Employment is a fun time for all- jobs for the unemployed, a new member of staff for the employer and less stress on the government. But what do most employers look for? People or simply suppliers of skills?
It's arguable that they're one and the same.
Any decent employee would have a decent blend of both, but in the age of graduate-required jobs are we looking at people anymore?
Skills are the bread and butter of what makes an organisation flow.
If you look at any large organisation you will see there are a number of skilled and experienced employees in key positions. This is because, quite frankly, over the years, they have built up the knowhow and the necessary expertise to be the best at what they do.
Not to mention, skills are something that everyone can use to their advantage and can learned by others with dedication.
Although, in fairness, not everyone is an academic so adjusting to the idea of learning new skills and new opportunities, well, it doesn't suit everyone- and that's fine- because some people aren't that way inclined.
People, however, are also the bread and butter of an organisation.
As is often the case with graduates; they have the skills and they can do the job, but they just aren't the right type of people. They don't have the experience or the required outlook.
Best in their class and very good at what they do, but they aren't at the level (yet) to lead groups and supervise others. Because, to be honest, some people are born leaders and some people are born marketeers etc. Some people are just good at what they do and that can never be replaced by skills.
As skills can be learned, over time, and with effort, but the fundamental groundwork of being that type of person cannot.
You can't change someone that much that they will become someone entirely different. But you can influence and help them, to teach them new things that they will use to become better people.
For instance, using myself as an example, I'm not one of these people that can stand up in front of thousands and present. Never have been. I get nervous with so many people paying attention to me- probably because I'm not used to it- but in any case, it's not something I would be employed to do.
I have learned to become a better person when it comes to presentations after many years, but still, even with that knowledge- you're not getting me up on that stage.
I also have a wee problem with being thanked for things/getting recognition. I don't do things because I like to be recognised/loved/adored/thanked- I do things because they help people. Which, all in all, means you're never going to get me in a position where I'm going to present and be recognised.
I could, quite possibly, play the role but I wouldn't be able to do that as well as I could one-to-one speak and encourage someone. Or to sit behind my laptop doing nerdy things all day.
From that we can see that, despite my ability to- I'm still not the best person for the role and perhaps in time I will be. But, you're rather playing a wildcard there in comparison to say asking me to design or find some fiendish coding thing.
It also highlights that while I may have the skills required for the role and can use them adequately, I'm not the best user when it comes down to it.
Thereby, the original question still stands: people or skills?
Personally, and in my opinion, I'd rather have a bit of each and have someone that not only possesses the skills but the right mindset for the task at hand.
I've always felt differently about people in that they can't be managed, but only lead, rather than allocated, for they are people and that gives them one thing that most managed situations don't have- unpredictability.
You never know what someone is capable of and sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised because "I didn't think they were that kind of person." Well, sometimes people are and sometimes they are beneficial for that reason. But, at the same time, you need to balance that with a great deal of skills in order to make someone that not only inspires but works to their goals efficiently.
Again, this is just something to think about. Food for thought.
Thank you for reading (as always) and I hope you've enjoyed the content. You're free to comment, retweet or perform any other gratifying action- we'd love to hear from you!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
Monday, 15 November 2010
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Information Flows.
Arguably the best looking waterfall is one where the water rushes down into a cascading explosion of foam at the base. Information is quite similar- the best kind of information is the kind that rushes through the organisation!
How do we achieve this?
We need to streamline information!
Streamlining information isn't hard, or expensive, in fact most business process management software packages do it as standard. In short, it is allowing the information to move effectively between layers in the organisation. Those who need it have it, those who want it can access it and those who want more of it can enter it. Simplicity in theory. Efficiency in practicality.
It also promotes a higher level of productivity.
Think of the time, money and effort that you could save by entering all the information in the organisation at once, only once, and letting everybody use their job-specific sections of it to their fullest.
Not to mention how simple and effective that solution will be over having two-dozen applications all doing the same thing. It's mind boggling!
Although, this isn't all down to the IT systems in place.
A lot of it also comes down to how much collaboration and thought there is in the initial information gathered and entered. While an IT system can make you more efficient and more productive- initial garbage in will only produce end result garbage out. And that's not what we want!
Good example, the organisation I previously worked for had stacks of old information that they wanted on a computerised database. A process that took an insane amount of time, quite simply, and quite frankly, because the original information was practically useless. Multiple choices of abbreviations for the same thing, missing information and sometimes entire pages of deleted information.
In the end it took months just to wade through all of this invaluable information- and make it usable- once more!
But in many cases, most organisations are a bit more organised than this and have their information neatly sorted.
So for you, you lovely people, all your concerns are in whether or not the system will deliver and what streamlining is. Well, it's a buzz word but when not doing that it's also a really good way of saying "makes everything faster, better, more efficient and transparent." So that you can see where the information is going, what the information is and help it to get there yesterday.
As for the delivery? I'd bet you that you could reap the benefits almost immediately as you will feel a lot more organised, far more reassured and like you can finally use this information.
No longer will you be questioning what you have, where it is, how you can use it or what use it really is to your organisation. You'll know.
Not to mention- you just broke the computing and business barrier!
Thank you for reading, as always! I hope this has been informative and again, as is the trend in recent posts, more a casual information post over a particularly themed post.
Feel free to comment if you have something to share!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
How do we achieve this?
We need to streamline information!
Streamlining information isn't hard, or expensive, in fact most business process management software packages do it as standard. In short, it is allowing the information to move effectively between layers in the organisation. Those who need it have it, those who want it can access it and those who want more of it can enter it. Simplicity in theory. Efficiency in practicality.
It also promotes a higher level of productivity.
Think of the time, money and effort that you could save by entering all the information in the organisation at once, only once, and letting everybody use their job-specific sections of it to their fullest.
Not to mention how simple and effective that solution will be over having two-dozen applications all doing the same thing. It's mind boggling!
Although, this isn't all down to the IT systems in place.
A lot of it also comes down to how much collaboration and thought there is in the initial information gathered and entered. While an IT system can make you more efficient and more productive- initial garbage in will only produce end result garbage out. And that's not what we want!
Good example, the organisation I previously worked for had stacks of old information that they wanted on a computerised database. A process that took an insane amount of time, quite simply, and quite frankly, because the original information was practically useless. Multiple choices of abbreviations for the same thing, missing information and sometimes entire pages of deleted information.
In the end it took months just to wade through all of this invaluable information- and make it usable- once more!
But in many cases, most organisations are a bit more organised than this and have their information neatly sorted.
So for you, you lovely people, all your concerns are in whether or not the system will deliver and what streamlining is. Well, it's a buzz word but when not doing that it's also a really good way of saying "makes everything faster, better, more efficient and transparent." So that you can see where the information is going, what the information is and help it to get there yesterday.
As for the delivery? I'd bet you that you could reap the benefits almost immediately as you will feel a lot more organised, far more reassured and like you can finally use this information.
No longer will you be questioning what you have, where it is, how you can use it or what use it really is to your organisation. You'll know.
Not to mention- you just broke the computing and business barrier!
Thank you for reading, as always! I hope this has been informative and again, as is the trend in recent posts, more a casual information post over a particularly themed post.
Feel free to comment if you have something to share!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Keeping in Touch.
With social media networking taking off as it has done, new smartphone techology, worldwide internet access and much more- it's never been a better time to keep in touch. But we're not talking about Facebook, or Twitter, we're talking about corporate contacts.
Services like LinkedIn make it easy to keep all of your corporate information and contacts under one neatly packaged roof. You can access a wealth of information just by logging in, not to mention find others who share similar interests/industry experience to work with.
But, at the same time, there's the looming issue of privacy.
One thing that seems to put a lot of people off and something that we have actually spoken about before. Privacy is, and will always be, a big issue amongst organisations but as we've discovered recently while looking at cloud computing there is a lot of focus on it. This is important with any information but perhaps moreso with corporate information- you wouldn't want your competitors knowing sensitive information, would you?
But we're not really looking at privacy today. Nor, are we keeping a list of sites/services to keep in touch with- we're talking about why.
Most of time people give you heaps of what and where, but never why.
And that's a good question. Why should I keep in touch? Why would someone who I worked with ten years ago care what I'm doing now? And so on.
Well, have some easy to digest bullet points that explain why:
And that is one of the stronger reasons why it's good to keep in touch. Organisations sometimes would prefer to employ someone they know will get the job done, or that has experience, even if you don't advocate that experience at every given opportunity. Equally, partnerships in large corporations add a lot of combined power and bring heavier bartering rights.
Not to mention, sometimes, it's just good to know someone you can rely on to get things done and who will deliver time after time.
I think if you look at the largest organisations and the most profitable, they are such because they have contacts. Clients, fellow businessmen, customers, stakeholders or whatever else. Point is- they have them. You should too!
Never pass up the opportunity to make a new friendship- who knows where it may lead?
And that's all for today.
I hope this has been interesting and more of a consideration, than an information, post. Thank you (as always) for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
Services like LinkedIn make it easy to keep all of your corporate information and contacts under one neatly packaged roof. You can access a wealth of information just by logging in, not to mention find others who share similar interests/industry experience to work with.
