Two columns caught my attention over the last couple of days.

One from New York Times OpEd writer/rock star Bono.  “Ten for the Next Ten.” In his words, the list is “10 ideas that might make the next 10 years more interesting, healthy or civil. Some are trivial, some fundamental. They have little in common with one another except that I am seized by each, and moved by its potential to change our world.”  Great words and ideas from an amazing person.

The other is from rock star Peter Shankman, “2010 – The Year of My Personal Simplicity.”  For Peter, it is “I want 2010 to be simpler. I want to own less stuff. I want to have more space, and not have to fill it. That’s my mission.”

Both articles have ideas and advice that we really should take to heart all year.  And as I said to the thirteen year old as he got out of the car for the bus this morning, “It’s the beginning of a new year.  Let’s get organized and focus on the task at hand.  You can do this.  You are only as happy and as successful as you allow yourself to be.  It is not anyone else’s job to make you happy or successful.”

So, Happy New Year.  Make it a good one.

As most of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota celebrates the Minnesota Vikings victory last night; I am in my hotel room preparing to speak on the second day of a travel conference to a group of travel agents at the St. Paul River Centre.

To so many, a conference means endless hours of travel, crammed airplanes, confusing rental cars and GPS directions, sessions on things we already know and, let’s not forget, chicken and rice and/or beef tips and asparagus.

However, a conference should mean learning new things, meeting new people and opening many more doors to success.  Here are a few things you can do to take advantage of the conference experience and continue to build a stage for success in anything you do:

• Utilize social media and all it has to offer.  Prior to leaving for your conference, join Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.  Get familiar with all three.  And find out if the conference has a Twitter hashtag associated with this particular event.  Learn what that means and how it works.  You don’t want to miss any chance to network in business.  You’ll also appear forward thinking instead of totally out of touch.
• Take plenty of business cards.  This is not the time to leave them at home or back in your hotel room.  And remember, don’t force that card on people but have it available if a connection is made with someone and both of you would like to keep in touch to share information.  Have that card readily available so you’re not digging in the “goodie bag,” through your purse or in your pockets.  Nice, neat business cards – nothing bent and crammed into a pocket.  *If you can have something a little different as a business card, all the better.  I use a guitar pick – definitely gets attention.  Peter Shankman uses a poker chip.  Houston clothing designer Bob Stover uses a card with pop-out collar stays.
• Traveling to the conference?  Take that time to pick up a magazine or newspaper at the newsstand while waiting for your flight or train – but pick up a periodical on something you know nothing about or could care less about.  For me that would be NASCAR.  No offense guys, but I just don’t get the whole car sport thing.  However, NASCAR does brand better than any business, anywhere, hands down.  I picked up some great marketing ideas from a NASCAR publication.  Reading something you don’t know anything about opens up your mind in new ways and will make you more open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Sign up for at least one session that is totally out of your field, which has nothing to do with your expertise.  You just may find a new expertise to add to your resume.  Never stop learning.  Never stop trying new things.  This is the place to do it.  You are here, you have the time and the experts are here with the information.
• Sit with strangers at lunch.  Don’t gravitate to the people you already know.  This is not high school, this is an excellent opportunity to meet and network with others in your field of business and form new relationships.  And, by the way, relationships are EVERYTHING.
• This is not the time to be shy.  During sessions, in the hall, at lunch, at the cocktail party.  Again, relationships are everything.  You are here to learn AND to network.  As someone once told me, “you’ll never get a date sitting on the couch at home.”  Or in your hotel room watching Friends reruns.
• Do your homework and find out as much as you can about the conference before and during the event.  Look over the event website before you go and read everything in the conference giveaway bag when you get there.  Most of it you probably already know and really don’t need, but you won’t know that until you look at all of it.  Familiarize yourself with who is at the conference, the facilitators and speakers, and all the sessions.  Something just may catch your eye.  The worst thing you can do is wait to read it all when you get back on the plane and realize you missed a great opportunity to see a speaker or attend a session.
• Last but not least, don’t forget the follow-up.  Take those cards you have gathered and send a brief note saying “it was nice to meet you” and “hope we can work together in the future” or, even better, “let me know if there is anything I can do for you in the future.”  Emails, a Facebook post, a tweet on Twitter, a message on LinkedIn – all are good ways to follow-up.  The best way though?  A handwritten note.  That will make the biggest impression.

Despite the travel hassles and the same food across the country at the lunch and/or dinner, a conference is still one of the best ways to keep up with your industry, network with like-minded individuals and form relationships and, open your mind to new ideas and new ways of doing things.  You are away from home and loved ones.  Make it worth the sacrifice and make that stage for success even more secure!

Tom Scavo, one of the husband characters on Desperate Housewives, lost out on a job last Sunday night because he didn’t know what Twitter was in the interview.  A fiction show I know but a scene that is playing out more and more often across the country in real life and in real companies.

Executives in industries across the board, of all sizes large and small, are trying to hold on to their companies, keep employees on the payroll and take care of the few customers who remain.  Yet they find themselves falling behind because they haven’t kept up with the new media.  And even sadder?  Those that see what is happening and refuse to learn more and find ways to utilize this new way of doing things.

Whether it is Twitter, a fan page on Facebook or SEO optimized press releases – if you are not using any or all of these in your industry, pack your bags now and continue to bury your head in the sand.

However, there is good news.  It’s not too late to change your Tom Scavo ways.  There are companies and individuals who can consult with you and your staff (www.shankman.com), there are websites with a multitude of articles and experts (www.mashable.com), there are PR firms that can optimize your releases for the search engines and news wires (www.vollmerpr.com) and there are even speakers and trainers (yes like me www.daynasteele.com) who will come to your office or your luncheon and impart all we know to you and yours.

Don’t be a star of the new show surely coming soon to a screen near you – Desperate Corporate Executives.  Come confess the errors of your ways on Twitter to me @daynasteele.  I, along with many others, will take you by the hand and guide you into our world.  Gently.  I promise.

As Peter Shankman tweeted throughout the PepsiCo Trends Conference last night, I couldn’t help but laugh as I saw the “trends” that were emerging from the conversation.  At least from Peter’s perspective.   I had dinner to serve and clean up after, math and science homework to get through and the American Idol results show to watch.  Sometimes I just have to trust Peter to keep me up on things. 

From the conversation taking place, these are the tweets that caught my attention the most: 

Avg woman 5’4 and 167 pounds in America in 2008. Elevators and Toilets in hospitals are all in code violation now. #peptrends.

Lots of messages of Wellness – 50s, 60s, 70s will all be about wellness, embracing maturity. #peptrends

much more willingness to buckle down and be practical (fix chair, not throw it out.) #peptrends

Grandma, Priest, Boss – If either of the three would be offended, DON’T POST IT. #peptrends

These aren’t “trends.” This is how we were all raised or should have been raised by our parents.  And it’s how we should be living our lives and running our businesses each and every day.   And, raising our own kids and conveying to our employees.

Allow me to translate for you:

Watch how much you eat and be sure to exercise

Take care of yourself and others

Don’t spend money you don’t have

Be nice

As we look forward and all work together to find ways to make it through the hard times, remember these “trends” in the good times as well. 

You’ll be well served to listen to your mother…and follow Peter on Twitter!