Friday 16 December 2011

Famous Marketing Quotes


I thought I would share some of my all time favorite marketing quotes with you all, feel free to add some of your own favorite quotes to this thread!

"The things we fear most in organizations - fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances - are the primary sources of creativity."
Margaret J. Wheatley

"It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required."
Sir Winston Churchill


"Strive for excellence, not perfection."
H. Jackson Brown Jr.

"Without passion, you don't have energy; without energy, you have nothing. Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion."
Donald Trump

"If you don't see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner."
Zig Ziglar

"All of us perform better and more willingly when we know why we're doing what we have been told or asked to do."
Zig Ziglar

"Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising."
Mark Twain

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."
Eddie Robinson

"Advertising is the ability to sense, interpret... to put the very heart throbs of a business into type, paper and ink."
Leo Burnett

"Advertising is the life of trade."
Calvin Coolidge

David Ogilvy

"What really decides consumers to buy or not to buy is the content of your advertising, not its form."
David Ogilvy

"The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice."
George Eliot

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
Thomas A. Edison

"A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power."
Brian Tracy

"You can have the best product or service in the world, but if people don't buy - it's worthless. So in reality it doesn't matter how wonderful your new product or service is. The real question is - will they buy it?"
Noel Peebles

"The sole purpose of marketing is to sell more to more people, more often and at higher prices. There is no other reason to do it."
Sergio Zyman

"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it."
William Arthur Ward

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
Robert Collier

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow."
Albert Einstein

"It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
Gerard Patrick Roeling

"Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice."
Anton Chekhov

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"The best way to predict the future is to create it."
Peter Drucker

"You now have to decide what 'image' you want for your brand. Image means personality. Products, like people, have personalities, and they can make or break them in the market place."
David Ogilvy

"Every advertisement should be thought of as a contribution to the complex symbol which is the brand image."
David Ogilvy

"If you don't believe in your product, or if you're not consistent and regular in the way you promote it, the odds of succeeding go way down. The primary function of the marketing plan is to ensure that you have the resources and the wherewithal to do what it takes to make your product work."
Jay Levinson

"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself."
Peter F. Drucker

"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance."
Will Durant

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."
Thomas Jefferson

"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work."
Aristotle

All the best,

The Marketing of Christ;How churches apply the 7P's of service marketing

Marketing is an unfamiliar concept for many nonprofit organizations especially churches. However I have been observing churches lately. Their  understand of marketing is more than just the old sense of making a winning a new member or obtaining a donation but rather retaining their ‘customer’ by providing value to him or her. Churches have been opening in Nairobi rapidly, on top of any new business malls others are opening up or sub branches of churches that have been existent. Others are spreading their wings regionally to tap into other areas that have massive potential. The corporate church targets the growing middle class population, which is hungry for success, dominance and wealth.
 This is when I looked at basically how churches in Nairobi are applying the 7Ps of service marketing.
Product.
The product here is intangible. Basically this is what brings you to the church and what the church offers you spiritually, mentally and psychologically. Some churches have services for the teens, youths, middle aged people, special services and seminars for women, men, kids..etc. This helps the church differentiate itself from the other one. Successful churches have different products to target various groups of consumers in their target market. Churches today offer snacks, counseling services and address emerging issues such as investment, business breakfast networking meetings, dinners and such just to make sure the members get to know each other.

Pricing.
Being a church, I would say this is what you give back to God or the pastor for his services. Some bigger churches with a sizeable congregation of well off people make around 2M per Sunday. NPC, ridgeways Baptist…do such every Sunday. The ability to position the church to a specific market will determine its success. However even the middle class and the poor all give to God. A growing number are also promising great breakthroughs and instant miracles to the low income bracket segment, people have been told to plant ‘seeds’ so that God answers their prayers and now with all the technology, you can send your offering via MPESA & ZAP.


