Business Value Plus

Creating brand communities

2009-04-17T08:16:00.000+08:00

There is strength in numbers. Marketing should remember this dictum as they map out how to correctly address the problem of producing marketing strategies that will mean an increase in returns from advertising investments. How can we maximize the idea that there is strength in numbers?

One solution would be brand communities. These communities are made up of consumers that support particular brands. It would be beneficial then if marketing focused on building particular communities that will embrace your brand. A brand community can use word-of-mouth to spread the word. Personal testimonies will speak for your brand and will be more effective in convincing people.

Resolving problems in advertising

2009-04-15T08:15:00.000+08:00

Right now, if your organization is getting a low return on its advertising investment, then it is not working and some adjustments are needed in your advertising campaign. But what do you need to do to make the numbers turn around? One path that you could try is going back to basics. How did producers advertise before? Which medium did they use?

Before the advent of television, products were marketed door-to-door. People were made to see, touch, smell, and feel the product for themselves. They were shown how the product worked and made to feel how it worked. Advertising has to connect with the consumer – to build an emotional relationship between the product and the consumer to create a loyalty.

How can you make your product more ‘alive’ to consumers?

The failure of advertising

2009-04-13T08:15:00.000+08:00

The world of marketing isn’t the same anymore. Before 2005, expenditures for advertising across the world were increasing at the average of 3.6%. But at that high rate, returns decreased by 3.4%. Of course this shouldn’t be surprising since the average person would have watched half a million advertisements by the age of 45 and have heard almost the same amount of radio ads.

Consumers are overloaded already with ads and commercials on TV and radio. Sad but this also means we have to look for more ways to get our products and services to more consumers – and this doesn’t mean we have to make more and more commercials.

What new ways are available to advertise our products?

Building consumers trust

2009-04-10T08:13:00.000+08:00

Advertising does not have much credibility nowadays. Most consumers believe advertising to be crap – lying through the teeth at how effective or efficient products are. But this does not mean consumers are too jaded to trust anymore. It simply means marketing people have to find out ways to build the trust of the consumer in the product that is being promoted.

In the first place, who do we trust? Friends are people we trust – our closest friends are those who enjoy our deepest trust. When friends recommend a certain product, a particular restaurant, a specific clothes store – we would also tend to follow and trust this recommendation or advice. In turn you would recommend that store, product or place to your other friends.

How can you maximize this type of viral marketing?

Strengthening companies

2009-04-09T08:12:00.000+08:00

Companies need to follow a star – a guide to where they are going that is fixed and secure, not moving or adjusting despite market fluctuations and changes in the organization. The best thing would be if that immovable guide or star in the company is the steadfast values and mission of the company.

But there are times when a company loses focus and drifts along with the current. The company’s culture and values are not deeply ingrained and are shallow. These are the companies that will break down and not be around when there is a shakedown in the market. Buildings whose structure are not sound enough will fall down in an earthquake.

Does your company have strong values?

On being creative

2009-04-08T08:12:00.000+08:00

At work, how many of us can say that we love our work and what we do because it allows us to be creative? Most of the time, when a project gets to be too difficult to do, consultants are hired. This means they get to be creative and we do not. Hiring consultants deprives us of the need to think and creatively solve problems.

This doesn’t mean consultants are a waste of money. It’s just that companies have a knee-jerk reaction to hire consultants rather than allow employees to sit down and think out the situation or problem so that they could work out a solution – creatively.

There are times when companies need help from those outside the organization. But there are also times when the solution-maker is just within the family.

Responding to stress

2009-04-07T09:02:00.000+08:00

People respond to stress in different ways. Some people, when they forget something at home, feel that their days is ruined and can’t be made right anymore. Other people when faced with this situation are able to shrug it off and go on with their day. It is just a minor irritation for them and not really a big deal.

How you respond to situations and people that cause stress in your life is the basis of how your body experiences stress. To make it simple, the way your mind handles stress also dictates how your body reacts to stress. This also means that when you can handle the stress that comes with equanimity and a calm presence, the stressor will hardly create a ripple and will be a minor one.

