on June 1st, is now available on the EVC web site at www.sloevc.org/workplan. Participating organizations were invited to submit proposals needing economic stimulus funds to be distributed through a formula-based approach and competitive grant applications. Respondents were directed to focus their efforts on "shovel ready" projects that would help create jobs. Where possible, organizations were asked to identify projects that had environmental benefits and would help provide 'green jobs'. The Plan includes hundreds of proposed projects in need of funding, and some funds have already been distributed to the central coast. Additional funds are anticipated to flow into the region as organizations successfully compete for funds.
 
"We are doing our part to help SLO County get its share of economic stimulus monies to help revive our local economy and create jobs. As a district coordinator by the State for this first-ever approach, the EVC and its partners have developed a process that may be leveraged for future collaborations for regional economic development and job creation", said Michael Manchak, President of the EVC.
 
Steve Devencenzi, SLOCOG's Planning Director stated: "The Economic Recovery Work Plan is a groundbreaking effort on the part of the State to establish more meaningful lines of communication between local and State agencies, and regional organizations.  This coordinated approach to strategic public investments will result in opportunities that can result in targeted and meaningful projects. We hope to continue working together to assure that this opportunity will create needed jobs and build better communities."
 
"The Plan represents a significant and cooperative effort among hundreds of participating organizations within a five county region. This process has provided the central coast with a model that can be used in the future for regional coordination of projects." said John Knight of San Luis Obispo-based J. Knight Consulting.
 
Resource web site links:

• EVC / work plan: www.sloevc.org/workplan.php

• State Economic Recovery Work Plan: www.business.ca.gov
  
  
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA): www.recovery.gov

 
 

About the Economic Vitality Corporation       

 
EVC is a local non-profit economic development organization that provides business resources to help start and expand businesses throughout San Luis Obispo County. The Economic Vitality Corporation provides economic development services and business resources throughout San Luis Obispo County. The EVC stimulates the local economy by helping to generate jobs, increase investment in the community and promote the start-up, growth and attraction of businesses. www.sloevc.org  (805) 788-2012

 

Tryin to Pitch Products to the Savers

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By STUART ELLIOTT

Published: June 2, 2009

THE biggest challenge confronting marketers is how to deal with the Meineke mind-set consumers have adopted as a result of the recession.

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The Olay Professional Pro-X campaign will focus on price and relative value.

The syndrome is named after the discounter that for years ran a campaign featuring fed-up car owners declaring, “I’m not going to pay a lot for this muffler!” What was an annoying slogan has morphed into a mantra as shoppers insist now they are not going to pay a lot for (insert product here, from soup to soap to shoes).

The reluctance of consumers to spend — coupled with a sudden sharp rise in the savings rate — has left even the savviest marketers scrambling to reconsider their strategies.

For instance, the Procter & Gamble Company, the nation’s largest advertiser, announced last month that it would adopt a “surgical” approach to reducing prices in categories in which Procter brands are being perceived as costing too much compared with competitive products.

•

At the same time, Procter will also try to keep shoppers paying full price for the bulk of its brands by presenting them as more innovative or offering better value. Commercials for Tide detergent discuss how it is not as diluted as lower-priced alternatives and spots for Bounty call it more absorbent than a “bargain brand” of paper towels.

“Value means different things to different people,” said Herb Walter, consumer packaged-goods and retail advisory partner at the Washington office of PricewaterhouseCoopers. “You almost have to think about it in the plural instead of the singular.”

One type of consumer behavior that is becoming more prevalent, Mr. Walter said, is “paying closer attention to the spread of price points in a category — premium, midprice, lower — and more selectively choosing a price point.”

“If it’s Johnny’s birthday and you’ve got the relatives coming, you may splurge a bit” on food and beverage brands, he added, “but if you’re buying midweek for the family, you may buy a more value-oriented product.”

PricewaterhouseCoopers, along with the Grocery Manufacturers Association, plan to issue a report on Wednesday on the financial performance of marketers of consumer packaged goods. The report concludes that the industry is weathering the recession better than others because of a focus on delivering value along with innovation.

Value “is not just about price,” said Clayton Wai-Poi, senior brand manager for Kraft Singles cheese slices at Kraft Foods in Northfield, Ill.

As a result, “the role Kraft Singles can play in meeting mom’s needs in the current climate” extends beyond ads that describe how a meal of a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of Campbell’s tomato soup can “warm hearts without stretching budgets,” Mr. Wai-Poi said.

There are also promotions sponsored by Kraft Singles with partners like the Walt Disney Company and Minor League Baseball, he added, that are centered on affordable family entertainment.

