Category: young professionals

Why Support Gets Lost In Translation

Scott AsaiLeave a comment

elephant-umbrella

Managers, friends, even spouses say they want to support you, but how come it goes horribly wrong?

Support is determined by the recipient, not the giver.

If the receiver doesn’t feel supported, it’s only a gesture.

Let me give you an example. Your manager tells you he/she is “hands off” in their management style, yet you feel micromanaged.

Translation: your manager wants things done a certain way and when it’s not, you’ll hear it. Hands off to them means “as long as you do things my way, I’ll be hands off.”

To someone who is self-motivated and innovative that’s a huge turn off.

In the workplace support it a term used loosely. The main problem is if the giver doesn’t know how the receiver defines support, it’s just talk.

Support gets miscommunicated as frequently as any generational difference.

If you truly want to support someone, ask them how they feel supported. It may be different than what you value, but if you truly care you’ll do it.

The #1 reason why employees leave their current job is because they feel undervalued, therefore support has an incredible ROI.

The root cause can be the difference between a leader and manager, but ultimately it starts with ego.

Support is meant to benefit the recipient so if the receiver doesn’t feel supported that falls on the giver.

It can be a tricky game to play, so first know the rules.

I feel supported when listened to. Answers aren’t necessary. Once I’m able to vent my frustration, I can enter problem solving mode. Offer me trust and I will give it back tenfold. That’s what helps me feel supported, how about you?

How To Be A Storyteller During Your Next Interview

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storybook

Applying for jobs sucks, but if you get to the interview process here’s a way to stand out:

Tell stories.

Since the beginning of time stories have always engaged us. During an interview, telling a story will calm your nerves while painting a memorable image in the mind of the interviewer.

In fact, if you can tell a story about a past experience accenting how you used personal strengths you’ve nailed it.

Past behavior questions tend to be the most accurate predictor of future prowess. It’s not 100%, but it’s proof you’ve done it before so you can do it again.

The easiest way to implement this strategy is planning ahead of time. Think of 3 stories that illustrate your strengths clearly and remember them. Most likely you’ll be asked a question like, “What are your strengths? or Why should we hire you?” Now it’s story time…

Interviews are perceived as intimidating, but similar to public speaking the only way to get better is through practice. You can easily simulate an interview by role playing. Anticipate the toughest questions ahead of time and you’ll be fine during the real thing.

Interviewing relies on self-awareness. Know your strengths and weaknesses and be able to communicate them clearly. For the question, “What is your biggest weakness?” always answer it in a positive way (otherwise you’ll shoot yourself in the foot). For example: “I’m impatient. I like to move at a fast pace. I care about efficiency because time is money. I like to push others to move with a sense of urgency.”

See what a did there? I took a potential weakness and flipped it into a strength.

Some interviewers play games, but most ask similar questions.

Do your research.

Practice.

And most of all…tell stories.

It makes you memorable.

What McDonalds Can Teach You About Failed Branding

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ronald-mcdonald-sad

Have you seen the recent McDonald’s commercials featuring wholesome ingredients in family settings?

That’s a far cry from their previous campaign geared towards a “cool” hip-hop crowd…

Confusing. That’s what McDonald’s marketing is currently.

Apply that to your professional life. When you’re asked the question, “Why should we hire you?” in a job interview would you state what makes you unique or go with what’s trendy nowadays? (I hope you choose the former)

My point is when it comes to branding it’s important to know your identity.

Using McDonald’s as a bad example, they’ve flip-flopped on who they are trying to be and to whom they’re trying to be it to. Newsflash: people don’t buy McDonald’s products because of sustainable procedures, family values or the perception of being part of the “in-crowd.” It’s sole appeal is: it’s cheap, fast-food. I guarantee if they spent more money marketing their dollar menu, combo meals and sale items profits would rise quickly.

Trying to be the jack-of-all-trades results in being a master of none.

That’s why tools like the StrengthsFinder are helping in defining your identity (personal brand).

Your strengths determine your style which reveals your brand.

Don’t be afraid to niche yourself according to your speciality. People need to know who you are and what you do clearly.

