Tags |
|
|
Links |
|
|
Will You Add? - Popcorn and Other Marketing Mistakes In a Changing Economy
In the not-so-recent-past, job seekers had to spend hours upon hours walking around visiting companies and career consultants hoping to get a good job. They had to pour over newspapers and job listings for hours and then call up every prospective employer to ask for an appointment. But the advent of the Internet has changed all that. Now one of the most effective and efficient ways to look for a job is by using online career services. Unlike days past, the new online job services offer comprehensive advice concerning interviews, resume writing, and even career coaching – all at reasonable prices, and some services are free of charge.Online Career Sites- Job Searching Made SimpleOnline career sites started out small – but with time they have become bigger and better, and offer more value-added services. With online career servi
One common response to this cloud of confusion is what I call "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets off against the side of the popper. A few moments later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in another direction. Before long, the canister is full of careening kernels bouncing in every direction.<
Many small business owners like us have a difficult time asking for business. It's not that we don't want the business, but wouldn't it be so nice if people just handed over their money for our product or service rather than our actually having to ask them for it?And this is one of the most common ways that small businesses stay really, really small, and sometimes peeter out altogether. They don't ask for the business, or they don't ask for it often enough to create a successful and sustainable business.Here are 5 easy ways that you can ask for the business that if you implement on a consistent basis will guarantee that your business - and your bottom line - will grow.1. Ask what they want...The #1 way to grow a profitable business is to offer what your targt market wants. And the best way to find that out is to ASK them
That was the title on the seminar brochure I received recently. As I survey some of the forces flowing through our economy, and witness the way in which they effect my clients, I have to agree. The Information Age is certainly one of the most turbulent times business people have ever seen.
And the force causing the greatest turbulence is rapid, unrelenting change. Consider this. In 1900, the total amount of knowledge that mankind had was doubling about every 500 years. Today, it doubles about every two years. And the pace continues to increase. One futurist predicts that today's high school seniors will have to absorb more information in their final year alone than their grandparents did in their entire life.
At the same time that things are changing rapidly, competition is increasing in almost every industry. Foreign competitors have entered our markets, the wave of corporate downsizing has transformed thousands of displaced executives into reluctant entrepreneurs, and the knowledge explosion continues to evidence itself in new technologies that often provide radically different ways of accomplishing some task.
The result?
Burgeoning competition in almost every industry. I have yet to meet an executive who has said, "I have fewer competitors today than I did three years ago." Continually growing numbers of competitors seems to be a characteristic of our economy that we are going to have to live with for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, these forces of rapid change and growing competition have brought a cloud of confusion to CEOs and sales executives trying to grow their businesses.
One common response to this cloud of confusion is what I call "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets off against the side of the popper. A few moments later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in another direction. Before long, the canister is full of careening kernels bouncing in every direction. Hiring - Communicating in the Age of Interaction
Interaction today comes in two ways: human-to- human and human-to-information. As a natural extension of the Information Age, the Interaction Age has come with messaging capabilities and real-time conferencing supplementing office productivity. Yet with all of this technology at our fingertips, it is easy to lose sight of what makes essential and productive communication between team leaders and employees. Of particular concern is the kind of communication that focuses on the upward communication that leads to productivity and high performance.Everyone Has the SkillsAt great companies team leaders actively listen to employees. They also actively encourage employees to talk to each other, customers and to their leaders. The good news is that most people already have the skills to communicate to their team leaders; they simply need to a
At the same time that things are changing rapidly, competition is increasing in almost every industry. Foreign competitors have entered our markets, the wave of corporate downsizing has transformed thousands of displaced executives into reluctant entrepreneurs, and the knowledge explosion continues to evidence itself in new technologies that often provide radically different ways of accomplishing some task.
The result?
Burgeoning competition in almost every industry. I have yet to meet an executive who has said, "I have fewer competitors today than I did three years ago." Continually growing numbers of competitors seems to be a characteristic of our economy that we are going to have to live with for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, these forces of rapid change and growing competition have brought a cloud of confusion to CEOs and sales executives trying to grow their businesses.