And at Procter & Gamble, a line featuring new products that cost $42 to $62 each — a far cry from the price of a bar of Ivory soap — is getting a value designation because, ads assert, it performs like product lines costing much more.

The line is called Olay Professional Pro-X, part of the Olay skin-care brand. A print campaign from Saatchi & Saatchi in New York, part of the Publicis Groupe, that is scheduled to begin in July for the Intensive Wrinkle Protocol — a regimen kit of three products — will carry this headline: “As effective at wrinkle reduction as what the doctor prescribed. At half the price.”

The Pro-X items cost two or three times as much as the products in another Olay line, Total Effects, which cost about $20 to $25 apiece.

“It is getting into higher price points,” said Tim Bunch, Olay Pro-X brand manager at Procter in Cincinnati. So “if you’re going to lay down that type of money,” he added, “it ought to be for a brand you believe in.”

“With Olay, we’ve built that trust with women through the decades,” Mr. Bunch said. “A big element of value is standing behind your product, especially in beauty where so much is smoke and mirrors.”

Since the line was introduced in January, “consumers have really responded,” he added, to the point where Procter executives now “project Olay Professional will be the largest skin-care launch in North America in year-one dollar sales.”

Helping achieve those results, Mr. Bunch said, is an image for the Olay brand as one that “speaks straightforward and direct to consumers.”

“We tell them what we believe the truth is,” he added, which includes an acknowledgment that not all women will achieve the same results after using Olay products.

•

“If you don’t see it for yourself, I would rather you find a product better suited to your needs,” Mr. Bunch said, and return the Olay items for a refund.

Hmmmm. That calls to mind the scene from the classic movie “Miracle on 34th Street” when the Santa Claus at Macy’s (Edmund Gwenn) informs a skeptical shopper (Thelma Ritter) that the fire engine she wants to buy her son, which Macy’s does not have, can be found at another store.

“The only important thing is to make the children happy,” Mr. Gwenn says. “Who sells the toy doesn’t make any difference. Don’t you feel that way?”

Ms. Ritter replies: “Who, me? Oh, yeah, sure. Only I didn’t know Macy’s did.”

Communication is Key

One of our culture’s most popular clichés is “timing is everything”. Just ask a realtor as they wait in the unemployment line. Well, we business and HR professionals tend to believe that timing is very important – but COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING.

 

Employees spend over 75% of their time in an interpersonal situation: with clients, customers, co-workers, the boss, the public; verbally, written, email  -- it is all about the communication. And speaking of email, does the irony strike anyone else that all this blogging, “twittering,” and “linking” is called social networking? The new definition of social apparently does not include personal interaction. At least not face-to-face. By now, your employees may be spending 80% of that interpersonal 75%, networking socially.

 

If, as studies show, employees don’t quit the company they work for so much as they “quit” their immediate supervisor, then every supervisor had better be an expert communicator…

 

Want more? Visit http://betseynash.blogspot.com/

SLO Tech Brew Meets June 8

Slo Tech Brew
June 8, 5-7:00 pm at Mother's Tavern, SLO

Santa Barbara's best networking event for technology professionals has found a regular home in San Luis Obispo.
This is a standing event on the second Monday of each month.
Keep up on what's new on the Central Coast in a casual, social atmosphere.
Join us for a cash bar, appetizers and lots of time to talk to other technology professionals.
Tech Brew is now on Twitter and LinkedIn! Make sure you check us out.
Email your RSVP

General Information:
TechBrew
805.543.1930
TechBrew@cleverducks.com

It's all about Talent Communities

by
Kevin Wheeler
May 21, 2009, 5:26 am ET
Subtle as it may seem, there is Grand Canyon of difference between a database of prospective candidates and a community of talented prospective candidates.

Recruiters frequently tell me they have a talent community, when further investigation reveals that they have a huge database of people they do not know at all. These databases have been built up using impersonal methods including the career website, profiles gathered through the applicant tracking system, and perhaps referrals from other employees.

Databases suffer from two major problems when it comes to being effective recruiting tools.

First of all they tend to get old very quickly, and the data about the people is frequently not current and often not even usable at all. While no one that I know of has done actual research on the quality of the data in corporate resume databases, I know from experience and from working with many clients that it is poor.

The second problem databases have is that they tell you very little. All a recruiter knows about the candidate is whatever is in the resume/profile itself. There is no additional information, no personal observations, and seldom any useful reference data. Because the resumes have been added mostly through impersonal methods, the candidates are unknown to the recruiters. This means that the qualification and assessment of a candidate begins after the resume is retrieved (assuming it is retrieved, which is very seldom) and may take quite a bit of time, assuming the candidate can even be contacted. Candidate quality is often poor, and the time to find candidates can become very long, especially for hard-to-fill positions.

