In my lifetime there have been a few purchases that I can easily quality as “life changing”. In this surprisingly long list of items like underwear, cars, food, and so on, there are a few things that I probably could have done without, but in the end I am really glad I bought them (like underwear). In this list exists two items that may surprise most of you that don’t own them, but not those that do, namely the iPod and the Smart Device (PocketPC, Palm, and Blackberry). Those of you that do own them can stop nodding in agreement.

Each of my software employees owns, and is physically attached to an iPod. If you are stuck in a cubicle all day long and need to concentrate, this is a great way to focus on the task at hand without being distracted by the giddy conversation or bodily noises of those around you.

As an artist and software developer I like to really focus when I am working and to do that I require music, often at an unhealthy volume. In order to keep those I love in a sane state of mind, and avoid sleeping on a couch for the remainder of my adult life, I purchased an iPod. I cannot say enough good things about this product. I take it with me in the car, on a plane, and along on any trip that involves large amounts of screaming children that aren’t mine. The amount of memory on these little wonders is amazing. With over 12 days of continuous music, I have everything from Japanese lessons to Paul Oakenfold from which to choose. It should be noted that my iPod does not have the ability to play country *or* western music.

Each of my software employees owns, and is physically attached to an iPod. If you are stuck in a cubicle all day long and need to concentrate, this is a great way to focus on the task at hand without being distracted by the giddy conversation or bodily noises of those around you. In fact, as a company Maelstrom’s developers each receive a $15 a month iPod allowance for downloading music, comedy, audio books, and tons of other items from iTunes. That should give you a good idea of how engrained this little device is into the culture of our company. Of course, if music isn’t your thing, then you can watch movies, share photos and all kinds of other cool functions on this little marvel. Another cool feature that is available is the ability to record directly onto the device from an optional microphone, which may be handy during long seminars you will want to review when you have insomnia. It should be noted that this device can also keep your outlook address book and calendar on it, but I find these read-only features as close to useless as an ear-wax candy bar.

If you are looking to escape from your little appointment book, then perhaps a smart device is the way to go. The secret to using these powerful handhelds is the same secret used by those who own the paper based organizers, “you have to use them.” People who are disappointed with their purchase tend to be those that don’t use them for anything, so don’t let the technology scare you. If you can use an appointment book like a DayTimer™ or similar system then you already have the wherewithal to use the electronic counterpart. The greatest thing about smart devices is the fact they synchronize with the email and contact managers you use on you computer so you always have everything you need.

Before you investigate bagging one of these powerful little toys, you should be aware of the two main families of devices that exist, namely push and pull. Push technology is akin to your cell phone in that when you have an incoming call your phone will ring because the signal is “pushed” out to you. If your phone worked on a “pull” based technology, it would need to keep checking to see if there was a call waiting for you. You can see the obvious benefits to “push” technology, but note that you will either have to rent a pushing service or have your corporation set up one on a server in some dark closet somewhere. RIM’s Blackberry is the most widely known of the push devices, but Microsoft and others are right behind them with their own technologies. If you want to know what is coming, always look to the UK, as they tend to be at least 3 to 6 months ahead in the cell phone and smart device technology releases. There are plenty of “pull” devices out there like the iPod, PocketPC, Palm, and others. Having a “push” device means you can get your email instantly rather than having to synchronize with something which can really drain the battery as well as be mighty inconvenient.

There are also other cool things these devices can do like play audio files, open Microsoft Office documents, and even have them act as your cell phone. Of course, if you do the latter you can get the Bluetooth technology and wear one of those jaunty microphones on the side of your face at all times.

In my next article I will delve into the etiquette of using these devices and a little about the short-hand abbreviations you will encounter on the electronic adventures.

When was the last time you really thanked someone for doing a job that was beyond what you expected? 
  
I remember a few years ago when I was employed as a networking consultant at a larger consulting company. One spring day I was sitting in my windowless office, jamming “Chia-Pet” seeds into my keyboard in an effort to make a QWERTY garden, when there was a knock on my office door. Cindy, one of the sales ladies, needed my advice on a computer hardware purchase for a customer. It would take me a few hours to create the list of required items, but I agreed. Once the list was complete, I put it into the proper format for her proposal and included time estimates to assemble, install and configure the hardware, even though she hadn’t requested that format or level of detail. When I delivered the document to her, she was elated that I had saved her from re-keying the entire order and thanked me several times for the help. 
 
The next day Cindy came in and handed me a plate of brownies still warm from the oven. I was in total shock, and was instantly her puppet from that point forward. She recognized that I had done something beyond her expectations that had saved her a tremendous amount of time and effort. The impact of her act was extraordinary because I didn’t expect anything beyond the typical “thanks geek.” It was a positive experience for everyone involved, but there were others in the office that didn’t have the same sense that Cindy possessed. 
 