Promotion.
Some of the promotional strategies some churches have adopted here are through learning to write news releases and sending them regularly to the local media outlets. Getting the word out through fliers and brochures, Public Service Announcements which many Christian Radio Stations offer, and local involvement in areas where your target audience. Churches are now offering sermons on DVD in case you missed a service. Well off churches can afford to pull up a billboard in a strategic location to pass the message.TV stations and FM radio have pastors who pay up to broadcast their sermons, every serious church is doing this today. Churches and pastors too have websites, regularly updated, very active on social media to engage the online congregation and keep them posted on your progress and whatever the church is up to.
Placement.
This is basically the location.
Churches have taken the time to write down characteristics, demographics and any information they can to identify their target group. This helps them set up churches in places that are convenient and accessible to their target clientele; with this they will be able to connect and communicate to the people they want to reach. Churches are buying huge chunks of land on prime areas such as kiambu road and setting up state of the art churches to tap into a certain group. The churches in the down town Nairobi also having massive following because they are also very convenient and accessible to certain people. Look at the Helicopter of Christ? Some churches are expanding to other regions like Nakuru, Kisumu and Mombasa that are experiencing rapid growth in infrastructure and in population. With the devolved government churches with enough financial muscle may open up branches in each county. TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE PEOPLE!
People.
The people represent the ministry. An essential ingredient to any service provision is the use of appropriate staff and people. Recruiting the right staff and training them appropriately in the delivery of their service is essential if the organization wants to obtain a form of competitive advantage. Consumers make judgments and deliver perceptions of the service based on the employees they interact with. Staff should have the appropriate interpersonal skills, aptitude, and service knowledge to provide the service that consumers are paying for. Churches now have warm ushers, ever smiling just to show you around, get you a sit and ensure you are comfortable. Churches have invested heavily on proper staff, Youth pastors, counselors, and trainers etc to deliver the right service to the congregation.

Process
Refers to the systems used to assist the organization in delivering the service. In some churches we have  tea for first time visitors as opposed to back in the days when tea was for the pastor and his wife and guests. Other churches provide snacks, water or maybe fruits to their congregation during sermons. The process in which the service is delivered is of utmost importance to the church however varies from one church to the other church

Physical evidence.
This tangible evidence helps deliver the service element. Creates an impression of the church, its corporate image and its meant to be appealing to  the target congregation or market. Churches have adopted latest equipment for worship and gospel especially to appeal to the sensitive middle class and a growing population of urban dwellers who think church is boring just to make it ‘cool’ for them. Pastors in some well off churches use tablets to deliver their sermons. Sermons and songs are also projected on walls to make it easy for everyone to follow through.The seats are also comfortable and well maintained. We have neatly arranged seminar rooms and offices for the pastors.

Thursday 8 December 2011

Unique Customized Jewellery

Ring with a dog Paw Design
Bangles with an individual's name
Customised belt buckle

We customize Chains,Bracelets,bangles,belt buckles,Wedding rings,pedants and corporate gifts and engrave logos,names of spouses,kids,car plate number,name of your business on jewelery.We also metal decorations for interior design.
Specialized metal plates for souping up vehicles,offices and hotels.
Our designs are unique,state of the art and our prices are rock bottom.We have a range of designs to choose from,we also turn your idea to a design and finally put it on gold,bronze,silver or platinum.
Our Prices are very fair,from 500 shillings you can get a customized item.
Call 0724215977 or email flamezartzdesigns@gmail.com
Customised Seat plaquess for Mash Auto

Bangles


Customised pedant




 

Why UAP insurance SalamaSure Personal Accident cover will FAIL terribly

UAP's new personal Accident cover
Today we focus on an insurance product set to be launched in the market by UAP insurance company. Salamasure is a unique personal accident insurance cover from UAP covering injury or loss of life resulting from accident.
The policy covers Accidental loss of life, permanent disability, medical expenses incurred as a result of the accidental injury, last expense incurred for funeral arrangements and cost of artificial appliances like wheel chairs to the insured amount
Unlike other insurance products all you need to sign up for this product is just a phone by dialling *827# and follow the simple instructions. Premiums shall be paid via M-pesa pay bill number. Claims also shall be reported and paid via Mpesa.
Diana from UAP and Mr Mudibo from Forward Vision Commucations visited the University of Nairobi to seek partnerships with professional clubs in the university as they roll out the product. Forward vision communications probably handles media buying, placement and relations and PR  for UAP. I listened keenly through the presentation and I analyzed the product to come up with this blog post.I still have a major issue of their multi level/marketing way of paying the agents. The hustle of signing up one person will get you 5bob,if the client pays the first premium you earn an extra 15 bob. With every renewal the agent earns 5bob per client he/she brought on board. I reserve my comments on that; however I feel the remuneration isn’t attractive enough to get university students to work motivated for that kind of pay. Its kabete PESA!!The School of Business!!!

