Corporate gifts tell tales, you know!

Sure, it is pleasant to recieve gifts of appreciation after delivering a talk, isn't it?  And often, the gifts represent the attributes of the brand of the host, to promote them. BUT that covers only the 'gift' part, NOT necessarily the 'appreciation'!

Compare these gift sets I received after mini-workshops:  one comprised beautifully crafted writing implements and other items which any gender could use with pride; the other contained an oversized mens T-shirt with metal tools.  Isn't it SO obvious that one institution was customer-centric while the other was self-centric?  And you know what? That came through in post-workshop encounters too!  One came back with expressions of warmth while the other - would you believe - wrote to ask for commercial information free-of-charge?

In a global market environment where forging relationships and leveraging well can make or break businesses, how we interact with others has a HUGE impact on our futures.  Is your business sending out invitational vibes, or unconsciously restricting your customer base, even with a nich market segment?   I'd be happy for us to chat and give you an assessement of how your brand (personal and company) is perceived in the market, and suggest ways to send stronger messages which build your brand.

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS! 

Profit from Feedback!

Did you hear about when a group of senior marketers grouped in a kiddies playroom and delightfully messed around with crayons and other play-stuff?  LOL, yeah?  Well, what they were doing was to get to the actual experience of the kids using their products!

Just like when I described a very interesting, award-winning invention for personal safety to a middle-aged Mum.  "Hmmmmm" she said "what if the teen forgets to adjust the mechanism and it goes off falsely alerting parents and friends?"  GOOD point! And then she went on to suggest how to tweak the gadget.

Really, really, however great a product or service may be in its design, only when it is in the hands of the end-user does its true practicality show! And you know what? That goes for services too!  Yonks ago a regional company wanted to get feedback from its Heads of Departments and requested a facilitation session with a difference.  The venue was to be luxurious; the room was to be large, spacious and comfortable so that they could lounge around on day couches to the strains of evocative music or even stroll around in the gardens outside - all this to induce their creative juices into identifying which company-type to acquire so that they could expand!  Now, did you see THAT coming?  It was one of the more interesting sessions I have facilitated, and at the end of the day VOILA! the profile of their ideal company to buy over, surfaced. :)

So, whether you are selling a product or service, are big or small, getting honest feedback from your paying customers can actually increase your profits.  Sure, those standard survey forms help, but you can do even better by getting candid comments about how to get more sales.  Want some suggestions about HOW? Call me at 6-03-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net.

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

THE ultimate reason for Branding

Lunch was simply scrumptious and the conversation was tantalizing!  My companion regaled me with his knowledge of the finer points of Branding as we discussed how to pitch various proposition. Around and around the various positionings of products, we dissected how badly Sales Training had been downgraded to hard selling and what key factors would turn customers into raving fans.

While we raved over the delicate pavlova - with crisp, fresh blueberries and strawberries atop dollops of light whipped cream (ooooo SO sinfully yummy) - we extracted what a good Sales Training program ought to deliver, and listed the processes involved.  Done professionally, salesmanship ought to be about helping a consumer to meet a need in ways that make him or her look to you as a problem-solver to turn to again.  Absolutely NOT the too-often pushy pest that one dreads meeting and tries hard to avoid :(

Right - so that's the Sales process - well, the way it should be anyway.  But what does it have to do with Branding?  The end purpose for building a Brand is for the owner to richly cash out, ot leave a lucrative legacy or even both if possible!  This is the result of achieving Brand Value that customers are willing to pay for.  Aha! My deep and articulate companion smartly pointed out "so then Brand Building is about selling then, isn't it?"  Can't argue with that hehehe.  For my part of the process, it's about training staff to do things in a way thta is unique to their company so that customers buy that set of unique deliverable!  In essence it's about showing howto deliver the Brand to get repeat sales! Ta da!

We'd gotten to sipping a potent blend of aromatic coffee to wash down our creamy indulgences, and decide that it had been a most satisfying lunch time, getting to the nub of pitching propositions which customers would be delighted with.

Would it delight you to have your staff understand what is so unique about your business, and project it so that it becomes an increasingly lucrative venture?  Well, I would so love to help you with that!  Just call me at 603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and you're there :)

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

PAMPERED PARKING

OMG!!! What am I going to do??????? Dash it!

A sign saying 'Parking full' is disastrous when going to meet a client, but then again it's become increasingly common :(.  So, I've taken to calling ahead to ask for advice on where to park.

