Hey, I read the news.  I know that the national / world economy is headed to heck on greased skids.  But my clients haven’t received the notice that business is supposed to be bad.  Yes, one particular client, a very large particular client, has been managing its way through some difficult times.  And I know that the unemployment rate is Way Too High.  And I know that between the War and the Economy Obama has almost burned through all his charisma.  But over here?  Our long-term clients are reinvesting in growth.  Our new clients are seeing bright and shiny opportunities.  And our consultants are starting to feel the love again.

I’m a member of a group called Vistage International, a networking / professional development group for CEOs, and one thing I’ve learned from the group is that the successful and heroic leader is the one who can see a way through that no one else can see.  Honestly, some days I’m not sure I can see three months into the future.  But as long as I’m connecting the right consultant with the right opportunity and following through to make sure the match is right — I’m solving the best possible type of problem.

And then, Murphy shows up..

Here are five things we learned this week while preparing for our Big Move:

It’s who you know.

Sure, you can do it all on your own, but you really don’t want to. Over the years, you’ve probably built relationships with people who know more than you (if you haven’t, get cracking!), and these people will be worth their weight in great advice. From painting to cabling to finding a new location that best suits your You-ness, these outsourced resources will SAVE YOUR SANITY. If for no other reason, they will stop you from trying to reinvent the wheel and realizing with horror that you actually didn’t need a wheel in the first place.

Anybody home?

There may be phone jacks in the walls, but that doesn’t mean they’re connected to anything, anywhere. Power outlets don’t always provide power. It’s so simple and obvious you might just overlook its importance.  It’s far better not to assume. If necessary, get on the phone with your telecom/data service provider and ask a technician to walk onsite and confirm everything before the service cut-over. Really, who would assume all the cabling was removed by the last tenant when they vacated? When it comes to preventing last-minute, unexpected costs, basic utilities should be at the top of the list.

How many cooks in the kitchen?

There is a fine balance between asking your team for their input, and asking for the opinions of the ENTIRE team. Yes, it’s tempting to post “Kelley Green or Forest Green accent walls?” on Facebook, but you will find yourself rapidly having to (rightfully) rebuke your friend’s suggestion of “Company X’s Aquatic Dreamscape Blue,” and possibly losing what other help they might offer! Every aspect of a move does not require universal consensus. Recognize that sometimes it’s just your job to make a decision whether others like it or not.

Start early, steady pace

When you’re moving, everything seems to take FOREVER to get started and then suddenly you’re moving TOMORROW. Make a simple calendar of target dates and benchmarks and drive that sucker hard. If your move is well-planned and you’re doing it right, you will actually be a little bored. That’s great! That means you can still do your actual work instead of panicking over those three file drawers you haven’t packed up yet. Stuff happens, movers are delayed and contractors are confused. Point yourself in the right direction, keep steady yet flexible and you’ll get there with minimal drama.

Breathe deep and roll with the punches

Even if you plan everything, something’s almost guaranteed to go wrong. Yes, we go through life with that motto, but when you’re paying three or four per hour, every minute counts. The absolute worst thing you can do is panic. If you’re watching the world crash down, take a walk around the block or count to 10 and breathe. You need to move past “How the hell did this happen?!” and dive into “Let’s figure out how to fix this.”

May your own move be drama-free!

Really? They’re just figuring this out now?

For the past 14 years, High Tech Connect has carefully built a network of what we call GEMS, our Go-to Expert Marketing Superheroes. These are the best in our business: seasoned marketing, communications, PR and writing pros who already have successful careers in the technology industry. Some are former trade journalists, industry analysts, C-level executives or agency owners. Many have been former High Tech Connect clients one year, only to be placed by us as a consultant with another client the next, or vice versa.

All our GEMS are already busy with clients or a job, but you never know when the right permanent full-time job comes along—or someone’s personal situation changes and employment provides the benefits and stability they need. These are the professionals High Tech Connect presents as candidates. Some may be in between consulting gigs, and a few may be unemployed, but all of them have successful careers and a stellar reputation.

