Wake up! We are in the era of 'show me what you've got.' You can't just afford to be an on-looker.
The wisdom lessons of life are usually learnt in the school of hard knocks. David McNally said ''the mistake riddled life is much richer, more interesting, and more stimulating than the life that has never risked or taken a stand on anything.''
What we learn everyday has a way of affecting our thinking, pampering our emotions, and influencing our will. It thereafter come back to us in our own understandable language; building us up for a more difficult task.
Life is an examination. You cannot pretend to write than you know. It's not a matter of how lengthy your work is, but how quality the solutions proferred are. The world is not out for title holders, but for problem solvers - saviours!
You may be employed based on your resume, but you will advance based on your performance. Your impact matters to this generation, and at least, to your immediate family.
To this end, embrace understanding. Wisdom will promote and honour you. Accept responsibility for what's required. Show keen interest to materials relevant to your career.
Casey said, ''renewing the mind is more than learning; it is changing.''
The purpose of this blog is to give you series of ideas, strategies, and techniques that you can use immediately to make your business and career grow... spontaneously. Click on the COMMENTS link below each article to have your say. Click on the OLDER POSTS link at the bottom of the blog to see more articles. But call +2348055981421 to INVITE Ayokunle Bankole to speak with your seminar audience!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Be an Enthusiast!
Passion is an essential ingredient in a meal of accomplishment. It is the propeller of any must-thrive vision. It is a measurement to ascertaining possible success or failure of a given task or assignment.
You should love your career. Grow a strong interest in your job or profession. In actual fact, be engrossed in it!
A scholar must go beyond 'interest' to having a passion for his course of study before the zeal to study comes.
Remember, passion is a seed. It can be nurtured to grow.
I have a passion so great for my assignment that cannot be erased.
''It is difficult to succeed in an area of life that you are not enthusiastic about. The sales men who sell the best are the ones who are excited about what they are selling.'' Sam Adeyemi.
Certainly, you can keep your passion growing. Get down to work. Do whatever good you love doing always. Make it a hobby. Find new ways of doing it. Love it anyway.
You should love your career. Grow a strong interest in your job or profession. In actual fact, be engrossed in it!
A scholar must go beyond 'interest' to having a passion for his course of study before the zeal to study comes.
Remember, passion is a seed. It can be nurtured to grow.
I have a passion so great for my assignment that cannot be erased.
''It is difficult to succeed in an area of life that you are not enthusiastic about. The sales men who sell the best are the ones who are excited about what they are selling.'' Sam Adeyemi.
Certainly, you can keep your passion growing. Get down to work. Do whatever good you love doing always. Make it a hobby. Find new ways of doing it. Love it anyway.
Are You Keeping Right?
It's almost impossible not to hear people say you should take them for who they are or forget having them for who they are not. Of course, it's good and appealing to display one's instinctive character or behaviour. But, what kind of person are you? Abraham Lincoln counsels, '' Whatever you are, be a good one.''
A guy does all manner of immoralties, yet he says that is the kind of person he is. He has recreated himself - conforming to the dictates of his desires.
The definition of a person can be seen in his habits. More often, our habits form who we are (not who God intended us to be.) God has made nothing natural in us except for our abilities, gifting and talents. ''We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.'' Don't cook up excuses for your unsuitable behaviour. Whatever kind of (good) person you want to be seen in, show it by your actions - your habits will take care of it tomorrow.
A guy does all manner of immoralties, yet he says that is the kind of person he is. He has recreated himself - conforming to the dictates of his desires.
The definition of a person can be seen in his habits. More often, our habits form who we are (not who God intended us to be.) God has made nothing natural in us except for our abilities, gifting and talents. ''We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.'' Don't cook up excuses for your unsuitable behaviour. Whatever kind of (good) person you want to be seen in, show it by your actions - your habits will take care of it tomorrow.
Give What You Are
Millions of people play soccer, but not all are skilful players. Thousands go into art, but not all are creative artist. Many go into business, but not all are leading entrepeneurs. Untold number write books, but not all are prolific writers. The doors of the entertainment industry are flung open every second, but not all are stars in their various field of endeavour.
When the work of a man pleases his talent, it makes his career to be at peace with him! You are meant to enjoy every bit of your career - getting excited, having a flair, and ultimately, thriving.
If your pursuit gives you constant worries, it's an indication that you are not meant for it. Make a u-turn fast. You are one of a kind - designed to glorify your Maker - as only you can.
Remember, imitation is your limitation. Who you are is not synonymous to what you love. You are the gift not the receiver.
When the work of a man pleases his talent, it makes his career to be at peace with him! You are meant to enjoy every bit of your career - getting excited, having a flair, and ultimately, thriving.
If your pursuit gives you constant worries, it's an indication that you are not meant for it. Make a u-turn fast. You are one of a kind - designed to glorify your Maker - as only you can.
Remember, imitation is your limitation. Who you are is not synonymous to what you love. You are the gift not the receiver.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
ESSENCE OF A WELL-POSITIONED BRAND: LESSONS FOR CORPORATE NIGERIA
The word branding is not a relatively new business concept. More than three decades ago, marketing expert Michael J Baker wrote an introductory text on the importance of brands and branding. What is new is the degree of attention and sophistication it has gotten the world over in recent years.
Maybe this has to do with the increased mental clutter in our lives and in the marketplace, which makes it difficult for companies to get across their messages.
“Brands are quickly becoming the basis for most critical business decisions,” an observer noted. Branding is the sum total of whatever a company or an idea represents. For most part of it, branding is as simple as doing the right thing, consistently and clearly.
