The Invisible Mentor

Posts Tagged ‘Search Engine Optimization’

I frequently talk about mentoring occurring in moments, and this was evident at mediabistro’s Socialize Toronto conference last Friday. Profound conversations can take place over seconds and minutes. By watching conference attendees you could tell by the look on their faces that it was worth their time to attend the conference. People were not shy about asking questions, and they were interacting with each other during the breaks. You could feel the upbeat energy in the room. People who had only known each other online, now had the opportunity to talk offline.

Jim Hedger shared some great Search Engine Optimization tips with me during a two-minute conversation. Though it was a short time, I felt that I was mentored during that time. It was great to discover that conferences are great places to not only meet people and learn, but are also great for people to be mentored in sound bites.

In the EdgeRank (Facebook) vs. PageRank (Google) session, a tidbit that stuck with me is that when you think of Facebook, it’s the place to ask questions, and for Google, the place you find answers – that’s how you build engagement. That short answer by one of the panellists opened up a whole new world for me.

A Few Mentoring Moments at Socialize Toronto

1. When writing, think AIDA: Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (attract Attention, arouse Interest, stimulate Desire and present a call to Action).
2. Videos that go viral appeal to body, mind and spirit.
3. There is a button on your Google+ page that allows you to pull in YouTube videos into your updates.
4. Anayltics for Twitter – Edelman TweetLevel, and Twitalyzer
5. To find a schedule of Twitter Chats https://bitly.com/bundles/kmullett/4
6. For more engaging stories, move from one-way storytelling to dynamic storytelling.

There were lots of tips at Socialize Toronto, but the biggest highlight of the conference for me was learning about 40 Inventive Principles. The reason I found 40 Inventive Principles to be so fascinating is it’s another tool to help us to be more creative, and to solve problems more creatively. Just reading through some of the examples given for each principle will give you ideas on ways to change the way you do work. For me, that was another mentoring in moments.

Examples of 40 Inventive Principles

“Principle 1. Segmentation

• Divide an object into independent parts.

• Replace mainframe computer by personal computers.
• Replace a large truck by a truck and trailer.
• Use a work breakdown structure for a large project.

Principle 4. Asymmetry

• Change the shape of an object from symmetrical to asymmetrical.

• Asymmetrical mixing vessels or asymmetrical vanes in symmetrical vessels improve mixing (cement trucks, cake mixers, blenders).
• Put a flat spot on a cylindrical shaft to attach a knob securely.

Principle 6. Universality

• Make a part or object perform multiple functions; eliminate the need for other parts.

• Handle of a toothbrush contains toothpaste
• Child’s car safety seat converts to a stroller

Principle 17. Another dimension

1. To move an object in two- or three-dimensional space.
• Infrared computer mouse moves in space, instead of on a surface, for presentations.
• Five-axis cutting tool can be positioned where needed.

Principle 22. “Blessing in disguise” or “Turn Lemons into Lemonade”

• Use harmful factors (particularly, harmful effects of the environment or surroundings) to achieve a positive effect.

• Use waste heat to generate electric power.
• Recycle waste (scrap) material from one process as raw materials for another.”

I am sure that if you looked at the complete list of principles, you will find a few that resonate with you. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the right hand side) by email or RSS Feed.

Barbados

As a writer and researcher, industrial and graphic design are not my areas of expertise, therefore I don’t know what I don’t know so I defer to the designers, and place the onus on them to deliver what I need. I am on about the fifth iteration of my website. I had a website before most large companies had websites, over 10 years ago. The last two graphic designers I worked with had two very different approaches which impacted the customer service experience for me.

One graphic designer followed the route that most graphic designers take. They meet with you, ask some preliminary questions, go away and work, then they return with a few designs, and you choose one,  or elements of a few to create a new design then they finalize it for you.

The other designer involved me a lot more in the project, yet did not place too much demand on my time. Yes she did all the typical things that the other graphic designer did. But she asked me about my colour preferences, the image I wanted to present on the website, and delved into the psychology of colour. She showed me the colours that were “hot.” She also took the time to get to know me as a person not just a client. She cared about my likes and dislikes. She built a relationship with me. With each encounter, I felt like she truly valued my business, and valued me as a person. At the end of the project I was a much more informed consumer.

The designer who took the route most traveled was also unwilling to learn about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so I had to hire another person to search engine optimize my site after he built it. It is my belief, that it is an expectation that graphic designers today are knowledgeable about SEO. And I also got the sense that he had no intention of taking a course, even though he recognized the benefits to his clients.

I am grateful for $1000+ Industrial Design Group Writing Project, the group writing project that I am writing this post for, because it forced me to make a connection that I hadn’t made before. I had to compare two experiences that I had not thought of before, even though they are related. And, as I write this blog post, I realize that there are some potent lessons here for my readers, graphic and industrial designers and for myself:

1. To be remarkable you have to travel the path of least resistance
2. Because everyone does it a certain way, does not mean it is the only way, or even the best way
3. Keep up-to-date on what’s going on in your field because expectations changes and customers are demanding more
4. Update your skills to better serve your clients
5. Your clients are people and not companies, it is a person who authorizes payment, so treat your “clients” well
6. Your experiences shape who you are, whenever you see someone doing something badly, take note and use the information to improve yourself, your product and your service

How might you use this experience to give your clients a better customer service experience? Do you take the time to build relationships with your clients? What other tips do you have that you can share with us? Let’s keep the conversation going, please leave your comments.

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