Stress day-by-day

2009-04-06T09:01:00.000+08:00

A lot of stuff has already been written about stress. People speak about stress as something similar to the flu – to be avoided as much as possible. If stress was a person, it has received its fair share of bad press and negative comments.

But contrary to all this, not all stress is bad. There are different types of stress which means, there are some stress that could be positive. Yup, there are types of stress that the body needs for its health. One example of positive is what is called “eustress.” This type of stress can bring to the surface feeling of excitement, exhilaration and happiness.

Don’t you think it’s good to have stress once in a while?

Living under stress

2009-04-03T09:01:00.000+08:00

Your body experiences stress everyday without you knowing it. From the moment we wake up in the morning until our last awake memory at night, we experience stress. There are different kinds of stress but there is stress that can really harm.

Chronic stress is the type of stress that pushes your body to be in constant readiness for anything. This means that of when your body is under constant stress, it does not get any rest – it is always getting ready to run or to fight. Chronic stress affects the body and may cause heart disease, stroke and even diabetes.

Are you under chronic stress?

People and Stress

2009-04-02T09:00:00.000+08:00

There are people who can take stressful situations by the bucket and seem unaffected by it. On the other hand, there are some people who flare up at the slightest hint of stress. The body responds to stress through how it sees the greatness (or smallness) of a threat. If it feels greatly threatened, the body reacts as it would to a highly stressful situation – even if it is a relatively benign affair.

Each one also calms down from stressful situations at a pace different from each other. There are those who react quickly to stress but are able to calm down and get back to normal state once the threat is removed. And there are some who take a little bit more time than usual to get back to normal.

How do you handle stressful situations?

Walking the stress tightrope

2009-04-01T09:00:00.000+08:00

You wake up feeling tired even if you have slept for eight (8) hours straight. Your head starts throbbing even if it’s just 9am in the morning. These are just a few of the signs your body is telling you that you need to slow down and get some respite from whatever it is that has been taking up all your waking moments.

To know if you are already stressed, here are some of the symptoms:

1. Persistent headache
2. High Blood Pressure
3. Low Libido
4. Eating too little or too much
5. Tiredness
6. Insomnia
7. Memory Lapses

You can answer this quiz and find out for yourself if you really are undergoing stress.

Brand strength and customer loyalty

2009-03-31T08:59:00.000+08:00

Brands that are strong create a relationship between the customer and the company. These relationships based on the strength of a brand are very beneficial to the company. Brands guarantee a certain level of quality and performance. This is what its loyal customers expect every time.

But at a certain level, strong brands are able to maintain customer loyalty, even when there are occasional dips in the level of performance. Because the brand is strong, the customer loyalty to the brand is also strong. The brand relationship and loyalty that is fostered based on the brand’s strength means that although there are dips in performance, the customer does not perceive them to be so.

How strong is your brand?

Passing the brand

2009-03-30T08:58:00.000+08:00

A classic game that gives laughs every time, whether in a children’s party or at a team building activity is the game “pass the message.” Two opposing teams are created and each one creates a long line. At the end of each line a representative from each team receives a message to pass on to the next team mate on the line, and so on.

Of course, the team who gets to pass on the correct message until the end of the line is the winner. What usually happens though is that funny and far from the original messages end up being made by the last team members. Brand positioning is like passing the message – you have to make it so simple and concise that as it gets passed on to hundreds and thousands of people, the brand position remains clear to each and every individual.

How clear is your brand position?

Your brand and your company

2009-03-27T08:58:00.000+08:00

One of the typical problems companies face is that they forget the basic principle of brand positioning – less is more. Marketing people place a premium on elaborate set-ups, complicated presentations and a lot of personal time to position their brands. But do these projects give substantial results on brand positioning?

If you want your brand to be effective, one of the first people you connect to would be the people in your company organization. Your brand should be visible to each individual in your company organization. People in your company should be aware of your brand – such that each one knows the company’s central values and their attitudes are guided by these values.