But, at the same time, there's the looming issue of privacy.
One thing that seems to put a lot of people off and something that we have actually spoken about before. Privacy is, and will always be, a big issue amongst organisations but as we've discovered recently while looking at cloud computing there is a lot of focus on it. This is important with any information but perhaps moreso with corporate information- you wouldn't want your competitors knowing sensitive information, would you?
But we're not really looking at privacy today. Nor, are we keeping a list of sites/services to keep in touch with- we're talking about why.
Most of time people give you heaps of what and where, but never why.
And that's a good question. Why should I keep in touch? Why would someone who I worked with ten years ago care what I'm doing now? And so on.
Well, have some easy to digest bullet points that explain why:
- Friends in high places has never been so true when it comes to organisations and job opportunities. Many of you reading this will be (hopefully happily) employed and won't worry about job opportunities- but what about tomorrow? In this economy, for nothing else besides financial security, it's good to have people in the know you can contact and who can personally recommend you.
- Ever had one of those moments where you know someone who would absolutely love something but...you don't know how to contact them? Well, this is no different in business. Having contacts can be mutually beneficial if you have a product that they can use as they get something useful and you get revenue. Win/win.
- The best business is a strong business. Working together, in any capacity, is the underlying focus of many organisations- so why not use your contacts to strengthen alliances with other organisations? This way, you can approach new opportunities with more funding, support and backing. Success in the making!
- And when you're not using your friends (I jest) you can actually just send them a message asking them how things are, what they're up to and you may just meet up with them somewhere down the line.
And that is one of the stronger reasons why it's good to keep in touch. Organisations sometimes would prefer to employ someone they know will get the job done, or that has experience, even if you don't advocate that experience at every given opportunity. Equally, partnerships in large corporations add a lot of combined power and bring heavier bartering rights.
Not to mention, sometimes, it's just good to know someone you can rely on to get things done and who will deliver time after time.
I think if you look at the largest organisations and the most profitable, they are such because they have contacts. Clients, fellow businessmen, customers, stakeholders or whatever else. Point is- they have them. You should too!
Never pass up the opportunity to make a new friendship- who knows where it may lead?
And that's all for today.
I hope this has been interesting and more of a consideration, than an information, post. Thank you (as always) for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
The Importance of Corporate IT
As a management consultancy who specialise in innovation through technology it's not surprising we value IT. But, you know, you should too. It does a lot more good than it is given credit for.
As we mentioned yesterday when we spoke about cloud computing- lots of organisations and individuals use that without realising it.
This is true of most IT. Most people will have frequent dealings with Microsoft Office or something of that ilk, but more people will have worked with online communication or storage without realising it. For instance Skype, that is a great example of how (on a corporate level) that IT can be entirely beneficial to organisations.
Free calls to internal numbers, done through computers, using headsets and without having to leave the office or have pesky ringtones going off. What more could you ask for?
In the same way, online technology is boon to most organisations we just don't appreciate it when we use it. Any of us who use social media networking (e-Networking) will practically rely on technology alone. With that one service, that one application- we can connect to millions of people at a time.
It's partly the fault of this being such a common occurance in the modern age.
Even when I was growing up there wasn't as much technological integration as there is now, and I'm not that old. (They're not grey hairs, that's just...flair. My hair has flair.)
These days we are constantly connected to all forms of technology from news streams to online RSS feeds, to 24/7 news broadcasts via sattelite technology and not to mention the benefits of Microsoft Office and so on.
Therefore, now, more than ever, there is a greater appreciation for IT but the gap is widening between those who use it and those who don't. If you're not an avid or even casual user, you get left behind a lot with the fancy bells and whistles that come with it. In one way, were I to say I spent the afternoon working on a PHP based form for a HTML website- well, I think I lost you at "P" if you're not technologically savvy.
And I think that, sometimes, is why more organisations don't embrace IT- they get lost with a lot of it.
Too many grifters and hustlers on the market trying to tell you that one piece of wonder software will make you more powerful than Microsoft, in half the time, and with better benefits.
But, on the optimistic side of technology, it has a very useful and advantageous quality in that it doesn't replace but augment the initial traditional processes. Software doesn't instantly make you a better organisation- it makes you do, what you do, better and faster than before by stream lining processes and taking care of all those niggling leftovers.
All in all, with a decent IT system you can't go much more wrong than you could by putting your faith in people.
That's all for now. Consider it, well, food for thought.
If you have anything you'd like to share or would like to know feel free to comment. And as always, thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
As we mentioned yesterday when we spoke about cloud computing- lots of organisations and individuals use that without realising it.
This is true of most IT. Most people will have frequent dealings with Microsoft Office or something of that ilk, but more people will have worked with online communication or storage without realising it. For instance Skype, that is a great example of how (on a corporate level) that IT can be entirely beneficial to organisations.
Free calls to internal numbers, done through computers, using headsets and without having to leave the office or have pesky ringtones going off. What more could you ask for?
In the same way, online technology is boon to most organisations we just don't appreciate it when we use it. Any of us who use social media networking (e-Networking) will practically rely on technology alone. With that one service, that one application- we can connect to millions of people at a time.
It's partly the fault of this being such a common occurance in the modern age.
Even when I was growing up there wasn't as much technological integration as there is now, and I'm not that old. (They're not grey hairs, that's just...flair. My hair has flair.)
These days we are constantly connected to all forms of technology from news streams to online RSS feeds, to 24/7 news broadcasts via sattelite technology and not to mention the benefits of Microsoft Office and so on.
Therefore, now, more than ever, there is a greater appreciation for IT but the gap is widening between those who use it and those who don't. If you're not an avid or even casual user, you get left behind a lot with the fancy bells and whistles that come with it. In one way, were I to say I spent the afternoon working on a PHP based form for a HTML website- well, I think I lost you at "P" if you're not technologically savvy.
And I think that, sometimes, is why more organisations don't embrace IT- they get lost with a lot of it.
Too many grifters and hustlers on the market trying to tell you that one piece of wonder software will make you more powerful than Microsoft, in half the time, and with better benefits.
But, on the optimistic side of technology, it has a very useful and advantageous quality in that it doesn't replace but augment the initial traditional processes. Software doesn't instantly make you a better organisation- it makes you do, what you do, better and faster than before by stream lining processes and taking care of all those niggling leftovers.
All in all, with a decent IT system you can't go much more wrong than you could by putting your faith in people.
That's all for now. Consider it, well, food for thought.
If you have anything you'd like to share or would like to know feel free to comment. And as always, thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
Monday, 8 November 2010
Cloud Computing
This is something we briefly touched on before when talking about the repeated cost savings of Aquima, but, in truth, it deserves to be explored in its own right as it's such a great idea.
The basics
And one that has taken off with great propulsion recently.
So what is Cloud Computing? Well, it's a form of technology where you can access information and documents from anywhere and everywhere you can connect to the internet. Many sites like Facebook, Hotmail and Twitter have been using this technology for years- we just never realised.
Why would we use that over traditional systems? Well, that is a question that is met by a few more barriers. It's faster, cheaper, more efficient and easier to use in many cases- but it's not as well integrated as other services. Microsoft Office, for instance, could be replaced with a Cloud Computing solution- but people may not take to it as quickly. Learning the new interface and services is mostly what puts a large percentage of people off using it.
Reliability
Best of all, it has incredibly reliability for organisations of all levels.
In traditional systems you're likely to be limited to just what you can do which sometimes leads to errors, malfunctions and a drop in productivity. With Cloud Computing you are given a solution that can handle the spikes in activity you may sometimes experience.
For instance, if you're a large electronics organisation and a film like Avatar is released on Blu Ray you may have a large spike in web visits. People wishing to buy new systems, new players etc. With Cloud Computing you don't have to worry about this "once every six months" spike when the rest of the time its quiet and slow. Better than this it comes at no extra quest to deal with this spike of activity- it's there. If you use it you use it, if you don't you don't.
Security and safety
One of the concerns about Cloud Computing is that if you have all your information online- what does that say about security? Is it secure? What backup and restore options do you have?
Well, the beauty of Cloud Computing is it's very much like a cake. It's layered, comprehensive and a great thing to have around if you use (eat) it. However, you wouldn't back up a cake (the recipe maybe) and that's where Cloud Computing has an advantage- it's very hard to lose your cake, I mean, information.
Through layers of backups you are able to keep comprehensive copies of your information that are entirely secure.
The highest levels of encryption are used to protect your precious information.
Multiple organisations
Often in the case of smaller organisations the kind of protection that is offered is comparable to that of a large organisation. And certainly outside of their budget.
This provides a great opportunity to get a world class system at a knockdown price for smaller organisations, while larger organisations will benefit from the reassurance they won't lose their information.
Two-fold this makes everyone's lives easier as Cloud Computing is the new age solution to information management in all organisations.
And that's all for now!
Thank you for reading, as always- we hope this has been insightful.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
The basics
And one that has taken off with great propulsion recently.
So what is Cloud Computing? Well, it's a form of technology where you can access information and documents from anywhere and everywhere you can connect to the internet. Many sites like Facebook, Hotmail and Twitter have been using this technology for years- we just never realised.