Today as expected, Nigeria parades herself with her most celebrated brands of all time – her super brands! Indeed, for a few of them, branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over the competition, but it is about getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problems.
While a brand is the uniqueness a customer perceives of an organization or idea; there’s a connection between a brand name [identity], brand image [perception] and brand reputation [respect].
All strong brands depend on, more than anything else, its reputation. In as much as corporate executives try to build a good brand, they ought to be mindful of corporate reputation also. In essence, a good reputation accounts for a good brand.
However, for obvious reasons, Nigerian entrepreneurs are quick at building strong brands to their advantage only to allow them crumble in no distant time, for lack of brand management skill.
I have to admit that I buy UAC's Gala Sausage only, until Leventy's Meaty came along. The experience was always positive and I always had the feeling of that tasty snack with pure beef filling. But where did I think Gala go wrong? Gala lost its unique positioning in the heat of competition. Apart from the sudden change of wrap [which I think I don’t like so much], the sausage in it has become so lean. UAC failed to realize that branding is more than just putting on new clothes. The problem with many of these great brands is that they don’t usually realize the repercussion of their actions and inactions until well after the time and money have been invested or after it is too late.
How many times have you pulled into a company’s parking spot and saw a sign that read, “Parking reserved for xxxx customers only. All others will be tolled,” or “Cars are parked at owners’ risk”? Have you ever met a lousy school proprietor raining indecent words on parents? Or how many times have you had to queue for long hours somewhere, only to be disappointed at the way a customer service officer treated you?
These are all negative branding and reputation at work. We experience it everyday. It affects the way customers perceive us.
Corporate bodies should pay great attention to their messages – spoken or written.
Words do the talking for our business, so it’s worth investing in the best copy we can afford. Unprofessionally written communications and marketing materials can actively work against us, telling potential customers things we didn’t mean to say.
Instead of the stereotyped “Cars are parked at owners’ risk,” why not try something like “While we ensure your vehicles are safe, we don’t accept any risk”? Long but it’s full of great impact.
Our dear economy has suffered from a breakdown resulting from her choice of words. They cost money, but words efficiently applied produce great wealth.
So let’s begin to take a good look at everything we do: our message; our corporate identity; our approach to communicating with clients; our demeanour; our products; our packaging; our advertising and our staff.
Maybe this has to do with the increased mental clutter in our lives and in the marketplace, which makes it difficult for companies to get across their messages.
“Brands are quickly becoming the basis for most critical business decisions,” an observer noted. Branding is the sum total of whatever a company or an idea represents. For most part of it, branding is as simple as doing the right thing, consistently and clearly.
Today as expected, Nigeria parades herself with her most celebrated brands of all time – her super brands! Indeed, for a few of them, branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over the competition, but it is about getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problems.
While a brand is the uniqueness a customer perceives of an organization or idea; there’s a connection between a brand name [identity], brand image [perception] and brand reputation [respect].
All strong brands depend on, more than anything else, its reputation. In as much as corporate executives try to build a good brand, they ought to be mindful of corporate reputation also. In essence, a good reputation accounts for a good brand.
However, for obvious reasons, Nigerian entrepreneurs are quick at building strong brands to their advantage only to allow them crumble in no distant time, for lack of brand management skill.
I have to admit that I buy UAC's Gala Sausage only, until Leventy's Meaty came along. The experience was always positive and I always had the feeling of that tasty snack with pure beef filling. But where did I think Gala go wrong? Gala lost its unique positioning in the heat of competition. Apart from the sudden change of wrap [which I think I don’t like so much], the sausage in it has become so lean. UAC failed to realize that branding is more than just putting on new clothes. The problem with many of these great brands is that they don’t usually realize the repercussion of their actions and inactions until well after the time and money have been invested or after it is too late.
How many times have you pulled into a company’s parking spot and saw a sign that read, “Parking reserved for xxxx customers only. All others will be tolled,” or “Cars are parked at owners’ risk”? Have you ever met a lousy school proprietor raining indecent words on parents? Or how many times have you had to queue for long hours somewhere, only to be disappointed at the way a customer service officer treated you?
These are all negative branding and reputation at work. We experience it everyday. It affects the way customers perceive us.
Corporate bodies should pay great attention to their messages – spoken or written.
Words do the talking for our business, so it’s worth investing in the best copy we can afford. Unprofessionally written communications and marketing materials can actively work against us, telling potential customers things we didn’t mean to say.
Instead of the stereotyped “Cars are parked at owners’ risk,” why not try something like “While we ensure your vehicles are safe, we don’t accept any risk”? Long but it’s full of great impact.
Our dear economy has suffered from a breakdown resulting from her choice of words. They cost money, but words efficiently applied produce great wealth.
So let’s begin to take a good look at everything we do: our message; our corporate identity; our approach to communicating with clients; our demeanour; our products; our packaging; our advertising and our staff.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
ADVERTISING YOUR BUSINESS JUST GOT CHEAPER WITH SMS MARKETING
As an entrepreneur, identifying the marketing tools and strategies that work well for your kind of business is paramount to her overall performance.An enormous marketing budget doesn’t necessarily translate to large sales. It’s effective marketing that generates large amount of sales.
As a small business owner, it’s erroneous to think that until you have a huge advertising or marketing budget, that’s when more sales will flow. Wrong! Doing the right thing for your small business is what matters.
For some months now, I have taken time to study resources on small business and the marketing tools and strategies available to them (without really having to deep your hands too far into the savings). I have applied these principles to my consulting work and it’s working!