How well do the people in your company know your brand?

Clear brand positioning

2009-03-26T08:58:00.000+08:00

One of the problems that companies face is when they have complex and extremely detailed brand positions. Most companies adopt complex brand positions that were developed by an agency that they commissioned. The problem with this arises when no one else but the agency has a complete grasp of what these brand positions are.

Of course, beautifully made presentations complete with animated graphics and multiple concepts are very nice to look at. But it is how you understand the brand – and how clear you can deliver the brand’s position that matters. Capturing all that was shown in your smoothly professional presentation into a single brand position will ensure that your brand will achieve what it aspires to.

Can you deliver your brand position clearly?

Delivering the brand experience

2009-03-25T08:57:00.000+08:00

Each employee of your company is a representative of your brand. As such, each one should deliver a consistent brand experience to anyone they come in contact with. Crucial to achieving this is ensuring that every employee knows and understands the core values that the company advocates. A strong brand means its core values permeate every nook and cranny of your organization.

What you should aim for is consistency in delivering a brand experience. When every customer that gets to interact with anyone from your company organization gets a consistent experience, your customers will now associate your product and your company with the values that the company wants to be known for.

How effective is your company in delivering your brand experience?

Knowing your brand

2009-03-24T08:56:00.000+08:00

We live at a time when the brand is important. Those who work in the marketing field know that it is how they build the brand and protect it that will make (or break) their career. But despite the fact that branding is recognized as a major factor in the success of a product, a lot of companies still struggle to grasp their own brands. One problem that usually crops up is the question of brand positioning.

Think about it, are the activities that your company has been doing and plan to do based on a clear and precise brand position? Do you know what your brand is? What does it do? For whom is it for and what does it stand for?

Do you know your brand?

Big isn’t always better

2009-03-23T08:20:00.000+08:00

Team size can spell the difference between the success or failure of a service or product. What is surprising is that for most companies, the bigger the team size, the lower the likelihood of success for the service or product.

When a big team is set-up, the chances are greater that team members will pass on accountability and responsibility to their team members, especially when problems come. It is a fact that when everyone is in charge, no one is in charge. When everyone wants to have a hand in cooking the soup, the soup will turn bitter – no one is in charge to say what is missing or too much already of.

One of the main problems that prove to be such a hurdle in a big team is the lack of communication. No one really knows what is going on in a project and consequently, team members do not know what to do next. The bigger your team is, the bigger the problems in communication are going to be.

A small team with highly smart and capable team members can function much more efficiently and effectively than 15 team members whose performances are sub-par. Try forming a small team composed of capable members for your next project and you’ll surely see the difference.

Multi-tasking in the workplace

2009-03-20T08:18:00.000+08:00

Companies nowadays believe that multi-tasking is the best way to increase employee’s productivity. Of course, in an ideal set-up, multi-tasking would be so much better if a lot more work is completed during a workday.

However, in practice, this is not the case. Unlike computers, people have a difficult time completing multi-threaded processes and, consequently, leave a lot of tasks unfinished. When we multi-task, we start several projects. As time goes by we get to complete only a few projects. Of course we continue with the unfinished projects as we start with other tasks that are given again. Eventually, we become less productive as we multi-task then return to do an old task. This is often the cause for the low morale, confusion and work fatigue that some people feel in a highly multi-task oriented workplace.

But of course, handing out work one task at a time would be too time consuming and counter-productive. What is needed though, is to keep a sharp eye on the cycle of tasks. Multi-tasking should involve efficient planning and monitoring. Just the right balance of tasks will ensure that no project is left behind, new tasks are handed out at the end of a project, and no time is wasted in the process.

How to treat clients better

2009-03-19T08:16:00.000+08:00

Advertisement and good marketing strategies may make your company stand out from among the crowd but the truth is, the best advertising in the world cannot compensate for the lack of customer service. Viral advertising (the kind that is passed on from customer-to-potential customer) is much more potent and fast. Recognizing this trend, companies should work at treating clients with respect and avoid negative reviews.