These were my views after analyzing the product’s strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities for UAP as well the threats and what every department needs to check before they roll out the product.
SALES AND MARKETING.
Salamasure being a product targeted at the mass market needs a lot of visibility on print, radio and TV media. However being an insurance product a few factors were overlooked. The market you are targeting is peculiar and special in its way. This segment of the market comprises mainly of late adopters. They do not take up products quickly, wait and watch what other people are doing. Do not expect product adoption and diffusion to happen immediately
Secondly you have to have a physical location near these people in every corner of this country. Look at equity bank, the bulk of their customers are the mass market, Equity banks’ internet and Mobile banking services haven’t done well because these people want things explained to them, they need a location where they can go and ask questions and get answers. In short I am saying Salamasure will not succeed if people are going to transact via the mobile phone!!! Not an insurance product!!!This market needs paper work, they need to sign papers to feel that they are part of a deal. They need evidence! It shall become an uphill task when people just sign up via a phone, make claims on phone, get payment via phone….the convenience you are offering these people isn’t what attracts them to a product. The rich, busy professionals and businessmen will gladly adopt this and sign up. They will love it for the speed and efficiency. Look at equity bank, Long queues, these people look for an interaction with their service providers. They have ATM cards but still a bulk of them will queue just to check their account balance other than checking on the ATM or using the SMS banking to check their balances from home. Look at Equity bank’s agency banking, it’s a hit!!!A revenue model  that has turned to a cash cow. Why? Because their customers want that contact. Being insurance product you have to put in place a distribution network and locations next to the people. You have to leverage on either safaricom or Equity bank’s network and goodwill in that market. For equity bank you may use their banking halls as pay points or agents for this product, or even post offices country wide. For safaricom you may get them into a deal where all their M-pesa agents become SALAMA SURE agents and people can sign up from them. The idea of using matatu saccos as another network to push the product is a great idea. This will roll out the product to the masses in a short while!!Kudos. The product also needs a lot of experiential marketing, UAP as brand needs to interact a lot with the masses as part of the roll out. Placing adverts in the media will not work for this target market. Differentiated targeting has to be employed and communicated on promotions and advertisements during the roll out.
This product could be a game changer in the insurance industry if well marketed!
This could be a revolutionary product, an award winner if the idea is refined a bit and you brought the right partners on Board.

PR AND COMMUNICATIONS
The launch strategy has to have a solid communications department to handle customer complaints, claims and misinformation. UAP’s strategy of using independent ‘agents’ like university students and other opinion leaders in our villages is a major risk. Students for example are bound to give false promises to the public in order to sign up more people to make a few more bucks. This will give rise to a major crisis when the public makes claims on false promises. Secondly the mass market is mainly comprised of the not so uneducated people. These people will launch claims on events not covered by the policy hence there has to be a proper team in place to handle such factors and keep the good image UAP.

Despite the above, I will keenly watch this product’s uptake in the market, check out for customers fears and resistances. I am so interested at how this works for UAP.
All the Best UAP.
For feedback
muthurikinyamu@gmail.com
Steve on twitter
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Wednesday 7 December 2011

Marketing society of Kenya.

MSK CEO Francis Wachira
             
OUR HISTORY
MSK started as the advertising society of Kenya in 1977.  It became the Marketing Society of Kenya in 1977. The first chairperson was Nigel Crouch, then the MD of Cadbury Schweppes. MSK’s vision is to be the recognized professional authority setting and maintaining world class standards for Marketing being  the force behind business in Kenya and beyond.The Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK), is a membership organization whose main objectives are to:
  • Develop a deeper knowledge of marketing through training opportunities
  • Provide services to members and registered students
  • Make the principles and practices of marketing widely known and effectively used throughout the industry
  • Offer a platform for self regulation for practicing marketers.
MSK’s membership categories include
CATEGORY                                                                     HONORIFIC                         CURREN T FEES
 
1.  Corporate member (platinum)                   (CPMSK)                                Registration Fees      Kshs 50,000 (one off)
                                                                                                                                     Annual Subscription         Kshs 25,000
                                      
2.  Corporate member (gold)                            (CGMSK)                               Registration Fees           Kshs 30,000 (one off)
                                                                                                                                     Annual Subscription        Kshs 15,000

3.  Full Member                                                       (MMSK)                                Registration Fees             Kshs 8,000 (one off)
                     Annual Subscription         Kshs 5,000

4.  Associate member                                           (AMSK)                                Registration Fees            Kshs 6,000 (one off
                                                                                                                                      Annual Subscription         Kshs 4,000

5.  Student Members                                                                                                Ksh 1,000

Sokoni monthly the official magazine of the marketing society of Kenya is supposed to be published monthly however that isn’t the case. The last issue of the magazine was done in June this year.
The society has mtandariko; which is MSK’s networking brand. The monthly event happens every third Wednesday of the month. Through this medium MSK makes available a forum for marketers to meet in a relaxed manner interact. The event takes different forms of venue, programme, activities layout all to ensure the event doesn’t become boring. The last one was held on the last week of September at the KWS club Nairobi National park.
Apart from the mtandariko MSK has other events such as the MSK jadili, The annual Gala/MSK warrior awards which rewards top marketers and organisation, fun day, small groups forums, retreats, excursions quiz nite and exhibitions.
MSK also offers short marketing courses, one day seminars, and the MSK executive diploma