Aha, guess what!  There's a new take on this town when someone says "just follow xxxxx then go yyyy and you'll come to spaces reserved especially for you" WOWEE!!! That makes it really easy to do business with such clients and creates positive branding for them too, doesn't it?

How often are we cheated of a customer just because of circumstantial hurdles and barriers between them and us? Sob, sob - we may not even know.  Sigh. Is there a way forward?

Well it is really a lot of fun to work out the process of doing business with someone, then coming up with ways of making it easier!  All it takes is a bit of brainstorming, lots of paper, a good dose of chuckles, some honest analysis and feedback and voila!  You too can build your brand by making it easier for customers to do business with you.  Nice way to reduce the competition, eh?

I'd be glad to help you chart it out, and to make innovative suggestions you can use too!  You know what to do - just call me on 603-21697704

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

It's about the packaging, peeps!

Hmmmm - the notes in the corner caught my eye - why leave that foreign currency idle?  Might as well cash them and put them to work eh?  I was dashing off to an event in an up-market location and stuffed the notes into my bag to convert them while I was out and about as there'd be money changers there for sure.

The particular mall is SO well managed, lots of parking spaces, staff, access points, vending machines etc - wht a breeze!  They have invested much in attracting their customers.  And as the escalator reached the lower ground level, lo and behold!  a foreign currency exchange booth was right before my very eyes.  Wow! I could get the exchange done now, instad of having to stop later on.

The notes were placed on the tray and he took out his calculator. Punch, punch, punch - shove; a slip with a printout of what my notes were worth to him.  WHAT? Why is your rate so low?"   He grinned and pointed to the well-maintained surroundings and made his defence.  In truth, the rate varied only marginally BUT I could have bargained for a better deal had it been a more earthy location, and got a few $ more.

The trader was clear about how to get the most for his wares: by committing to a higher rental with all its trimmings, he gained access to a target market from whom he could get higher margins. Interestingly, over dinner that evening someone talked about how one of the outlets in their chain was in the wrong type of mall and was not attracting the segment of customers they wanted, while other outlets were doing just fine! And you know what?  They were in the expensive process of cutting their losses and re-locating it, to reach and capture their desired type of customers.

What do these accounts say?  In business it is almost critical to define which segment of business you want to attract, and then have an integrated marketing plan to attract and retain them. How products and services are positioned and packaged have a great impact on reaching your desired customers.  The result?  You'll get the margins that you have planned for.  If you want to attract average income - position your image just so, if you want to attract a particular niche e,g, tech-savvy customers, well that takes a different positioning too.  Aiming for mass markets?  Pricing counts, then!  All of it is a total package, integrated to deliver what you have planned for and to buffet yourself against turbulence, and avoid unnecessary expense.  Well worth the effort in terms of profits and peace of mind too :)

I'd be glad to outline a marketing plan for you and you could use it to re-position your business to be even more profitable than it already is.  Am just a phone call away - call me at +603-21697704.

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

The safe was left open!

WHY was the Manager walking into my room uninvited? His words chilled me "Ma'am, you left your safe open. Would you please check that nothing is missing?" You know, I'm not sure whether I was more astonished by my carelessness or by his polite request!

I'd been enjoying a leisurely breakfast meeting downstairs over lovely savory pancakes, spiced tea, an irresistable array of cheeses and grapes, and all that with a companion whom it was a delight to have befriended. We spent far longer than we thought we would, having oodles in common and lots of plans for business ventures to foray into together.

By the time I returned to my room I was feeling extremely comfortable in more ways than one. Ah! the housekeeping cart was outside my door and the maid was pottering around in the bathroom - looked like she's only just arrived. Well, I settled into the armchair with the paper when the black-suited, sombre Manager walked in with his startling announcement. The maid must have called him immediately!! Fancy that!

Well I did check the contents of the safe and nothing was missing, BUT I remain highly impressed by how the staff handled the whole thing. Aren't you?

Actually, throughout my brief stay at this hotel, the staff - even from the drivers who met me - had gone out of their way to be extremely helpful and courteous. Their behaviors speak volumes not only about their characters, but also of the training they must have been given. Of course I wrote to compliment their Management - they needed to know that their investment in Training is well worth it!

Would you too like to rest easy knowing that your staff members are selling YOUR brand to perfection? Just call me on 6-03-21697704 and we'll do a gap analysis of where you are and where you'd like to be, and plan how your staff can be trained to get you there!

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

The Gracious Bank Officer

What do you mean the bank account number is wrong! How ever am I going to have the $ traced and retrieved then?!!! OMG! that email was an absolute shocker!

Earlier, the company overseas had requested my payment by a deadline (fair enough) but which was not possible to meet becaue of a stretch of local holidays coming up. So we had been in communication via phone and email to arrange for an extension. Nice! So, after the holidays I hot-footed it to the bank and sent what they wanted via telegraphic transfer. Done and dusted wouldn't you think? All I had to do was await their confirmation of having received the payment.

But noooooooo. The next day the shocking email said they had made a mistake with the account number. Aaaaargh! My payment had gone to cyberspace. Horrors! The last time something similar happened it took weeks and weeks to get the $ back. Did this mean I had to fork out the payment once again while waiting for the retrieval. Sob sob sigh.

Ummmm. Let me try my luck - the officers at this branch have been ever so helpful thus far. "So sorry to trouble you, but here's what has happened - can you help me?" "The $ was already sent yesterday ma'am." Gulp. Then, music to my ears: "Let me see what can be done".

BINGO! A day later it had all worked out without my having to do anyting more; the payment had been retrieved and the company overseas had received their fees too. Wht a relief!!! Thanks to an officer who was willing to be of service beyond normal requirements. :)

Do you encounter annoying problems and have to disappoint your customers sometimes? Would you like my help in devising some ways of serving your customers so that they are delighted and stay loyal and recommend your services too? I'd love to help out - just call me at 6-0321697704.

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

3 Tales of non-payments

1 "Aaargh! WHY did they tell me the cheque was ready when it wasn't!!! The business owner was not pleased about having her lunch meeting shortened in vain and her time wasted in going after a payment that she was unable to collect. Yes, the conversations among us then revolved around various ways and means used to collect payments from clients who delayed them, simply because they wanted to buy time. Not pleasant :(

2 "Hey I have a proposal for you! If you give us a 10% discount we'll pay you this week" "WHAT! but you had already signed a contract for the full amount and we've done the work you asked for!" Aha! Now this particular client was actually trying to wrangle a reduction AFTER getting what they wanted. Cheeky!

In both cases the suppliers were simply not going to do business with those companies again, AND they spread the news among their circles too. That's baaaaad publicity and shakes the consumer's confidence in the reliability of the brand's name, and so inviting their competitirs to enter their markets and steal a piece of the pie. Hmmmmmmm

3 "I'm really sorry we can't pay for the extras even though we know that it was an emergency. We got approval from the Committee for your original quote and can't change that now." "Well we can't deliver the rest if our payments are not covered" "We really value our relationship over the years and want to continue doing business with you, so please just tell us how we can make it worth your while, separately from this contract?"

Wow! Now this shows appreciation for the Brand's services doesn't it? And the compensations that were arranged were high-value meetings with new clients accompanied by glowing testimonials. The promise of a higher worth than was sacrificed loomed ........ hehehe. How about that for Brand Value eh?

Are YOU offering something your customers are willing to stay with you for? That's what Brand Building is about - customer loyalty and their bringing new customers to you too! Nice eh? Want some ideas on how to keep your customers in and your competitors out? Call me at 6-03-21697704 and we'll start work on that.

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Is it just a sales pitch?

"Hey you called back!!!" She was absolutely delighted to get a sale, and chatted a bit more, asking about my work. "What do you mean by Brand Behaviour?" Jane wanted to know. And WHY did I call her back?

"I'm with the X hotel group now, and they have really good offers" she'd said when Jane called a few weeks prior. But hmmmmmm - Iwasn't ready to decide on getting the membership.

It's been many years since I first bought a hotel privilege card. My family, friends and I have enjoyed good times (including a holiday at a lovely resort) at discounted prices, and the years have taught me to project how to use the cards before deciding which chain to buy into.

This time, chain X had opened a hotel near my office, which meant that it would be a nice place to take my staff and clients to. BUT what values would we get?

One of my foreign principals was in town, staying at one of the hotels in the chain, and I phoned several times as part of our business dealings. The staff were always both courteous and efficient, but hey! you'd expect that from an upmarket brand anyway, wouldn't you?

But what REALLY clinched it was when I called about private meeting facilities and was directed to the Manager in charge. He was soooooooo helpful and went out of his way. Hmmmmm! This I'd like to buy into! And I did, with no regrets.

So how do Brands maintain the quality of their services without Managers breathing down the necks of their staff? It really boils down to 1) identifying the service touch points customers encounter, 2) setting out the standards to be maintained, and 3) measuring those standards against feedback from customers.

Sure, the ways of getting feedback are numerous and the 'mystery shopper' is a good one for ensuring repeat business through high quality Brand Behaviors.

Have you got your service touch points mapped out? This is a fun activity that takes just half a day to do, and brings HUGE rewards! Want me to facilitate a session for you? Just call me at 6-03-21697704 and we're on!

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

"My customer is my CEO".........HUH?!!!!

There we were, a group of business owners chatting over lunch; we ranged from trainers to property agents to software developers, to health consultants, caterers etc. Suddenly the question "Are YOU the CEO of your company? What do you think the CEO does anyway?" Boyohboyohboyohboy! Did that set the cat among the pigeons as like strutting peacocks we preened our smart answers LOL!

"My customers are my CEO's" (yes, you're right, 'gulp' indeed), "I allow my team members to be my CEO's" "There is only one CEO in my company and that's me" etc., etc. Next question: "If you had to appoint a CEO, what qualities would you look for?" Most people's responses centred around "someone who can get along with people" Hello? The odd response was that the CEO should carry the company's Vision. Hmmmm.

Okaaaay! So now it's clearer as to why teams muddle along just trying to please everyone. Do YOU see it too? So many business owners are in day-to--day 'jobs' instead of living out a Vision because it is unknown. So what you say? Well, that means that competitors can easily encroach on market share because there's no brand to defend, employees will job-hop more frequently because work places are six of one and half a dozen of the other anyway, and worst of all is the high potential of getting caught in suicidal price-wars.

Imagine if Volvo made helicopters and baby carriages; you'd still expect them to focus on safety, wouldn't you? That's what Volvo is associated with - 'safety' is the essence of their brand. Oh yes: Brands enhance value; especially the personal brands that independant distributors need to convey when they represent a global brand.

(btw the CEO's role is to execute the decisions of the Board of Directors while Managing Directors are responsible for the legals and financials. An independant distributor, sole proprietor or SOHO would take on the combination of all the responsibilites)

So maybe you're cracking your head about how to keep your customers loyal and your competitors at bay? May I respectfully suggest that you and your key people have a brain-storming session to identify precisely what the essence of why your customers are coming to you is? Is it 'fun' (Disneyland), 'accountability' (Tan Sri Francis Yeoh), fast-service (Pizza Hut), 'lower pricing' (Ipoh White Coffee), 'compassion' (RSPCA) etc.? Your brand essence is your key strength for sustainable profits and you can build numerous products and services around it. according to even fluctuating market demands.

Want some help with facilitating a brain-storming session? Call me at 6-03-21697704.

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Get Customer Loyalty - even when you've gone!

Divide & Rule breeds Fear/Hate; Delegate & Rule breeds Love/Loyalty:

1 "Come and join our team, Coach! You are a part of us" Coach had been politically displaced and lost the position, but not their hearts;
2 "But HOW do you know who I am?" "Oh! Everyone mentions your name as the one who turned our managzine around and made it what it is today"
3 I turned on the radio in my hotel room - 6 years after leaving the country - and was amazed that the format I'd introduced in that radio station a decade earlier was still being retained!

Sure, I'll tell you those real-life stories (about targeted delegation) - just ask me? For now this is about perpetuating your brand even when you aren't there, by creating teams instead of animosity. It is also about how to avoid rebellion.

Have you heard the myth 'People must like you to follow you?' Oh-oh! Believing it can be fatal - causing you to do things against your own beliefs; even resulting in personal losses and grief. Excessive flattering, flirting & pandering eventually reduces your influence. Huh? WHY? Because they're about temporary gains 'giving a fish vs teaching to fish (pardon me, Confucius). the reality? It's all about station WIIFM (what's in it for me). Your people want to know they can count on YOU to build their gains as well as their egos. Gains remain, egos are fickle!

Steps to take are 1) Separate what you must not delegate 2) Be clear about the objectives & levels of authorization of the delegated roles and how they will be rewarded or otherwise 3) Identify talents and groom people for tasks you have delegated 4) It is essential to support and nurture your people by giving feedback REGULARLY at least monthly 5) Sadly, it is critical for the entire team that you remove those who act repeatedly to de-stabilize your teams; like cancer cells they will multiply any negative emotions & results and ................

You know what though? Above all, the key is that while you can delegate authority, you can't delegate responsibility. If it's your domain, then you own it and are responsible for managing ALL the consequences. Be easy on yourself? If you build teams and not groupies, you'll always have a place in their hearts and can win them back if you need to. Want to develop an action plan? I'm only a phone call away: 6-03-21697704. Call me?

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!