The Worst Presentation Sins And How To Avoid Them

Hundreds of thousands of meetings are held every day be it in business, private and social environments. During our lifetime we will attend many and on some occasions we will be the person who speaks in front of the audience. In such occasion our success depends on our ability to present ourselves clearly and in the interest of the listener. Following are some of the worst presentation sins and ways to avoid them.

1) Never, ever read your speech! Unless you are very practised in this your voice will be monotonous and put people asleep. Practise until you know your beginning sentence, the ending and the main point of your speech by heart and then deliver from the heart with conviction and sincerity. A few deep breath if you are nervous won't hurt.

2) Droning on when the topic is exhausted - If you are not clear what the purpose of your message is you might try desperately to get points across that you are not even clear on yourself. To avoid that make sure you can state your message in one short clear sentence before you prepare your speech or presentation and work towards keeping that message clear.

3) Hammering your points in - Sometimes we want to get a point across and instead of using different examples we just hammer the point across, again and again until we believe the audience must have gotten the message. Using real life examples to illustrate our point will be much more efficient and more fun too.

4) Looking either at the lectern or ceiling instead of your audience. Nerves can make our eyes glue to the lectern or up on the ceiling as if looking for divine inspiration. The result is that your audience feels left out, unimportant to you and within a short time span will lose interest. Make sure you keep eye contact with the room looking slowly from side to side actually stopping to look into the eyes of some people in the audience.

5) Confusing your audience - Give them key points that they can digest easily and eliminate conflicting messages and jargon. Use vocabulary everyone can understand and repeat your main message during your presentation several times.

6) Boring your audience - Package the information with vocal variety and pitch, active body language and style to make it interesting. Be honest and lively and always well prepared!

7) Lacking passion - Believe in your message and let them know how much you believe in it. Passion is captivating, contagious and more convincing than logic. Whether your presentation is "perfect" or not if you are passionate about it the message will come across.

8) Insulting your audience - Talk to them and with them - but not down to them. Don't make jokes about the audience. Don't assume that you know more than they do or that you know what they think.

9) Information overload - K.I.S.S. - Keep It Short and Simple. Give them what they need to know to be able to do what you want them to do. Don't overload them with too many details.

10) Too many slides - Many presenters seem to confuse quantity with quality. Visual aids are there to reinforce your message but neither your PowerPoint slides nor other visual aids will rescue you from a poor presentation. Your enthusiasm will always be your best messenger.

11) Being inflexible and unapproachable - make your audience part of your speech. Ask them questions they can answer by raising their arm or ask rhetoric questions that you give an answer to yourself but which will get your audience thinking too.

A speech or a presentation is not about you. It is about the message and the better you can get your message across the more successful your presentation or speech will be.

Jim Rohn said: "Always be your best. You never know who is in the audience." No matter if you have an audience of one or one thousand if you are well prepared and speak from the heart your audience will respect you for your effort and love you for sharing the emotion.

About the author:

Barbara Hofmeister is the Author of several Self Development Workbooks and numerous practical Articles. She is a renowned Speaker and Trainer and has her own Coaching and Mastermind Program at http://www.trainingvisions.com with the free weekly INSIGHT newsletter.

6 Tips To Manage Anger Problems Fast!

Do you find yourself increasingly frustrated with others? Is your anger causing problems in your relationships or at work? Here are 6 simple things you can do to manage anger problems fast.

1. Leave the situation for a few minutes to calm down.

Make an excuse, any excuse and just get out of the room where you are feeling angry. While you are gone try and calm down by reminding yourself that getting angry and making a scene is not going to help you in the long run. If you are really angry and feel like you are going to lose control tell the boss you feel sick and need to go home for the day. Time out from the problem, even for a few minutes can help you to stay calm and in control.