CUSTOMISED BULK SMS MARKETING WILL WORK FOR YOU TOO…
Bulk SMS is one of the most effective, yet cheap marketing tool available to a business. Though the use of direct mail and other forms of direct marketing are still in use, SMS marketing has taken the centre stage. Companies now make use of this strategy to inform, educate, advice and promote their products and services to target audience, customers or clients.A well drafted and targeted SMS campaign is able to bring you new businesses, clients, or repeated calls from prospects.
USEFUL TIPS WHEN SENDING A CUSTOMISED BULK SMS…
1. A targeted list of recipients’ number can be more effective than mass marketing. However, you may find new prospects from your mass marketing effort.
2. Make sure you use a sender ID known by your audience, or at least be consistent in the case of a first time. Your sender ID is the name that appears above the message when a recipient receives your message. Your sender ID may be the name of your business or web site, but it must not be more than 11 characters (including space).
3. Avoid ambiguity. Be direct when drafting your ad copy.
4. Make your 160 character message worth reading by always giving the reader useful information.
5. The ad should promise the reader some benefit that will accrue from accepting the ad’s premises.
6. The ad should be persuasive enough to make the reader call you.
7. Put a contact information in the body of the message; for example, your phone or e-mail address.
8. What action do you want from your audience? Is it to call, email, or just visit your site? Or probably you just want to give an information.
9. Don’t merge several ads in one campaign. Make sure to send different messages for different products or services.
10. Don’t bombard your recipients with a lot of sales messages, otherwise they will lose interest in whatever you have to say
As a small business owner, it’s erroneous to think that until you have a huge advertising or marketing budget, that’s when more sales will flow. Wrong! Doing the right thing for your small business is what matters.
For some months now, I have taken time to study resources on small business and the marketing tools and strategies available to them (without really having to deep your hands too far into the savings). I have applied these principles to my consulting work and it’s working!
CUSTOMISED BULK SMS MARKETING WILL WORK FOR YOU TOO…
Bulk SMS is one of the most effective, yet cheap marketing tool available to a business. Though the use of direct mail and other forms of direct marketing are still in use, SMS marketing has taken the centre stage. Companies now make use of this strategy to inform, educate, advice and promote their products and services to target audience, customers or clients.A well drafted and targeted SMS campaign is able to bring you new businesses, clients, or repeated calls from prospects.
USEFUL TIPS WHEN SENDING A CUSTOMISED BULK SMS…
1. A targeted list of recipients’ number can be more effective than mass marketing. However, you may find new prospects from your mass marketing effort.
2. Make sure you use a sender ID known by your audience, or at least be consistent in the case of a first time. Your sender ID is the name that appears above the message when a recipient receives your message. Your sender ID may be the name of your business or web site, but it must not be more than 11 characters (including space).
3. Avoid ambiguity. Be direct when drafting your ad copy.
4. Make your 160 character message worth reading by always giving the reader useful information.
5. The ad should promise the reader some benefit that will accrue from accepting the ad’s premises.
6. The ad should be persuasive enough to make the reader call you.
7. Put a contact information in the body of the message; for example, your phone or e-mail address.
8. What action do you want from your audience? Is it to call, email, or just visit your site? Or probably you just want to give an information.
9. Don’t merge several ads in one campaign. Make sure to send different messages for different products or services.
10. Don’t bombard your recipients with a lot of sales messages, otherwise they will lose interest in whatever you have to say
USE A NEWSLETTER TO HELP CUSTOMERS REMEMBER YOU
Studies show that the average consumer must be exposed to a product six to eight times before making decisions to buy. Publishing a newsletter as part of your marketing campaign can increase the potential profit from existing customers becoming long-term buyers.If you want to keep customers, a newsletter is a must.
The frequency of your publication will really be determined by your area of expertise. A weekly or monthly newsletter allows you to put your business name in front of your customers repeatedly. And your topics will be determined by your area of expertise.
A newsletter, whether in print or via email, is a timeless way to keep customers informed, and thus build a solid customer base. Your customers will appreciate useful information and begin to look forward to receiving your publication.
Follow these five tips to create an effective newsletter for your business:
1. Offer valuable, rich content.
2. Be consistent in frequency.
3. Develop a central theme for your newsletter.
4. Be brief.
5. Have a call to action.
In the production and final copy of your business newsletter, you need skill and common sense. Consult a good copywriter if you need to. Be careful not to jam-pack your newsletter with sales pitches as this will bore your potential and existing customers, and you as well stand the chance of losing credibility on what you might have to say.
The frequency of your publication will really be determined by your area of expertise. A weekly or monthly newsletter allows you to put your business name in front of your customers repeatedly. And your topics will be determined by your area of expertise.
A newsletter, whether in print or via email, is a timeless way to keep customers informed, and thus build a solid customer base. Your customers will appreciate useful information and begin to look forward to receiving your publication.
Follow these five tips to create an effective newsletter for your business:
1. Offer valuable, rich content.
2. Be consistent in frequency.
3. Develop a central theme for your newsletter.
4. Be brief.
5. Have a call to action.
In the production and final copy of your business newsletter, you need skill and common sense. Consult a good copywriter if you need to. Be careful not to jam-pack your newsletter with sales pitches as this will bore your potential and existing customers, and you as well stand the chance of losing credibility on what you might have to say.
HOW TO GET MORE CLIENTS WITH YOUR BUSINESS CARD
As a business person, your business card should be your number source of leads. The business card tells prospective customers/ clients you are a professional who takes business seriously. Nothing beats a business card for a quick, effective promotion.
The business card must feature your legal name and that of your business, contact address, daytime telephone number, email, web site and a description of your business, preferably, at the back of the card.Business cards are increasingly getting sophisticated in quality, design and technology.
Recently, I read of a business card with built-in microchip, which can be accessed on the computer to get more details about the business.However, it baffles me when I receive business cards from "great" business people, then after a while can’t remember the kind of business they do.