We may leverage our GEMS to find other gems, but you will never see High Tech Connect post jobs or consulting gigs to an online job board. Quality over quantity. Only the best for our clients.

In our mind, it’s still about Who You Know, not just To Whom it May Concern.

Tell us what you think. Are we crazy?

That’s what many of our corporate clients do daily in the high-tech marketing industry. Full-time employment isn’t even close to a 40-hour job any more. Seems they are not alone.

Jason Fried, a CNN reporter and author of a new book called Rework, says, “The modern office has become an interruption factory. You can’t get work done at work anymore.”

I’m thrilled on Fridays when usually only one other team member is there in our small office — because I get SO much done. And when I need to crank out an important article or focus on a strategic project, I’m always more efficient and creative between 10 pm and 2 am. Too many college cram sessions, I guess. On the other end of the spectrum, Michelle Stewart gets up at 5 am to plow through her email and tackle client issues before they even log in for the day.

The point is, not everyone works efficiently in a traditional office and this is why clients have reached out to High Tech Connect for home-based expert help over the past 14 years. We were freaking visionaries, way ahead of our time!

So how about some solutions? Jason says there are a lot of things you can do to discourage interruption at work and give people longer stretches of uninterrupted time to get things done. Here are a few:

1. Instead of casual Fridays, how about no-talk Thursdays? Try it. You won’t believe how effective it is. On Thursdays — and you can just try this once a month if you want — no one in the office can talk to each other. You’ll be blown away by how much work you’ll get done that day. I’m just asking for one day a month to start. Try it, trust me.

2. Use passive instead of active communication tools. When someone calls your name, knocks on your door, or stops you in the hallway, you can’t avoid them. Even if you try, you’re already distracted. So, instead of relying on so much face-to-face communication and collaboration — what I like to call “active” communication — try more passive methods of communication. Use e-mail. Use instant messaging. Use collaboration software. Here’s why: If people don’t want to pay attention, they can turn that tool off. They can hide it. They can put it away. You can’t put away a knock on your door or someone calling your name. But you can quit your e-mail app for a few hours. Then, when you’re ready, you can open it up — on your own schedule — and get back to people.

3. Cancel your next meeting. Or just don’t attend it. I’m not suggesting you boycott all meetings — just the next one. Life will go on. And all that stuff you thought you had to talk about with eight other people around a table will get worked out some other way. You’ll gain an hour of time you can spend on more important things. And so will those eight other people. Work can happen without that next meeting. Once you recognize that meetings aren’t as necessary as you thought, they’ll become a last resort instead of a first resort.

Here’s the entire CNN article and video from Jason.

What do you do to minimize interruptions at your job?

How to fail fast

On or off the learning curve? New communications media: Fad or fact? It doesn’t matter. As a communication professional, you are obligated to learn new channels. Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? Blogs? YouTube? Are you still in denial about social media or did you jump in, learn from smart friends and suggest new ideas for your employer or client? Where are you on the adoption curve? Stay relevant. Don’t be a dinosaur. Just do it.

You are not your résumé. Your résumé is not a stone tablet documenting your career. Do you customize it every time to show the prospect you have exactly what she wants? Do you include links for your Facebook page, blog, Twitter account and LinkedIn profile? If you do not have a complete profile and recommendations on LinkedIn today, you do NOT exist to prospective employers and recruiters. Do you have a portfolio? Is it online and accessible 24/7?

Be responsive. How long did it take you to return my call or acknowledge my email? Is that how responsive you are to someone trying to give you a job? We are all competing in a global market and there are other candidates who are at least as smart as you, willing to do your job at a fraction of the rate and a lot more eager about getting the job done. Extra points awarded for responding quickly and providing valuable information. Instant disqualification for responding two weeks later with “I’m interested” and expecting someone to be impressed.

Listen more. Typically, your clients aren’t communicators. That’s your role and great communicating starts with great listening which leads to deep understanding which, best case, sets the stage for great thinking. So, listen. Probe with questions. Repeat back what you think you understand. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them proportionately.