If you communicate various descriptions it sounds confusing…and the problem is when someone is confused they will always say “no” to buying you.

Don’t be like McDonald’s. Be clear about you.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

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Entrepreneur_Shirt

Want to know the real motivation behind current entrepreneurs?

Being broke.

As a business owner each day you wake up needing to sell.

You either make money that day or you don’t.

Nothing is given to you. You have to fight for everything a.k.a. the daily grind.

Signing up as an entrepreneur basically makes you a sales person. Even though you’re the boss, you’re 100% responsible for selling. It’s tough work, not for the faint at heart. In fact, you become so accustomed to rejection you think you’re dating her.

But chasing your dreams does have a tremendous upside. Complete freedom is one of the best feelings you can experience and once you’ve been the boss, it’s tremendously hard to go back to working for someone else. In the right situation it’s possible, but chances are while you’re working, you’re strategizing how you can improve the process on your own.

The reason entrepreneurship is down with Millennials is because it’s too big of a risk. Chasing your dreams doesn’t pay well. If you like supplemental income for travel, dining out and adventures put that on hold. Considering starting a family? One of you better have a stable job with benefits or suffer a drop in quality of lifestyle.

Possibly a larger factor than a big, scalable idea is timing. Forget age, what life stage are you in: single and career driven or in a relationship and starting a family? The answer to that question will give you clarity on whether or not to pursue your dreams. Starting a business takes more of an investment in time than money, so your current level of responsibility will give you clarity on pulling the trigger.

Take it from someone whose priorities changed drastically over the past several years. What was a good decision before, isn’t the best decision now. Pride aside, your life goals change which calls for a life pivot.

Entrepreneurship can be for everyone, but think about the lifestyle you want to maintain and decide from there.

Taking A Bite Out Of SEO

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Rachel-Howe

Rachel Howe is someone I know through the social media platform Brazen. Back then it was a virtual place to meet other Young Professionals. Recently I had a client who asked me for a SEO recommendation so I scoured through LinkedIn and contacted Rachel to gauge her interest. Long story short, my client hired Rachel and everyone is happy. Since SEO can be an intimidating subject, I’ve asked Rachel to share her thoughts in the following interview:

1) Tell us a little bit about how you got started in SEO.

Well, what can I say? I don’t think anyone can say that they grew up wanting to be a search engine optimizer when they were a kid. Especially since the internet is less than half a century old! I did what I think most people who entered the profession ended up doing, I kind of fell into it. When I was a kid I used to want to be an artist or a veterinarian. I quickly realized that I was no good at science and biology. And, while I enjoy art and have taken a few college art classes, I knew that it wasn’t something I was passionate enough about to do day in and day out (not to mention when you’re putting yourself through college, being a starving artist just won’t cut it.). So, I studied marketing. I could see myself as a businesswoman and marketing combined my interest in using my creativity and business interest. I had no idea what I wanted to do though. When I graduated, I ended up working in the corporate setting for a couple of years. I knew that I couldn’t keep that up. It was just too draining. So I did things I liked like writing and marketing. I set up my own blog and started blogging about internet marketing. Soon after I got my first agency job at a small agency here in Milwaukee. And the rest is history ☺

2) What are some misconceptions about SEO that you’d like to clear up?

I think the SEO industry is interesting because there are people out there that give it a bad rap. There are “black hat” SEOs that try to game the system and make a quick buck, which are the biggest culprits. But there are also people that just think that you slap a few title tags on a site, stuff some keywords on the page and voila! The site is SEOed. While that would be great, it also does the profession a disservice. It is a profession for a reason. People make their livelihoods out of it and a lot of work goes into doing great SEO. It’s a large combination of things including understanding algorithms, code, marketing principles, PR and having good business sense. There’s a lot of work that goes into it, so my hope is that by bringing transparency in combination with education, we’ll shed more light into this up and coming, complex industry.

3) On your site, you talk about creating meaningful connections vs. solely driving sales and leads – why is that important?