2. Change the subject.

If possible change the topic of the conversation to something else. It is fine to say "Look I am not ready to discuss that right now. I will think about it and we can talk again tomorrow" Then move on to another topic of conversation. You can do this by asking someone else a question. This way they will start talking and it will give you a break. It may be as simple as saying "What did you think of the game the other night?" Then let them talk while you clam down.

3. Do some abdominal breathing exercises.

This is a great way to reduce angry feelings. For this to be successful you need to learn and practice the breathing exercises when you are NOT angry. Then practice them each morning. If you do this and find yourself in an angry situation the exercises will be effective. But abdominal breathing will not help it you only try and learn it when you are angry or stressed. Don't take big deep breaths that can cause anxiety. Learn slow abdominal breathing, similar to that used in yoga or some meditation techniques.

4. Write down what you are angry about.

Then put it aside to look at later. Just make a quick list of the problems that are causing you to feel angry. Do not go into a lot of detail, just jot down the problems in point form. When you are finished make an agreement with yourself you will look at the list later when you have calmed down. Put the list in a safe place and then get busy doing something else. Every time your mind returns to the problems tell yourself that you have written it down, you will check it later. You can go back to the list when you are feeling calmer.

5. Phone a friend.

Talk about something OTHER than what is bothering you. If you start talking about the situation you are angry about you will keep feeling angry. Get your friend to talk about a completely different topic. Talk about something funny or another interest you share. A ten minute conversation with a friend on another topic can help you calm down.

6. Take a good brisk walk for 10 minutes.

A brisk walk will help your body to use up the extra adrenaline that is created by angry feelings. Adrenaline pumps you up for a fight and makes your heart and breathing rate increase. You need to use it up in a healthy way to help the anger problem reduce fast. If you are at work go and run up and down a flight of stairs, or go into the bathroom and do some quick jumps, punches, jogging on the spot. It only takes a few minutes but it will help you to calm down from those angry feelings.

Anger problems are increasing and for many people they are causing harm to their relationships, jobs and career prospect. Learning some basic anger management techniques can help you to get back on track and be in control of your anger, instead of it controlling you.

About The Author:
Kate Hardy is a health professional who enjoys working with angry adults and teens. FAST Online Anger Management Classes Online.http://www.angermanagement-online.com/ Guaranteed. Immediate Start! FREE anger Management articles http://angermanagementclassonline.com

Surviving the Job Interview

You may have gone through every step of preparing to land a good job with confidence, by gaining experience, honing your education, and writing a good, solid resume. Once those efforts start to pay off and you get a call for an interview with a potential employer, you may find yourself struck with a bad case of nervousness. This problem is common and, fortunately, it's one that's all in your head - there's nothing about a job interview you should be nervous about, if you're confident and secure.

Practicing interviews goes a long way to giving yourself self-confidence. With the help of friends or family, you can prepare yourself to answer questions without hesitation and try a few different answers to choose the one that sounds best. Rehearsal is important for making sure you look confident to potential employers.

You can also use a mirror to see how your face and eyes display a look of either nerves or confidence, and work on eliminating small details that will give an impression of self-doubt. Once you enter the interview and finally meet your potential employer, use a firm handshake and a smile, keep yourself from looking down at the floor, and definitely try not to shift too much from nerves.

Honesty is the best policy during a job interview. If you're caught lying, you've guaranteed that you'll be out of the race for the job. Still, if you have any blemishes on your work, education, or personal history, consider how you'll answer related questions about those issues. Glossing over past mistakes leaves the wrong impression, though the way you word your answers can soften the blow of any errors you've made at previous employments.

On the other hand, it helps to know your rights as a job applicant. There are some questions that you legally don't have to answer and can't be looked down on for refusal to answer. There are also questions that your interviewer can't legally ask. Although belligerence won't help your case, it's always a good thing to know your rights.

Whatever answers you give your potential employer, say them with confidence, even if it's explaining why you had a massive gap in your work history or confessing that you don't currently have any career goals beyond the job you're applying for.