Why would we use that over traditional systems? Well, that is a question that is met by a few more barriers. It's faster, cheaper, more efficient and easier to use in many cases- but it's not as well integrated as other services. Microsoft Office, for instance, could be replaced with a Cloud Computing solution- but people may not take to it as quickly. Learning the new interface and services is mostly what puts a large percentage of people off using it.
Reliability
Best of all, it has incredibly reliability for organisations of all levels.
In traditional systems you're likely to be limited to just what you can do which sometimes leads to errors, malfunctions and a drop in productivity. With Cloud Computing you are given a solution that can handle the spikes in activity you may sometimes experience.
For instance, if you're a large electronics organisation and a film like Avatar is released on Blu Ray you may have a large spike in web visits. People wishing to buy new systems, new players etc. With Cloud Computing you don't have to worry about this "once every six months" spike when the rest of the time its quiet and slow. Better than this it comes at no extra quest to deal with this spike of activity- it's there. If you use it you use it, if you don't you don't.
Security and safety
One of the concerns about Cloud Computing is that if you have all your information online- what does that say about security? Is it secure? What backup and restore options do you have?
Well, the beauty of Cloud Computing is it's very much like a cake. It's layered, comprehensive and a great thing to have around if you use (eat) it. However, you wouldn't back up a cake (the recipe maybe) and that's where Cloud Computing has an advantage- it's very hard to lose your cake, I mean, information.
Through layers of backups you are able to keep comprehensive copies of your information that are entirely secure.
The highest levels of encryption are used to protect your precious information.
Multiple organisations
Often in the case of smaller organisations the kind of protection that is offered is comparable to that of a large organisation. And certainly outside of their budget.
This provides a great opportunity to get a world class system at a knockdown price for smaller organisations, while larger organisations will benefit from the reassurance they won't lose their information.
Two-fold this makes everyone's lives easier as Cloud Computing is the new age solution to information management in all organisations.
And that's all for now!
Thank you for reading, as always- we hope this has been insightful.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Aquima: Repeated Savings
One of the more unsung features of Aquima is how through its technology and innovation it saves you money at every level. We're not just talking about the purchase cost- but all costs.
Starting from the top you have the initial purchase and implementation costs which are quite pain free. Quick, easy, incredibly priced and returning several-fold value, you've already saved quite a lot.
But wait- there's more!
You need someone to run this system, right? Someone with experience and a long history in IT? Wrong. You could run this system yourself, yes, you- a business person. A managing director, shop floor worker, stock taker etc. Just about anyone and everyone can use Aquima.
So, you've saved costs on implementation and on training- there can't be many more savings, right? Wrong again. Aquima just keeps on giving.
After you've designed your new and quite fantastic model you have to implement it...but that means costs, hassle, fuss and more. Not with Aquima! You can implement the system yourself quickly and easily and for absolutely no cost. What about when I want to change my prices? Change my model? Thanks to Aquima's revolutionary version management system you can run as many versions of the model you want, at once, with no extra cost.
As for changing your model, building a new one, making a new document or application- how much do they cost? Here's a hint: absolutely nothing.
We could continue for hours highlighting just where Aquima saves you money, how much and how much you're going to idolise that intelligent little system.
But for your sake and mine- have some easy to digest bullet points:
There's so much to this system it's incredible- you can create, innovate and deliver to the highest levels and still have time left over to do your corporate work, too.
Thank you for reading, as always!
We hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as we love to talk about the many great things about Aquima that you could take advantage of.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Starting from the top you have the initial purchase and implementation costs which are quite pain free. Quick, easy, incredibly priced and returning several-fold value, you've already saved quite a lot.
But wait- there's more!
You need someone to run this system, right? Someone with experience and a long history in IT? Wrong. You could run this system yourself, yes, you- a business person. A managing director, shop floor worker, stock taker etc. Just about anyone and everyone can use Aquima.
So, you've saved costs on implementation and on training- there can't be many more savings, right? Wrong again. Aquima just keeps on giving.
After you've designed your new and quite fantastic model you have to implement it...but that means costs, hassle, fuss and more. Not with Aquima! You can implement the system yourself quickly and easily and for absolutely no cost. What about when I want to change my prices? Change my model? Thanks to Aquima's revolutionary version management system you can run as many versions of the model you want, at once, with no extra cost.
As for changing your model, building a new one, making a new document or application- how much do they cost? Here's a hint: absolutely nothing.
We could continue for hours highlighting just where Aquima saves you money, how much and how much you're going to idolise that intelligent little system.
But for your sake and mine- have some easy to digest bullet points:
- Multiple implementation and upgrade costs are a thing of the past. Create, recreate, deploy, redeploy, change versions all for no extra charge.
- Need a little more from your BPM system? Aquima comes with a fully-fledged document and report creator saving you the money (and time) of buying a second system.
- Worried about having to transport information from office to office? No need. Aquima is fully conversant in the neat thing we call Cloud Computing. Access information anytime, anywhere and for- you guessed it- no extra cost.
There's so much to this system it's incredible- you can create, innovate and deliver to the highest levels and still have time left over to do your corporate work, too.
Thank you for reading, as always!
We hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as we love to talk about the many great things about Aquima that you could take advantage of.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Risky Business
If I learned anything while studying business it was that risk is an inherent part of any corporate activity. It's there. It's always there but it can sometimes be a good thing.
How can risk be a good thing?
Well, most people avoid it like the plague so doing the complete opposite will open up a lot of opportunities. However, at the same time- it could be detrimental and costly if done without thought.
Capitalising on risks takes a few things and they're not too overbearing, they just take time and thought:
I know especially since the global recession people have become even more risk averse but there's a lot of potential in risks. Startup organisations are considered to be incredible risks- but some are amazing popular and profitable.
Look at Twitter, for instance.
When it was set up most people did not appreciate the depth of micro blogging and sharing snippets of information. Today it has millions of users! You really can't afford to be shy in the field of infinite potential that is business. If you can think of an idea, a product or even a service that you can market- then you should give it a go!
Better to give it a go than never know, right?
Thank you for reading and feel free to share some of your corporate risk stories! It's always good when we show each other what we've been through, so that, in the future, others can realise we can succeed even in the most bleak of times.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
How can risk be a good thing?
Well, most people avoid it like the plague so doing the complete opposite will open up a lot of opportunities. However, at the same time- it could be detrimental and costly if done without thought.
Capitalising on risks takes a few things and they're not too overbearing, they just take time and thought:
- Analyse why others are avoiding the risk. Is there any potential benefit in it? It is a one-shot idea? If you can't feasibly create something out of it- don't take it just for taking it.
- What kind of market is it in? Is this an over-saturated market? High barriers to entry? Intensly competitive? Sometimes there's a sure fire idea...it's just in the most difficult place.
- Does it have potential? A good idea is a good opportunity but it could fall on hard times if, after the initial idea, there's nowhere to develop further and you're left with a good but dwindling profit product.
- What's the cost? Today, tomorrow and the next day you're going to be focused on costs- how much will this cost? How many times? Even great (and profitable) ideas can prove to be too much of a cost.
I know especially since the global recession people have become even more risk averse but there's a lot of potential in risks. Startup organisations are considered to be incredible risks- but some are amazing popular and profitable.
Look at Twitter, for instance.
When it was set up most people did not appreciate the depth of micro blogging and sharing snippets of information. Today it has millions of users! You really can't afford to be shy in the field of infinite potential that is business. If you can think of an idea, a product or even a service that you can market- then you should give it a go!
Better to give it a go than never know, right?
Thank you for reading and feel free to share some of your corporate risk stories! It's always good when we show each other what we've been through, so that, in the future, others can realise we can succeed even in the most bleak of times.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Monday, 1 November 2010
e-Networking: Myths and Hearsay
The first thing you usually hear of the negative side of Facebook is that “people spam my updates with so many pointless updates.” And the same for Twitter, as the prospect of being able to send updates about where you are/what you’re doing is an exciting one.
However, in light of these changes it’s not all doom and gloom.
In fact, in recent years many of these sites have added features to stop things like this happening and to reduce the amount of spam that you get, if any, and the ability to moderate your own comments etc.
Concerning spam- it happens, you can’t really get away from that, but on these sites there has been a great deal of time reducing the amount you receive. These days there’s much less than there was- and if you feel like someone is spamming you can simply remove them. If you find someone is eating up your Twitter feed with a continual pointless/uninteresting update then you can simply ignore that by not following them anymore.
Despite what some people will tell you, the internet is not a place where spam is as common as it used to be and it’s actually quite pleasant.
Concerning the numbers game- we all experience some people, sometimes, that just want to have as many friends as possible even if they don’t physically know them but again there’s a few ways to stop this happening. Privacy controls, for one. Blocking/reporting the user in question or taking them off of your list, for another.
Concerning privacy- there’s a lot of horror stories about ID theft on the internet and there’s even more stories about how someone found out something, from a page, on the internet, they were browsing. This is why privacy controls were invented!
Most, if not all, sites have these controls now and they can practically make you invisible for all intents and purposes. For example, on Facebook you can list yourself as omitted from the search. Even if they search for you by name, school, friends, interests or anything else they know about you- they’ll never find you.