A lot of people will tell you they can make you a ton of money with SEO and get you to the top of Google for “xyz” terms. The chances of them delivering on that is low. Yes, it is definitely possible, but there really are no guarantees with search engines. Things change all the time and you can only really estimate and put your best foot forward. Even if they could get you to the top and let’s say they convert here and there. Are they repeat purchasers, or just a bunch of one-timer purchasers or visitors? Because if all you get is one time purchasers or visits, you’d really be missing out on a valuable segment of your market, which is repeat purchasers. And going after that is a better use of your marketing dollars and time.

If you think about how search engines like Google evaluate websites, it’s really almost like evaluating a business as if it were the brick and mortar itself. You have to be a good, credible business in the real world and that translates on the internet. Which is largely due to the relationships you build and how you run your shop. So, it’s really important to think about the broader perspective when you get into marketing your business online, or anywhere for that matter.

4) If you had to sum up what you do in one word, what would it be? Why?

Marketing. At the end of the day, great SEO is more than just getting higher rankings. It’s helping people market their products and services.

5) Describe to my readers what it’s like working with you & why they should hire you!

I like to think that I’m easy to get along with and at the end of the day, I want to help people with marketing and growing their business. I think big picture, but I’m also practical. I don’t tell people what they want to hear, I tell them what they need to hear so we can focus on getting results. If you want to work with someone who’s honest, hard-working and cares about getting you results over a paycheck, then here I am! (of course, I want a paycheck, but you get the point 😉

3 Reasons Why Millennials Love Snapchat

Scott Asai1 Comment

how-to-market-on-snapchat

When it comes to social media, it boils down to personal preference. I gave Snapchat a try, but quickly deleted my account because I didn’t care for the user interface.

I’ve witnessed multiple brands that market to Millennials jump on the Snapchat bandwagon and recently did some research about why. Here’s 3 things I learned:

1) Visual Storytelling – All ages love stories, but Millennials love to be visually entertained. It started with You Tube and movies, but got more personal with Snapchat. Look how celebrities use it to connect with fans. Gary Vaynerchuk recently launched VaynerSports, a full-service athlete representation agency that guide players through their professional career. His advice to his client, All-Star Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, is to post more on Snapchat. He suggested filming everyday tasks because people want to see your everyday life. There’s a human element to this app which makes it high-touch.

2) Transparency – “Snaps” are a peek into your life. Although you can doctor it up, the amateur feel of Snapchat makes it feel authentic. Millennials can smell a fake miles away. Brands competing for the attention of Millennials must be careful not to script a message or forever be deemed as phony. Most videos/photos aren’t spectacular, but its much easier to see who you are visually versus written or auditory. The simplicity makes it attractive.

3) Communication – Sharing is the new communication for Millennials. Although brands and celebrities use it, most of the time snaps are sent to/from friends. Think of it as texting, but with video/images. You can just as easily send messages via iPhone, but Snapchat’s reputation amongst Millennials is the go-to source for frequent communication. What Facebook was to Millennials 5-10 years ago has been replaced by Snapchat. Whether a public or private story, Snapchat is the platform to stay in touch without saying a word.

After reading this don’t go and download it if you’re not already using it. If it’s for you, you’d probably already be on it. But if you want know how to effectively communicate with Millennials remember why they love Snapchat and use that to your advantage.

Corporate Survival Guide For Your Twenties

Scott Asai1 Comment

kayla-buell

Kayla is someone I first encountered through a LinkedIn Group I manage and her posts were very insightful. I’ve witnessed her blossom from a blogger into an author and thought her advice would be helpful to my readers. I haven’t had the pleasure to meet her in person yet (because we live on opposite coasts), but we do follow each other on Twitter and Instagram. Here’s my interview with her:

1) Tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming an author

I’ve always wanted to write a book. It’s always been on my bucket list, but if I’m being honest, I never thought it’d actually happen. A couple years ago I got inspired one day and I wrote down a whole bunch of thoughts and ideas for this book I wanted to write. I wrote it down on colored construction paper and threw it into my computer bag, the place where all my scribbles and post-it notes go to die. But one day last summer, I received an e-mail from a publishing company and I took the time to read it. They had found my blog, and they asked me if I was interested in putting together a book proposal. The first thing I did was Google the heck out of them to make sure they were a legit company, and after I verified that yes, they were very real, I retrieved that page of colored construction paper and I started working on my proposal. A year later, here I am, officially an author. How cool is that?!

