Girls In Tech

The rumor is startups are running out of cash without clear resolutions or plans to keep their businesses in operation. True dat the economy is terribly shaken. True dat we are seeing high levels unemployment rate and slow retail spending. Yet is it true that the human spirit can be this easily disheveled and broken? I firmly believe not. If there are 101 ways to skin a cat, there must be a 101 and more ways to keep you and your business afloat. Here are a few ideas that I’ve used effectively in opening doors for Mavin Digital, Inc. and Girls in Tech:

• Be a star networker. As a social media enthusiast and community leader for Girls in Tech many may have noticed that I am not at all the events. This is true and there is a reason for that. Not all the networking events showcase the people I want to meet to grow my entrepreneur portfolio. I follow a self-imposed networking system vs. using the “butterfly” technique that could land me all over social media jungle. A few networking tips: 1) screen the guest list (when you can). Make sure the people who matter to growing your business are present. 2) when possible research your target contact so you have something interesting to say when you finally are face-to-face with him or her. 3) use linkedin, facebook and twitter to find new contacts. 4) when appropriate always extend a one-on-one coffee or lunch meetup.
• Be specific about your value proposition. Engage your prospects quickly on the value proposition and differentiation of your brand. What sets you apart from the competition?
• Reposition offerings as solutions. Clients are not interested in purchasing contracts for the complete platform or your current service offerings? That’s okay. Reposition your offerings to make it a better fit for your client’s needs during the tough economy.
• Invest. Who wants to invest in this economy? Invest in accounts that continue to spend conservatively by offering value added services and rates without sacrificing quality and integrity. This is specially effective when you are in pursuit of projects with budgets waiting to be spent for 2009.
• Create partnerships. People who work at startups usually wear 10 different hats. Sometimes business development falls on the wayside when things get too busy. One way to curtail probable lost opportunities is through alliances and partnerships with other startups and more established organizations.
• It is a numbers game. The more business development opportunities you open and tap into the more likelihood of gaining new accounts and prospects.

In our next How To segment I’ll talk about my preparations for Laura Allen’s marathon business development challenge.

~ jessica valenzuela

Tags: business development, economy, networking, tips

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 at 1:17 am and is filed under New York. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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