Equally, you can set all of your updates to “Friends Only” meaning only those you’ve accepted requests from, or sent to, can see your updates. Although, setting yourself as nigh on impossible to find would be a bad idea for the purposes of networking but you can set your profile information to “Friends Only”. That way, people can still search you but they can’t read your
information unless you say they can.
Above all things, be sensible! They can’t take what isn’t there and if you don’t list everything about yourself from shoe size to last dental check up- they can’t see it.
Thereby the greatest lesson is to be ever vigilant with what you share, so that you share enough that people can find you but you’re not leaking inside information with people not privileged to view it.
Thank you for reading- as always!
We hope this has been an insightful look into social media and online networking.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
However, in light of these changes it’s not all doom and gloom.
In fact, in recent years many of these sites have added features to stop things like this happening and to reduce the amount of spam that you get, if any, and the ability to moderate your own comments etc.
Concerning spam- it happens, you can’t really get away from that, but on these sites there has been a great deal of time reducing the amount you receive. These days there’s much less than there was- and if you feel like someone is spamming you can simply remove them. If you find someone is eating up your Twitter feed with a continual pointless/uninteresting update then you can simply ignore that by not following them anymore.
Despite what some people will tell you, the internet is not a place where spam is as common as it used to be and it’s actually quite pleasant.
Concerning the numbers game- we all experience some people, sometimes, that just want to have as many friends as possible even if they don’t physically know them but again there’s a few ways to stop this happening. Privacy controls, for one. Blocking/reporting the user in question or taking them off of your list, for another.
Concerning privacy- there’s a lot of horror stories about ID theft on the internet and there’s even more stories about how someone found out something, from a page, on the internet, they were browsing. This is why privacy controls were invented!
Most, if not all, sites have these controls now and they can practically make you invisible for all intents and purposes. For example, on Facebook you can list yourself as omitted from the search. Even if they search for you by name, school, friends, interests or anything else they know about you- they’ll never find you.
Equally, you can set all of your updates to “Friends Only” meaning only those you’ve accepted requests from, or sent to, can see your updates. Although, setting yourself as nigh on impossible to find would be a bad idea for the purposes of networking but you can set your profile information to “Friends Only”. That way, people can still search you but they can’t read your
information unless you say they can.
Above all things, be sensible! They can’t take what isn’t there and if you don’t list everything about yourself from shoe size to last dental check up- they can’t see it.
Thereby the greatest lesson is to be ever vigilant with what you share, so that you share enough that people can find you but you’re not leaking inside information with people not privileged to view it.
Thank you for reading- as always!
We hope this has been an insightful look into social media and online networking.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
e-Networking: Less is More
There's so many sites out there- too many to count- so where do you start? The fundamental point is to research as much as you can and try to ascertain what could work and what won’t work. You should always focus your efforts on a handful of sites over the masses and try to make a good few over an average dozen.
As we started to explain above, less is a whole lot more when it comes to e-Networking.
I’m sure we’ve all had those moments where we deliberate on buying something, opt for the cheaper, opt for the cheaper and then decide to buy the expensive- all in all costing as much as twice the amount of the expensive option.
With e-Networking while you are aiming to get a lot of valued contacts do not lose sight of the things that matter. Site maintenance, for instance, do you have enough time to effectively manage your sites if something goes awry?
Equally, have you set aside enough time for them all?
The common feeling you get from many e-Networking attempts is that they’re devoid of feeling and the human touch. Often it’s more than likely that the site is not even updated, as such, but everything is scheduled and is posted when it says it should be. So don’t do this as this often shows that the owners don’t actually care about their visitors.
One of the other important points of being on these sites is that they’re social so try not to take that out of the question; otherwise you might as well have a standard website.
At the same time it’s easier to keep track of what you’re doing with your sites if you only have a few to keep updated. Too many and you might end up spamming by accident as you don’t realise this has been posted, or copied in, and thereby you’ll lose visitors for a simple mistake.
But, best of all, if you have a few well made sites that really target the users effectively and have a lot of information- you look very professional and serious about it. Visitors will recognise your devotion and actually care, as there are so many sites (it’s impossible to even count them) that are nothing but spam-filled-link-fests.
Finally, most of what happens with e-Networking is built up through trust.
It’s hard to actually see how it works from the outset as you need to actually communicate, build up a rapport and interact with clients. Much easier to find and retain contacts if you’re only trying to keep a few hundred over a few thousand, worse still- on sites you don’t even visit regularly! Anything you can do to make your sites more accessible to your visitors (or yourself) is a good idea.
Thank you for reading, as always, and happy networking!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
As we started to explain above, less is a whole lot more when it comes to e-Networking.
I’m sure we’ve all had those moments where we deliberate on buying something, opt for the cheaper, opt for the cheaper and then decide to buy the expensive- all in all costing as much as twice the amount of the expensive option.
With e-Networking while you are aiming to get a lot of valued contacts do not lose sight of the things that matter. Site maintenance, for instance, do you have enough time to effectively manage your sites if something goes awry?
Equally, have you set aside enough time for them all?
The common feeling you get from many e-Networking attempts is that they’re devoid of feeling and the human touch. Often it’s more than likely that the site is not even updated, as such, but everything is scheduled and is posted when it says it should be. So don’t do this as this often shows that the owners don’t actually care about their visitors.
One of the other important points of being on these sites is that they’re social so try not to take that out of the question; otherwise you might as well have a standard website.
At the same time it’s easier to keep track of what you’re doing with your sites if you only have a few to keep updated. Too many and you might end up spamming by accident as you don’t realise this has been posted, or copied in, and thereby you’ll lose visitors for a simple mistake.
But, best of all, if you have a few well made sites that really target the users effectively and have a lot of information- you look very professional and serious about it. Visitors will recognise your devotion and actually care, as there are so many sites (it’s impossible to even count them) that are nothing but spam-filled-link-fests.
Finally, most of what happens with e-Networking is built up through trust.
It’s hard to actually see how it works from the outset as you need to actually communicate, build up a rapport and interact with clients. Much easier to find and retain contacts if you’re only trying to keep a few hundred over a few thousand, worse still- on sites you don’t even visit regularly! Anything you can do to make your sites more accessible to your visitors (or yourself) is a good idea.
Thank you for reading, as always, and happy networking!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
The depth of Innovation.
Innovation is a well used word when it comes to things new and exciting- but what does innovation really mean? What can you expect from something that boasts being new and innovative?
The answer is mostly subjective as different products have different limitations but in general innovation must have four things: depth, application, usability and desire.
Depth
Before something can present a new feature it must have depth. The reason that iPods became one of the best selling mp3 players (if not the best) is because they had depth. Any player could play mp3s and other file formats- but the iPod had the music, the video, the whole iTunes package and much more.
It crept under the surface and made a change that rippled outwards and left a lot of innovation in the wake.
Application
Anyone can make a new and exciting feature for just about anything...but what kind of use does it have? Take laptops, for instance, before the days of wireless and WiFi the only option to have internet was an ethernet cable sprawled along the floor. That was kind of innovation- but at the same time, it was just using the technology a desktop PC had in a laptop.
The idea of internet on a laptop may have been a unique feature at the time, but it was hardly of use to most people as most people were still perplexed by a modem.
However, when wireless internet was widely available and the wireless receivers were plugged in via USB- that was innovation that had use. It wasn't a quirky feature, it was actually half decent.
Usability
So, you have a deep innovative and useful feature- but can anyone use it?
A good example of this is the (often god-awful) video conversion software you get with mp3 players. Video, on the go, anywhere you want- innovative. A player to play it- innovative. The software that actually gets it onto your player- completely useless.
Therefore, the whole process is nullified until you find an alternative and even then you might just reconsider the whole thing from the start.
Innovation must, above all else, be usable!
Desire
The reason someone wants to buy or use something is the key issue. Hard drives were much in this category in 2006-2008 where 250gb-320GB hard drives were becoming standard issue...but no-one needed them.
Back then 80GB was enough for all but the most fanactical user.
However, with the rising demand for digital download video games and films there's a higher desire for bigger hard drives. Not to mention, any video game player is probably packing a 500gb hard drive just to install all their games! So, in this case, the innovation of hard drives that now hold up to 1TB is a useful feature.
Remember, always, whatever you make someone has to want to use.
And that's everything!
I hope this has been an informative post and has given you a better outlook on how useful some of this "innovation" actually is. Plus, helps you to appreciate some of the better innovation you have encountered.
Thank you for reading, as always.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
The answer is mostly subjective as different products have different limitations but in general innovation must have four things: depth, application, usability and desire.
Depth
Before something can present a new feature it must have depth. The reason that iPods became one of the best selling mp3 players (if not the best) is because they had depth. Any player could play mp3s and other file formats- but the iPod had the music, the video, the whole iTunes package and much more.
It crept under the surface and made a change that rippled outwards and left a lot of innovation in the wake.
Application
Anyone can make a new and exciting feature for just about anything...but what kind of use does it have? Take laptops, for instance, before the days of wireless and WiFi the only option to have internet was an ethernet cable sprawled along the floor. That was kind of innovation- but at the same time, it was just using the technology a desktop PC had in a laptop.