Here are 5 tips to follow when dealing with your clients.

1. Give your client the easiest path to your door. Make it simple for your client to speak with the different departments in your company and find the answer he wants. Remove the need for your client to go table-hopping and department-hopping to receive proper attention.

2. Deal with clients at your “doorstep”. Don’t pass-on the client to another representative if he is already at your table. Regardless of what the nature of his inquiry is, it is now your responsibility to facilitate and make it simple for the client to get an answer. If the client started his inquiry with you, then he should finish it with you.

3. Give one phone number. No matter how many departments a company has, provide only one number for all concerns – don’t post a dozen numbers on your website that will just confuse the client as to which one to call. Make the choice simple and easy for the client to contact the company.

4. Be quick to admit mistakes. Mistakes are negative experiences. That’s why it is important to correct the error and admit the mistake if there was one. Clients will appreciate this and leave with a positive experience, opening the door for more business transactions in the future.

5. Be human. This is an important trait that customer service representatives should always have. Clients call because they have a need. Be human and attend to their needs and questions with enough politeness and care that the client is satisfied that his concern is being taken care of.

Right a wrong and gather loyal customers

2009-03-18T08:14:00.000+08:00

We Filipinos hate to pass through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR). You hear a modulated voice saying “...please dial 1 for…” and a lot of us simply hang-up the phone! Most of us hate it even more when a customer service representative (CSR) who answers our call isn’t helpful at all.

Companies usually set up an IVR to be able to manage demand, resources and operations. The downside to this is that people get pissed at your IVR. One thing companies should think about is that people call because they need help. The last thing they would want to hear is an IVR.

But the icing on the cake is the customer service representative (CSR) who gets to interact with the customer. In the first place, there is already a service failure (which is why the customer calls). Companies add salt to the wound when they maintain incompetent CSR’s who are not able to help the customer.

If there is a downside, there must be an upside. CSR’s who do their job well can actually right a wrong. They can answer the questions of the customer and the service failure (which made the customer call in the first place) is corrected. The customer comes out of the experience satisfied with the company and is a potential returning customer.

5S: Your second skin

2009-03-17T08:10:00.000+08:00

A lot has already been written about 5S – a Japanese concept referring to a philosophy and method of work. The 5S system is highly similar to the Toyota’s Lean manufacturing.
Below are the 5S concepts:

* Sort (Seiri): This concept means the work area should only keep essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded.

* Straighten (Seiton): Tools, equipment, and materials should be arranged systematically for the most efficient access. Everything is kept in their proper place.

* Shine (Seiso): The work area is clean and everything is in their proper place at the end of the workday.

* Standardize (Seiketsu): Work operations are systematic and standardized and each one knows his tasks and responsibilities. Housekeeping duties are part of regular work routines. * Sustain (Shitsuke): Refers to sustaining the discipline necessary in maintaining standards day after day, year after year.

Any company can learn how to do the 5S and manage their time and resources efficiently. But not everyone can sustain the energy needed to maintain it. Just like a basketball game, the challenge is the “follow-through” – it’s easy to get the ball, dribble it and pass it around. The hard part is getting the ball in despite the many obstacles and shooting it into the basket. It takes discipline and will that flows down from the top echelons of the company to the smallest blue collar worker to implement the 5S, such that it becomes second skin – an integral part of the culture of the workplace.

Tips on Attending Business Functions

2009-03-16T08:59:00.000+08:00

Every now and then, you get chosen to represent your boss or your company in a business function. These parties may seem like ordinary events where guests mingle freely with loads of food and drinks but don’t forget that these are still business functions. This means that behaving properly is still the norm (especially if you want to make sure that you get that promotion!).
Below are 10 Basic Protocols for Business Functions.

