Eat anything & still lose fat?????? You're kidding!

NO this is not about only 'feelgood', it is in fact all about being in GREAT health - I am saving $ on unnecessary supplements & doctors bills PLUS having more energy too! How can you beat THAT!

Alex was working with ppl on how to manage their weight - all part of personal branding. He asked for my help because they were developing cravings from skipping chocolates and other faves.  That is BAD news! You know that cravings lead to binging, don't you? And more calories :(

The good news came from a course in nutrition he and I had completed.  We knew that its not about skipping any food at all, but merely about balancing what we eat and when, so that we are healthy & energetic without being bored with our food.  Works well for me :) !!!   I happen to like chocolates & ice-cream and work often places me amidst lavish buffets, but after learning THE balance, my friends remark how much trimmer I look.  That's nice!  And, my stamina has improved too and I hold my own very comfortably through looooong days with ppl much younger who hehehe show signs of wilting :0

So what's the secret then? Its to eat and drink MORE! No kidding! You see, eating less only puts your body into survival mode and it stores fat. That's why those who eat many small meals burn calories faster.  There are other ways of increasing your metabolism too, like starting a meal with high fibre to get the system started.  More importantly, its about eating the right proportions of what you like, and drinking more water too to stay hydrated. So eat and drink MORE often, in the right proportions.

If you have no major illness and want to lose fat and build muscle naturally - no need for workouts - just call me at 6-03-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net. and I'll be happy to share details.

IMPROVING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND WILL IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL PROFITABILITY!

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! 

Would you invest $ in a non-brand?!!!!!!

WOWEE!  The price of gold and silver has leapt by leaps and bounds in just a decade!  And naturally ppl want to know more - especially as inflation creeps up and financial systems lose their lustre.  My associates certainly wanted information on how, where, pay-offs, assurances etc. and invited a some reps to make presentations.

The facts they presented were fascinating and backed by search engines (yeah, grin).  And they brought gleaming samples that attractively winked wickedly too! Quite tempting.  But, but, ...................  questions remained.  What brought those on?  Quite simply, it had to do with facets of their presentations:

One came dressed shoddily (representing precious metals?) and seemed put off by the incisive questions, another represented a well known company but lacked confidence about the products, and yet another had no business card, office or company bank account!!!!!!!

Ahem! What can I say?  Did they really expect investors to part with large sums without presenting some credentials and projecting credibility?  The answer would seem to be obvious yet there are some who just haven't yet made the connection.  Serious customers want to know what checks and balances they can rely on to protect their investments, and personal guarantees alone simply aren't enough.  Almost anything can be faked after all -even gold, its been found!

Do you know someone who has a great product or service, but would make more sales if they took a bit of time to cultivate their personal brand image to reflect the essence of their Brand?  I'd be delighted to help them to become more profitable in shorter durations.  Just have them call me at 603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net.

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

Personal Branding can make or break business deals

"Don't mention THAT brand to me again EVER!"

OUCH!  That was such a stinger to hear!!! What on earth had happened?  The highly professional businesswoman wryly related the incident; she was quite put out.  Can't say I blame her really.  You know what?  She had recommended a world-class brand to her close associates as a potential business venture, and they enthusiastically met with an agent of the company.  All laughter and eagerness, they wanted to sample the products and learn about the compensation plan.  The Brand had excellent credentials, an illustrious track record and the business prospects were highly lucrative!  What went wrong?????

As it turned out - far from being enthused, they became totally turned off!!!!! It was the agents' approach: she saw they were interested and WHAM! turned into a relentless bloodhound that was after a kill. She didn't give them a chance to ask questions, or take the time to learn their preferences.  How silly!  She'd had a golden opportunity on a platter to forge solid business relationships, but showed no respect for her potential customers.

And so an opportunity for all concerned to develop a new business turned into a nightmare to be wryly joked about for a loooooooong time afterwards.  Reminds me that Branding is an all-encompassing process of delivering a product or service in myriad ways, to meet a need.  Simple!  Just service the need identified, to match the attributes of the Brand.

Oh sure, I do know the frustration of having to wait for the right timing or environment etc., but isn't that better than turning potential customers off?  Delivering a Brand well includes being its role model, listening for what people want, and going the extra mile.

Ready to align your personal brand with the essence of your product or service?  Just call me at 603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net.

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

Personal Branding: its role in any Company's image

The mid-career lady turned, looked at me wide-eyed and asked "WHO is this fellow?  Is he really their employee or senior officer?"  Ouch & SO UGLY!!!