The idea of internet on a laptop may have been a unique feature at the time, but it was hardly of use to most people as most people were still perplexed by a modem.
However, when wireless internet was widely available and the wireless receivers were plugged in via USB- that was innovation that had use. It wasn't a quirky feature, it was actually half decent.
Usability
So, you have a deep innovative and useful feature- but can anyone use it?
A good example of this is the (often god-awful) video conversion software you get with mp3 players. Video, on the go, anywhere you want- innovative. A player to play it- innovative. The software that actually gets it onto your player- completely useless.
Therefore, the whole process is nullified until you find an alternative and even then you might just reconsider the whole thing from the start.
Innovation must, above all else, be usable!
Desire
The reason someone wants to buy or use something is the key issue. Hard drives were much in this category in 2006-2008 where 250gb-320GB hard drives were becoming standard issue...but no-one needed them.
Back then 80GB was enough for all but the most fanactical user.
However, with the rising demand for digital download video games and films there's a higher desire for bigger hard drives. Not to mention, any video game player is probably packing a 500gb hard drive just to install all their games! So, in this case, the innovation of hard drives that now hold up to 1TB is a useful feature.
Remember, always, whatever you make someone has to want to use.
And that's everything!
I hope this has been an informative post and has given you a better outlook on how useful some of this "innovation" actually is. Plus, helps you to appreciate some of the better innovation you have encountered.
Thank you for reading, as always.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Monday, 25 October 2010
Leadership and Teamwork
These are two key aspects of business and they can be infinitely useful when working on projects, demonstrations and deadlines. Yet in an ironic fashion, not many know what it takes to have a good teamwork situation or good leadership skills.
Although, this is rather situational- different situations (and certain types) will always demand a certain response.
Compassion over autocracy
Long gone are the days where "I'm the boss and you do what I say" is the answer for everythig from why your coat hook is gone, to why you're being transfered to a new office. Compassion wins many more friends (but does equally cause some to take advantage of situations). It allows you to get to know what drives your workers and why they do what they do.
Some do it for the challenge.
Some do it for the money.
Some do it because it's better than being out there on social help.
Whatever it is, whatever they do it for- find out! Connecting with workers in a more humane way will get more rewards in the long run. And, equally, you can help people achieve their potential. Two-fold reward: they're happier and you get more productivity.
Identify problems early
Nothing hurts more (in any sense of the word) when you're working your tail off and someone else is doing nothing, or seems to be, but is getting away with it (or seems to be). If there are reasons people do less (perhaps they are grieving) or are given a less strenous task (or a perceived task that is less strenous)- inform the group. Let them know how things are and how you stand.
Of course, at the same time, don't be afraid to discipline those who are geniunely doing nothing with no valid reason.
Communication is one of the most important aspects of just about anything...but is so easily overlooked. Talking, discussing and delegating also shows a great quality of leadership (command). People will feel more confident you can deliver when you say you can if you show you can, otherwise they might start to doubt your potential and that could lead to group members leaving or all out failure.
There's more than one way to lead
One thing that I've found in my day to day life is that (sometimes) the people in charge seem like the least qualified to be. They ask you to do something, complain about your results- but have no idea how to do it themselves.
In a leadership position try to find out as much as you can about each element of the processes and groups you're leading. Knowing is winning half the battle at the start as you won't find yourself in the eventual position of "what does he/she know?", when really it's not that you don't know you're just not sure.
At the same time, never be afraid to try different things- some people respect those they can trust, those that are fair and honest, those that appreciate their unique skills etc.
A good leader knows the majority of a battle is never played out on the field- it's played out in the minds of the people involved. Being able to reassure, to inspire and to lead these people goes a long way to achieving your goals!
They're only human
One of the things we forget, sometimes, as people, is that we are only human and therefore we have our limits. People get tired, people get annoyed and quite frankly you can't expect any less.
Super human is fun and all- but it isn't worth what it does to a person.
Take that into account always. No-one is completely on the ball every day of their lives, so think about how you would react in a similar situation. Often if you give and take in a fair situation, treat people how you want to be treated and be understanding if they snap after a stressful day you'll win more friends than you'll lose.
People often don't mean those things in a perfectly normal situation, and it's all too easy to say "If you don't mean it you shouldn't say it"- but have you always been perfect, too?
And there we go.
I figured this might be a nice angle to take as it opens the floor for a lot of conversation about things you've done, encountered and tips you may have for leadership/teamwork in your organisations.
As always- thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Although, this is rather situational- different situations (and certain types) will always demand a certain response.
Compassion over autocracy
Long gone are the days where "I'm the boss and you do what I say" is the answer for everythig from why your coat hook is gone, to why you're being transfered to a new office. Compassion wins many more friends (but does equally cause some to take advantage of situations). It allows you to get to know what drives your workers and why they do what they do.
Some do it for the challenge.
Some do it for the money.
Some do it because it's better than being out there on social help.
Whatever it is, whatever they do it for- find out! Connecting with workers in a more humane way will get more rewards in the long run. And, equally, you can help people achieve their potential. Two-fold reward: they're happier and you get more productivity.
Identify problems early
Nothing hurts more (in any sense of the word) when you're working your tail off and someone else is doing nothing, or seems to be, but is getting away with it (or seems to be). If there are reasons people do less (perhaps they are grieving) or are given a less strenous task (or a perceived task that is less strenous)- inform the group. Let them know how things are and how you stand.
Of course, at the same time, don't be afraid to discipline those who are geniunely doing nothing with no valid reason.
Communication is one of the most important aspects of just about anything...but is so easily overlooked. Talking, discussing and delegating also shows a great quality of leadership (command). People will feel more confident you can deliver when you say you can if you show you can, otherwise they might start to doubt your potential and that could lead to group members leaving or all out failure.
There's more than one way to lead
One thing that I've found in my day to day life is that (sometimes) the people in charge seem like the least qualified to be. They ask you to do something, complain about your results- but have no idea how to do it themselves.
In a leadership position try to find out as much as you can about each element of the processes and groups you're leading. Knowing is winning half the battle at the start as you won't find yourself in the eventual position of "what does he/she know?", when really it's not that you don't know you're just not sure.
At the same time, never be afraid to try different things- some people respect those they can trust, those that are fair and honest, those that appreciate their unique skills etc.
A good leader knows the majority of a battle is never played out on the field- it's played out in the minds of the people involved. Being able to reassure, to inspire and to lead these people goes a long way to achieving your goals!
They're only human
One of the things we forget, sometimes, as people, is that we are only human and therefore we have our limits. People get tired, people get annoyed and quite frankly you can't expect any less.
Super human is fun and all- but it isn't worth what it does to a person.
Take that into account always. No-one is completely on the ball every day of their lives, so think about how you would react in a similar situation. Often if you give and take in a fair situation, treat people how you want to be treated and be understanding if they snap after a stressful day you'll win more friends than you'll lose.
People often don't mean those things in a perfectly normal situation, and it's all too easy to say "If you don't mean it you shouldn't say it"- but have you always been perfect, too?
And there we go.
I figured this might be a nice angle to take as it opens the floor for a lot of conversation about things you've done, encountered and tips you may have for leadership/teamwork in your organisations.
As always- thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Aquima: All Inclusive
One of the key features of Aquima that most other BPM suites lack is a complete software package in that it doesn’t require additional software, plugins, addons or any of that in order to do what it is designed to do.
This is because Aquima is an all-inclusive software package which works straight out of the box- no messy implementation, no hours of loading software in, no hassle and no fuss!
On top of this there are extra modules added to Aquima to further its functionality:
Ideas such as real time editing and deployment were once pipe dreams but are now very much a reality thanks to Aquima. These (and many other ideas) are not necessarily making BPM suites more powerful, but more accessible and available to a greater number of organisations.
Where once it was the case that you couldn't trust this confusing new software- it is no longer. Now it's so easy to use and transparent there's nothing stopping you from adopting it.
And that's all for now.
Thank you for reading (as always) and feel free to comment.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
This is because Aquima is an all-inclusive software package which works straight out of the box- no messy implementation, no hours of loading software in, no hassle and no fuss!
On top of this there are extra modules added to Aquima to further its functionality:
- An in-built document creator which allows you to turn the information in your models or applications into a report, invoice or just about anything.
- A runtime engine to create, deploy and update applications/models in real time and be able to see the changes immediately.
- A deployment suite that allows you to test for errors, check functionality, check for bugs and make sure your model and application is perfect before going live.
- In-built web deployment functionality as standard. Allowing you to create effective and professional online applications.
- Best of all- all of these modules are fully customisable!
Ideas such as real time editing and deployment were once pipe dreams but are now very much a reality thanks to Aquima. These (and many other ideas) are not necessarily making BPM suites more powerful, but more accessible and available to a greater number of organisations.
Where once it was the case that you couldn't trust this confusing new software- it is no longer. Now it's so easy to use and transparent there's nothing stopping you from adopting it.
And that's all for now.
Thank you for reading (as always) and feel free to comment.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Online Promotion.
Kind of a lighthearted post today, we're looking at a few of the ways that any size business can improve their online promotion. It's more a brief checklist than a comprehensive exploration.