Be appropriately dressed. It’s still a business function so your dress style should be muted.
Study the guest list. Try to find out who will be attending the event. This is so you can prepare the topics that can be discussed and who to talk to that could help your career.
Come on time. Take note of what time the event is supposed to start and be there by then and make a good impression on your boss.
Mingle. Go around and socialize first before going to the food table (even if you’re really hungry already). Make small talks and friendly greetings.
Behave properly. Showing-off and engaging in gregarious behavior is a no-no.
Be polite. Greet everyone. Shake hands firmly and look people in the eye when being introduced. Smile.
Eat moderately. Avoid piling too much food on your plate. Eat with dignity and avoid gobbling up the food.
Drink moderately. This is a business event and not a party with your barkada. Remain sober until you leave.
Don’t linger. If you have already mingled with your colleagues, spoken with your boss, and made small talk with the important guests, you may leave the event.
Say goodbye. Don’t just slip out of the event. Make sure to say your goodbyes.

5 Tips You Need for Your Super-fun Vacation

2009-03-13T07:20:00.000+08:00

In a few weeks time, summer will officially arrive. The season we both dread and are excited about is just around the corner. The oppressive heat just wants to drive you out of the house and into the pool, the beach, or just about anywhere else where you can escape and cool yourself. Want to have the best vacation ever this 2009? Here are some tips for planning your best summer escapade.

Think beyond. Enough already of that same-old beach that you have gone to for ten years already! Ask around. Search the net for new places to go to…new sights to see…new beaches to explore.
Getting there. Decide first what kind of route you want to take to get to your vacation place. Do you want to take the scenic route? Maybe you could take the bus. Do you want to get there as fast as you can? Well, there are a lot of airline promos and you just might be able to get a ride at the discounted rate! And summer is the best time to travel by ship. The seas are calm and serene, storms are far away and you can enjoy an unhurried travel in comfort.
Vacation rentals. Shop around the net for discounted rates on cottages for rent. Or better yet, ask your friends. They just might know of a place you could rent at a discount.
Hotel accommodation. Maybe you’d want to have the comfort and convenience of a hotel. Check out the different hotels. You might also want to check out Trip Advisor for users’ comments and suggestions.
Travel light. Make a list of things that you will bring a week before. This will help you evaluate what stuff you really need and what you could do without. Remember, you’re going on vacation.

10 Tips for Writing Your Resume

2009-03-12T11:53:00.000+08:00

Imagine for a minute that you are the Human Resource officer of a large company and are going through a pile of job aplications. At this stage, the only image you have of these people who want to work in your company is what you can gather from their resumes and their accommpanying job application letters. These sheets of paper will determine which candidates will be scrutinized more seriously – maybe interviewed – or dropped from the list.

Under these circumstances, resumes and job application letters need to be carefully written, smartly packaged, and proofread cautiously. But how does an effective resume look like?

Below are 10 tips for writing an effective resume.

Your resume should be short (try to keep it all on one page).
Include your name, current address, phone number and relevan personal data. Provide only as much personal information as is needed for a particular job.
Outline your educational background. Ordinarily, you should include the dates and institutions of your college and university degrees, and other post-high school training, including any professional or trade school experiences.
Outline your work experiences. List your employment record in reverse chonological order (most recent position first) or in an order suited to the job you are seeking. Don't forget to state the position(s) you held, names of your employers and date of employment. As much as possible, make sure your resume doesn't have any gaps in your employment history. Your job record should be able to allow your employer to judge your experience, qualification and reliability.
Let your prospective employer know how or where he or she can get more information about you. This is possible through the people willing to serve as references. You may place the line, “References availale upon request.” and be sure to talk to the people who will be willing to give you their endorsement.
Modify and finetune the resume to the specific job or employer. Just include items relevant to the type of job you are seeking. Of course, you may have a generic resume. You could use the job application letter to fill-in the details that you may need that are not in your generic resume.
Pay attention to organization. There isn't actually a standard form or outline. When you need to show your record of employment and achievement, arrange the items on your resume chronologically.
Print your resume on high-quality paper.
Send your resume with a job application letter. Your cover letter should state what position you are interested in, your specific qualifications for the job, your willingness to be interviewed, and so on. It should not exceed one page.
Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. Don't let a simple typo mistake cost you a job interview!