There's plenty of information to be found on preparing your appearance for the interview. Most of it is simple common sense. A business suit or a tasteful blouse and pants, with a clean, neat appearance complete with personal hygiene is all you really need to know about how to look for an interview. As with your responses, an appearance of professionalism will go a long way towards getting you the job you want.

A smart thing to do in your interview, just as you feel it's starting to wind down, is to ask your employer a few questions about the position you're applying for or the company itself. Asking questions shows you've done your homework and have a serious interest in the place you'll be working. Questions also show your potential employer that you have dedication and the forethought to be careful about decisions, which can go a long way in their impression of you.

Article Source :Business Education Site

About the author

John Edmond owns and writes regularly for Careerbuilder Jobs where you can find more information and advice on all aspects of job finding and succeeding at the interview.

Interviews Can Be Fun - If You Know How!

A good interview depends on the ability of the interviewer to get from the candidate all the best information. After all they have to find an excellent candidate to be successful for the role in question.

So together, in that little room where the interview is to be held, it's a dance together to get the right relationship for both to succeed.

Here are some key steps you can take, before during and after the interview to ensure you have the very best opportunity for success!

1. Be clear on the useful experiences you've had and be prepared to share them. Interviewers want to know all about you and your capabilities, so share with them those occasions that you have had successes and why. In advance of this testing experience, if you have the time, set out to gain experiences you'll be able to share, for the value they will create for you.

2. Think about the open questions that are coming. Your interviewer will want to discover things about you, so be prepared for those famous six open questions that will no doubt show up. Questions starting with 'Who', What', 'Where', 'Why', 'When' and 'How', not forgetting about my personal favorite, 'Tell me about...'

3. Whatever you've heard, use 'I' a lot in your answers. There's a bit of a movement in some places to try to leave this key word out. trust me, using 'I' is manna to your interviewers ears, helps them a lot and if you don't, they may wonder just what you aren't saying.

4. When asked be quite frugal - at first! It's tempting, especially when you get asked something you know the answer to, to start with a flourish and end, well, sometime in the future. Beware, your interviewer is human and can only absorb so much. If they are any good, they will be lining up a next question on hearing what you have said. So, take your time, give three relevant and good points within a story about the issue and stop. They will follow up and ask more, if they want or need to.

5. Collect your thoughts for a moment. If you find you have a question that requires a little consideration, ask for a few seconds to gather your thoughts and have a little think! It's quite a good tactic to mix those questions where you need to think with those you respond quickly to. Some of the time, taking your time in such circumstances demonstrates confidence (ironically), capability (takes time with decisions), and courage (in the face of an interview, that's excellent!), so be prepared to use a small wait as a positive step and not a weak one!

6. Build a relationship with your interviewer. If you've had the time beforehand (the 'coffee and introductions' session usually gives you the space), chat casually and in a friendly manner with your interviewer and other assessors. Building a relationship so that your interview is more of a conversation is a valuable skill and can be of value all through any assessment center you are involved in, not to say for future opportunities - if you need them!

7. Ask them something too. Using the relationship and your confident approach means that there will be useful times where you can find out more about the role, the conditions and the workplace. It's a good sign if you feel comfortable enough to do this and asking good 'discovery' questions yourself will make you score well too.

8. However it goes, make a friend. Sometimes, the value you can get in a friendly close, at the end of an interview, has unimaginable value. Those moments where you cement a relationship can make all the difference at those times where you don't have an input (like later in the day when they discuss and compare the candidates) - so make the most of any interaction time you have, even at the end of your interview.

9. Treat it like a chat. The more you can get this interaction like a cosy chat over the fence with a neighbor, the better it will be for you. Your interviewer will have a compliant candidate who ticks all the right boxes and you too will find it easier, because you're in your comfort zone. Not to say you relax too much though - there's focused work to be done. By being relaxed you will ensure that what you need to say come all the more easily to you.