Having a description of your products/services on your card saves you the time of having a prospect to find you from his pack of business cards, or be thrown into the waste paper basket.Now that it’s time to make one for your business or NGO, make it worth-keeping. The following tips will help you. Read on…
1. Hire a creative graphics designer.
2. Request for samples of business cards.
3. Go for quality instead of quantity.
4. Make sure your card contains only relevant information.
5. Re-read and edit the information for errors and omissions.
6.Check phone number and other contact details for accuracy.
7.Avoid ambiguity, especially when describing your products/services.
8.Multi-coloured cards can be horrible if colours are not well chosen.
These days, a whole lot of impression comes from the quality of the business card you hand over to someone. Once prospective clients are convinced that your business card is of high quality, they are likely to believe you will give them unmatched products/ services.
Lastly, don’t forget to take your business card everywhere you go – seminars, schools, churches, offices, homes, parks, meetings – everywhere!
The business card must feature your legal name and that of your business, contact address, daytime telephone number, email, web site and a description of your business, preferably, at the back of the card.Business cards are increasingly getting sophisticated in quality, design and technology.
Recently, I read of a business card with built-in microchip, which can be accessed on the computer to get more details about the business.However, it baffles me when I receive business cards from "great" business people, then after a while can’t remember the kind of business they do.
Having a description of your products/services on your card saves you the time of having a prospect to find you from his pack of business cards, or be thrown into the waste paper basket.Now that it’s time to make one for your business or NGO, make it worth-keeping. The following tips will help you. Read on…
1. Hire a creative graphics designer.
2. Request for samples of business cards.
3. Go for quality instead of quantity.
4. Make sure your card contains only relevant information.
5. Re-read and edit the information for errors and omissions.
6.Check phone number and other contact details for accuracy.
7.Avoid ambiguity, especially when describing your products/services.
8.Multi-coloured cards can be horrible if colours are not well chosen.
These days, a whole lot of impression comes from the quality of the business card you hand over to someone. Once prospective clients are convinced that your business card is of high quality, they are likely to believe you will give them unmatched products/ services.
Lastly, don’t forget to take your business card everywhere you go – seminars, schools, churches, offices, homes, parks, meetings – everywhere!
HOW TO NAME A BUSINESS WITH SENSE
There are no established rules for choosing a name for your business. Thefollowing points, however, may serve as a guide when you need to christenone.
1. You need to understand the business activity you are involved in. Get aclearer picture of what you want to achieve, offer or sell. This also involveshaving the "guts" or conviction that what you want to venture into is rightfor you.
2. You need inspiration in choosing a name that is "meant" for you. Businessnames are not "spur of the moment" creations. An understanding of yourbusiness activity is the gateway to choosing the most suitable name, butinspiration gives you the best idea. Organize a brainstorming session withyour colleages, friends and family. In some cases, ideas for a name comeafter a deep sleep or times of being alone - meditating.
3. Have a Thesaurus or at least, a dictionary as guide. List words that have arelationship with your proposed business activity. Compare and contrast thewords you have chosen to find the ones with the perfect match. Single wordsare increasingly difficult to use as business names; therefore, you may haveto try word combination. But be careful when doing this and don't dismissany idea that comes your way.
4. Take note of possible meanings, emotional connotations, and spellings.Marty Blalock noted that products have failed overseas sometimes simplybecause a name may take unanticipated meanings in translation. Example isthe Olympic copier "Roto" in Chile (roto in Spanish means "broken"); theChevy Nova in Puerto Rico (no va means "doesn't go"); the Randan in Japan(randan means "idiot"). Naming a product and a business is communication at its simplestlevel.
5. Welcome an opportunity for criticism. Be open to criticism, especiallywhen it is a constructive one. At times, people you least expected have betterideas that would make you stand out. Don't crucify anyone for not "buying"your idea of a name. Instead, ask for his or her opinion then add it to yourlist.
6. You can't authenticate the availability of your new name until the nameregistry says so. Business naming procedures differ from country to country.So you need an understanding of how the one in your locality works. Seekingthe expertise of professionals is advisable.
7. Goodluck!
1. You need to understand the business activity you are involved in. Get aclearer picture of what you want to achieve, offer or sell. This also involveshaving the "guts" or conviction that what you want to venture into is rightfor you.
2. You need inspiration in choosing a name that is "meant" for you. Businessnames are not "spur of the moment" creations. An understanding of yourbusiness activity is the gateway to choosing the most suitable name, butinspiration gives you the best idea. Organize a brainstorming session withyour colleages, friends and family. In some cases, ideas for a name comeafter a deep sleep or times of being alone - meditating.
3. Have a Thesaurus or at least, a dictionary as guide. List words that have arelationship with your proposed business activity. Compare and contrast thewords you have chosen to find the ones with the perfect match. Single wordsare increasingly difficult to use as business names; therefore, you may haveto try word combination. But be careful when doing this and don't dismissany idea that comes your way.
4. Take note of possible meanings, emotional connotations, and spellings.Marty Blalock noted that products have failed overseas sometimes simplybecause a name may take unanticipated meanings in translation. Example isthe Olympic copier "Roto" in Chile (roto in Spanish means "broken"); theChevy Nova in Puerto Rico (no va means "doesn't go"); the Randan in Japan(randan means "idiot"). Naming a product and a business is communication at its simplestlevel.
5. Welcome an opportunity for criticism. Be open to criticism, especiallywhen it is a constructive one. At times, people you least expected have betterideas that would make you stand out. Don't crucify anyone for not "buying"your idea of a name. Instead, ask for his or her opinion then add it to yourlist.