You know, I really love the part of what I do where I groom ppl who are new in their positions, because of the joy it brings when they become successful from applying their new knowledge.  So, I had partnered with a newbie to show her the ropes.  We had paid to attend a formal training session and while the substance was excellent, the delivery was quite remarkably shocking!

The trainer knew the subject matter well but was sooooooo unprofessional in his awkward attempts to bond with the participatns - using foul language, crude phrases, boasting, talking down etc. to project himself as a 'regular' guy.  Sadly, he forgot his role and context.  Yes, I've seen this before:  there was this other trainer who insisted that her classes call her 'sister', and had to endure her singing to them as well. SIGH.  Neither of hese trainers put their professions first and (knowingly or not) were plain ego-tripping. :(.  Both had been hired by very prominent companies to groom their ppl and OMG! had become confused about their WHY and HOW.

Hmmmmm.  Guess what folks?  That is one of many key differences between subject matter experts and Certified Professional Trainers (CPT's). CPT's know that our roles are to be warm, friendly, and nurturing, but never personal.  No inappropriate words, gestures, or behaviors represent any company to its best advantage.

A company's points of engagement with customers is critical to how that company is perceived.  Sales may still take place,, but profitability becomes compromised when representatives are unable to see themselves as projecting a brand.  This is true (and even more critical) for sole proprietors who have a Brand Essence to capitalize on.

Here's where personal branding becomes an essential part of sustainable profitability - it is even more reliable than an image or credentials.  Personal branding is about what ppl experience over time and includes a multitude of areas.  It is a very satisfying area for me to coach ppl in and be a witness to the transformation they achieve for themselves!

Do you know someone who'd benefit from coaching in personal branding to achieve their business goals?  Please have them call me at +603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net.

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

Brand Credibility meets Delusion :(

The report sheet shouted at me and my heart froze in disbelief! This was like the Emperor strutting around to show off his 'regal' attire while onlookers could see that he had no covering at all! Stark naked!!!

What am I on about, you ask?

You see, there was this seasoned Group Leader who presented an image of being experienced and accomplished, and there was no reason to doubt his credentials.  But lo and behold: it was a time of corporate disclosure and everyone's track record was being shared while doing a whole group assessment.  And, his statistics showed that he was consistently doing worse than anyone else, would you believe?  So much for his having years of experience and panache eh?  His credibility of ably promoting the Brand was now damaged for lack of concrete evidence although we had previously given him the benefit of the doubt.

You know what the most horrifying thing is though?  This state of delusional grandeur could hit any one of us! Yes, it could, if we start believing our own fanfares without being willing to be vulnerable to our peers.  They are the ones who promote the same Brand (perhaps differently) and understand its attributes and customers well enough to provide informed feedback.  Hmmmmmm - all well and good if we are willing to hear them out, and allow ourselves to be critiqued in order to excel.

But HOW can we get such feedback while protecting our egos and saving our reputations too?  The key really is firstly to admit to ourselves that no matter how good we are, market environments are dynamic and what works in one place or time may not work in another - no blame necessary.  Second step is to genuinely encourage credible people to give their opinions, and thirdly to get another set of people to evaluate those opinions. Voila!  Peeps, when it comes to our own performance, we are not the best judge of it because our emotions are too involved. Seriously!

It's not difficult to set up a feedback system (formal or informal) that will enable you to stay popular with your customer - I'd be glad to provide an objective view.  Just call me at +603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and we'll get started.

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

How to Rise Above your Competitors :)

Bu she can't DO THAT!!!! (Oh yes, she caaaaan)

Oh me oh my! She was extreeeeeemely upset by what had taken place. We were ar a lively meeting of dynamic business owners who had gathered to share information about what we are doing and how we want to receive more business. Such meeting glean connections that could lead to business being done, and so observing ethics is critically important to maintaining credibility and trust. Those present represent only their primary business, and don't compete with others in the group, to avoid any unhealthy conflict (yes, peeps conflict and confrontation can be healthy too!)

Anyway, what happened is that someone had spoken up inappropriately about offering the same service as another person - perhaps even unintentionally - but competition had been created where there shouldn't have been. Which member should one buy the named product from?!!! Oh dear!

Ah yes! You can imagine what prompted the protest, even though it wasn't made openly. She felt that her ricebowl had been threatened! Not a good feeling in a grop tha is meant to be mutually supportive, is it?