Most recruiters do not really actively use their talent databases and instead turn to Internet search, cold calling, or hire a sourcer or a third-party recruiter. In effect, a talent database is a legal storehouse, suitable for printing reports and showing compliance, but of little practical value in hiring — especially the hard-to-find candidates.

You might make the case that a good recruiter should know this and develop his own community of candidates. It might be possible to maintain data on and build relationships with 50 to 100 potential candidates, but doing that would be a full-time job.

What makes the talent community I am talking about different is its ability to take advantage of technology to achieve levels of personalization that could not be achieved without it.

There are three distinctive features of corporate talent communities that make them more valuable than databases.

They can serve as initial screeners: A talent community is always growing and changing. People can become a member of a talent community in several ways, but each requires them to learn more about the organization and provides the recruiter with more information about them. For example, candidates who come to the corporate Facebook fan page and then are referred to a targeted career site are likely to be much more interested in your organization than someone just dropping by the career site to drop off a resume.

Interest is a type of screening, and combined with the right tools a career site can quickly assess a variety of things, including aptitude for the job and skill level. People who achieve certain scores or meet other criteria can be referred directly to a recruiter. This way no one is asked to just “dump” their unevaluated resume into a hopper and wait for a follow up call — which usually never comes.

This ensures that everyone who ends up in the talent community has been evaluated at some level and knows that they meet the basic requirements for employment in your organization. They have had a positive encounter, although that was entirely or almost entirely without actual contact with you or any other recruiter.

Years of experimentation and use of these tools show that most candidates respond very positively to the immediate knowledge of how well they meet requirements and are often surprised to get a phone call or personal email from a recruiter because the software has alerted the recruiter to the quality of candidate.

They are much more personal and dynamic: Candidates actually perceive talent communities as very personal. If the talent community is set up well, candidates will frequently get emails and other messages about jobs and about the status of their own candidacy. They may receive periodic requests to update their personal information and keep their address and email current. This means that information is up to date. Candidates can add more information about themselves, and recruiters can ask questions about specific skills or interests. All of this information is kept in the candidate record, and any recruiter can access this. If a new recruiter stats recruiting for a position, there may be many candidates in the community who she can learn a lot about very quickly.

Talent communities are like living organisms. They are always changing and becoming more mature and sophisticated. Recruiters may have never met a person face to face and yet know much more about them than if they have had two or three personal interviews. This computer-aided interaction, as well as testing and assessment, can provide hiring managers with a very complete picture of a number of candidates.

They are far more flexible: All of this means that talent communities are far more flexible than databases. Candidates who may have applied for one position are frequently referred to different ones after the recruiter knows them better through the interaction and testing. One candidate may be an ideal candidate for several positions, and fewer candidates get pigeonholed into a particular channel and thereby missed in the search. Vigorous and thorough screening and assessment means that quality is as high as it can be and even higher than the quality that comes through employee referral or headhunters.

It is getting easier to set up talent communities every day. Tools such as LinkedIn or Google groups may serve as rudimentary communities. Tools such as Ning can be modified and put to work as active communities. Some organizations build their own.

Communities of candidates are powerful and reduce the need for special sourcing or the use of outside recruiters. They can increase the number of positions a single recruiter can handle and provide higher quality candidates in a shorter time. They always trump databases.

But the hardest part is not the technology or the screening and assessment tools or the acceptance of the idea by candidates. What proves to always be the hurdle that is hardest to overcome is the resistance of recruiters to using the tools and embracing the concept as a way to do what they do better than ever.

My Company's Values

I have a framed drawing of Gandhi in my office, with his quote: "Each of us must be the change we wish to see in the world." It serves to remind me that business owners (and others in management) and employees can create a mutually-rewarding experience and that it is my job to assist them in doing exactly that.

So this is a quick reminder to let your business' values lead your decision-making in all things. And be sure they are posted in your breakroom so that the employees know they are their guidelines, as well.

We HR types stress the importance of using the Employee Handbook as our guide for decision-making, and that is very true. But don't forget the value of your values, too.

Your thoughts are welcome.

 

Question about blogging

Should I put all of my blogsites on my email signature? I now have facebook and pronetworking. (and Rotary’s polio plus program). Should I add LinkedIn and the betseyblog, too? Yikes

 

Betsey

Would you like to present your products/services to the HRACC?

The Human Resources Assn. of the Central Coast (HRACC) offers an opportunity to vendors  for 5 minutes of our undivided attention!

