5 Tips & Tricks on Effective Negotiation: Event Recap

Last Tuesday, to quote our amazing speaker Mitra Kiamanesh, “We teased the topic of negotiation”. Having over 30 years of international experience in mediation, intercultural project management, conflict resolution and negotiation, Mitra opened our eyes on a few key things we have to prepare for and keep in mind whether we enter a negotiation in our professional or personal lives.

“In business as in life, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.”

- Chester. L. Karrass

1. Ask for What’s Feasible

Before starting, say, a  salary negotiation, do your homework! What is the industry average? Does the company need you? What is the company’s current state? What is the ceiling? What are some of the arguments the company might have against your proposal and how would you prove that you deserve that promotion? Coming in prepared, with statistics to back up your asks, will add weight and professionalism to your points.

2. Everyone is Right

If you think about it, everyone thinks that their perspective is the right one. However, with this approach an agreement can never be reached as everyone’s “right” does not match. It is important to think about similarities and differences in your points of view and negotiate around them. Don’t ignore cultural sensitivities! We all come from different backgrounds and have different points of view.

3. Have a Reservation Point

Coming into negotiation, have these three things figured out: what you want - the ideal outcome, what are your maybes - things you can play around with and are willing to concede on, and your non-negotiables. You have to be true to yourself and strict about your non-negotiables. If a negotiation starts putting your non-negotiables at risk, you have hit  your reservation point and it’s best to walk away to avoid regretting any decisions made.

4. Environment and Body Language Matter

Be very mindful of the setting in which negotiation takes place. Certain seating arrangements, for example, can either make or break a conversation. For example, a round table is inviting and erases any power dynamics as everyone can see each other and sit at the same level.

As for body language tips and tricks, nobody said it better than Amy Cuddy, you can watch her TED talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

5. Linda, Listen!

We can’t stress enough how crucial it is to practice active listening. Acknowledging the fact that you heard and understood what the other person was saying by rephrasing his or her words will show that you were listening, you care about their position and you want to reach an agreement. This type of listening  calms people down and sets an overall positive atmosphere.

On the importance of listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP8RB7UZHKI

If you have any questions about the content of the session or would like to join us at an upcoming event, check out our events page. We can’t wait to meet you!

Q & A with Laura Eagin

Laura Eagin is a web developer and designer in Vancouver, BC. We are thrilled to have her host an upcoming Wordpress Workshop on Jan. 26. Join us to learn more about creating professional website with WordPress, including her list of favourite plugins, how to choose an appropriate theme, and resources to learn more. Get your ticket here today!

1. Can you tell us about Camptech, your role there, and what it's all about?

   Camp Tech offers half-day and one day workshops for adults interested in acquiring new digital marketing skills. Camp Tech classes are fun, friendly, professional and very practical. We create a welcoming environment for those who are hesitant around technology and we teach skills that can be put into practice right away. Some of our most popular classes in Vancouver are WordPress for Beginners, Intro to Google Analytics, Writing Killer Web Content and Email Marketing with MailChimp.

   As the City Manager for Camp Tech in Vancouver, I connect instructors who excel in their field with students who are eager to push their business and career to the next level. It's such a positive role - I love the mentorship aspect and I'm thrilled to be part of a women-lead organization like Camp Tech. It inspires me to be more involved in mentorship. Helping students feel confident and empowered about tech is the most rewarding thing I can do.

2. What things should every young professional know how to do in WordPress (or web development, in general) and why?

   Take a few hours to get to know the basics in HTML and CSS. I promise it's not bad and it won't take you more than a week to grasp the concepts. I know it's intimidating at first, but between online courses offered at Codecademy and in-person web development classes similar to those offered at Ladies Learning Code, you can absolutely do this. No matter what is powering the website (WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, Drupal or a hand-coded website) the output is the same: HTML, CSS and Javascript. With a good grasp of those first two, you've got a good chance of understanding what is happening behind the scenes. You'll be in a much better position when talking to a developer or when you look for the solution yourself.One of my most valuable WordPress skills is Googling. Yep, you read that right. I Google like it's my job and I'm not afraid to jump straight to a search tab when I encounter a stubborn problem. One good place to start searching is the WordPress codex, but an even better and often more frequently updated resource, is the support thread on each theme or plugin. There's a fantastic community of developers and webmasters who have struggled with everything that WordPress could throw my way. Go and dig and see if your question has been answered before - chances are it has.