“But I’m so experienced.” Your experience might be perceived as a price tag that puts you out of the competition. It can also be a great big “sell by” date indicating you need to be left on the shelf. Your experience might imply you don’t know about the latest, greatest marketing media (see above). Your experience might intimidate someone who graduated college 10 years after you did. And it might create the impression you’re too good for the job and will get bored and split at the first opportunity. Don’t assume it’s a good thing. Focus on results and value.

No whining. Life can be hard. Work can be hard. And a lot of things are unfair. But complaining about it doesn’t change anything except the perception that you can’t hack it. As Jerry Maguire says, “That’s not what inspires people.” People don’t pay a premium for someone who sees only half-empty glasses. Find a solution instead of finding someone to blame.

Think ahead. If you can’t play chess, at least play a good game of checkers and figure out what your client or manager wants next. I don’t know about you, but I get Big Points when I can anticipate what my spouse wants. Your client is the same way. If you earned a good result for the client, did you write it up so all your client has to do is forward it to her management? (And she might not do as good a job as you will.) Think ahead. Just one or two moves.

It’s not about you. There’s a very fine ego balance consultants need to strike with their clients. On the one hand, you are the Star Who Does Great Things. On the other hand, you’re equally attentive to the Little Things: you get the rental car, order the meal that’s just a little bit less expensive and listen with Total Fascination when she’s telling you about her cat (mom, ex, garden, shoes, etc.). You’ll hand your client breath mints and make eye contact to let him know he needs to take the mints. Your entire Reason for Being is to make your client successful and as a service provider you go to great lengths to make that happen. And you will be rewarded and your ego stoked when the client trusts you completely with their career and future.

A handwritten note: the gem of personal marketing. Who writes Thank You notes? People who know that the recipient might just tack it to the wall of her office and look at it every day as a constant reminder you are One Classy Pro. Anyone who refers a job lead or grants you an interview is worthy of personalized multi-media gratitude: email, voicemail, thank you note, Facebook wall post, etc. But when you write it, stamp it and mail it you always leave an infinitely indelible impression.

Keep your promises, keep everyone on track. Take notes. Flag action items. Send the action items to the people involved. Resolve any misunderstandings. Act on the action items. Report on the status of the action items. Reconvene and repeat. Simple? Yes. Effective? Absolutely. Common? Not at all. When was the last time you received timely minutes from a meeting? Or any recap at all from a meeting? Some one ought to be doing this and you have an opportunity to be the hero in this story. You are a communicator. Get it done.

Be interesting. Being an interesting person doesn’t compensate for you being unresponsive, not smart, or having out-of-date skills, but combined with great performance, being interesting makes you The Complete Package. Be involved in your community. Coach soccer. Play an instrument. Dance. Practice yoga. Volunteer. Sky dive. Write a book. Do a triathlon. If you are someone who is admirable, then you increase your chance of being admired.

Dress to impress. You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can judge the cover by the cover. Are you dressed appropriately and with a sense of style? Are your shoes shined? Are your nails neat? Breath fresh? Glasses clean? Don’t make me be your mother.

Don’t touch the third rail. Politics. Religion. Sex. Do we really need to elaborate?

Pay it forward. Give and you shall receive. Leave an unsolicited Recommendation on LinkedIn. Share your contacts and resources with new colleagues or students. Send small, thoughtful news articles they might enjoy, or send something that made you think of them. Don’t be a stalker, and don’t expect anything in return. It will come back to you, tenfold, over the course of your career. Guaranteed.

Do you feel our pain? Are these tips a no-brainer for you? If so, you’re one of a few rare GEMS (Go-to Expert Marketing Superheroes) and we’d love to know you.

Need help and want us to send over somebody who “gets” it? www.htconnect.com

Joe Jonas with Special Olympian

We’re thrilled to share a delightful thank you note from our friend and colleague Kirsten Cherry, VP Public Relations & Communications for Special Olympics of Northern California & Nevada.

