Suphal sharma

5 ways to activate a brand internally

2014-02-11T22:29:00.001-08:00

5 ways to solve the problem with people1. The problem with brand

It’s likely that your colleagues think the brand is separate from them. Get over this by identifying key people who have a good route to your target colleagues. Talk to them about the brand, learn more about their function and discuss how promise and delivery can work together. Ask them if you can join their next department meeting for an interactive session on collaboratively meeting the brand promise.

2. The problem with jargon

Marketing jargon is a huge blocker to internal brand engagement. The problem starts when our work gets the unfair ‘fluffy’ label; in turn we tend to get defensive and emotionally charged. We hit back with all our most impressive technical marketing language which is great for showing off, but totally alienates our colleagues. Stop being your own worst enemy by talking clearly, concisely and with purpose.

3. The problem with change

People don’t like it, unless the change is their decision. Involve a wide range of stakeholders right the way from forming your brand identity through to the tactical aspects of how you achieve your marketing objectives. Think about it, if your sales team contribute to the theme for a campaign you’ll later be asking them to promote, it’s a safe bet that they’ll engage when it’s launched.

4. The problem with you

If you hear yourself saying things like ‘they just don’t get it’ then it’s time to change! As B2B marketers we have to be good at selling too. If you don’t sell the brand to your colleagues, they won’t buy into it. Start to see negative feedback on your campaigns as buying signals; your colleagues are seeking reassurance so that they can feel confident when representing the brand. They’re reacting, which is positive, so don’t shy away.

5. The problem with HR

There is a clear difference between our role as marketers and that of HR’s. Your efforts internally are to ensure your external customers and prospects actually get what the brand is promising. It’s very easy to end up clashing with existing employee engagement activity and not consulting with HR can lead to problems. Form a strong relationship with your HR manager and ensure all work is collaborative. Most importantly, remember that while the work you’re doing will contribute to improving overall employee engagement and morale, this isn’t your main focus. Keep clear by setting objectives for change within the business that directly tie with your brand strategy and planned marketing activity.

Jade Tambini

10 Small Business Tips and Tactics for Pinterest

2012-10-30T02:35:00.000-07:00

Pinterest – the hot new social media network – is starting to catch the eye of many small business owners. And the reason is simple: It’s a great new way to drive traffic to your website and create leads for your business. Here are ten tips and tactics for small business success on Pinterest.

Executive Summary

By Daniel Kehrer

Pinterest – the hot new social media network – is starting to catch the eye of many small business owners. And the reason is simple: It’s a great new way to drive traffic to your website and create leads for your business.

In fact, the early read on Pinterest is that it’s more effective in some cases than Facebook. And growth on this social sharing site, which is free to use, has been phenomenal. Pinterest has skyrocketed to become the fifth biggest social site, ahead of Google+ and LinkedIn.

Pinterest is a highly visual site, based in large part on sharing images, along with other content. The platform lets users visually share things they’ve found online by “pinning” an image, article, video or other item to their own “pinboard.” Users often create collections of “pins” around a theme of some kind. They can either pin things they’ve found on the web, or upload their own images. You’ll also see the Pinterest button showing up on websites as a way for visitors to quickly “pin” an item, which might also be a simple URL.

Some small businesses that rely heavily on website traffic to increase sales are reporting a surge of traffic now coming from Pinterest. Susan Lyne, CEO of the popular shopping site called Gilt.com, which offers designer goods at a discount, says her site has gotten a big boost from Pinterest. In part that’s because Gilt has lots of high quality images of the items it sells, which is the kind of thing people like to pin on Pinterest.

Here are ten tips and tactics for small business success on Pinterest:

· Although it’s already become the fastest growing social network of all time, Pinterest is still technically in “beta” so when you go to sign up you must request an invitation to join. But don’t worry, it’s all but automatic that you’re in.

· Pinterest doesn’t yet provide a connection to Facebook business pages, so if your business is on Twitter, be sure to use the same email address you use for your business Twitter account to sign up for Pinterest. You’ll be able to sign in with your same Twitter login.

· Write a detailed “About” description of your business, using appropriate key words and geographic locations so you’ll show up in search. Also make sure the button marked “Hide your Pinterest profile from search engines” is OFF.

· Link your Pinterest account to other social media – especially your Facebook page and Twitter account – and link it to your business website. But keep in mind that Pinterest was designed for individuals, not businesses, so there’s really no such thing yet as a Pinterest “business page.” Just think in terms of using the site as a person, rather than a business.