There was, for example, another sales rep, Mort. Mort was special in that he didn’t own a monkey. Yup, you read that correctly, he had no monkeys.  A “monkey” is a task or problem that the owner does not care for or attend to, so he gives it to someone else (intentionally or otherwise). Once bestowed, it climbs onto the new owner’s back and proceeds to make a lot of noise. There were many people in the office that owned monkeys that Mort had bequeathed unto them. There was the inside sales rep that had to write all of Mort’s proposals for him because he never did them correctly. There was the receptionist that took Mort’s phone messages because he never returned client calls. She would keep the customers informed about their orders while her large entourage of Mort’s monkeys groomed her hair. 

Rewarding those who go beyond what is expected can give people a wonderful feeling about the job they perform.

Mort had given away every monkey that his job entailed. Of course, the people that had Mort’s monkeys were working longer days with larger workloads while Mort got spotless performance reviews. Eventually people grew angry enough to give Mort back his monkeys or threaten to leave the company. Mort didn’t like suddenly having to do his job, and moved on. I am sure we all missed him. I don’t remember because the party we had after he left was pretty wild. 
 
Unlike Mort, most people appreciate getting help from coworkers. Some will give rewards ranging from a free lunch to perhaps even a frosty beverage after work. Don’t forget that there are many others outside the office that you may not think about. They also deserve to be thanked. How about that person from your local networking group that can pull leads for you out of thin air? Remember that vendor that was able to rush your order past all the red-tape so you could deliver before your deadline? These people don’t expect to be thanked as they feel they are doing their job, but that is precisely when you want to hit them. 
 
Rewarding those who go beyond what is expected can give people a wonderful feeling about the job they perform. If you have given people monkeys, you need to go and claim them so your rewards will work as expected. And lastly, remember that compliments are always free and you should give them away whenever possible.

There are lots of stories about people meeting and finding great business relationships, but this road is treacherous and filled with people possessing pointy laser-swords

As any geek can tell you, the entire world can be broken down and completely referenced within the confines of the Star Wars saga. Therefore, young Padawan, it is true that the skill and practice of professional mingling, known as networking can also be referenced within this metaphor. There are lots of stories about people meeting and finding great business relationships, but this road is treacherous and filled with people possessing pointy laser-swords. I would like to discuss the three personality types you will encounter while milling about looking for that ideal relationship.

The first is the swashbuckling Han Solo character. He is there to find business for himself and has little or no interest in what you do and what you are saying. He doesn’t make much of a secret about it, either. Han won’t often let you get a word in edgewise and if he does, it is just another talking point so he can tell you about himself. “OK, enough about me. Why don’t you tell me what you think about me?” These people are annoying but luckily they are easy to identify. Most of the Han Solo types are business-to-consumer salespeople, but they attend business-to-business networking functions. They view the meeting like a wolf stalking a pack of deer. Of course, there are always exceptions, but they are hard to locate amid the sea of people that play this part perfectly.

The second type of person you will encounter is similar to Han, but much more common and very insidious: Darth Vader. Darth promises much to those that do his bidding. If you help him with his cause, the rewards will be simply beyond your imagination. The problem is that Darth never really keeps his part of the bargain. I remember a specific individual that is actually a professional networker in one of the high-power networking groups here in town. I gave him five leads, four of which closed, reaping him thousands of dollars in commissions. But in all of his travels over the course of the year, he never came across a company that needed a website or might be interested in getting better search engine placement? Come on, Darth; toss me a bone here, you jerk. Because of all the business I have given to him, you would image he could throw me a few leads to keep me happy and selling his services. Instead, he has now alienated me as a lead generator where such a small amount of effort would have been sufficient to keep me placated. Sure, he might have a close and trusted partnership with another web firm (not like mine is a rare business) but this is something we must all deal with at some point and weigh the ramifications of helping someone like this. 

The last type of personality is the fabled Luke Skywalker and his twin sister Leia (sorry, that may have been a spoiler for some of you). Luke is a person that is there watching his own back, but also looking out for his friends. He asks additional questions in an effort to fit in his network of friends. These little tidbits of information are unimportant to him, but he knows they may reveal a need that is outside of his realm. A great time to ask these questions is in the small talk at the end of the sales call when you are asking polite questions about that enormous fish hanging on the wall. “Hey, great fish; do you drug-test your employees?” OK, maybe that example sucks, but you get the idea. You can always tell them you just met with a groovy company that does this “great thingy” really well, and you thought you would just ask a few questions. I do this for my professional recruiter, computer networking partner, logo apparel maker, fish taxidermist and laser-sword manufacturer.