10. Get interviews in context. Though there are often other activities in play when you are being assessed, the interview is a vital component. So getting this right will build your confidence for the whole experience - and that will enable you to show off your full potential as well as the skills you can demonstrate already.

There you go - easy steps in generating the result you want from any interview you need to get involved in. The biggest challenge is treating it as a good, fun experience. With these ideas to help you, don't be surprised if it is just that!

You can have the job of your dreams. It takes application, attention and the information you need to get you there, young or old. There's all you need at Martin Haworth's website, www.HowToLandYourDreamJob.com

Improve Your Communication using the "I" Message Technique

Human beings are social beings and we are interacting with people every day of our life. Often, our happiness depends a great deal on how the interactions with each person turn out. This is especially true of those whom we care about e.g. in close friendships as well as in marriage. However, because each personality we deal with is unique and presents its own challenges, managing the myriad of relationships requires us to consciously observe the process and impact of our interactions so that we continue to gain knowledge, understanding and experience in developing relationships in a positive way.

I have realized that to have good management of relationships, we need to be assertive and honest in sharing our thoughts, feelings and concerns. However, this needs to be done in a way that does not provoke the other party, but is instead respectful and encourages both parties to listen to each other. A good way to do this is through the communication technique of "I" Messages.

In "I" messages, statements are made about ourselves, how we feel and our concerns, and what actions of the other party has led to the concerns. "You" messages focus on the other person and would usually lead the other party to become defensive unless the "You" message is a positive statement of the other person. For example, a husband or wife is waiting for the return of the spouse and when the spouse returns, he or she might be greeted by this: "You are always coming home late! Why can't you come back earlier?" This "You" message leads to the spouse feeling blamed and attacked and the ensuing communication would likely not be an amiable one. In a conflicting situation, "You" message focuses on attacking the other person. As a result, the primary issues are pushed aside. In contrast, in this same scenario, an "I" message would look like this: "I feel rather lonely while waiting for you to come home. I'm concerned that you are often home late and I get rather frustrated wondering when you're going to be home." In this statement therefore, the speaker shares his or her feelings and concerns. The clear communication of the concern is a good starting point for both parties to work out what can be done about it.

"I" messages are effective because the focus is on the issue or concern and not on the other person. The sharing of the speaker's feelings can also lead to more trust in the relationship as it shows the speaker is willing to look within himself or herself and take responsibility for his or her feelings.

In fact, generally in most interactions, my opinion is that the use of "I" messages is always superior to "You" messages and is a more respectful way of communicating. So, even when expressing positive feelings, a "You" message: "You look good in this dress", could be enhanced by "I" messages: "I'm so happy to see you. I remember all the fun we used to have. You look good."

Generally, there are three parts to an "I" message:

I feel _________________ (express your feeling)
when you _____________ (describe the action that affects you or relates to the feeling)
because _______________ (explain how the action affects you or relates to the feeling)

The order in which the 3 parts are expressed is usually not important.
Sometimes a fourth part might be added. This states our preference for what we would like to take place instead.

Examples of more "I" messages:

"I get very anxious when you raise your voice at me because it makes me feel like I've done something very wrong. Could you please not raise your voice when we talk?"

"I'm so happy you're learning to cook because then I'll know you can prepare your own meal when I'm unable to be home in time to cook."

"When you take so long talking to your friend on the phone, I'm concerned that there might be urgent calls that cannot come through. Also, I feel frustrated as I would like to spend more time with you. How about asking your friend to call at another time, when I am not around."

Use of "I" messages might not come naturally to most people initially. However, with practice, you will be surprised at how you will begin to like this communication approach, especially when you begin to experience the good result of better

Reference
http://www.succezz.com/S2/ForbiddenPsychologicalTactics.html 2. http://www.succezz.com/happy1.html 3. http://www.jacobgan.com/MotivateYourWayToSuccess.html

10 Tips to Get The Right Job with the Right Salary

Its not enough to land on the right job, you should know how to handle risky salary negotiations to receive the pay that is tantamount to your skills and job experience. Below are the ten simple rules to be in the winning end of this job hunting madness.