Make constructive connections between your e-Networking resources. If your Twitter is used to deliver Blogger content, then connect those two when viewers visit pages but leave your Facebook to develop its own connections. Doing this shows new users that you’re conscious of their needs and that you are making it easier for them, most of all, to connect with you.
Use adverts and other promotional tools as sparingly as possible. Adding just a few adverts or banners here or there not only helps site load time, but equally doesn’t annoy users no end when they visit. It also shows you’re not a spammer as only spammers will shove adverts down your throat.
Take feedback to heart and really care about your users. This shows everyone from users to people who end up on your page for some reason that you, above all else, want your site to be as functional as possible. And functional = excellent. After, you would never ignore your customers if they said one of your products were faulty- would you?
Invite people to say a few words about you/your service/your site and let them link back to it not only to help generate traffic, but to let fair and honest opinions get out. Most users respect sites/services that can take necessary criticism and shun those who try to make themselves look like the best thing since sliced bread.
Try and build up affiliate services with people who provide complementary products to your service. Amazon.co.uk (and in general) have a great service for this, allowing you to make a small percentage commission but provide utility. If you’re a moving company for instance, you may want to advertise cheap home wares for the transition period from house to house.
And there we have it- a few ways to promote yourself online that you might not (or might) have known. They're all good and most of them are free or not very expensive.
Connecting with others is always a nice idea, however, so that may be useful to use as well.
Thank you for reading, as always, any comments you wish to leave would be much appreciated.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Make constructive connections between your e-Networking resources. If your Twitter is used to deliver Blogger content, then connect those two when viewers visit pages but leave your Facebook to develop its own connections. Doing this shows new users that you’re conscious of their needs and that you are making it easier for them, most of all, to connect with you.
Use adverts and other promotional tools as sparingly as possible. Adding just a few adverts or banners here or there not only helps site load time, but equally doesn’t annoy users no end when they visit. It also shows you’re not a spammer as only spammers will shove adverts down your throat.
Take feedback to heart and really care about your users. This shows everyone from users to people who end up on your page for some reason that you, above all else, want your site to be as functional as possible. And functional = excellent. After, you would never ignore your customers if they said one of your products were faulty- would you?
Invite people to say a few words about you/your service/your site and let them link back to it not only to help generate traffic, but to let fair and honest opinions get out. Most users respect sites/services that can take necessary criticism and shun those who try to make themselves look like the best thing since sliced bread.
Try and build up affiliate services with people who provide complementary products to your service. Amazon.co.uk (and in general) have a great service for this, allowing you to make a small percentage commission but provide utility. If you’re a moving company for instance, you may want to advertise cheap home wares for the transition period from house to house.
And there we have it- a few ways to promote yourself online that you might not (or might) have known. They're all good and most of them are free or not very expensive.
Connecting with others is always a nice idea, however, so that may be useful to use as well.
Thank you for reading, as always, any comments you wish to leave would be much appreciated.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Monday, 18 October 2010
e-Networking: Content Writing
You're in for a bit of a treat today- we're going to be doing another article for someone shortly and here's a short snippet of our section on content writing.
Content Writing
Content is, and always will be, your weapon of choice on social media sites (and any e-Networking sites) as this is how people come to know you. You don’t have to be a brilliant writer, an excellent poet or even have any experience- you just need a passion.
You have to love what you write about, or at least are able to write as if you do, in order to write content that makes people come back to your sites. Below are some tips which may help you there:
And that's all for now!
Thank you for reading, as always, we hope this has been insightful.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Content Writing
Content is, and always will be, your weapon of choice on social media sites (and any e-Networking sites) as this is how people come to know you. You don’t have to be a brilliant writer, an excellent poet or even have any experience- you just need a passion.
You have to love what you write about, or at least are able to write as if you do, in order to write content that makes people come back to your sites. Below are some tips which may help you there:
- Factual is great but what people want is insight. Take news sites for example, why is it that people choose Sky News over BBC News? Or the Financial Times over the Economist? The core of the information is always the same, the facts always exist, but the presentation- that changes. Some people are overly pessimistic, some funny and some are unbiased (in a true sense) and that is what helps them associate with their readers.
- Compliments cost nothing, yet you would be led to believe you have to pay in blood for the amount you actually get. It’s not hard to say “Thank you for reading” and it means a lot. Personally, I think some people have the greatest ideas but have the manners of a rusty fork. If I were to judge them on their character, not their content, I wouldn’t read their content much if at all.
- Try to be consistent in your approach and stick to what you do best. Writing is hard work when you write about a lot, but even if your topics change your mannerisms don’t have to and that’s reassuring. Think of it like music, why do you listen to your favourite artists? What about their recordings make you inclined to listen?
- Impersonal, personal, formal, informal- it’s all good. Too often when we think of writing for other people we think it has to be as formal as a starched shirt. It doesn’t. Of course typing in what is considered “netspeak (how r u?)” is a bad idea, usually, but at the same time typing informally never hurts. Type however it comes naturally to you; so many people struggle to get their message across because they want it to look perfect- it really doesn’t have to.
And that's all for now!
Thank you for reading, as always, we hope this has been insightful.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Aquima: Bridging the Gap
While there is a greater appreciation for technology and computing in general in modern business, they are still like the proverbial cats and water. Many organisations struggle to find computing solutions to their business problems beyond everyday software.
Often this is because of rigid and static software.
Or the feeling that you're paying for something that is too complex for anyone in your organisation to use, not to mention paying for implementation, updates, changes, training and so many costs it may just make you throw the system out of the window.
Had you not just paid for it.
But these are rather old stereotypes that don't really apply as much in the current generation as they did in the previous, as we will explore below.
There are many reasons that organisations/individuals would be technology adverse:
It pretty much removes all of the negative points outlined above but keeps almost all of the positive points, especially "The initial outlay may seem high but the continual savings are comparable."
As Aquima is an all-in-one package there is no need for extra software- saves money.
There's no need for replacements as Aquima is always on the mark- saves money.
Aquima also features a great deal of extras that would not normally be included- saves money.
Overall you can begin to see, if you embrace the idea, that Aquima has so many benefits it might be considered illegal not to use it! And this, more than anything, is because it is such a brilliant collection of software tools in easily digestable formats.
It is software like Aquima which combines raw functionality with incredible usability and could really help you see the benefits of using BPM software. As Aquima is multi-purpose and multi-fuctional you can use it for everything from car insurance applications to mortgage foreclosures to funeral director fees- it truly is a revolution in technology.
You couldn't really ask more from something that costs just a fraction of what other packages of this nature would look to set you back,
Thank you for reading, as always!
If you have anything to share about new technology or BPM software suites- there's a comment box for a reason- feel free to use it and let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Often this is because of rigid and static software.
Or the feeling that you're paying for something that is too complex for anyone in your organisation to use, not to mention paying for implementation, updates, changes, training and so many costs it may just make you throw the system out of the window.
Had you not just paid for it.
But these are rather old stereotypes that don't really apply as much in the current generation as they did in the previous, as we will explore below.
There are many reasons that organisations/individuals would be technology adverse:
- Technology is often expensive (or is thought to be) and the initial benefits are not seen immediately
- Some technology is too complex for the everyday user and can possibly stunt productivity.
- The expense of training is a looming burden and can cause you to leave technology behind
- Often the marketing for technology is not favourable- inadequate products are often sold as wonder solutions
- Many older organisations don't see how technology can improve their business
- And there's always the concern that employees could simply use the "Oh, I don't know how it works" excuse to get out of using it, sad to say
- Up to date technology is useful now more than ever- most systems are backwards compatible and have in-built protection/back up systems.
- The initial outlay may seem high but the continual savings are comparable
- "Future proofing" an organisation is always a good idea as at least they won't have to pay even more to implement new systems, if/when they want to
- Online technology has revolutionised networking and promotion
- And much more! There are too many benefits to name and some will only apply to some organisations so the best way to find out how it works for you, is to let it work for you
It pretty much removes all of the negative points outlined above but keeps almost all of the positive points, especially "The initial outlay may seem high but the continual savings are comparable."
As Aquima is an all-in-one package there is no need for extra software- saves money.
There's no need for replacements as Aquima is always on the mark- saves money.
Aquima also features a great deal of extras that would not normally be included- saves money.
Overall you can begin to see, if you embrace the idea, that Aquima has so many benefits it might be considered illegal not to use it! And this, more than anything, is because it is such a brilliant collection of software tools in easily digestable formats.
It is software like Aquima which combines raw functionality with incredible usability and could really help you see the benefits of using BPM software. As Aquima is multi-purpose and multi-fuctional you can use it for everything from car insurance applications to mortgage foreclosures to funeral director fees- it truly is a revolution in technology.
You couldn't really ask more from something that costs just a fraction of what other packages of this nature would look to set you back,
Thank you for reading, as always!
If you have anything to share about new technology or BPM software suites- there's a comment box for a reason- feel free to use it and let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
e-Networking: Content Management
One other concern of most people when it comes to networking online is not their possible side-effects but how long it takes each day. Considering I've just spent the majority of the day updating a new site I think it may be apt to say how long it takes, or rather- how long it doesn't take.