 

This 30+ year old organization of 120 human resource professionals offers a 5 minute “Vendor Spotlight” to any business that would like to be exposed to our group. In the past we have heard from supplemental insurance brokers, relocation specialists (CA Coastal Real Estate), Urgent Care practices, wealth managers, and a promotional item vendor (sadly, not Jamie).

 

You will be our guest for lunch, have 5 minutes to sell us on how great you are, opportunity to distribute materials, and a special table on which you can create a display.

 

Since you know the President of the group I am pretty sure she will highlight you once or twice during the meeting and remind members to stop  by your table again on the way out. All for $100.

 

For more info, contact Lisa Ferson-Zavala at lferson-zavala@goetz-manderley.com. Tell her Betsey sent ‘ya.

10 Ways to Use LinkedIn

Recommended by Betsey:

 

1. Increase your visibility.

By adding connections, you increase the likelihood that people will see your profile first when they’re searching for someone to hire or do business with. In addition to appearing at the top of search results  (which is a major plus if you’re one of the 52,000 product managers on LinkedIn), people would much rather work with people who their friends know and trust.

2. Improve your connectability.

Most new users put only their current company in their profile. By doing so, they severely limit their ability to connect with people. You should fill out your profile like it’s an executive bio, so include
past companies, education, affiliations, and activities.

You can also include a link to your profile as part of an email signature. The added benefit is that the link enables people to see all your credentials, which would be awkward if not downright strange, as
an attachment.

3. Improve your Google PageRank.

LinkedIn allows you to make your profile information available for search engines to index. Since LinkedIn profiles receive a fairly high PageRank in Google, this is a good way to influence what people see when they search for you.

To do this, create a public profile and select “Full View.” Also, instead of using the default URL, customize your public profile’s URL to be your actual name. To strengthen the visibility of this page in
search engines, use this link in various places on the web> For example, when you comment in a blog, include a link to your profile in your signature.

4. Enhance your search engine results.

In addition to your name, you can also promote your blog or website to search engines like Google and Yahoo! Your LinkedIn profile allows you to publicize websites. There are a few pre-selected categories like “My Website,” “My Company,” etc.

If you select “Other” you can modify the name of the link. If you’re linking to your personal blog, include your name or descriptive terms in the link, and voila! instant search-engine optimization for your site. To make this work, be sure your public profile setting is set to “Full View.”

5. Perform blind, “reverse,” and company reference checks.

LinkedIn’s reference check tool to input a company name and the years the person worked at the company to search for references. Your search will find the people who worked at the company during the same time period. Since references provided by a candidate will generally be glowing, this is a good way to get more balanced data.

Companies will typically check your references before hiring you, but have you ever thought of checking your prospective manager’s references? Most interviewees don’t have the audacity to ask a
potential boss for references, but with LinkedIn you have a way to scope her out.

You can also check up on the company itself by finding the person who used to have the job that you’re interviewing for. Do this by searching for job title and company, but be sure to uncheck “Current titles only.” By contacting people who used to hold the position, you can get the inside scoop on the job, manager and growth potential.

By the way, if using LinkedIn in these ways becomes a common practice, we’re apt to see more truthful resumes. There’s nothing more amusing than to find out that the candidate who claims to have caused some huge success was a total bozo who was just along for the ride.

6. Increase the relevancy of your job search.

Use LinkedIn’s advanced search to find people with educational and work experience like yours to see where they work. For example, a programmer would use search keywords such as “Ruby on Rails,” “C++,” “Python,” “Java,” and “evangelist” to find out where other programmers with these skills work.

7. Make your interview go smoother.

You can use LinkedIn to find the people that you’re meeting. Knowing that you went to the same school, plays hockey, or shares acquaintances is a lot better than an awkward silence after, “I’m doing fine, thank you.”

8. Gauge the health of a company.

Perform an advanced search for company name and uncheck the “Current Companies Only” box. This will enable you to scrutinize the rate of turnover and whether key people are abandoning ship. Former employees usually give more candid opinions about a company’s prospects than someone who’s still on board.

9. Gauge the health of an industry.

If you’re thinking of investing or working in a sector, use LinkedIn to find people who worked for competitors—or even better, companies who failed. For example, suppose you wanted to build a next generation online pet store, you’d probably learn a lot from speaking with former Pets.com or WebVan employees.

10. Track startups.

You can see people in your network who are initiating new startups by doing an advanced search for a range of keywords such as “stealth” or “new startup.” Apply the “Sort By” filter to “Degrees away from you” in order to see the people closest to you first.

[Republished from: Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn via "How to Change the World" -- Guy Kawasaki's blog]