· Your main activity on Pinterest will be to set up various “pinboards.” You’ll gain traction for your business by organizing and naming them according to the types of products and services you sell. You should create these first, before you start trying to build your Pinterest following. As with Facebook “Likes” and Twitter followers, you’ll want to build a loyal follower base on Pinterest by catering to topics that people are passionate about.

· Once you are on Pinterest, add the Pinterest follow button to your business website, blog, social media pages and even your printed materials. This is a good way to jumpstart your Pinterest presence.

· Focus first on visual content. Remember, Pinterest is a heavily visual medium, so you’ll want to use your best stuff here. If you have great product shots, that’s one option. Some businesses are pinning photos of their employees and location.

· So far, Pinterest users have been more heavily female (about 65%), so keep that in mind as well. If your customer base is mainly men, Pinterest might not be right for you just yet.

· If you have a blog and are using strong photos there, make a habit of putting them on your pinboard as well. You can also pin charts, graphs and other graphics.

· Follow the same social media “rules” you’d follow elsewhere. For example, concentrate on making yourself a valuable resource to others rather than trying to overtly sell

Top 10 Sales Tips

2012-05-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

Sales can be a melancholy job. On one hand, many people (especially nonsales people) feel that it’s sleazy and lowbrow. On the other hand, it can be the most important function of a business. Until there’s a sale, there is no business. Personally, I’ve gone from thinking the former to believing the latter and honing my skills over a decade to where today I am effectively the chief sales officer of Teracycle. I don’t know exactly when this transition happened, but it took me a few years to embrace the power of sales the way I do today.

I recently wrote a friend who is starting a nonprofit and suggested that the role of a company leader is to become the chief convincing officer. In the end these two titles are synonymous, because selling is really the art of convincing someone to believe and buy into your concept, whether by buying your product or service or by investing in your company or by working for your company.

Here are my top 10 sales tips, all of which have served me and our staff — including Jo Opot. pictured above — for years:

1. You can sell only if you yourself are convinced: If you are not sold on the product or service, it will be an uphill battle to sell someone on else. Your lack of conviction will scream through.

2. Be clear and direct: When pitching do not use complicated diction. Pride yourself instead on being able to explain the concept as quickly, clearly and simply as possible. This is important because the biggest problem in sales is client confusion. Confusion does not lead to a Yes.

3. Pressure is an art: Creating FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) in your client’s mind can be a good thing because it will lead to serious consideration of your concept. In the TerraCycle world, we award brand exclusivity by country and by category. I often need to tell potential clients that their competition is also talking with us. The trick is to mention this once and to NOT rub it in, which is likely to anger them. No one who is angered into saying Yes.

4. Know your client: Make sure to research your potential clients, know their challenges and their needs. One size hardly ever fits all, and you look much stronger if you care about the business enough to invest in the research. I can’t tell you how many times I get cold calls from sales people who don’t even know what TerraCycle does.

5. It’s all about the presentation: Building an amazing deck is critical to the sales process. Practice it, memorize it and be prepared to shift your emphasis based on how the energy changes when you give the presentation. Internally, we always ask ourselves: “Is the flow of this deck right? Will it convince?”

6. Be passionate and exciting: Most presentations are BORING! So create a show and make it exciting. Excitement is contagious – just like a yawn.

7. If you don’t know the answer, do not guess: People will ask you tough questions, and you may not always know the answer. The person asking you may be testing you, knowing the answer full well. And if you fumble, it’s very hard to rebuild credibility. Do not guess.

8. Answer questions directly and clearly: If you are asked a question and you give a “politician’s answer” – in other words, if you don’t answer the question – your credibility will decline, and you will hurt your chances of making the sale.

9. Humor is a great lubricator: Funny stories always break the ice. Instead of using business cards, everyone in our company uses stamps (see right) to leave our contact info. It’s eco-friendly, it never runs out and it makes for a nice ice-breaker at the beginning of every meeting.