1.Do your research on the salary offered for the position that you are seeking. Know what you are worth in the marketplace by reading printed materials, researching online or through word of mouth from career experts or people from your industry.

2. Wait for the employer to make the actual job offer because as a job seeker, you are not in the position to initiate the salary negotiations. If your asked about your expected salary, its advisable to give a range that a specific amount.

3.Bring your previous performance evaluations or letters of recommendation to support your salary request. It is much better if the recommendation letter came from the superior to make it more accurate and precise.

4. Delay the salary negotiation as long as possible until you know your full job description and duties.

5. Highlight, but don’t brag, your strengths and achievements in your career that you think will make them know your a possible gem of the company.

6. Never lie about your current earnings or salary history to increase your perceived value, because you might get disappointed if they offer you a much lower salary.

7. Do negotiate your salary if you feel the first offer makes you short handed.. If you are not successful in getting the salary that you want, try to obtain other benefits, vacation leaves or bonuses.

8. Thank the employer when the offer was made but take your time before coming up with any job offer decision.

9. Be persuasive but not overly aggressive in negotiating your target salary.

10. Look at the entire compensation package being offered, not just the salary. Ask about all the benefits that the company will give, because it will probably be very useful for your future.

Remember that if it’s the job that you really want and it will be a good starting point or ascension for your career, don’t be greedy. In a way, high paid jobs is not that important if you will not going to enjoy with what you’re doing.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

The Reality of Telemarketing

Forget what you think telemarketing is and embrace the reality that it is used by the largest companies in the world to introduce new products, gauge customer satisfaction and schedule qualified sales appointments. Today's telemarketing is the purest form of direct marketing and direct marketing is the shortest distance between two points for business success. With the overload of messages crashing into consumers, a clear voice that rises above the din must be found. Telemarketing is that voice. To be sure, there are a few firms that still practice boiler room telemarketing tactics of days gone by. The majority, however, are professional organizations committed to your complete success. When hiring a telemarketing firm, look for very specific attributes: • Knowledgeable, well-spoken company representatives • Expertise in telling your story • Excellence in building the right list of qualified prospects to call • No long-term contract • A non-disclosure, confidentiality agreement • Clear and understandable campaign reporting • Open, meaningful communication • Establishment of goals and measurement tools • Interaction between your sales and management team and the professional telemarketers • Pricing that is clear and fair • The ability to analyze, test and refocus campaigns for your maximum result If you sell any product or service, and want to put it in the hands of your best prospects, you should use telemarketing professionals. If you have a customer base and want to build loyalty and repeat business you should use telemarketing professionals. The investment will pay for itself many times over and become the centerpiece of your direct marketing strategy.

Article Source : http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com http://sales-management.bestmanagementarticles.com