6. You can't authenticate the availability of your new name until the nameregistry says so. Business naming procedures differ from country to country.So you need an understanding of how the one in your locality works. Seekingthe expertise of professionals is advisable.
7. Goodluck!
TOP 10 MISTAKES ENTREPRENEURS MAKE WHEN CHOOSING A BUSINESS NAME
In this rapidly growing economy, it is commonplace to see businesses in every nooks and crannies of the world. Sole proprietorship is having the highest number of registration. From the home-based entrepreneur to the shop owner, and then the small office consultant, people are taking advantage of the freedom enjoyed in becoming their own boss.Billions of corporate monies are invested yearly in starting new businesses. A visit to the Lagos office of the nation’s registrar of business names, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Lagos buttresses this fact.While it is true that anybody can start up a business of their own, many entrepreneurs have fallen short of the leveraging that accrues from this experience. This, to a large extent, has to do with the disadvantaged names worn by these businesses.
A business does not actually begin by formulating a business plan or opening a bank account. It starts from choosing a name. There’s more to business names than just identity. The right name is an advertising tool. If the name doesn’t describe the nature of your business, potential clients may not realize that you offer something they need.Let’s take a look at the top 10 mistakes to avoid when choosing a business name:
1. NOT KNOWING WHAT KIND BUSINESS YOU ARE IN. It is surprising that some entrepreneurs choose a name with little or no indication of what type of work the organization actually does. Including a descriptive word in your business name can be useful when marketing your products or company. This may be made possible if you have identified what differentiates you from competitors. Take the following examples:Adenix and SonsOne Love EnterprisesJust You ShopCan you tell me what any of these companies do? No! They’re relying on customers already knowing who they are (a tricky proposition for new businesses).
2. USING A NAME THAT IS TOO LONG, DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER, SPELL OR PRONOUNCE. A good name is something that can be mentioned on radio or over the phone without explanation. For example, which of these is easy to remember, " Cee Bayjo Systems Company," and "Loud Media Company"? People will make a quick decision based on their first impression of your business name. Put the name through a spelling test and ask others to spell it. So, choosing a name such as "Lolitoesy" is not a good one.
3. NOT SPENDING QUALITY TIME BRAINSTORMING. Business names are not "spur of the moment" creations. It is the result of possibly long days and nights of brainstorming, digging the Thesaurus for synonyms and antonyms, interrelated words and words that have some kind of relationship with the proposed business activity. The big companies even hire expensive consultants to help them choose the right name for their businesses or products.
4. PROMOTING A NAME WITHOUT TESTING AND CHECKING ITS AVAILABILITY. Once you have chosen a few names, test them out on friends and family, potential clients and everyone you know. Ask them what kind of service they feel you provide and feeling they get about the name. You’ll be surprised at how honestly they give you suggestions. Then you can proceed to check availability at the name registry nearest to you after being convinced it’s best. Don’t waste money on letter heads and complimentary cards trying out a business name already chosen by someone else.
5. CHOOSING WORDS WITH NEGATIVE OR NEUTRAL CONNOTATION. A word’s connotation can be positive, negative or neutral, depending on the emotional associations that people generally make. If you are starting a transport business for instance, you don’t want it to have a weak sounding or negative name, such as "Willow Twig Trucking" or "Kitten Transport". You want a business name that conveys strength and reliability. A choice such as "Stone Creek Transport" would be much better. Remember: Words are powerful.
6. NAMING A BUSINESS AFTER THE FOUNDER OR ANY OTHER PERSON. It is a common tendency for a business to be named after the original founder. This approach can make customers expect the personal attention and care of the owner. Using your name, followed by the type of service works well if you have an already established reputation in your specialty. But, if you are planning to one day sell your company, a company-owner named business is less attractive.
7. NOT CONSIDERING THE FUTURE. Robert Dilenschneider wrote about a public relations person who broadened her services from just writing to media relations and had to change the name of her business from Miller’s Writing Services to Miller’s Communications. Aside brainstorming for ideas, you need foresight in choosing a name. Even if you are operating a highly-niched product, select names that would represent a broader category of your product line.
8. FAILURE TO GET THE RIGHT DOMAIN NAME FOR YOUR BUSINESS. If your business activity is almost 100% online or will do better having an online presence, you may need to consider starting your search by getting a suitable domain name for your website first. In the modern world of the internet, where people automatically turn to the web for information, it pays to have a domain name that reflects your site or business.
9. NOT AVOIDING LAWSUIT. Be unique. The best you can be trying to be someone else is second best. Avoid being a copycat. Using a name similar or identical to that of another business can get you into problems including legal issues. If you call your line of equestrian apparel "Polo Sporting Designs", the holder of the trademark "Polo" - the giant Ralph Lauren - may slap you with a lawsuit.
10. NOT CONSULTING A BUSINESS NAMING EXPERT. While the services of lawyers, chartered accountants and chartered secretaries can be invaluable in the registration of a business name and company, these categories of professionals might not understand the selling and marketing principles that copywriters can use to your advantage. A good copywriter is always looking for ways to help you communicate more effectively to more people.
Send an e-mail to Ayokunle at loudmediacompany@gmail.com for free advice or review of your new or existing business name.
A business does not actually begin by formulating a business plan or opening a bank account. It starts from choosing a name. There’s more to business names than just identity. The right name is an advertising tool. If the name doesn’t describe the nature of your business, potential clients may not realize that you offer something they need.Let’s take a look at the top 10 mistakes to avoid when choosing a business name:
1. NOT KNOWING WHAT KIND BUSINESS YOU ARE IN. It is surprising that some entrepreneurs choose a name with little or no indication of what type of work the organization actually does. Including a descriptive word in your business name can be useful when marketing your products or company. This may be made possible if you have identified what differentiates you from competitors. Take the following examples:Adenix and SonsOne Love EnterprisesJust You ShopCan you tell me what any of these companies do? No! They’re relying on customers already knowing who they are (a tricky proposition for new businesses).