BUUUUUT the reality is it is increasingly common to have more than one stream of income, and you know what THAT means, don'tyou? Yes, it is difficult not to be offering products and services that might be in competition with those you share platforms with. It is especially true of course when there are independant distributors representing global brands present, as products are then identical. Who to buy the products from?

What's the solution then? Easy beazy! Personal branding, of course! Project your offerings to show why others should do business with YOU instead of an apparent competitor. I have seen this practised very profitably in many groups who are willing to gain more by narrowing their field and sharing marketing platforms, instead of being inward-looking. For example, litgators don't compete with conveyance lawyers for example, even though they both may come from firms tha offer the whole range of legal services. It's ALL about having a mindset of ABUNDANCE! It attracts even more abundance. Need, instead of greed :)

What separates YOU from your competitors that can increase your profits? Want my help in defining your competitive advantage(s)? Just call me at 603-21697704, adn we'll get into it!

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

Fishing for Loyalty

Oh drat! It's not on the shelves. Sigh. Walked up and down the rows at my usual store but my fave brand of seasoning for a meanly mouth-watering fish dish was not in stock. They had the same flavors in other brands but not the one I've been using.

So, what's the big deal? Maybe someone else does it just as well hmmmm? One never knows till its tried out anyway, right? On that adventurous note I picked out 2 other brands with similar ingredients - how different can they turn out to be? Established brands, same ingredients - had I perhaps been too fussy about Brand Loyalty?

Yes, I tried both the brands and oh me oh my! You guessed it - the tastes were palatable, but really not as good as my favorite one. Even though the ingredients were the same, the proportions of them might have been different and the processing was certainly different since the textures of the sauces were just not as pleasing. That's it; experiment over - it was going to be may fave brand from now on even if it means driving over to another store to get it, so there!

Hey! Have you noticed something similar happens among teams too? Other people may come along with great credentials/personalities, but when you know how to relate to the old faithful ones, it cuts down timing and the results are more along the lines of what you would like, aren't they?

Both products and people have unique attributes that suit them for particular market segments. Often that has strong correlations with the cultural fit of the consumer with the product or service. What does that mean for YOUR business goals?

Well if you have a great product or service but are not attracting the type of customer you really really want, think about conducting an exercise in market segmentation. Why? Because your promotions and operations may need to be better aligned with what is unique about what you are good at. When they do become aligned that's when bingo! you get customer loyalty and repeat business that allows you to focus on expansion and getting new business :)

How's that for a strategy to increase your business in the next few months eh? I'd consider it an honor to segment your market(s) for you, and toss around some ideas for Brand Promotions & Delivery too so just call me at 6-03-2169774?

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

What's your price tag saying?

Hmmmm. That's an interesting pair of shoes. Nice colour too! "May I try these on in my size?" Felt sooooft and comfy too. And offered at a double digit price? "Where are they made?" "Paris! the sales assistant said confidently.

Hello???? That price considering the labor costs in the EU? If you had said made in Malaysia for export to the EU that would sound plausible. But made in Paris? At that price? Ummmm.

One of the most popular modules in my 'Branding' workshop is on Pricing Strategies as there are many aspects to consider before setting a price. Some offerings look to be of high value until they are examined more closely and vice versa too. Like it or not, a price tag sends a message in itself - even if it is an offer for a free service. Actually, if you realy, really want to capture customers who will bring you repeat business, offer a money-back guarantee and see how that goes down :).

But back to price tags. Customers do want good things cheap, but don't really expect that. So if something is cheap, the canny buyer will wonder if the sale is legitimate or whether the products are genuine, or even whether the seller is going to disappear without a trace; or if there is some other hidden agenda. They believe you when you have been at the same location or industry for a long time, or are known to someone whom they trust. That's Brand Credibility and is also where money-back guarantees play a part. (Personal branding also has an impact on closing a deal).

Perhaps you're wondering how YOU might build a money-back guarantee into your offer? Let's talk about yourproduct or service and work our what your customers will appreciate - you might even find that you are under-charging! I'd be glad to offer some insights - just call me at 6-03-21697704.

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

Sparkles turn Sour

Oh what a warm, glowing, smiling face, accentuated by sparkling eyes! That was a decade ago and Mr. Nice was newly retired then after a rewarding career. He and his wife had children and grandchildren they're proud of, and were looking forward to enjoying more time spent in doing good for those around them. Recent photos of him though, showed a tiredness and resignation. When we do meet occasionally, his eyes reflect pain and disappointment. Yes, he still sacrificially plods on with his good works - he is sincerely passionate about them! He is a genuinely good person.