10. You can always be better: Sales is an art, not a science. Which means it’s never perfect and can always improve. TerraCycle has a standard sales deck most of our associates use. We’ve gone through 94 versions in the last three years and version 95 is around the corner.

by TOM SZAKY

ऊपभोक्ता बजार (Consumer market)

2011-12-13T22:19:00.000-08:00

जुन बजारमा ऊपभोगको लागि वस्तुको खरिद तथा बिक्री हुन्छ, सो बजारलाई ऊपभोक्ता बजार भनिन्छ।अर्को शब्दमा भन्ने हो भने अन्तिम ऊपभोक्ताहरूको कुल माग नै ऊपभोक्ता बजार हो।कुनै परिवार विशेष तथा व्यक्ती बिशेषले प्रयोगमा ल्याउने वस्तुलाई ऊपभोक्त भ्निन्छ।खाद्दान्न, कपडा, रेडियो, टिभी, आदी ऊपभोक्ता वस्तु हुन। यिनै वस्तु को बजारलाई ऊपभोक्त बजार भनिन्छ। ऊपभोक्ता बजार ज्यादै बिस्त्रित हुन्छ। त्यसैले यस्लाई बिभिन्न आधारमा वर्गिकरण गरिन्छ। जस्ताइ: धर्म, शिक्षा, उमेर, क्रयसक्ती, लिङ्ग, जाती, पेसा, शहरीकरण, क्रय व्यव्हार, क्रय उदेश्य आदी कुरले ऊपभोक्तआ बजारलाई प्रत्क्ष्य प्रभाव पर्छ। त्यसैले बजारशास्त्रीहरूले ऊपभोक्ताका यस्ता कुराहरुमा राम्रो सँग अधयन तथा विश्लेषण गर्नु पर्दछ। ऊपभोक्ता बजार खण्डिकरण्का आधारहरू

१- भौगोलिक तत्व(Geographical variables)

२- जनसंख्या तत्व (Demographic variables )

३- मनोवैज्ञानीक तत्व (Psychological variables)

४- व्यवहाँरगत तत्व (Behavioral variables)

Different types of Market

2011-11-02T01:39:00.000-07:00

1. On the basis of area

Local Market

Regional Market

National Market

World Market

2. On the basis of time

Very short period Market

Short period Market

Long period market

Very long period Market

3. On the basis of volume of Business

Wholesale Market

Retail Market

4. On the basis of delivery

Spot Market

Future Market

5. On basis of rule or regulation

Regulated Market

Unregulated Market

6. On the basis of competition

Perfect Market

Imperfect Market

Monopoly Market

7. On the basis of nature of product

Commodity Market

Financial Market

Marketing Concept

2011-09-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

A concept is the overall idea or structure of something and marketing is how a product is moved through a channel to reach its target consumer. A marketing concept embraces the philosophy that good marketing strategy always has the needs and wants of the target market in mind. Marketing concepts are formed as creative approaches to the problem of how to get a product needed and desired by a group of consumers to be selected and purchased by this group. The crux of good marketing is being able to communicate the benefits of the products to consumers so that they will choose the product over competitors' offerings.

Awareness of the competition is a crucial consideration when developing a marketing concept for a particular product. For example, two companies could produce canned stew that is very close in price, but if one company communicates its product better in terms of convincing potential purchasers that its brand is the better choice, that product sells better than the competitor's. In order to do that, the marketing concept has to focus on the product’s unique selling proposition (USP).

MARKETING: SALES MODULE

2011-08-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

MARKETING: SALES MODULE

SALES MODULE

2011-08-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

SALES MODULE
The Sales & Marketing Management module handles three important aspects.
Customer Relationship Management, Sales transaction processing and post sales issue.
The Infrastructure Monitoring and Management System(IMMS) can emulate two different models.
A single sales office operation and Central sales office operations with branch level operations.
Customer database holds key information about customer contact details, preferences and relevant information.
Mass mailing, direct e-mail support, Electronic Folder are all linked to customer inquiries.
Sales transaction processing starts with Inquiry Management.
Follow-up details are stored which also have links to standard word processor, spreadsheet and presentation program.
Quotations are also linked to follow-up. Orders are booked and accepted through IMMS.
When orders are despatched the checklist is made and compared with order.
In post sales phase, installation and commissioning, service and spares sales and spares inventory is handled.

मार्केटिङ

2011-08-02T03:16:00.000-07:00

मार्केटिङ भनेको त्यस्तो कुरा हो, जुनसुकै कम्पनी, ट्रेडिङ अफिस वा अन्य ब्यवसायिक संस्थाहरुको लागि तरवारको धार, सियोको टुप्पो र बन्दुकको गोली जस्तै हो । मार्केटिङमा सामान्यतया चार कुरा मह्त्वपूर्ण हुन्छ । वस्तु, मूल्य, ठाउँ र प्रबर्धन । मार्केटिङको उद्देश्य भनेको कुनै किसिमका वस्तुलाई त्यस वस्तुको सही क्रेता समक्ष पुरयाउनु हो । क्रेता समक्ष पुरयाउनको लागि अपनाइने सूत्रहरु जस्तै बिक्री, सार्वजनिक सम्बन्ध, मूल्य,प्याकिङ, बितिरण, सेमिनार, ट्रेड सो, आदी ।