Famous Leadership Styles - Contrasting Leaders and Their Methods

Pictures of the well known and well to do are flashed across TV screens and adorn glossy magazine covers daily. We love celebrity. We watch their every movement, daydream about what it is like to live the life. Wonder how they got there. For those that worked their way to the top and did not happen on some moment of circumstance leadership was part of the climb to the top. When thinking of leaders it is not only the good that come to mind. History has provided us with plenty of both from which to choose. Some make us smile while others we wish to erase from the books. What style of leadership did they exemplify? Martin Luther King: An inspirational speaker. Speeches like "I have a dream" galvanized people as it brought his vision to light. He spoke with authority and was able to mobilize a country toward his vision. Mary Kay Ash (Mary Kay Cosmetics): If you are thinking of pink Cadillac's you are correct. The pink Cadillac is an icon of a successful high performing company. Mary Kay's inspirational leadership turned a $5000 investment into billion-dollar corporation. Jack Welch: Hear his name and GE springs to mind immediately. Over 20 years under his direction GE increased in worth from several million dollars to several hundred billion dollars. His no nonsense leadership style gave him a reputation of being both ruthless and fair in making business decisions. Managers were given free rein as long as they were able to accept and perpetuate constant change with the purpose of doing it better. Leona Helmsley: She is legendary for her autocratic, tyrannical style leadership. The president of the Helmsley hotel chain fell from glory when her employees turned records over to the New York Post and she traded in her suite life for a jail cell. Her story portrayed in a TV movie "The Queen of Mean" John F. Kennedy: A highly charismatic leader who with his wife at his side turned the White House into "Camelot". President Kennedy was able to energize the nation. He set forth his vision of the space program for all Americans to embrace. This vision set a goal that was realized with a walk on the moon years after his life here had ended. Martha Stewart: Does the image of a meticulous and demanding to perfection persona come to mind? She has found herself in a fair share of controversy and still she and her organization continue to flourish. Her style of autocratic leadership has served her well. Eleanor Roosevelt: She told Americans across the Nation, "We are on trial to show what democracy means." She was a champion of civil and women's rights and showed compassion to depression era poor. One leadership lesson in her own words: "It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself."

Article Source : http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com http://leadership.bestmanagementarticles.com

Marketing Management

Marketing management is a subject of growing interest in all sizes and types of organizations with in and outside sectors in all kind of countries. We will commence this descriptive overview of the rapid adoption of marketing management by discussing about the different sectors adopting different approaches to this concept.

In the business sectors, marketing entered the consciousness of different companies at different times. General electric, General Motors, Protocter and Gamble, and coca cola were among the leader. Marketing spread most rapidly in consumer packaged good companies, consumer durables companies and industrial equipment companies – in that order. Producers of commodities such as steel, chemicals,and paper came later to marketing consciousness ,and many still have a long way to go. Within the last decade consumer services firms, especially airlines and banks, have moved towards modern marketing is also beginning to excite the interest of insurance and stock brokerage companies and mutual funds although they have a long way to go in applying marketing effectively.

The Most recent business group to take an interest in marketing is professional services providers, such as lawyers, accountants, physicians, and architects. Professional societies, until recently, prohibited their members from engaging in price competition, client solicitation which was viewed as not acceptable practice and unethical. Accountants, Lawyers and other professional group are now allowed to advertise and to price aggressively.

The fierce competition engendered by the new limits on corporate growth is forcing accounting firms into aggressive new postures. The accountant insists on referring to their efforts to drum up business as “practice development”. But many of the activities that fall under this euphemism are dead ringers for what is called “Marketing” in other fields… Accountants speak of “positioning” their firms and of “penetrating” unexploited new industries. They compile “ hit list” of prospective clients and then “Surround” them by placing their firms’ partner in close social contact with the top executives of the target companies .

In the Nonprofit Sector

Marketing is increasingly attracting the interest of Non profit organization such as colleges, hospitals, police department , Museums, and symphonies. Consider the following development :

These organizations have market problems. Their Administrators are struggling to keep them alive in the face of changing consumer attitude and diminishing financial resources. Many institutions have turned to marketing as a possible answer to their problems. Over 10 percent of the nation’s hospitals now have a marketing director, in contrast to less than 1 percent a decade ago. U.S. government agencies are showing an increase interest in marketing. The U.S. postal service and Amtrak have developed marketing plans for their respective operations. The U.S army has marketing plans to attract recruits and is one of the top advertising spenders in the country. Other government agencies are now marketing energy conversation, antismoking campaigns and other public causes. However the investment in marketing by these sectors is not huge as they are basically non-profit organizations. They are looking out for sponsors who would help them promote their cause. Things are getting a little better now for these organizations though. Consumers are beginning to take notice of these organizations than they were before. However the awareness has not reached upto the expected levels.