2. USING A NAME THAT IS TOO LONG, DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER, SPELL OR PRONOUNCE. A good name is something that can be mentioned on radio or over the phone without explanation. For example, which of these is easy to remember, " Cee Bayjo Systems Company," and "Loud Media Company"? People will make a quick decision based on their first impression of your business name. Put the name through a spelling test and ask others to spell it. So, choosing a name such as "Lolitoesy" is not a good one.
3. NOT SPENDING QUALITY TIME BRAINSTORMING. Business names are not "spur of the moment" creations. It is the result of possibly long days and nights of brainstorming, digging the Thesaurus for synonyms and antonyms, interrelated words and words that have some kind of relationship with the proposed business activity. The big companies even hire expensive consultants to help them choose the right name for their businesses or products.
4. PROMOTING A NAME WITHOUT TESTING AND CHECKING ITS AVAILABILITY. Once you have chosen a few names, test them out on friends and family, potential clients and everyone you know. Ask them what kind of service they feel you provide and feeling they get about the name. You’ll be surprised at how honestly they give you suggestions. Then you can proceed to check availability at the name registry nearest to you after being convinced it’s best. Don’t waste money on letter heads and complimentary cards trying out a business name already chosen by someone else.
5. CHOOSING WORDS WITH NEGATIVE OR NEUTRAL CONNOTATION. A word’s connotation can be positive, negative or neutral, depending on the emotional associations that people generally make. If you are starting a transport business for instance, you don’t want it to have a weak sounding or negative name, such as "Willow Twig Trucking" or "Kitten Transport". You want a business name that conveys strength and reliability. A choice such as "Stone Creek Transport" would be much better. Remember: Words are powerful.
6. NAMING A BUSINESS AFTER THE FOUNDER OR ANY OTHER PERSON. It is a common tendency for a business to be named after the original founder. This approach can make customers expect the personal attention and care of the owner. Using your name, followed by the type of service works well if you have an already established reputation in your specialty. But, if you are planning to one day sell your company, a company-owner named business is less attractive.
7. NOT CONSIDERING THE FUTURE. Robert Dilenschneider wrote about a public relations person who broadened her services from just writing to media relations and had to change the name of her business from Miller’s Writing Services to Miller’s Communications. Aside brainstorming for ideas, you need foresight in choosing a name. Even if you are operating a highly-niched product, select names that would represent a broader category of your product line.
8. FAILURE TO GET THE RIGHT DOMAIN NAME FOR YOUR BUSINESS. If your business activity is almost 100% online or will do better having an online presence, you may need to consider starting your search by getting a suitable domain name for your website first. In the modern world of the internet, where people automatically turn to the web for information, it pays to have a domain name that reflects your site or business.
9. NOT AVOIDING LAWSUIT. Be unique. The best you can be trying to be someone else is second best. Avoid being a copycat. Using a name similar or identical to that of another business can get you into problems including legal issues. If you call your line of equestrian apparel "Polo Sporting Designs", the holder of the trademark "Polo" - the giant Ralph Lauren - may slap you with a lawsuit.
10. NOT CONSULTING A BUSINESS NAMING EXPERT. While the services of lawyers, chartered accountants and chartered secretaries can be invaluable in the registration of a business name and company, these categories of professionals might not understand the selling and marketing principles that copywriters can use to your advantage. A good copywriter is always looking for ways to help you communicate more effectively to more people.
Send an e-mail to Ayokunle at loudmediacompany@gmail.com for free advice or review of your new or existing business name.
TIPS ON GAINING CUSTOMER LOYALTY FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS
Loyal customers are the foundation of almost every business. Going a step further with your marketing strategies to provide outstanding customer service is the first step to customer loyalty. But there is more:
1. OFFER VALUE-BASED PRODUCTS/SERVICES. They have already bought from you, so providing they had a good experience, they might buy from you again. Getting new customers is more expensive than selling to existing ones. So, by continuing to sell to existing customers, you are really saving yourself some money. They can give you invaluable feedback on how you did. Was your service good enough? Did your product meet their expectations? Was it good value for money?
2. DELIGHT AND EXCEED CUSTOMERS’ EXPECTATIONS. Anyone with half a brain can satisfy customers. Only when business owners keep delighting customers will customers keep coming back. You should aim at exceeding your customers’ expectations on every interaction they have with you. Do this consistently and you will keep having customers for life. You think your loyal customers/clients could benefit from reading your e-book or article you have written? Surprise them and make it a gift!
3. LAVISH PERSONAL ATTENTION ON CUSTOMERS. Learn to lavish personal attention on customers who are going to reciprocate by being consistently good purchasers or your products or services. Give your customers an incentive to share information about themselves that you can use when you contact them next. The more your customers feel as though you are treating them individually, the more likely they are to continue their relationship with you.
4. EMBRACE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK. If you do not know what your customers feel about you, your business, your product or services, then you might as well close your shop. People will endorse your business not because they think it looks good but because they know it is good. If you have problems with your products, customers are the best source of objective advice on how to make an improvement. So, have a process in place where you regularly ask them for feedback. And once they give it to you, let them know how you are going to use it. They will begin to feel involved in your business, and are more likely to send other people your way.