On the flip side, if someone gives me a lead, in my mind I owe them, and I will do my best to give them something to keep them energized (or at the very least buy them a martini if I cannot produce a lead). This is a great relationship as everyone gets something out of it . Now, if I have multiple partners that do competing services, then I have to weigh the value of the additional eyes on the street and then award the lead where it is most needed. I will always try and trade a lead in kind for one given. The large man in black plastic armor who was formerly my computer networking partner was awarded no less than ten customers from me last year, yet never game me a single lead. He told me that he is too busy thinking about his own business to remember to ask questions. Of course, I have since given my business to another firm that offered me a lead without knowing my current frustrations. That told me I had found a potential Luke here amongst the endless galaxy of evil doers.

In the end it really boils down to developing a core group of Luke & Leia characters that share freely and trust each other. Try to keep in mind those questions that can point out potential leads for your partners. Being a good networker isn’t that hard, but it does take patience to find those who use the power of the Force for good and not for evil.

The following is a re-print of an article I wrote for the Milwaukee's Magazine SOHO.
 
A few weeks ago, I subjected myself to a business networking meeting. At these functions people meander about looking for unsuspecting victims who might tolerate their overly lengthy business success stories.

I milled about the crowds of financial planners, insurance salespeople, and a professional basket-maker while shaking hands like a game show host. Not that I recommend it on date night, but it does have a twisted entertainment value.

Anyway, at this particular breakfast I encountered a business card that left me nearly speechless. It appeared to have been created on the person's home printer, which isn't rare given the availability of over-priced card stock filled with 1970's era background images. However, in this case, the person didn't even bother to use mediocre paper or a semblance of design. In fact, I imagine he plunked himself down in the middle of the living room floor and gleefully cut out the "cards" with children's safety scissors. I even suspected crayons were considered but for some reason not used.

Many companies put up Web sites that are equal to this "business card from hell." Perhaps it isn't their fault. After all, anyone can play Web designer if they have a local computer superstore handy.

It blows my mind that people taking the risk to start a business wouldn't consider a well designed business card a top priority. After all, every customer you will ever have is going to end up with one of these little gems in their hands. You may be thinking to yourself, "Come on, Scott. Could someone be so daft?" The same level of disdain can be found in the medium we know as the Web.

Many companies put up Web sites that are equal to this "business card from hell." Perhaps it isn't their fault. After all, anyone can play Web designer if they have a local computer superstore handy.  Armed with a box of clip-art (a weapon of mass destruction), one is suddenly empowered to ruin the reputation of any business they encounter, and do so on a global scale. If these victims thought of their sites as full-color brochures they will give to every man, woman, and child on the face of the planet, they might reject these eyesores.

Many people assume you have to be a computer person to do a Web site. Actually.  marketing and art talent are needed for a killer site. Of course,  a complex site requires a software developer (which happens to be what I do), and it is a very different talent than that of your typical "computer guy."As a Web consultant, the advice I give out most often is, "Turn it off before someone sees it!" The damage it can do to your corporate reputation is huge. That doesn't mean that you should spend your annual revenue on a site, but you should at least plan to put money into it and get a professional result.The Yellow pages are a great way to get to customers in a limited area who don't have computers. So why  spend thousands on that phone book ad (which my daughter uses as a booster chair) and put only  a pittance into your Web site? A top-notch site would cost you about 25 percent to 50 percent of that 2 column-by-2 inch creamed-corn-colored ad in the phone book. Keep in mind most of the costs are up-front and the hosting fees normally are minor. Bang for the buck, a stellar Web site will do a lot more for your business, and your reach is world-wide.  This was recently proven to me by a customer we set up for e-commerce. Their unsuccessful attempts over 2 years netted them next to nothing, but after we provided them with a properly designed site they experienced a 300-percent increase in revenue by the end of the first month. Much of the results were due to the professionalism of the site.

No one will purchase from a company that appears “fishy.” It’s the equivalent of using a bank that is run out of a mobile home. Your site must exude professionalism, otherwise your competition  wins, even if they have no site. This is the trap that I think many businesses fall into -- assuming that any site is good enough to get them on the Web. Another alternative is a template-driven system. You answer a few questions and a site comes out of the other end. These give you a  professional image but you will  be stuck in a situation in which you might run across the twin of your site at some point.  In addition to a better look, you get to choose from a selection of photographs of people holding phones at uncomfortable angles or grinning in ways that make you want to hide your neck. The one thing these templates cannot do is help you with the actual content of your site.

Most people get stumped after the phone number and don't know what to put on their pages. Keep in mind that the content of your site is what the search engines care most about. In the old days, keywords were the path to glory, but they are almost completely ignored by the larger engines now. If you can hold your Web site up to the same standards you expect from your other marketing materials, you should do well on the Web. This assumes you don't use index cards as a business card replacement.