In the International Sector

Marketing Skills are found in many countries of the world. In Fact, Several European and Japanese multinationals – companies like Nestle, Beecham,Toyato and Sony – have in many cases out performed their U.S. competitors .Multinational have introduced and spread modern marketing practices throughout the world. This has prodded smaller domestics companies in various countries to start looking into ways to strengthen their marketing muscles so they can compete effectively with the multinationals.

Companies have realized today that by marketing alone they cannot prevail over the competition, but the marketing strategy has to be effective. Your product has to be marketed in such a way, that it sells its benefits and not its features. Consumers are looking more into the advantages of the products and what more it could offer from the existing products. Being innovative is also a way of attracting customers. Innovation is the keyword today when it comes to formulating strategies for marketing a product. The more innovative you are, the more attractive your product is.

In socialist countries, marketing has traditionally did not have a positive response. How ever, various functions of marketing, such as a marketing research, branding, advertising, and sales promotion, are now spreading rapidly. In the USSR, there are now over one hundred state- Operative advertising agencies and marketing research .several companies in Poland and Hungary have marketing department, and several socialist teach marketing. They have started to realize the importance of marketing as it directly affects their company’s turnover and profits. There are a lot of professionals taking up marketing and advertising as their business and cater to the different needs of various companies. Such advertising and marketing firms are getting to become very popular in these countries.

Marketing has its origins in the fact that humans are creatures of needs and wants. Needs and wants create a state of discomfort in people, which is resolved through acquiring products to satisfy these needs and wants. Since many products can satisfy a given needs, products choice is guided by the concept of value and expected satisfaction. These products are obtainable in several ways: self – Production, coercion, begging, and exchange .

Most human society works on the principle of exchange, which means that people become specialist in the production of particular products and trade them for the other things they need. A market is a group of people who share similar needs. Marketing encompasses those activities that represent working with market that is, trying to actualize potential exchange.

Marketing management is the conscious efforts to achieve desired exchange outcomes with target market. The marketer’s basic skill lies in influencing the level, timing, and compositions of demand for a product, services, organization, place, person or idea.

Interest in marketing is intensifying as more organizations in the business sectors, the nonprofit sectors, and the international sectors recognize how marketing contributes to improved performance in the market place. It is important to understand the local culture, the people’s tastes and preferences and their wants to market your product effectively. There is no use in trying to sell a Mercedes Benz in a place like coimbatore or trichy which does not boast of a market for it. Thus everything has to be taken into consideration to design an effective marketing strategy, thus creating a brand image for your product amidst the others on offer.

Article source:
www.management-hub.com

Power of a brand name and how to analyze a brand potential

The brands name is often revealing of the brands intentions. This is obviously the case for brand names which, from the start, are specifically chosen to convey certain objectives or subjective characteristics of the brand. But it is also true of other brand names which get chosen for subjective reasons rather than for any apparent objective or rational ones, they too have the capacity to mark the bands legitimate territory.

Why did Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak choose ‘Apple’ as their brand name? Surely, this name neither popped out of any creative research nor of any computer software for brand name creation. It is simply the name that seemed plainly obvious to the new creative geniuses. In one word, the Apple brand name conveyed the exact same values as those which had driven them to revolutionize computer science. Clearly, the brand name had in itself all the necessary ingredients to produce a major breakthrough and establish a new norm. What worked for Apple, however, did not work for Apricot. Apple reflected the founders’ values, which materialized into user friendly computers. This is indeed a far cry from just choosing a similar name without prior verification that such values as Apple’s could indeed be conveyed by the brand.