One common response to this cloud of confusion is what I call "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets off against the side of the popper. A few moments later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in another direction. Before long, the canister is full of careening kernels bouncing in every direction.<
Radio Program Sounds Good:There was a live concert program in ‘All India Radio’ by a master named “Astavadhani”. The title means that he is capable of listening to eight kinds of sounds.The program started with an auspicious ‘temple bell sound’ and followed by sounds of music with violin, drums, veena, vocal classical music, word by word recitation of a couplet, singing a song etc., All these are carried out by a group of people intermittently. There is no separation of events. However, the program was nice to hear!Listen First And Recall Later:At the end of the program, the master unveils his talent. He starts listing the kinds of music he heard so far. He tells about the intricate details of the rhythms in music. He recalls about the number of times the bell rang during the program.He assembles all
The result?
Burgeoning competition in almost every industry. I have yet to meet an executive who has said, "I have fewer competitors today than I did three years ago." Continually growing numbers of competitors seems to be a characteristic of our economy that we are going to have to live with for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, these forces of rapid change and growing competition have brought a cloud of confusion to CEOs and sales executives trying to grow their businesses.
One common response to this cloud of confusion is what I call "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets off against the side of the popper. A few moments later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in another direction. Before long, the canister is full of careening kernels bouncing in every direction.<
Modern business faces complex problems; management often calls upon highly-specialized consultants to help them address these difficult problems. If you're ever called to help identify these most pressing issues, one of the easiest and quickest ways to start is to talk about the "Red Phone".You know which phone I'm talking about -- it's the red phone that sits on it's own special corner of the desk. Lights flash when it rings; when you answer it, the person on the other end isn't in a good mood, he's not pleased, he thinks everything is your problem and he wants you to fix it! (And ... he's right! It is your problem and you do need to fix it!)What I want to know is -- when this phone rings, 1) Who is it on the other end, and 2) what are they upset about?This spotlights a manager's hot spots, his points of pain. These are t
Unfortunately, these forces of rapid change and growing competition have brought a cloud of confusion to CEOs and sales executives trying to grow their businesses.
One common response to this cloud of confusion is what I call "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets off against the side of the popper. A few moments later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in another direction. Before long, the canister is full of careening kernels bouncing in every direction.<
Most people are attached to their sense of image and style, as we are being fed daily by magazines and TV shows, how fashion and style are expressions of individuality. However, being too attached to what is deemed your individual style, will lead you to using your image ineffectively to build your business.Whether you agree with it or not, people judge others by how they look. Therefore, personal image may be used to create trust at first sight. So it must be well thought out with much care.I have given image seminars where I see people in conservative industries such as finance wearing tops revealing their cleavage, even though they are in a suit. I have seen a career coach wearing an outfit that is more suitable for an artist. Their images are not congruent with their professions.Your image is not just about you. It’s about
One common response to this cloud of confusion is what I call "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets off against the side of the popper. A few moments later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in another direction. Before long, the canister is full of careening kernels bouncing in every direction.
That's my analogy to the way in which many businesses attempt to increase their sales when the temperature created by growing competition gets hot. As the heat of the situation grows, they know they have to do something. Then along comes a good idea and, pop, like a kernel of exploding popcorn, they lunge at the good idea.
The good idea can be anything. Maybe it's a media representative who suggests a new advertisement. That sounds like a good idea. So, "pop" off they go after that. Or it could be a salesperson suggesting that a computer program will solve their problems. That sounds like a good idea, so "pop," off they go after that good idea. Next is an advertising agency suggesting a new brochure. That also sounds good, and "pop," like kernels of corn exploding in every direction, they expend money and energy in short term "good ideas."
Like kernels of popcorn, they frantically chase lots of good ideas hoping that one will be the answer to the marketing problems. The problem is that these good ideas rarely have any relationship to one another. And, they generally present superficial solutions to problems which are often deeper. The company's time and energy is diverted toward these superficial "good ideas," and away from the deeper solutions.
For example, an advertisement in a trade journal may be a superficial solution for a company that does not have a system for identifying qualified prospects. And a new brochure may be a superficial response for an organization that doesn't have feedback mechanism in place to adequately understand its customers.
The unfortunate consequences are often more pressure, more confusion, and mor
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.atriclecheck.com/article/27602/atriclecheck-Popcorn-and-Other-Marketing-Mistakes-In-a-Changing-Economy.html">Popcorn and Other Marketing Mistakes In a Changing Economy</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.atriclecheck.com/article/27602/atriclecheck-Popcorn-and-Other-Marketing-Mistakes-In-a-Changing-Economy.html]Popcorn and Other Marketing Mistakes In a Changing Economy[/url]
Related Articles:
How to Get Your Federal Firearms License
Job Stress - What Can You Do About It?
7 Simple and Inexpensive Steps to Building a Profitable Marketing System
Bookmark it:
|