We get interesting information everyday from reading articles in newspapers, blogs, company websites and even from conversations we overhear or have ourselves. Shark Bits is an entry post where I share my thoughts on recent articles, events and conversations. Indulge yourselves with new information.. you’ll find that a bit of information a day will go a long way.
On Negotiating a Salary
Here is an interesting article I came across about salary negotiation. The article has a lot of great pointers that many people do not consider before stating the price. For all of you passive pandas out there, here is the list of things you should remember to do :
- Do your homework and practice
- Realize what it’s like on the other side of the table
- Discover how you can provide value
- Never be the first to budge
- Ask for more than they can give
I emphasize that you should always know your worth because if you don’t, how else will others be able to value you?
Stand Out or Stand Back
I stumbled upon a piece by a Fast Company expert blogger about how to make yourself noticed amid the spam mail, the Facebook notification e-mails, the Twitter “new follower” request mails, et cetera. There’s some great pointers in there-some you may already know. I figured this post would be a great reinforcement for those of you who need a reminder every-so-often:
- Pick up the phone and actually call someone
- Email an article or a news story that made you think of this person and tell them it made you think of them
- Send a handwritten note
This goes hand in hand with what I wrote in The Brand Within about going the extra mile to FedEx or UPS a letter, as opposed to simple mailing it. In order to stand out, you have to take the extra step.
Coca Cola’s Red turns Pink for a Limited Time
Coca Cola keeps their momentum up by marketing to fashionistas with their Diet Coke products. In an effort to start the trend, that may last longer than we think, to pair up the terms “fashionista” to “Diet Coke,” designer Karl Lagerfeld has designed three limited-edition bottles that appeal to the female audience and they’re sleek, pink, and jazzy with some class—Sex-and-the-City-esque.
My question is, do you find it necessary for Coca-Cola to go through all the marketing-dollar spending on targeting fashionistas–with its almost non-recognizable new packaging and the new pink colors–given that they’re already the head of the game, marking its #1 AND #2 spot on the best soft drinks in America in 2010? Or do you think they’re better off with product placement tactics?
Google Never Stays Behind
Facebook has the “Like” button, Twitter has “ReTweet”s and now Google implents the “+1” button. How catchy is that? I wonder what took them this long to come up with this. Back in the days, researching involved going to the library and opening up encyclopedias.
Nowadays, we look through academic databases, or simply Google everything. Google has made a name for itself, in which it can interchangeably be used as a noun or a verb, simplifying basic research. Now with its “+1” button, people get to click on the button to express that they like the material so that when other people come across the search results, they can see the number and say “Oh wow, 20 of my friends find this search result to be more useful than this one! Let me click on this.”Way to go Google for another attempt in social media and keeping the tight bond among friends!
Although Google’s +1 continues to spoil us by Googling more efficiently , remember to take the information with a grain of salt. When it comes to research, it is best that you don’t only take in one information, but to explore the spectrum of the topic. Keep in mind that we all are clicking the +1 button, and that each individual has his/her own idea of what he/she finds useful…unless you trust your circle of friends, of course.
How to Build a House
Well.. maybe not build build a house, but do some DIY’s for your own home with supplies purchased at Home Depot. It’s easy to regret a purchase from Home Depotbecause it isn’t until after the purchase that you realize you don’t know how to use it. Reading the manual is too much work, it becomes frustrating. But soon enough, the frustration is going away; Home Depot will be creating a barcode for its products so that consumers can view how-to videos and learn more about how to use the products they sell on their cellphones. The barcodes for DIY people will also be made available in their circulars, so that people can get inspired, and in turn, gets an urge to shop at the supply store.