   When I started out doing WordPress web development, I did something that I now know is called cowboy coding. It's... not recommended. Cowboy coding is when you edit a website on the fly. It's too easy to break a website or to lose your changes and be unable to revert. I have to admit that at first I was using this element of risk as a motivator - if I broke something on a website momentarily then my adrenaline would shoot through the roof and I knew I had to fix it as soon as possible, so I did. I don’t recommend that you do this - it's something I'm glad I stopped doing long ago. Set yourself up for success and a lot less stress by working in a smarter way. Never work on a live site, always work on a copy and then push those changes to the live website. Some people work on a local copy that is off-line and others work on a password-protected staging website online which your web host can help you make. Lastly, save your work often and the best way to do this is with version control. Get to know your options with Git, GitHub and BitBucket so you can always roll back a change you've made. This advice may sound very web-development focused, but I know writers, designers and researchers who take this advice to heart and apply it to their work as well. It's smart to work smarter!

3. What piece of advice would you give to the members of Young Women in Business Vancouver in regards to professional and/or personal development?

   Professional or personal development is more than just a nice idea - it's critical for your success. We know how fast technology is changing and we see how that change affected generations before us. There are too many people for whom technology proved to be a real hurdle at one point or another in their career. Strive to become the first person in the office to know that new skill that no one else has mastered yet. It will take a while to master it, but the first step is the most important one. Do it!

Inhale Confidence, Exhale Doubt.

We all aspire to become that version of ourselves who is at ease in any given environment. A person who speaks with conviction, knows what assets they offer, what values they have, and where they belong. Though, sometimes, it seems like only a select few are ever lucky enough to obtain this kind of confidence.

Most of us have experienced high and low confidence levels at various periods in our lives. External situations or events and our internal responses to those situations or events can cause confidence levels to rise or fall. As unenjoyable as the lows can be, this underlines an important fact: confidence is malleable. How incredible a power would it be if you could harness the ability to influence your confidence?

Well, it's time to find out this Saturday, Feb 28.

YWiB Vancouver is incredibly excited to host a confidence workshop led by Adrienne Danielson, life coach and Director of Training and Development at H.Y. Louie. Adrienne has worked with corporations, non-profits, and independents for over 25 years. This ain't her first time at the rodeo, let's just say, and she's going to teach you strategies for attaining that "perma-confidence".

Some of the most esteemed business schools in North America (Stanford, for example) offer full courses that focus on dissecting people's own personal fears and emotions, identifying where and how they interfere with their lives, and addressing how to face or affect them. These schools recognize that it is often our own heads that become obstacles in the way of our success.

Register quickly to reserve a limited seat at this Saturday's workshop, usually $150!

It's important to come with an open mind. As with many soft skills and topics, things can get a little touchy-feely at times. We get that not everyone feels comfortable with this type of environment, but it's well worth the experience if you keep yourself open to the process and focused on the learning. Many of Adrienne's past clients sing her praises, so if we can't convince you that you'll strut out of Saturday a new, taller you, just take it from them:

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"Working with Adrienne this past year was much more than mental training enhancement for a work place environment; it was mental training for life. I have been in the grocery industry for over 25 years. Adrienne has always maintained that great technical and tactical skills are not enough; we need to train our mental and emotional dimensions to fully harness our potential...her philosophies became a foundation in my daily life. I highly recommend anyone pursuing excellence in any industry to spend some time with Adrienne. My only regret in working with Adrienne is that it didn’t happen years ago!"

Grace MacInnes, Assistant Store Leader, Fresh Street Brand

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"Adrienne takes a very non-traditional approach to leadership and life coaching and by doing so, is able to provide each individual with greater ownership of their own growth. She explores the inner motivation, goals, and mental barriers of each individual and guides you towards your own decisions. Her ability to pinpoint certain areas and explore them further with you provides you with clarity you didn't know you needed. My experience with Adrienne was life-changing and provided me with clarity on my career path, core values that drive my decision making, and the type of leadership qualities I want to encompass as I grow professionally. Adrienne is extremely talented at supporting your own thoughts as you work through, in your own mind, what it is you need to do to get the results you want. This is a rare quality. After working with Adrienne, I have found success in my chosen career path and have had several opportunities arise because of the clarity I have gained about myself."