When you consider having three or four (or more) sites, it would seem that to update them you would have to spend a great deal of time on them.
Initially, yes.
Setting up websites is a good example of what you put in is what you get out of it. If you don't put enough time in, rush them or push too much through too quickly then you're going to end up with low quality at the end of the process.
In comparison, once you have spent that initial chunk of time they don't take hardly any time at all to update.
This is for two reasons:
Services like Twitter are designed to explicitely make it possible for you to only be able to post bite-sized chunks of information.
And this is what you should be aiming for.
Even Facebook only has a limited 420 characters for you to share your information with. This helps more than hinders as it allows you tailor your updates and focus on which sites get what, without having to worry about how many hours this is taking.
Here's a few easy ways to break up your updating time:
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
When you consider having three or four (or more) sites, it would seem that to update them you would have to spend a great deal of time on them.
Initially, yes.
Setting up websites is a good example of what you put in is what you get out of it. If you don't put enough time in, rush them or push too much through too quickly then you're going to end up with low quality at the end of the process.
In comparison, once you have spent that initial chunk of time they don't take hardly any time at all to update.
This is for two reasons:
- You have already put a lot of time into a site that functions well, that you understand and that you know the capabilties of. Updating is easy as you have all the tools you need and the know-how.
- Updating social media isn't about walls of text and long drawn-out articles and such it's about small, digestable chunks of information that blend into the every day life of your viewers.
Services like Twitter are designed to explicitely make it possible for you to only be able to post bite-sized chunks of information.
And this is what you should be aiming for.
Even Facebook only has a limited 420 characters for you to share your information with. This helps more than hinders as it allows you tailor your updates and focus on which sites get what, without having to worry about how many hours this is taking.
Here's a few easy ways to break up your updating time:
- Plan your posting- what? where? when? Knowing when you're supposed to have new content up (and where) helps remove a lot of lost-time guess work.
- Use any information/limits to your advantage. If you know Twitter is only 140 characters and Facebook 420- then make the updates for those sites that size.
- Be accurate and timely in your updates. Nothing shows rushed work like pushing for that 4pm deadline at 5pm!
- Be casual, friendly and don't be afraid to change something that's no longer relevant- anything that makes your content more approachable is better. It also comes more naturally when you don't force content through, making it quicker to write.
- Try to break bigger chunks of content down into a few updates which you post one after the other to help not only develop a series, but to help readers digest it.
That's all for now!
Thank you for reading and if you've got any tips to share- feel free to comment.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Monday, 11 October 2010
e-Networking: Not a Replacement.
I've found that in the last few weeks we've been talking about e-Networking and using the internet as some kind of online networking tool, people have become increasingly concerned with it replacement for traditional networking/marketing- but this is not the case!
e-Networking is simply another way to do things that you can do any other way.
For instance, the use of Twitter and Facebook is not an exclusive marketing strategy and will replace the traditional marketing methods- it's an augmented method- to be done as well as all the other things you're already doing.
While blogging and even customisable platforms like WordPress are no replacement whatsoever for an actual corporate website with all of your information on it.
All in all these things are nothing more than an extra method, a new idea or something different you could try to generate some more traffic and some more business. They're not designed to replace anything- in fact, if anything there's simply not enough available that you could.
They're just something new.
Well, new for the older generation who probably grew up more akin to a pen and paper than a keyboard and monitor. But they're also something new in terms of business and corporate activity.
Also, while we're at it- let's dispel a few other myths about e-Networking in general.
Got any e-Networking stories you'd like to share? Feel free to comment and let us know what you have to say.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
e-Networking is simply another way to do things that you can do any other way.
For instance, the use of Twitter and Facebook is not an exclusive marketing strategy and will replace the traditional marketing methods- it's an augmented method- to be done as well as all the other things you're already doing.
While blogging and even customisable platforms like WordPress are no replacement whatsoever for an actual corporate website with all of your information on it.
All in all these things are nothing more than an extra method, a new idea or something different you could try to generate some more traffic and some more business. They're not designed to replace anything- in fact, if anything there's simply not enough available that you could.
They're just something new.
Well, new for the older generation who probably grew up more akin to a pen and paper than a keyboard and monitor. But they're also something new in terms of business and corporate activity.
Also, while we're at it- let's dispel a few other myths about e-Networking in general.
- There's no way someone could access your information from it. Not a one. Other than what you upload on profiles all of your other information (IP addresses, e-mail addresses and so on) are all safe and held by the parent site- not the networker.
- Privacy is a big issue. In the days where people spend more time online than they do in their everyday lives there's a big issue of privacy- do we have it? How do we get it? Are we secure? The answer to these questions and many more is: there are easy-to-use privacy settings on each of these sites. They take minutes to set up.
- Spam is not something you'll get a lot of. We all hate spam (though some like the tinned variety) and it's a big issue, as much as privacy, on the internet. Mostly because spam becomes scams and then all sorts of disagreeable things happen. These days many sites are committed to lowering how much spam is recieved and overall it's a lot safer experience than before.
- Opt in, opt out- whatever you prefer. Most sites are free and do not force you to be on them for a "trial period" or something of the sort, you can join them and leave them as easy as you can open a web browser. Deleting your account is always an option and you have no obligations to stay if you'd rather not.
Got any e-Networking stories you'd like to share? Feel free to comment and let us know what you have to say.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Evolution of the User Experience.
There's been a lot of talk recently about the so called "browser wars" between Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and other web browsers. All of these are essentially going for the same thing but each have had a different impact on users.
The recent drop in Internet Explorer users is no doubt related to the EU leglisation which affect some copies of the new Windows OS, actively letting you choose a browser rather then being left with Internet Explorer.
But, overall, and why we're talking about this, is because this is all to do with the user experience.
Internet Explorer has been around for as long as Windows itself. Even in the old days of ISPs that provided their own browsers on dial-up, there was a version of Internet Explorer available. This is a good browser as it allows you to use all the essential parts of the web browser with no hassle, no fuss. However, for coders there's a specific dislike for the way that IE butchers some of the scripts.
On the other hand Firefox is kind of "Internet Explorer and then some" as it has a lot more features and even neat little innovations (like an addon loader process), but at the same time many users find it hard to get on with some of the features and apparently it crashes a lot too!
Chrome and Safari are browsers I've never personally used but they are reputed as being a easy to use and low-memory browsers. Some of the fancy bells and whistles- none of the memory and processor draining errors and memory leaks.
These four browsers all do the same thing- they view the internet.
Yet, as the years pass users are all aiming for different things. For business and general computing purposes something like Internet Explorer gets the job done, while for those who want a bit more functionality you might want to opt for Firefox- likewise, if speed is your thing and you just want to view the site then Chrome is probably the one for you.
A direct relation to how we have a whole range of different computer users and a host of options available to them now. Which is an interesting side note of how far technology has evolved that now we have a greater portion of Mac users, as we have Windows users and even some Linux users.
In each of those cases, for each of those operating systems, there are similar reasons why some users choose one over the others.
This just goes to show how one thing that (almost) everyone uses can have such profoundly different effects and is a good lesson to those who do online networking- user experience is key!
Although we have already noted something quite similar in the Corporate e-Networking document we have uploaded this is, much like the statistical analysis, this is a practical explanation of how something so simple for most users can differ so much.
Thank you for reading.
And feel free to share any technology tidbits you have!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
The recent drop in Internet Explorer users is no doubt related to the EU leglisation which affect some copies of the new Windows OS, actively letting you choose a browser rather then being left with Internet Explorer.
But, overall, and why we're talking about this, is because this is all to do with the user experience.
Internet Explorer has been around for as long as Windows itself. Even in the old days of ISPs that provided their own browsers on dial-up, there was a version of Internet Explorer available. This is a good browser as it allows you to use all the essential parts of the web browser with no hassle, no fuss. However, for coders there's a specific dislike for the way that IE butchers some of the scripts.
On the other hand Firefox is kind of "Internet Explorer and then some" as it has a lot more features and even neat little innovations (like an addon loader process), but at the same time many users find it hard to get on with some of the features and apparently it crashes a lot too!
Chrome and Safari are browsers I've never personally used but they are reputed as being a easy to use and low-memory browsers. Some of the fancy bells and whistles- none of the memory and processor draining errors and memory leaks.
These four browsers all do the same thing- they view the internet.
Yet, as the years pass users are all aiming for different things. For business and general computing purposes something like Internet Explorer gets the job done, while for those who want a bit more functionality you might want to opt for Firefox- likewise, if speed is your thing and you just want to view the site then Chrome is probably the one for you.
A direct relation to how we have a whole range of different computer users and a host of options available to them now. Which is an interesting side note of how far technology has evolved that now we have a greater portion of Mac users, as we have Windows users and even some Linux users.
In each of those cases, for each of those operating systems, there are similar reasons why some users choose one over the others.
This just goes to show how one thing that (almost) everyone uses can have such profoundly different effects and is a good lesson to those who do online networking- user experience is key!
Although we have already noted something quite similar in the Corporate e-Networking document we have uploaded this is, much like the statistical analysis, this is a practical explanation of how something so simple for most users can differ so much.