Kirsten was recently in a pickle and needed some expert PR help for a Bay Area Fun Run where Joe Jonas (of THE Jonas Brothers!!) was participating. Not exactly the kind of match we normally make here at HIGH TECH Connect, but who can say no to helping special kids, or letting Joe Jonas down?!

Whom did we know who could KICK BUTT for Kirsten and promote the heck out of this fabulous event? Our friend and PR goddess Heather Lowles.

Hi Rene-

Just a quick note to thank you for connecting me with Heather. Her talents, skill and energy were most helpful to me and Special Olympics Northern California as what was supposed to be a “small” event turned into something more significant with much different expectations.

Heather is all you said she would be, and much more. She is professional, results-driven and willing to jump into action at a moment’s notice. But, more importantly, it didn’t take long for her to get up to speed and become effective. Her persistence helped us get important media coverage in the South Bay – part of that was responsible for driving 300 participants to the race and raising $60K.

Most of all, I consider Heather a good friend and colleague after a mere 6 days together! I learned if you feed her gluten-free food and some wine, she might even be a friend for life, or at least she might be a swim buddy the next time I feel the need for an open water swim!

So, I leave you with my gratitude and the attached photo from the Joe Jonas Fun Run. No it’s not Joe, and methinks I need to let Heather tell you the story of the “clean bottle guy.”

– Kirsten Cherry, Vice President, Public Relations and Communications, Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada

“Rene’s advice, given in one of my most relevant courses in grad school, stayed etched in my mind months after her guest lecture. I admired her savvy business initiative, sheer talent, and sincere willingness to help those of us on the job hunt. I reached out to Rene following the lecture and immediately implemented the suggestions she made for my resume. After three months aggressively pursuing job opportunities in a struggling economy, I was hired by the company at the top of my list. Thanks to Rene and High Tech Connect for the tips for success!” — Yara Souza, Associate for Corporate Practice at Burson-Marsteller, San Francisco

Congratulations Yara! We’re so proud of you and confident you’ll have a wonderful career.

Stick To What You Do Best

Clients are paying top dollar for an expert, not someone who requires a learning curve. Consultants should be honest about their strengths and previous experience, including limitations. If you want to broaden your expertise beyond your sweet spot, learn by watching your client’s internal experts (on unbilled time), take courses, or trade services and advice with a fellow professional who’s already mastered that skill set.

Let Your Passion Show

It’s so obvious when you meet someone who truly loves what they do. They aren’t watching the clock or waiting to be asked for the next instruction. Clients love working with consultants who exude confidence and have a zeal for their profession. Consultants who are clearly “in the zone” will endear themselves to any overworked client by helping to anticipate needs and suggest creative yet cost-efficient solutions.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Over the course of our business, there have only been a handful of times when we needed to swoop in and salvage a project. In almost every case the problem was simply mis-communication, or no communication at all. It is the consultant’s responsibility to over-communicate and provide regular updates in the manner most preferred by the client (email, phone, weekly 1:1, written report). There should be no surprises!

Proactive and Professional

Anticipating the needs of your client is an essential element of successful consulting that requires maturity and sensitivity. And moving-target clients who never have time to meet or non-communicative managers who can’t make decisions require heroic tenacity to keep the project rolling on track. Conversely, when a consultant will be unavailable while volunteering in a classroom or tending to other family needs (which is why consultants become consultants), clients should be notified well in advance of schedule conflicts. The best consultants remain professional all the time, offer great flexibility and accessibility, and limit the personal details.

No Prima Donnas

Contrary to some beliefs, consulting is not about the consultant. It’s not about showing off, whining, back-stabbing, making excuses or generating awe and admiration. It is about taking away the pain for clients and making them look great at all costs. Consultants who put their client’s needs first have long-term fans who happily and promptly pay invoices.

What do YOU think the best consultants do to become indispensable? Post your comments here. Next month, look for our thoughts on What Makes a Great Client?

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary Shell!