5. REWARD LOYAL CUSTOMERS. Reward your customers for being loyal. It provides a vital link between your business and your customers, improving customer satisfaction and sales. Offer bonus service or product (buy 2 and get a 3rd, free). Render services beyond their expectations. If you own a school, reward certain parents that are consistent in payment of the school fee. Give them discounts, textbooks or gift items.
6. ALWAYS KEEP IN TOUCH. They are most likely to keep buying from you if you have a strong relationship – if they trust you and your products or services. Your “keep in touch” strategy should consider the best method (e-mail, telephone, newsletter, etc); the frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly, event-based) and, what to talk about (your company’s business activity, industry information, tips and hints, useful resources, etc). Keep your newsletter information-based, concise and interesting.
7. GAIN NEW CUSTOMERS FROM EXISTING ONES. At the conclusion of every sale, ask customers if they know if they know of any other people that would be interested in your products or services. Existing customers are your major source of referrals and new businesses. Through them, you get access to new customers who already know about you and have a positive opinion of what you do.
8. APPRECIATE YOUR CUSTOMERS. Thank them for referrals every time. It makes them feel recognized. It reinforces a positive behaviour so that they consider referring to you again. A thank you can be as simple as a hand-written card sent through the mail, a movie ticket, a voucher or even a phone call.Make all these a focus of your marketing efforts and you soon see the rewards come back to you in the form of increased patronage and profit.
Article written by Shina-Ayomi Fasanmi. Tel 08051709424
1. OFFER VALUE-BASED PRODUCTS/SERVICES. They have already bought from you, so providing they had a good experience, they might buy from you again. Getting new customers is more expensive than selling to existing ones. So, by continuing to sell to existing customers, you are really saving yourself some money. They can give you invaluable feedback on how you did. Was your service good enough? Did your product meet their expectations? Was it good value for money?
2. DELIGHT AND EXCEED CUSTOMERS’ EXPECTATIONS. Anyone with half a brain can satisfy customers. Only when business owners keep delighting customers will customers keep coming back. You should aim at exceeding your customers’ expectations on every interaction they have with you. Do this consistently and you will keep having customers for life. You think your loyal customers/clients could benefit from reading your e-book or article you have written? Surprise them and make it a gift!
3. LAVISH PERSONAL ATTENTION ON CUSTOMERS. Learn to lavish personal attention on customers who are going to reciprocate by being consistently good purchasers or your products or services. Give your customers an incentive to share information about themselves that you can use when you contact them next. The more your customers feel as though you are treating them individually, the more likely they are to continue their relationship with you.
4. EMBRACE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK. If you do not know what your customers feel about you, your business, your product or services, then you might as well close your shop. People will endorse your business not because they think it looks good but because they know it is good. If you have problems with your products, customers are the best source of objective advice on how to make an improvement. So, have a process in place where you regularly ask them for feedback. And once they give it to you, let them know how you are going to use it. They will begin to feel involved in your business, and are more likely to send other people your way.
5. REWARD LOYAL CUSTOMERS. Reward your customers for being loyal. It provides a vital link between your business and your customers, improving customer satisfaction and sales. Offer bonus service or product (buy 2 and get a 3rd, free). Render services beyond their expectations. If you own a school, reward certain parents that are consistent in payment of the school fee. Give them discounts, textbooks or gift items.
6. ALWAYS KEEP IN TOUCH. They are most likely to keep buying from you if you have a strong relationship – if they trust you and your products or services. Your “keep in touch” strategy should consider the best method (e-mail, telephone, newsletter, etc); the frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly, event-based) and, what to talk about (your company’s business activity, industry information, tips and hints, useful resources, etc). Keep your newsletter information-based, concise and interesting.
7. GAIN NEW CUSTOMERS FROM EXISTING ONES. At the conclusion of every sale, ask customers if they know if they know of any other people that would be interested in your products or services. Existing customers are your major source of referrals and new businesses. Through them, you get access to new customers who already know about you and have a positive opinion of what you do.
8. APPRECIATE YOUR CUSTOMERS. Thank them for referrals every time. It makes them feel recognized. It reinforces a positive behaviour so that they consider referring to you again. A thank you can be as simple as a hand-written card sent through the mail, a movie ticket, a voucher or even a phone call.Make all these a focus of your marketing efforts and you soon see the rewards come back to you in the form of increased patronage and profit.
Article written by Shina-Ayomi Fasanmi. Tel 08051709424
Public Relations In Nigeria
Every now and then I think of public relations, I ask myself with utmost dismay if indeed practitioners of the profession in Nigeria will increasingly get a seat at the top management – the height of any organization – in years to come.
It is no more news that the public relations profession dates back from the 15th century. And that its activities are widely used and well appreciated in countries like the USA and UK to mention just two.What is however news is that the Nigerian government is never really aware if public relations practitioners do exist in the country, not to talk of patronizing them! It is disheartening also to hear corporate executives talk down on public relations people. You hear such comments like "What exactly are public relations functions in an organization?" or "How does a public relations job fit into our corporate goal of maximizing profit?"
This cold disposition shows an inadequate orientation on the objects, scope and roles of public relations in industry.In a recent study of the US bureau of labour statistics, about 700,000 jobs were held by advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers in 2002. It was observed that sales managers held almost half of the jobs (343,000); while marketing managers held more than one-fourth (203,000). Advertising and promotions managers held 85,000; and public relations managers held only 69,000 of the total jobs.
The result of the study above is a crystal clear indication of the low recognition corporate executives the world over place on this highly priced profession.From my point of view, I believe this misunderstanding and skepticism of public relations role can be attributed to the fact that many of the traditional corporate executives had a management background which placed little or no emphasis on public relations or reputations management. Many CEOs are ignorant of what a public relations function is, and what it is not.
