SubscribeHow Hurtful is your product or service offering?
by Himanshu Jhamb, October 5, 2009
When we design a product or a service offering, we primarily consider how it will help our customers. We may be biased towards our own creations and tend to not analyze how it could hurt our customers. It could be a design flaw that hurts the fundamental concerns of our our customers that make the product instantly undesirable. These are more defined and are simpler to address. If your offering crosses this minimum threshold, it is open to cost-benefit analysis. more…
Branding – Branding is a balancing act
by Laura Lowell, October 5, 2009
Companies may come up with brilliant branding strategies – at least on paper. But they run into obstacles when implementing the strategy, i.e., the tactics. The reverse is also true – companies may spend so much on tactics, that they lose sight of the strategy. The key is to align the tactics with the strategy so that everything is in support of the brand. more…
What makes an Attractive Strategic Acquisition in your Industry? – Just Ask.
by Steve Popell, October 6, 2009
In order to make your company attractive for a strategic acquisition, you need to know what an attractive strategic acquisition in your industry is. Can you just walk up to a key acquisition executive and ask? Well, not exactly. In this article, Steve discusses how to gain this knowledge and use it to implement your strategy. more…
Branding – Consistency, Consistency, Consistency
by Laura Lowell, October 6, 2009
In the world or Real Estate, it is all about “Location, Location, Location”. Similarly, in the world of marketing, it’s all about “Consistency, Consistency, Consistency”. Once you have formulated your branding strategy, you need a clear and concise message that resonates with the customer. This message should be consistently conveyed through all marketing channels and integrated into your brand and into every customer touch point. more…
Be Open and Honest with your Salespeople and Reduce the Politics
by Robert Driscoll, October 7, 2009
Some famous person said “If you don’t like politics, be a dog”. Politics is an essential part of being human. Based on how you handle politics, it can make or break your career. Similarly, if politics in sales organizations are not handled properly, it can make or break companies. Read this article on tips to reduce or eliminate politics in your sales organization and save your company. more…
Branding – Don’t get caught in the hype!
by Laura Lowell, October 7, 2009
There are a variety of channels to deliver your message to your customers. There is an explosion of new trends like Twitter, vlogs, etc. However, these things are useful only if they are being used by your target audience. It is critical to the success of your brand that you identify customer-preferred communication vehicles and prioritize those above things that are “really hot” at the moment. While they may be the latest fad, they might not generate the results you want. more…
Listen for the action, test the speak
by Guy Ralfe, October 8, 2009
In spite of all the technological and educational advances we humans have made, meeting of the minds is still very much an issue. It is not uncommon to walk out of meetings and each person gets out with a totally different interpretation of what transpired. This causes great inefficiencies and adds tremendous costs to our operations. Read this article and learn about tips to avoid these situations. more…
Branding – Get the mix right!
by Laura Lowell, October 8, 2009
Constituting an optimal mix of marketing channels is part art and part science. The art lies in understanding the nuances between the different marketing vehicles, how to craft copy tailored to the marketing vehicle, and how to combine copy with creative for the optimal impact. The science lies in the measurement and tracking of the effectiveness of various vehicles at delivering your message to the target audience in the context of the stated communications objectives. Read this article to learn about what determines the right mix and what vehicles to use for what purpose. more…
Dirty Dozen #1 – Luck
by Rajesh Setty, October 9, 2009
This is the first article in a 12 part series by Rajesh Setty, mentor of Active Garage. For this series, Rajesh has chosen 12 words to notice and eliminate (or reframe) that might be hurting us. The first word in this series is Luck. By attributing “luck” as one of the key factors in the success of others, you dilute all that would have gone into creating that success. You almost make it seem like if you too had that “luck,” you too would have been way more successful. Read this article and listen to Rajesh too, to learn how to stop chasing luck. more…