Relationship Building 101: How To Connect With Your Consumers (Pt. 1)

Posted on April 19, 2012June 10, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

How do you build relationships with clients?

Relationships. We all have them in life that we strive to build and maintain. Whether it’s a relationship with a family member, friend, acquaintance or even a doctor, relationships are crucial in human interaction. Relationship building is no different when it comes to your clients and consumers. But why do companies struggle with this concept, especially when interacting through social media? By starting with the basics, you’ll be able to not only develop new relationships with potential consumers, but expand current relationships with existing clients.

Tip #1: Pay attention to the little things

Many business owners tend to be so wrapped up in their work that they can forget to pay attention to what is going on around them; especially when it comes to their own clients. Reaching out to clients for business-related topics are a given, but by taking the time out of your day to notice the little things can help relationship building. That new case study they just launched? How about that thought-provoking tweet that appeared on your Twitter feed this morning? By taking the time to pay attention and respond to the seemingly insignificant things can actually make a difference in your relationship. A little effort can go a long way in growing relationships!

Stay tuned for more tips on how to connect with your consumers coming next week!

Hackpad: The Newest Wiki On The Block

Posted on April 17, 2012June 10, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

Wikis. Internet collaboration. Fast. Easy. Yes, these terms mingle into one user-friendly wiki that makes other wikis look like complicated rocket science. Introducing Hackpad, the newest wiki on the block that really may just be the best one yet.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept of wikis, think of Wikipedia, one of the more common wikis. Wikis allow users to freely create and edit web page content, but supports hyperlinks and has the ability to create new pages. Typically, users will be either viewing a page or editing a page using a textbox. However, Hackpad allows its users to do both simultaneously through a text insertion cursor which allows users to begin typing immediately. Although other wikis may encounter user “traffic”, where more than one user is editing text at the same time, Hackpad allows users to edit content at the same time through real-time edits and allows other contributors to view your content as you are typing.

Test out Hackpad for yourself! Registration requires either an e-mail address, Facebook account, or Gmail account. Once registration is complete, you can begin creating new “pads”. Working with code? No problem! Hackpad offers syntax highlighting for HTML, JacaScript, Java, and several others. If you are in the market for trying out a new wiki, Hackpad may be your newest go-to.

Do you wiki? Have you heard about Hackpad? Let us know @TRA360!

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center: A Dream Internship for Both Students and Employers

Posted on April 11, 2012June 10, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

Many students around the country struggle to find an internship before graduation to gain “real world” experience in their field of study. Likewise, employers can sometimes struggle to find the perfect internship candidate for their company. The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center is breaking the ice by implementing their 2012-2013 Internship Challenge. Focusing on “enhancing the talent pipeline in Massachusetts life sciences companies” in addition to providing a paid hands-on internship for students in the life science fields, the MLSC has provided over 550 interns with 200 internships around the state over the past three years. This paid internship program is sponsored through a grant so employers do not need to pay their intern out of pocket.

Here at TRA360, we have a personal connection to the MLSC Internship Program through past-intern-turned-social-media-manager, Ryan Connors. Check out this short Q+A about the MLSC Internship Challenge and how it helped shape Ryan’s career path.

Q) How did you first hear about the MLSC Internship Challenge? Why did you decide to apply?

Ryan) I first heard about it in one of my classes at U. Mass. I decided to apply as soon as I heard about it because I understood the difficulty of finding quality paid internships and their importance to my future. Many ideal jobs require experience and most recent or soon-to-be grads have none.

Q) What was the procedure like after you applied? Were you able to decide who you interned for? How did you start working with TRA360?

Ryan) I applied and it seemed like my name was pulled out of a hat by TRA360; I’m very fortunate for that. I went in for an interview, liked the people, they liked me, and offered me a job that day. I knew going in that I wanted the job. As soon as I left, I wanted it that much more.

Q) Tell us a little bit about what you accomplished for TRA360 in the first few months of your internship.

Ryan) The first few months were great. I got some real hands-on experience with online marketing and started developing my knack for social media. I had no idea how important the online space was becoming and I felt that it was exactly where I wanted to be. Looking back, I couldn’t be happier with that decision.

Q) Would you recommend the Massachusetts Life Science Internship program? If so, what types of students would the program benefit?

Ryan) Absolutely! Any student can benefit from the program. I’m genuinely surprised that more people don’t know about it. So many qualified students are working less-than-desirable jobs when they could be starting their careers instead. There’s nothing to lose by applying but there is a world to gain.

Have you heard of the MLSC Internship Challenge? Let us know and comment below!

BostInno Launches ENET Channel

Posted on April 10, 2012June 10, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

If you’re from Boston and rep the Boston pride, BostInno should be your go-to outlet for catching up on the latest city news and media. Launched in 2008 as a start-up blog, BostInno has transformed into New England’s fastest growing online media property. Featuring local companies like CampusLIVE, MITX and Startup Massachusetts, BostInno has been rapidly expanding to feature companies that are helping shape Boston through their innovation.

BostInno’s newest featured channel, IEEE Boston Entrepreneurs’ Network (ENET), has been making strides in the entrepreneurship and networking scene for the last twenty years. ENET’s main goal is to connect early-stage entrepreneurs with information and resources necessary to transform an idea into a successful business or product idea. As BostInno’s newest channel, ENET will be providing content on the happenings of Boston’s next leaders and innovators.

Do you follow brands on BostInno’s channels? If so, comment below and let us know which ones!