Marketing Strategiesfor High-Tech Professionals :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Marketing Strategiesfor High-Tech Professionals CIPS May 19, 2004 Louisa Jewell Crystallizers louisa@crystallizers.com www.crystallizers.com


Canadian IT Market 2002 to 2006 Forecast :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Canadian IT Market 2002 to 2006 Forecast 0.7% -1.6% 3.2% 6.0% 5.6% 5.7% -2% -1% 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Year Percentage Growth Forecast 2003 Source: IDC Canada 2002


2004 Technology Trends :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers 2004 Technology Trends Doing More with Less Wireless Linux growth and Open Source Outsourcing/IT Utility/Web Services Security & Privacy Biotech


Slide 4:Source: Macdonald & Associates


CIO Top IT Spending Priorities for 2003 :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers CIO Top IT Spending Priorities for 2003 Products or Services that decrease costs Aligning IT with business goals Integrating systems and processes Security & Privacy CIO Magazine – The State of the CIO Report


Level of Adoption of IT Applications :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Level of Adoption of IT Applications Athabasca University-Canadian IT Issues Study


What is a Personal Brand? :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers What is a Personal Brand? “The consistent communication of the unique promise of value that you offer your employer, prospective employer, co-workers or clients.”


Creating your own Personal Brand :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Creating your own Personal Brand It is a perception in someone else’s mind of what they can expect from you Your brand is a reflection of who you are and your values Demonstrated by what you do and how you do it Demonstrated in the kinds of relationships you create and nurture


Benefits of a Strong Personal Brand :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Benefits of a Strong Personal Brand Can charge a premium for your services or demand higher salary Transfer into new areas more easily Thrive during an economic downturn Attract new employers Retain employment


Slide 10:© 2003,2004 Crystallizers When your great reputation precedes you, selling yourself is a breeze


Slide 11:© 2003,2004 Crystallizers


Strength of a Brand :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Strength of a Brand Three key components Distinctive Relevant Consistent


Critical Success Factors for Building a Personal Brand :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Critical Success Factors for Building a Personal Brand What is your best working environment? Are you using the skills you excel at and enjoy? Are you interested and motivated at work? Are you passionate about what you are doing? Is it fulfilling for you? Does it suit your own personality style?


Marketing Yourself :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Marketing Yourself What are your best features? What benefits do these features deliver? What target market is your perfect customer?


Personal Branding Process :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Personal Branding Process Starts with “Who am I?” – A personal Assessment Inventory: What are the skills you excel at and enjoy? What are your greatest interests? What are your values? Personal and Guiding What is your personality style?


Slide 16:© 2003,2004 Crystallizers To be consistent, you must live authentically


Discovering your Value :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Discovering your Value What specific problems do you solve for your employer? …for your customers? What are the implications of these problems for your employer?…for your customers? How will your employer benefit from your services? How will your customers?


Ask about problems :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Ask about problems What difficulties, dissatisfactions, or challenges is your employer experiencing with the existing situation? What problems are your customers facing?


Exercise :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Exercise


Example :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Example


Ask How the Problems Affect Your Employer :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Ask How the Problems Affect Your Employer Example: “How is the business’ double-digit growth affecting you?” “What do you think are the consequences for the team?”


Ask how your employer would benefit from your solution :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Ask how your employer would benefit from your solution Example: “If I could reduce the effects of our business growth on the team, how would you benefit?” “I have a solution that would reduce our turnover rate, how much money would we save?”


Managing a Career in IT :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Managing a Career in IT No more “jobs for life” Technology is changing all the time – thus skill requirements change rapidly Increasingly training cost burden being pushed to the individual Employers reluctant to pay due to turnover Gov’t playing less of a role Even after formal training, obsolescence of skills is fast IT environments so demanding little time to take training


Career Management is key :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Career Management is key # of people time supply demand


“What do you see as the single most important ‘soft’ skill for a job candidate to possess?” :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers “What do you see as the single most important ‘soft’ skill for a job candidate to possess?” Interpersonal Skills Ability to Work Under Pressure Written or Verbal Communication Skills Business Acumen Professional Image Source: Robert Half Technology – Salary survey 2004


What Counts :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers What Counts Identifies what your employer or customers value Gives you a focus for personal development Makes your marketing more effective


Networking :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Networking Canadian Information Processing Society http://www.cips.ca/ Wired Woman and Digital Eve www.wiredwoman.com and www.digitalevetoronto.ca Board of Trade www.bot.com CATA Alliance (merged with SMART Toronto) www.cata.ca AIMS Canada www.aimscanada.com


Resources :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Resources IDC Canada Canadavc.com (Macdonald & Associates) CIO Magazine The National Post Robert Half Technology ITAC Software Human Resources Council Gartner Group Price Waterhouse Coopers Forrester CATA Alliance Silicon Valley North


Marketing Strategies for High Tech Professionals :© 2003,2004 Crystallizers Marketing Strategies for High Tech Professionals Louisa Jewell Crystallizers louisa@crystallizers.com www.crystallizers.com