2) In the past year you got married, bought a house and published a book: how did you manage it all?

Oh, you mean, you don’t want to hear the stories about me in the fetal position having full-blown panic attacks? LOL!  Manage it all? Somehow I did it, although I was an absolute crazy person this past year. I really learned to use my time wisely, so I would spend my lunch breaks writing little sections of my book and I would continue writing when I got home from work. I would write on the weekends and pretty much any free time I had would be spent with my computer on my lap. Thankfully I have a super-supportive husband who dealt with me ignoring him from to time so I could get my writing done. But the turnaround time for my book was insane! I was offered my book deal in August and my draft was due in November. Hence the panic attacks. I was literally writing my book until the day before my wedding. I got married on a Saturday, and Friday, Joe was greeting our out of town guests while I was up in our room writing. Definitely intense, but so worth it.

3) As someone who graduated from college early and jumped into the corporate world immediately, what do you wish you knew then that would have helped you?

That’s a good question. I wish I had known that it was totally okay for me to explore other career options. I feel like I got into a career as a young professional and I thought, “this has to be it…this is what I studied,” even though I wasn’t passionate about it. I wish I had been a little less harsh on myself, allowing myself to explore more of my passions and interests, even if that meant job hopping a bit more during the first few years out of college.   

4) You refer to Millennials as being more “lost” than any other generation before, can you elaborate more on that?

Millennials are for the most part overachievers. I think a lot of us have big goals and dreams for ourselves and we want to make an impact. But when it comes to figuring out HOW to do that, I think that’s where we struggle sometimes. We have multiple passions and interests and with technology making so many things accessible to us, I think we often struggle to figure out which direction we want to go in. But I think that’s just what happens when we’re young and trying to figure out who we are and what we want to do, so I think the key to success here is to embrace that feeling of being lost and not thinking of it as such a bad thing. 

5) Give us a preview of your book and how it can help 20 somethings navigate the business world!

Corporate Survival Guide for Your Twenties is a down-to-earth, no BS guide to navigating those first few years at work. I mean, it’s not going to matter that we got our dream jobs if we don’t know how to behave in the workplace and get fired in three days, right? So the book’s designed to give readers some advice regarding things like starting off on the right foot, getting people to like you, earning your boss’ respect, and dealing with people you want to punch in the face. It’s got humor to it, because the last thing I wanted to do was write a book that was like a textbook or some lame HR manual, so it’s a fun read with practical advice and it’s something that I think even more seasoned employees would benefit from.

How to Optimize Content to Reach Your Target Audience

Scott Asai2 Comments

Alex Membrillo

You can have a killer product and the world’s best writers tasked with promoting it. But, we are still at a point where marketing efforts live and die by their search engine placement. Four out of five purchasing decisions start with a Google search. To make sure that your excellent, persuasive content is part of what consumers see, it needs to be well-optimized. A few of the best ways to get to the top of the SERPs:

1. Create a keyword-rich, enticing headline.

Your headline should include keywords that lets audiences and search engine spiders know what your work is about. By including this bit of information, you can significantly increase your chances of indexing well. Make sure your headline is short, as well. Five or fewer words is best. Load keywords toward the beginning of the phrase so that it catches readers’ eyes.

2. Break content into sections with relevant subheads.

Well organized, skimmable content is more likely to be read than impenetrable walls of text. Breaking up using subheads also gives you the chance to inject your keywords into H2 tags. Make each subhead descriptive and inviting.

3. Tune up your technical SEO.

The technical specs of your page matter as much as the content that is on it. Every page should load quickly and completely, no matter what device your visitor uses to get there. The average surfer will leave your page if it takes more than three to four seconds to load. Image files should be small so that they don’t cause people to bounce before the page fully loads. Ensure that pages are mobile-friendly; this is now a major part of how Google assesses your site.