Kiran Dhinsa, E.I.D., Canada Border Services

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"Adrienne is a natural teacher, she has an ability to say things that align perfectly with what an inividual needs to gain insight and awareness of themselves in ways they never saw or considered. She is able to create a feeling of safety and trust very quickly which encourages you to express yourself openly and honestly and allow yourself to be vulnerable and open up in ways you wouldn't normally. She is also skilled at getting to the heart of things, quickly and accurately. She is able to help you become aware of old thought patterns that do not support you in a positive way and assists you to develop new ways of thinking that are more productive.

I leave conversations with Adrienne feeling more focused, lighter, more confident in my potential and a renewed belief in "anything is possible in life". 

Robert Hyslop, Independent Owner/Operator, The Re-Store

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"I met Adrienne at a YWiB networking event and we hit it off. I decided to hire Adrienne as a coach because I was at a crossroads with my career, working in an environment that wasn't fulfilling, I wondered what was the best next step. As an avid planner, I wanted to work with someone who would help me understand my goals and career aspirations by breaking me out of my typical way of thinking (read: I'm a worrier). Adrienne helped me lay the ground work for understanding my skills and abilities and how I could lead the search for the job I really wanted. She also helped me take steps to improve my thinking patterns (read: less worrying, more optimism). Working with Adrienne was not only a complete success, but she is overall, one of the loveliest people I have ever met. I would recommend her to anyone wishing to embark on a journey of personal growth." 

Marianna Adamian, Content Marketing Manager, Recombo Inc.

SEO Learnings from SMARTT's CEO, Martin Wong

If you’re not measuring, you’re not marketing.

Recently Young Women in Business’ Vancouver chapter had the opportunity to offer a class on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google Analytics, both vital tools when it comes to building and measuring web traffic. YWiB, together with Martin Wong, CEO of SMARTT, a digital consultant agency, held a sold-out workshop for the benefit of over 40 keen digital marketers. The class provided an in-depth overview of how SEO applies to web searches and how Google Analytics can be used for a clearer marketing picture.

The 20/20/60 Approach to SEO

Mr. Wong covered the details of how Google’s search engine ranks sites, including geographical factors, user reviews, mobile searches, and citations in other posted texts, such as news articles. He also explained the 20/20/60 approach to SEO – 20% site structure, including page speed and how your homepage links; 20% page optimization, including creating a web address with solid tag words in it; and 60% social proof, which means Making your content involved, inviting readers to your page and inspiring them to share your site, thereby extending the reach of your page. All of this is to achieve the end goal -- increasing your online conversion rates (the percentage of people who visit your site and consequently complete a purchase or other desired action).

Knowing how the flow of data is managed could mean the difference between your site booming or being lost in pages of search hits.

Analytics-Informed Strategies Means More Conversions

Recently business has learned that online conversion rates – the percentage of people who visit your site and consequently complete a purchase on it – can be the key to surviving and thriving. Analytics allow a business to compose a strategy to draw in customers based on the invaluable information provided. Where customers live, how often they visit your site, the average they spend, what pages cause them to abandon their shopping cart, only a marketer who knows how to use the data provided, and understands how to give that information context, can make an effective and reliable strategy for their company.

Interpreting the data efficiently involves segmenting it so the most useful aspects are available for reports. Controlling what data gets taken from your site for the Analytics, setting up your own segmentation, and brand searches linked to specific sites will help you tame the flood of information provided in order to refine the focus of your online presence. Breaking sales down into parts allows you to track your customer’s actions every step of their way and improve the process. Split testing two copies of your site to determine what changes your customers or audience prefer can cut losses from unpopular site changes.

Navigating the analyses and algorithms of the net gives you a valuable tool in refining your company’s online presence and gearing your site to draw in customers and interested readers, sharing your content across social media, links and searches. And thanks to YWiB and SMARTT, our workshop attendees have a head start.

Thanks again to SMARTT and Martin Wong for their participation in the workshop!

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Don’t miss the next incredible opportunity for hands-on learning and skill development

YWiB Vancouver's

Beyond Pink Leadership Conference

November 14^th and 15^th

beyondpinkvancouver.com

Providing interactive discussions with BC’s top leaders, keynote speeches, and intimate workshops, our conference is an excellent opportunity for you to meet a large number of young women starting their business careers, like you, and to renew your passion for your professional and personal aspirations. Grab tickets today!

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Post written by Tiffany Fox.

Tiffany Pomegranate Fox is a writer with more than ten years’ experience. She’s done websites, event and business promotions, product descriptions, social writing, and is a proofreader and editor. She has a blog where she explores the things that interest her about writing while she refines her craft in the process. TPomegranateWriter.blogspot.ca