Francis wachira's book









Tuesday 6 December 2011

Career paths in Marketing


Is a Career in Marketing for you?
Marketing often appeals to not only creative thinkers, but also numbers-minded statisticians. While many jobs in marketing are appealing keep in mind that you must be willing to work long hours and not mind working evenings and/or weekends. You must be able to work well under pressure and thrive off meeting deadlines and goals that are set. These positions call for substantial travel.
Here are some of the career paths one may take.
Market Research
Market Research involves researching the intended target. That target can be companies or individuals. In order for a company to capture a market it must first be able to understand that market. Research involves the first process of understanding the consumer, what their needs are, what their purchasing habits are, and how they view themselves in relation to the rest of the world.
Is Market Research the Career Track for You?
The ideal candidate for a market research position is a person who possesses both qualitative and quantitative analytical ability, because the job depends on your ability to gather data from human subjects, crunch numbers, and interpret the results accurately.


Brand Management
Brand management is the career track you hear about most often. It is the key function in the consumer products industry. Brand managers are always focused on the big picture. It is their job to distill the brand's essence, map out their competitors in their brand's category, identify marketing opportunities, and be able to effectively communicate the unique benefits of that product or service. They are also responsible for guiding the market research team by setting the agenda and criteria and also selecting the stimuli, such as product-benefit statement, pictures, product samples, and video clips. Once the research is complete it is the brand manager's job to analyze the data that's been collected then develop a marketing strategy.
This marketing strategy may call for a new ad campaign, development of new products, or drawing out a new vision for the brand. It is also then the brand manager's job to ensure that other functions such as promotions, market research, research and development, and manufacturing are orchestrated to implement the strategy that they have developed.
Personal attributes favourable for this career?
Careers in product and brand management tend to attract high potential, well motivated individuals who can accept broad responsibilities easily and with little supervision, communicate well with other people, are willing to do some traveling, and thrive on constant change. Starting salaries are good, with career and compensation advancement based on achievement.
Advertising
If you decide that Advertising is the career track you wish to pursue you will find that advertisers work with all aspects of marketing from strategy to concept to the execution of the strategy.
You will find that most jobs on the business side of advertising include Account Management, Account Planners, and Media Buyers.
Account managers act as the liaison between the agency's various departments and the client. Their job is to manage the execution of ads by making sure that they are created within the allocated schedule and budget. Account Planners focus more on the consumer. Their job is to conduct research on demographics of the targeted consumers. They use that research to get to know what motivates their behavior in the marketplace. The job of the Media Buyer is to find media to place ads in. They use the demographic study that is done by the Account Planner to decide the best possible place to purchase ad space.
Is the Advertising Career Track for You?
Careers in advertising involve variety, compensation based on performance, creativity, travel, satisfaction from seeing ones' personal accomplishments, and contact with others. Advertising jobs are found in advertising agencies, media organizations, advertising departments in business firms, non­profit organizations, and marketing research firms. The major career paths in advertising are
  • Advertising Managers& Sales Director
  • Account Executives& Planners
  • Media Director
  • Media Coordinator
  • Media Buyers
  • Creative designers
  • Media researchers.
Promotions
It is not uncommon to find a dedicated promotions team in marketing firms. This team works on creating programs that unite advertising to purchase incentives such as special discounts, coupons, samples, gifts with purchase, rebates, and sweepstakes. In order to promote these programs the promotion team will often use direct mail, telemarketing, in-store displays, advertisements, product endorsements, or special kick-off events. Creativity and judgment are highly valued.
Positions available in Promotions:
  • Promotions Director
  • Promotions Assistant
Public Relations
It is the responsibility of the Public relations department to manage the communication with the media, consumers, employees, investors, and the general public. They are considered the spokespeople for the company. They will often write press releases to promote new products or to keep the investment community informed of business partnerships, financial results, or other company news. If they are based out of media relations they will spend their time responding to information requests from journalist or pitch stories to the media.
The job and oath that a Public Relations employee often takes is to portray the company in a flattering light, uphold its public image in a crisis, generate a positive buzz around its company and business practices, and of course to publicize its products and services successfully.
Is the PR for You?
In order to do well in Public relations you must have strong communication skills, the ability to articulate both with the written and spoken word, be able to understand a variety of people, be confident, and be able to learn quickly what your clients do in order to communicate their messages effectively. Public Relations professionals should also be quick thinkers and persuasive as well as have an outgoing personality and be will to be assertive.
Positions available in Public Relations:
  • Account Coordinator or Public Relations Coordinator
  • Account Executive
  • Media Relations
  • Director, Vice-President
  • Government PR Departments
  • PR Consultant

 Other careers in the marketing field are;
Sales
Merchandising
Experiential marketing
E-marketing and social media marketers