A look at the educational curriculum for social and management sciences department of many higher institutions in Nigeria shows dearth of requisite courses in Public Relations. A typical example is the department of Business Administration of Olabisi Onabanjo University, BUS 407 (Promotional Management 1) is the only course one would notice a Public Relations mention. And, you need to know the worst of it all: It is an elective! (I guess for students who specialize in Marketing.)This perhaps is the reason heads of both marketing and public relations department dispute over the right to plan and present communication strategies.
The public relations practitioner is faced also with a similar problem. As a result of his narrow exposure to management principles and techniques, he lacks managerial and administrative skills that modern CEOs look out for. Public Relations courses are often housed in a journalism, mass communications or communications department which makes it difficult. (But, that is not to say it can’t be found in a business school.)
As Chief Bob Ogbuagu, an expert in public relations sums it up: Broaden the base of the training of public relations people so that they’ll do a bit of accounts, do a bit of everything because when you become a manager, really your profession is not strictly what you do.The pressure is on public relations people to acquire sound managerial skills.
Though effective writing is absolutely a critical skill; judgment may be the most important single qualification needed in their field; the capacity to think analytically under pressure; confidence, sensitivity, organizing and planning ability may be the hallmark of a public relations training; nevertheless, management skills are invaluable for successful climbing the public relations ladder.
For a career in Public Relations, a university or polytechnic degree or diploma respectively is essential, and a basic grounding in the liberal arts is strongly recommended. The practitioner need give it a thought also on earning a degree (probably a master’s) in Management, Administration or Business, and attending short training courses or certification programmes related to his field and specialization in order to remain relevant in this highly competitive job market.
Further more, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) should fight for more Public Relations courses to be taught in the social and management departments of institutions of higher learning and ensure only professionals teach those courses.Conclusively, every true public relations practitioner has a role to play in this revolution.
All hands must be on desk to ensure her rightful place in the society. Public relations professionals are role models. Once, the simple operation of publicity today has emerged as an important management function. Gone are the days when public relations executives are pegged at the manager level. The public relations head should hold strategic positions like vice president, assistant general manager, deputy managing director, or even managing director/CEO status.It is high time practitioners equipped themselves with the required training and skills in order not to be relegated to incidental activities in corporate hierarchy.
It is no more news that the public relations profession dates back from the 15th century. And that its activities are widely used and well appreciated in countries like the USA and UK to mention just two.What is however news is that the Nigerian government is never really aware if public relations practitioners do exist in the country, not to talk of patronizing them! It is disheartening also to hear corporate executives talk down on public relations people. You hear such comments like "What exactly are public relations functions in an organization?" or "How does a public relations job fit into our corporate goal of maximizing profit?"
This cold disposition shows an inadequate orientation on the objects, scope and roles of public relations in industry.In a recent study of the US bureau of labour statistics, about 700,000 jobs were held by advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers in 2002. It was observed that sales managers held almost half of the jobs (343,000); while marketing managers held more than one-fourth (203,000). Advertising and promotions managers held 85,000; and public relations managers held only 69,000 of the total jobs.
The result of the study above is a crystal clear indication of the low recognition corporate executives the world over place on this highly priced profession.From my point of view, I believe this misunderstanding and skepticism of public relations role can be attributed to the fact that many of the traditional corporate executives had a management background which placed little or no emphasis on public relations or reputations management. Many CEOs are ignorant of what a public relations function is, and what it is not.
A look at the educational curriculum for social and management sciences department of many higher institutions in Nigeria shows dearth of requisite courses in Public Relations. A typical example is the department of Business Administration of Olabisi Onabanjo University, BUS 407 (Promotional Management 1) is the only course one would notice a Public Relations mention. And, you need to know the worst of it all: It is an elective! (I guess for students who specialize in Marketing.)This perhaps is the reason heads of both marketing and public relations department dispute over the right to plan and present communication strategies.
The public relations practitioner is faced also with a similar problem. As a result of his narrow exposure to management principles and techniques, he lacks managerial and administrative skills that modern CEOs look out for. Public Relations courses are often housed in a journalism, mass communications or communications department which makes it difficult. (But, that is not to say it can’t be found in a business school.)
As Chief Bob Ogbuagu, an expert in public relations sums it up: Broaden the base of the training of public relations people so that they’ll do a bit of accounts, do a bit of everything because when you become a manager, really your profession is not strictly what you do.The pressure is on public relations people to acquire sound managerial skills.
Though effective writing is absolutely a critical skill; judgment may be the most important single qualification needed in their field; the capacity to think analytically under pressure; confidence, sensitivity, organizing and planning ability may be the hallmark of a public relations training; nevertheless, management skills are invaluable for successful climbing the public relations ladder.
For a career in Public Relations, a university or polytechnic degree or diploma respectively is essential, and a basic grounding in the liberal arts is strongly recommended. The practitioner need give it a thought also on earning a degree (probably a master’s) in Management, Administration or Business, and attending short training courses or certification programmes related to his field and specialization in order to remain relevant in this highly competitive job market.
Further more, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) should fight for more Public Relations courses to be taught in the social and management departments of institutions of higher learning and ensure only professionals teach those courses.Conclusively, every true public relations practitioner has a role to play in this revolution.
All hands must be on desk to ensure her rightful place in the society. Public relations professionals are role models. Once, the simple operation of publicity today has emerged as an important management function. Gone are the days when public relations executives are pegged at the manager level. The public relations head should hold strategic positions like vice president, assistant general manager, deputy managing director, or even managing director/CEO status.It is high time practitioners equipped themselves with the required training and skills in order not to be relegated to incidental activities in corporate hierarchy.
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