तपाईं मार्केटिङ गर्दै हुनुहुन्छ भने, तपाईंमा सहनीयपन अनिवार्य हुन जान्छ । क्रेतामा तपाईंको प्रभाव पर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ, वार्तालाप गर्ने क्षमता र सही क्रेता छान्न ढिलाई गर्नु हुँदैन । तपाईंसँग वस्तु विवरण पर्याप्त मात्रामा हुनुपर्छ ।

मार्केटिङको कुनै सूत्र हुँदैन तर लक्ष्य बिना मार्केटिङ गर्न सकिदैन । मार्केटिङमा जे जुक्ति लगाउनु हुन्छ, त्यस्मा तपाईं आँफै विश्वशत हुनुहोस्। एुटै वस्तुलाई फरक फरक तरिकाले बिक्री गर्न सकिन्छ। तपाईंको एुटा मात्र फरक बिचारले अथवा नयाँ कुराले क्रेता तपाईंको वस्तु किन्न तयार हुन्छ।

What is a marketing ?

2011-07-21T03:11:00.000-07:00

What exactly is marketing and why is it important to you as an entrepreneur? Simply stated, marketing is everything you do to place your product or service in the hands of potential customers.

It includes diverse disciplines like sales, public relations, pricing, packaging, and distribution. In order to distinguish marketing from other related professional services, S.H. Simmons, author and humorist, relates this anecdote.

"If a young man tells his date she's intelligent, looks lovely, and is a great conversationalist, he's saying the right things to the right person and that's marketing. If the young man tells his date how handsome, smart and successful he is -- that's advertising. If someone else tells the young woman how handsome, smart and successful her date is -- that's public relations."

You might think of marketing this way. If business is all about people and money and the art of persuading one to part from the other, then marketing is all about finding the right people to persuade.

Marketing is your strategy for allocating resources (time and money) in order to achieve your objectives ( a fair profit for supplying a good product or service).

Yet the most brilliant strategy won't help you earn a profit or achieve your wildest dreams if it isn't built around your potential customers. A strategy that isn't based on customers is rather like a man who knows a thousand ways to make love to a woman, but doesn't know any women. Great in theory but unrewarding in practice.

If you fit the classic definition of an entrepreneur (someone with a great idea who's under-capitalized), you may think marketing is something you do later -- after the product is developed, manufactured, or ready to sell.

Though it may feel counter-intuitive, marketing doesn't begin with a great idea or a unique product. It begins with customers -- those people who want or need your product and will actually buy it.

Entrepreneurs are in love with their ideas, and they should be. After all, why would anyone commit their energy, life savings, and no small part of their sanity to anything less than a consuming passion. Because entrepreneurs are passionate about their idea, product, or service, they innocently assume other people will feel the same. Here's the bad news -- it just doesn't work that way!

People have their own unique perceptions of the world based on their belief system. The most innovative ideas, the greatest products, or a superior service succeed only when you market within the context of people's perceptions.

Context can be many things, singly or simultaneously. To name a few, you may market to your customers within the context of their wants, needs, problems solved, or situation improved. Entrepreneurs need to be aware of many other contexts, such as social and economic trends or governmental regulations, which we'll discuss another time.

People don't just "buy" a product. They "buy" the concept of what that product will do for them, or help them do for themselves. People who are overweight don't join a franchise diet center to eat pre-packaged micro-meals. They "buy" the concept of a new, thin, happy and successful self.

Before you become consumed with entrepreneurial zeal and invest your life savings in a new venture, become a smart marketer. Take time at the beginning to discover who your potential customers are, and how to effectively reach them.

Without a plan, your entrepreneurial dream is really wishful thinking. While a marketing plan can be a map for success, remember that the map is not the territory. A strategy that ignores the customer isn't an accurate reflection of the landscape.

A good marketing plan can help you focus your energy and resources. But a plan created in a vacuum, based solely on your perceptions, does not advance the agenda. That's why market research, however simple or sophisticated, is important.

Just keep in mind that research attempts to predict the future by studying the past. It reveals what people have done, and extrapolates what people might do -- not what people will do.

Planning is imperative, research is important, but there's no substitute for entrepreneurial insight. After all, as Mark Twain wrote, "You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus".