My client had been planning a really good awareness program for months and was (rightfully) excited about it! The team was in place, outstation venue and transportation had been arranged, and best of all -they had a funder to underwrite their expenses too. WOWEE!
A week before the exciting event I asked what the response had been like; only20% of their expected turnout had replied. Hmmmmm. Low response to a high value freebie? Odd! "May I see your advertisements?" I asked and they obliged. Glossy; classy, multi-coloured, BUT, but, the text left out the benefits! Not even including that it was free!!! Getting resources for a mandatory compliance amidst a nice hotel's ambience and food free of charge from a sponsor was not mentioned????? Oooooooops!
But you know what? It could happen to anyone who is excited about making a good offer and assumes that it is obvious. Do take a second and third look at your brochures, flyers, advertisements, etc. and ensure that the uninformed reader is told clearly about WHY choosing your offer is good for them.
If you'd like an objective opinion (online) about your promotions, I'd be glad to help out. Just call me at 6-03-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and you'd get feedback within 48 hours on how to attract more customers. Its about Brand Visibility and Brand Positioning too.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Showing posts with label brand identity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brand identity. Show all posts
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Delivering the Brand's value
The skilled young man was protesting at the potential incomes in place as opposed to the lush opportunities being presented at a roll-out of a new ecosystem for entrepreneurs. Indeed, why IS brand delivery valued in some places more than others? Here's a classic example of why:
Mum needed replenishments for her pain relievers etc, so I went to the usual store, but didn't see what I was looking for. Hmmmmm. "Do you have brand X gel?" I asked. The cheerful, smiling new hire said "We don't have that". "But I bought it here before - please check with the pharmacist?" "Oh - he's not coming today". (Mentally I thought 'so?'). "Is there anyone else who is familiar with the stock?" Shuffle; shuffle and another pleasant person appears. We three trooped to the brand's display shelf and both just looked at me puzzled. I explained "these are the capsules which you swallow, I'm looking for the gel to apply on the skin" Aha! Light bulbs came on and voila! a tube of the gel was retrieved. WHERE was the gap and WHO was responsible for closing it? WHO was going to profit from the sales?
Back to that roll-out I was telling you about. The investor explained that the quality of staff did not justify higher salaries because they weren't willing to work hard enough to make the investment profitable!. Dead silence. Then, applause from business owners. Do staff expect to be paid for merely showing up?
The key solution lies in tying performance management ie delivery of the Brand Promise, with profitability! Firstly train staff in conversational skills and product knowledge thoroughly with role-plays. Then have a pay-for-performance package which rewards them for bringing ideas and innovations to the workplace. The result? Business owners increase their profits and staff get paid more too :) Train and assess.
Want help with designing a systemic approach to put this in place and build the value of your brand? Just call me on 6-03-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and I'll be glad to customize a plan for you.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Mum needed replenishments for her pain relievers etc, so I went to the usual store, but didn't see what I was looking for. Hmmmmm. "Do you have brand X gel?" I asked. The cheerful, smiling new hire said "We don't have that". "But I bought it here before - please check with the pharmacist?" "Oh - he's not coming today". (Mentally I thought 'so?'). "Is there anyone else who is familiar with the stock?" Shuffle; shuffle and another pleasant person appears. We three trooped to the brand's display shelf and both just looked at me puzzled. I explained "these are the capsules which you swallow, I'm looking for the gel to apply on the skin" Aha! Light bulbs came on and voila! a tube of the gel was retrieved. WHERE was the gap and WHO was responsible for closing it? WHO was going to profit from the sales?
Back to that roll-out I was telling you about. The investor explained that the quality of staff did not justify higher salaries because they weren't willing to work hard enough to make the investment profitable!. Dead silence. Then, applause from business owners. Do staff expect to be paid for merely showing up?
The key solution lies in tying performance management ie delivery of the Brand Promise, with profitability! Firstly train staff in conversational skills and product knowledge thoroughly with role-plays. Then have a pay-for-performance package which rewards them for bringing ideas and innovations to the workplace. The result? Business owners increase their profits and staff get paid more too :) Train and assess.
Want help with designing a systemic approach to put this in place and build the value of your brand? Just call me on 6-03-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and I'll be glad to customize a plan for you.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Brand Names affect Profits!
"What a well-spoken man" I thought, as I was introduced to a dynamic mid-career professional. He and his family were visiting his parents. It was a familiar story - they had sent him to study in another country, where he excelled and so settled down there to bring the best he could offer to the world.
Okay! So you're asking what this has to do with branding? Well, although this man was well-spoken and a high achiever, he initially had found it very difficult to get a job. He was literally tearing his hair out in frustration! Then someone who had received his resume called him for an interview. Wowee! A breakthrough - and a revealing one too, as it happened. The interviewer said "It is so nice to know that you speak good English; because of your name I wasn't sure and it is important to my business that my staff speak well". Yes, personal brands do affect company brands, don't they?
So, guess what happened? From that day on Harinder became known as Harry and his career path rocketed in tandem with his abilities! Sorry Shakespeare but this doesn't always hold true: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" (from Romeo and Juliet).
This is a phenomenan known as Brand Dissonance i.e. when the image doesn't match the delivery and it could happen in any part of a company's chain of the delivery of its products or services. Is your Brand aligned well, in terms of image and delivery?
Actually its quite hard to beobjective about something that we are close to, and it helps to get an objective opinion from a third party as to whether we are projecting a profitable image. If you'd like my help in this area just call 603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and we could chat about what you have in mind?
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITABILITY!
Okay! So you're asking what this has to do with branding? Well, although this man was well-spoken and a high achiever, he initially had found it very difficult to get a job. He was literally tearing his hair out in frustration! Then someone who had received his resume called him for an interview. Wowee! A breakthrough - and a revealing one too, as it happened. The interviewer said "It is so nice to know that you speak good English; because of your name I wasn't sure and it is important to my business that my staff speak well". Yes, personal brands do affect company brands, don't they?
So, guess what happened? From that day on Harinder became known as Harry and his career path rocketed in tandem with his abilities! Sorry Shakespeare but this doesn't always hold true: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" (from Romeo and Juliet).
This is a phenomenan known as Brand Dissonance i.e. when the image doesn't match the delivery and it could happen in any part of a company's chain of the delivery of its products or services. Is your Brand aligned well, in terms of image and delivery?
Actually its quite hard to beobjective about something that we are close to, and it helps to get an objective opinion from a third party as to whether we are projecting a profitable image. If you'd like my help in this area just call 603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and we could chat about what you have in mind?
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITABILITY!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Square pegs in round holes
Oooooo the platters of food were simply yummy! A group of us (who said we weren't hungry, LOL!) had descended on the restaurant and decided to share a few delectable dishes among us so that we wouldn't eat too much - yeah right!
Well anyway, yes, the food and thirst quenchers were so good that we promised ourselves to visit again in the not-too-distant future. Then, it was time for 'afters' and coffee became a topic of conversation.
"You should taste the special coffee at my chain" new friend said, and went on to describe it quite evocatively. She works at a chain owned by someone who prides himself in knowing what the best is, and to having it served at his up-market outlets too. BUT one of his outlets was not doing well, and they were in the expensive process of re-locating it. WHAT had gone wrong??????
The food was good, the drinks were good, the service was good, the furnishings were classy - and, all the other outlets were doing well, soooooooo? Well, it so happened that when the market planning was being done they had over-estimated the tastes of those who patronized that particular mall, and so the volume of sales was less than desirable. The situation had more to do with a poor cultural fit than with anything else, and that had resulted in heavy $ losses.
Has that ever happened to you? Ever felt like a square peg in a round hole? When you realize that your environment and you are incompatible, don't blame yourself if you have tried to make the adjustments and it has not worked out. Just move on, because the core values of your products and services won't be well received. At the personal level, you may be misunderstood, no matter how hard you try. At the retail level, the volume of sales probably won't justify the overheads. Hanging in there heroically might cause heartache in addition to $ losses :(
If you are experiencing losses and aren't sure why, do call me at 6-03-21697704 and we can go over the manyfacets of marketing and sales that affect your type of business.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Well anyway, yes, the food and thirst quenchers were so good that we promised ourselves to visit again in the not-too-distant future. Then, it was time for 'afters' and coffee became a topic of conversation.
"You should taste the special coffee at my chain" new friend said, and went on to describe it quite evocatively. She works at a chain owned by someone who prides himself in knowing what the best is, and to having it served at his up-market outlets too. BUT one of his outlets was not doing well, and they were in the expensive process of re-locating it. WHAT had gone wrong??????
The food was good, the drinks were good, the service was good, the furnishings were classy - and, all the other outlets were doing well, soooooooo? Well, it so happened that when the market planning was being done they had over-estimated the tastes of those who patronized that particular mall, and so the volume of sales was less than desirable. The situation had more to do with a poor cultural fit than with anything else, and that had resulted in heavy $ losses.
Has that ever happened to you? Ever felt like a square peg in a round hole? When you realize that your environment and you are incompatible, don't blame yourself if you have tried to make the adjustments and it has not worked out. Just move on, because the core values of your products and services won't be well received. At the personal level, you may be misunderstood, no matter how hard you try. At the retail level, the volume of sales probably won't justify the overheads. Hanging in there heroically might cause heartache in addition to $ losses :(
If you are experiencing losses and aren't sure why, do call me at 6-03-21697704 and we can go over the manyfacets of marketing and sales that affect your type of business.
BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
"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!
"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!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
‘Script, Your choice of Media, Action!’ and the $ rolls in for new and repeat business
Experiencing a brand
An sms’d command “Send me 30 topics you can speak about, by tomorrow”
Okaaaay. Well, that was start of a television series designed to create a new market segment among millions of viewers who saw it from March to May this year.
Producer had been exploring various markets for his skills and we’d been discussing how to satisfy the needs of his clients. Then came the break – a national television station wanted a new market segment and that command from him was my script-writing brief. The 30 topics were sent in, synopsis, segmentation and all, and YES! Approved. So – you know how it is - we had to begin shooting in a few days for broadcast ASAP.
The presenter and I began chatting about how best to flow with each other in front of the cameras. She had a lovely personality and we hit it off right away, sharing the same mindsets of how to appeal with our banter and repartee. We heard the Director and his crew and scrambled for wardrobes to arrive at the visual effects he wanted.
7am starts, midnight finishes, shifting locations, re-takes because a troop of sportsmen accidentally barged onto the set or the shopkeeper nearby s’ shutters or splashing swimmers made too much noise. Even more frustrating was when our mikes did not like where they were positioned on our clothes. Aaargh!!!! All these bonded us together and getting the series completed on time was lots of fun and worth every minute of very hard work!
The result: the station got its new segment of viewers as well as a new stream of advertising revenue + a timeless series that ensures repeat sales. All the topics were about ‘feelgood’ responses (that’s the station’s tagline) to everyday situations, promoting credible brand experiences to its viewers so that they would make it THE tv station of their choice.
Getting others to experience your brand is extremely powerful for attracting and retaining the type of customers you want, as a cycle that repeats itself and increases your profitability within your budget. You can choose mass, print or electronic media or a combination. Whether you are a personal brand or a company or corporate brand, I’ll be happy to work with you to identify that special quality that is YOU, and how to leverage on it to keep your competitors out, your existing customers in, and how to attract the type of new ones you want too. Just call +6-03-21697704 and say when you’d like to have a brief chat?
BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
An sms’d command “Send me 30 topics you can speak about, by tomorrow”
Okaaaay. Well, that was start of a television series designed to create a new market segment among millions of viewers who saw it from March to May this year.
Producer had been exploring various markets for his skills and we’d been discussing how to satisfy the needs of his clients. Then came the break – a national television station wanted a new market segment and that command from him was my script-writing brief. The 30 topics were sent in, synopsis, segmentation and all, and YES! Approved. So – you know how it is - we had to begin shooting in a few days for broadcast ASAP.
The presenter and I began chatting about how best to flow with each other in front of the cameras. She had a lovely personality and we hit it off right away, sharing the same mindsets of how to appeal with our banter and repartee. We heard the Director and his crew and scrambled for wardrobes to arrive at the visual effects he wanted.
7am starts, midnight finishes, shifting locations, re-takes because a troop of sportsmen accidentally barged onto the set or the shopkeeper nearby s’ shutters or splashing swimmers made too much noise. Even more frustrating was when our mikes did not like where they were positioned on our clothes. Aaargh!!!! All these bonded us together and getting the series completed on time was lots of fun and worth every minute of very hard work!
The result: the station got its new segment of viewers as well as a new stream of advertising revenue + a timeless series that ensures repeat sales. All the topics were about ‘feelgood’ responses (that’s the station’s tagline) to everyday situations, promoting credible brand experiences to its viewers so that they would make it THE tv station of their choice.
Getting others to experience your brand is extremely powerful for attracting and retaining the type of customers you want, as a cycle that repeats itself and increases your profitability within your budget. You can choose mass, print or electronic media or a combination. Whether you are a personal brand or a company or corporate brand, I’ll be happy to work with you to identify that special quality that is YOU, and how to leverage on it to keep your competitors out, your existing customers in, and how to attract the type of new ones you want too. Just call +6-03-21697704 and say when you’d like to have a brief chat?
BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
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