Thank you for reading.
And feel free to share any technology tidbits you have!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Aquima: Agility and Consequence.
You know what every organisation needs more of? People. You know why? They're flexible, they can do a number of things and they are able to learn new skills. These are the reasons why, even in the digital age, we still rely on people to get most things done.
People, software- what the!?
This is partly because most software is not flexible.
Microsoft Office, for instance, is five-six pieces of software in one which do five or six different things.You wouldn't be able to make a very extensive database in Excel and, likewise, you wouldn't be able to make an effective spreadsheet with Access.
The reason all of these were added is because these are basic functions that people need in order to do desktop publishing: graphs (Excel), databases (Access), document templates (Word), e-mail support (Outlook), document creation (Word/Publisher) and so on. Now while this is great because a number of angles are covered, well, it's not very effective.
In an example situation- say you were making a database for customer details in a DVD rental business. However, while you are pretty knowledgable wth computers other people will have to use it to. So you need a manual. But at the same time you need a way to analyse various details and information, preferably sortable, and with a range of fields.
Where do you start?
Well, the database would be made in Access and the manual would be made with Word while the analysis would be done with an exported Excel spreadsheet.
Three software packages for what is, in total, one operation.
Flexibility and more!
Aquima is a complete package which combines a number of these (and other) processes in one software package with complete integration. You could use the Aquima suite to not only set up the initial process, but then to create a report and even a manual.
In this way Aquima saves you money, time and effort.
But at the same time it makes the entire process more transparent and all of your skills can be easily transferred from one section to another. Overall, it makes more sense to put all of your eggs in one basket and do everything at the same time. Not to mention it will cost less over time and repeatedly save you money on maintenance, implementation, re-design, re-distribution and much more.
As recently highlighted in our comparison with the Pegasystems software suite we can actually see how Aquima is all-inclusive. Unlike other BPM software it doesn't need a whole host of extra software to do the tasks you rely on it for.
Consequences
So what does all this really mean? Well, the human element in IT exists because there will always be a need for flexibility and responsive thinking. But, in the same way, with advances in artificial intelligence and technology it's only a matter of time before you see responsive IT systems.
Aquima may be one of the first to move forward in this new and exciting direction.
And it may be a way to get your organisation on a forward thinking path. Remember when we posted about building technology for tomorrow as well as today? This is why. If you can hit the trends earlier and get on the ground with new technology quickly, you're almost future proof as you only then need worry about the next big thing. And by that we mean the next big change in software. Such as the change from the days of ARIS to the days of Aquima.
That is all for now, thank you for reading and we look forward to hearing from you!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
People, software- what the!?
This is partly because most software is not flexible.
Microsoft Office, for instance, is five-six pieces of software in one which do five or six different things.You wouldn't be able to make a very extensive database in Excel and, likewise, you wouldn't be able to make an effective spreadsheet with Access.
The reason all of these were added is because these are basic functions that people need in order to do desktop publishing: graphs (Excel), databases (Access), document templates (Word), e-mail support (Outlook), document creation (Word/Publisher) and so on. Now while this is great because a number of angles are covered, well, it's not very effective.
In an example situation- say you were making a database for customer details in a DVD rental business. However, while you are pretty knowledgable wth computers other people will have to use it to. So you need a manual. But at the same time you need a way to analyse various details and information, preferably sortable, and with a range of fields.
Where do you start?
Well, the database would be made in Access and the manual would be made with Word while the analysis would be done with an exported Excel spreadsheet.
Three software packages for what is, in total, one operation.
Flexibility and more!
Aquima is a complete package which combines a number of these (and other) processes in one software package with complete integration. You could use the Aquima suite to not only set up the initial process, but then to create a report and even a manual.
In this way Aquima saves you money, time and effort.
But at the same time it makes the entire process more transparent and all of your skills can be easily transferred from one section to another. Overall, it makes more sense to put all of your eggs in one basket and do everything at the same time. Not to mention it will cost less over time and repeatedly save you money on maintenance, implementation, re-design, re-distribution and much more.
As recently highlighted in our comparison with the Pegasystems software suite we can actually see how Aquima is all-inclusive. Unlike other BPM software it doesn't need a whole host of extra software to do the tasks you rely on it for.
Consequences
So what does all this really mean? Well, the human element in IT exists because there will always be a need for flexibility and responsive thinking. But, in the same way, with advances in artificial intelligence and technology it's only a matter of time before you see responsive IT systems.
Aquima may be one of the first to move forward in this new and exciting direction.
And it may be a way to get your organisation on a forward thinking path. Remember when we posted about building technology for tomorrow as well as today? This is why. If you can hit the trends earlier and get on the ground with new technology quickly, you're almost future proof as you only then need worry about the next big thing. And by that we mean the next big change in software. Such as the change from the days of ARIS to the days of Aquima.
That is all for now, thank you for reading and we look forward to hearing from you!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Monday, 4 October 2010
How to reach your audience.
In every business practice you will have an audience that you need to reach or find, there are a number of ways to do this for traditional corporate activity- but there are also a number of ways to do this for online networking.
Lots of opportunities!
As we covered recently indirect networking is a great way to get in touch with those you want to connect with and is easily one of the more reliable methods. In many cases all it requires is an idea of the kind of things you're looking for.
For instance, in financial markets you can follow the Economist on Twitter and that will open up a whole range of potential financial connections.
But, this is rather a scattered approach as you would be waiting for some of their contacts to find you- whereas you could be using it to find them yourself. Searching through who's following them and who they are following would show clients of great potential, these in turn may have more clients you would want to connect with.
This can continue until you have literally thousands following your information.
You can also look for other well known blogs and information sources.
These are often full to the brim with like-minded eager individuals who want to share a particular kind of infomation. It's an incredibly effective way to get your name out there, in a positive light, not to mention share your views and personality with others. Guest posts are often available which could help to expand your audience in unexpected and greatly interesting ways.
Or you can use the good old fashioned method- market research.
In many cases, if you're a small local business this is probably the best way to target the best people for your organisation and will prove to get a lot more returns. This way you can (almost personally) know the people you're connected with.
Not to mention know they want what you're selling.
The aftermath
It's easy to follow lots of people and show that you're trying to get a great number of connections- but it doesn't show how much of this has actually been successful. Which is really your number one aim as an organisation.
Evaluating how well these things have gone is directly linked to what method you have used.
If you're using a rather scattered "friends of friends" approach it will be hard to say what has been done and what has come from it. This is because it's harder to track the individual things that you're actually doing and to track the clients that have or haven't responded.
In more direct cases it's easier to track the responses but it's a lot harder to get a lot of returns unless you've invested a great deal of time in connecting with them. So this might be more reliable but have a lower yield in comparison with other options.
Otherwise you simply have to use whichever options you have at your disposal to analyse what your efforts have brought, if anything.
Conclusion
In conclusion we can see that there are a few decent ways to connect with clients and a few different approaches. The approach will always fundamentally be the same- but the way it is used will not as there are many ways to skin a cat, as they say.
A rather short post today and one that I hope you have enjoyed- thank you for reading (as always)!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Lots of opportunities!
As we covered recently indirect networking is a great way to get in touch with those you want to connect with and is easily one of the more reliable methods. In many cases all it requires is an idea of the kind of things you're looking for.
For instance, in financial markets you can follow the Economist on Twitter and that will open up a whole range of potential financial connections.
But, this is rather a scattered approach as you would be waiting for some of their contacts to find you- whereas you could be using it to find them yourself. Searching through who's following them and who they are following would show clients of great potential, these in turn may have more clients you would want to connect with.
This can continue until you have literally thousands following your information.
You can also look for other well known blogs and information sources.
These are often full to the brim with like-minded eager individuals who want to share a particular kind of infomation. It's an incredibly effective way to get your name out there, in a positive light, not to mention share your views and personality with others. Guest posts are often available which could help to expand your audience in unexpected and greatly interesting ways.
Or you can use the good old fashioned method- market research.
In many cases, if you're a small local business this is probably the best way to target the best people for your organisation and will prove to get a lot more returns. This way you can (almost personally) know the people you're connected with.
Not to mention know they want what you're selling.
The aftermath
It's easy to follow lots of people and show that you're trying to get a great number of connections- but it doesn't show how much of this has actually been successful. Which is really your number one aim as an organisation.
Evaluating how well these things have gone is directly linked to what method you have used.
If you're using a rather scattered "friends of friends" approach it will be hard to say what has been done and what has come from it. This is because it's harder to track the individual things that you're actually doing and to track the clients that have or haven't responded.
In more direct cases it's easier to track the responses but it's a lot harder to get a lot of returns unless you've invested a great deal of time in connecting with them. So this might be more reliable but have a lower yield in comparison with other options.
Otherwise you simply have to use whichever options you have at your disposal to analyse what your efforts have brought, if anything.
Conclusion
In conclusion we can see that there are a few decent ways to connect with clients and a few different approaches. The approach will always fundamentally be the same- but the way it is used will not as there are many ways to skin a cat, as they say.
A rather short post today and one that I hope you have enjoyed- thank you for reading (as always)!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
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