When you are setting up how URLs appear on your blog or website, make sure that they are descriptive. “http://www.myawesomesite.com/web-content- blog-post” does much better than “http://www.myawesomesite.com/3033ab4.” When QuickSprout analyzed the top ranking URLs, they found that they were short, contained few subfolders and generally had no extraneous characters.

4. Use descriptive title tags.

Pages on your site should not have names like “home” or “index.” These tell search engine spiders nothing about what your site is about. Instead, title your pages in ways that add valuable information. “South Texas Exterminators” tells search engines and surfers what they can expect.

5. Create a great description Meta tag.

While many Meta tags have fallen out of use, the description tag is still a valuable one. In most cases, search engines pull from this tag when they are listing your page in the search engine results. Think of this tag as like the title, but more detailed. You should organize the description so that the most important information comes first. If you have a background in journalism, think of it the way you would an opening sentence in a traditional newspaper article. Keep the content here short and to the point, no more than 160 characters.

6. Never forget that you are writing for the reader.

With all of the technical details involved in good SEO, the most important thing that you can do is always consider the reader first. Create content that is novel, informative and compelling. Elicit a reaction. Tell people something that they didn’t know. This leads more people to read and engage with your content. They are more likely to post links to your work on their own blogs or on their social media pages. These earned backlinks and the boost in traffic that they bring are also good for improving your SEO. In the end, you get rewarded by the search engines for doing the right thing by your readers.

With a little fine-tuning, you will find that you are able to get much better results with your content. By creating content consistently and keeping in mind what is needed for optimal performance, you can increase your number of readers and their engagement and get better visibility for your content and your brand.

About the Author

Alex Membrillo is the CEO of Cardinal Web Solutions, an award winning digital strategy agency based in Atlanta, GA. Named Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)’s 2015 Digital Marketer of the Year, his innovative approach to digital marketing has transformed the industry and delivered remarkable results to clients of all sizes and markets.  Cardinal has been 3-time consecutively named on Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing privately-held US companies.  Visit www.CardinalWebSolutions.com to find out more about Cardinal Web Solutions.  Membrillo tweets @Alex_Membrillo

If You Don’t Know, Now You Know…

Scott AsaiLeave a comment

Millennials-info

Back in the 80’s one of the most popular cartoons was G.I. Joe.

It wasn’t a show I watched much, but there was a line I still remember hearing over and over again: “And knowing is half the battle…”

When it comes to Millennials ignorance is not bliss. As a manager/executive you may not agree with Millennials’ personal/professional habits, but the reality is they are the working majority.

That doesn’t mean you lay down and grant every request they complain about. Be proactive by understand their motivations/wants/values and create programs to maximize their talents.

Maybe you’re frustrated or at your wit’s end, if so come join this workshop series where you’ll network with other managers in a similar boat. If you can’t make it let me know and I’ll customize a program based on your company’s needs.

Anyone can complain, but leaders do something about it.

An Invitation To The Freelance Party

Scott Asai4 Comments

freelancers

Freelancers, also known as the gig economy, are rapidly becoming the norm.

Millennials are leading the charge and companies such as Uber, Postmates and Google Express are thriving.

The benefits of freelancing are: flexibility, control and convenience.

The cons are: lack of a steady paycheck, no benefits and minor predictability.

Some call it a side hustle, but with pensions/retirement disappearing faster than Google+, the reality is everyone should freelance at something.

Freelancing is essentially selling yourself. News flash: college/degrees don’t prepare you for the real world, so figure out your strengths and start getting paid for them.

Millionaires typically have 7 streams of income. If that isn’t motivation to get started, I can’t help you. It proves the theory of not putting all your eggs in one basket. Think of it in money management terms: diversify your portfolio.

Job hopping was made famous by Millennials, but you can’t blame them. No one will build your security net for you. My advice is: if you’re not looking for the next best role, you’re susceptible. You don’t have to start a new company, but you should be strategizing how to monetize your skills/hobbies.

Freelancing isn’t the next best thing. It’s a party you should be at and you don’t need an invitation to attend.