What on earth had happened? Well, in his desire to be of service, he had volunteered for a leadership position among a group of influential people. He felt that he now had the means and drive to be a positive influence alongside them. 'They' were glad to have a 'head', but he soon learnt that 'they' had their own ideas about how objectives were to be achieved. He had to make several moral choices during his association with them andand chose to go with the flow. A case of 'the tail wagging the dog'?

Like most, he chose the line of least resistance even kept silent when he shouldn't have. He wanted to be everyone's Nice Guy. BUT silence and/or inaction is a decision in itself, and he increasingly lost the respect that had taken him an entire lifetime to build. What a waste! Sure, he was still Mr. Nice but no longer was he accepted as a leader. His personal brand lost its shine and his personal pain increased. Sigh. Meanwhile his 'they' colleagues too lost their credibility while those who perservered with standing on principles gained reputations for being dependable in tough situations.

(History tells us that groups want Leaders who are decisive and directional - look at the depth of influence that (even eventually destructive) leaders from Hitler and Genghis Khan to (peace-promoting) Gandhi and Buddha had and still wield!)

Perhaps you are facing difficulties with taking a stand in your community? What are the risk-to-impact factors to sustaining your brand? I'd be glad to listen and help you to clarify what YOU really want to do to stay in a gainful position. Call me at 6-03-21697704?

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

HELLO???? Remember my promise?

Hello!!! Can you hear me? HELLO??????

She was obviously driving and having difficulty in hearing our conversation, BUT extremely focused about getting her message across and not allowing anything to deter her purpose.
Networker had approached me several times previously about getting some tips for expanding her business – nothing extraordinary about that. What made her stand out in the crowd is that one fine day she called and said “I’d like to do something for you because you have helped me” Oh! “What do you have in mind?” I asked. She said please give me half an hour of your time so that I can understand your business. Hmmmm? “Why?” “Well” she said, “I meet many people and if I understand your business better, then I can refer people to you.” Nice thought; nice person, how can I be churlish and refuse? So we met in a little café and she asked all the questions she wanted. I couldn’t help but be touched by her gesture of appreciation. End of story, right? Wrong!

Long after I had forgotten about the incident, I received this very insistent phone call. Why? Because Networker was SO excited about having been able to refer me to a high ranking person who would be interested in my process for blended learning and she had opened the way for a meeting! What an absolute sweetheart!

See, I told you there ARE genuinely nice people around, didn’t I? :D! Am so blessed to know some of them; but more than that, this Networker is steadily building her Brand Credibility among those whom she meets. And you know what? We’re ALL going to be very pleased to be able to refer business to her! YES WE ARE!

Want some tips on how you can build YOUR brand’s credibility and a pipeline of business from raving fans? Just call me 6-03-2169774 and let’s chat a while and get you more $$$!

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

What’$ in a name? LOT$!

The gentle breeze teased the wisps of hair around our faces as we luxuriated in the view from the balcony. The well-manicured greens rolled and stretched out below and the twin towers thrust their perky peaks skyward not too far away. The well-located, high-security apartment set away from traffic carried a 6-figure price tag, but it wasn’t always so.

Within the apartment boasted a collection of art and craft from around the world, along with photos of remarkable people. My host was a much-traveled retiree who had been looking around for a home to settle into when she would eventually give up being an employee. She had bought the apartment brand new, when it might have been considered as being a speculative move, paying half its current market value.

“I heard about the re-branding of Sentul from being a run-down area into a decent suburb, and the prices were very attractive, so I took a look at the plans. Everything looked in order, BUT you never know how things will turn out do you?” she said. So, why would a highly-intelligent and discerning person part with a lot of money for something that was only conceptual, you ask?

“The only reason I bought it was because the developer was Francis Yeoh and YTL, so I knew that he would keep his word and deliver!” she said emphatically. Aha! THE family-conscious man who is known for preaching (pun intended) about quality and spreading it, who brought Pavarotti to Pangkor Laut, the 3 tenors to Bath, and Andrea Bocelli to Singapore for concerts that were free of charge to the public.

How’s that for Brand Association commanding a price tag, hmmm?

Would you like to know what the elements in your life say about your business dealings? Just call me on 6-03-21697704 and we’ll chat about that – you will definitely get insights into how people perceive what you are offering in your business dealings!

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