The brand name is thus one of the most powerful sources of identity. When a brand questions its identity, the best answer is therefore to thoroughly examine its name and so try to understand the reasoning behind its creation. In doing so, we can discover the brands intentions and programme. Many brands make every effort to acquit qualities which their brand name fails to reflect or simply excludes altogether. ‘Apple’ sounds fun, not serious. Other brands simply proceed by ignoring their name. The temptation for a brand to just forget about its name is caused by a rash interpretation of the principle of brand autonomy. Experience indeed shows that brands become autonomous as they start to give words specific meanings other than those in the dictionary. Thus when hearing of ‘Birds Eye’no one thinks of a bird. The same is true of Nike. Mercedes is a Spanish Christian name, yet the brand has made it a symbol of Germany. This ability is not only characteristic of brands but also of proper nouns.

A name-like an identity-has to be managed. Certain names may have a double meaning. The purpose of communication then is to select one and drop the other. Thus, Shell naturally chose to emphasize the seas shell meaning rather than the bomb shell one. Likewise, the international temporary employment agency, Ecco, has never chosen to exploit the potential link with economy suggested in its name. On the other hand, it does use its name as a natural means to reinforce its positioning in the segment of high quality service; its advertising cleverly pays upon the theme of duplication, those stepping out of the company. Ecco will of course perfectly duplicate and echo those stepping out of the company.

Brand Characters:

Just as brands are a company’s capital, emblems are brands capital equity. An emblem serves to symbolize brand identity through a visual figure other than the brand name. It has many functions such as:

- to help identify and recognize the brand. Emblems must identiy something before they signify anything. They are particularly useful when marketing to children, since the latter favours over texts, or when marketing worldwide.
- To guarantee the brand.
- To give the brand durability-since emblems are permanent signs-thereby enabling the company to capitalize on it. Thus Hermes’ legendary horse is the common emblem of ‘Equipage’, ‘Amazon’ and ‘caleche’.
- To help differentiate and personalize, an emblem transfers its personality to the brand. In doing so, it enhances brand value. But it also facilitates the identification process in which consumers are involved.

Animal emblems are often used to perform the last function. Animal symbolize the brand’s personality. It is quite significant, in this respect, that both the Chinese and western horoscopes represent human characters by animals. The Greek veneration of animals reflected their conception of a certain spiritual mystery. The animal is not only allegorical of the brand’s personality but also of the psychological characteristics of the targeted public. Emblems epitomize more than one facet of brand identity that is why they play such a crucial role in building identity capital. The world of whisky is filled with wild, rare untamable animals that symbolize the natural, pure and authentic character of this alcohol. The associated risk perceived by the customer is thus reduced. They also demonstrate, as we saw above, the brands personality, the red grouse is known for its noble gait and carriage, the wild turkey is a stubborn and clever bird symbolizing independence in the US.

Visual symbols and logotypes

Everybody knows Mercedes’ emblem, Renault’s diamond, Nike’s dash, Adidas’ three stripes, Nestlé’s nest, Yoplait’s little flower and Bull’s tree. These symbols help us to understand the brand’s culture and personality. They are actually chosen as such, the corporate specifications handed over to graphic identity and design agencies mainly pertain to the brands personality traits and values.

What is important about these symbols and logos is not so much that they help identify the brand but that the brand identifies them. When companies change logos, it usually means that either they or their brands are about to be transformed, as soon as they no longer identify with their past style, they want to start modifying it. Some companies proceed otherwise, to revitalize their brands and recover their identity; they milk their forlorn brand emblems for the energy and aggressiveness they need in order to be able to change. Just as human personality can be reflected in a signature, brand essence and self image can be reflected in symbols.

Brand’s Creator:

Brand identity cannot be dissociated from the creator’s identity. There is still some Georges Salomon in Salomon’s brand identity, even though the man and the family no longer manage the company. Inspired by its creator, Yves Saint Laurent’s brand identity is that of a feminine, self assured and strong minded 30 year old woman. The YSL brand celebrates the beauty of body, of charm of surrender to romance and is flavored with a hint of ostentatious indecency. When its creator passes away, the brand becomes autonomous; it forsakes its patronymic, which it comes to dominate. The brand is the creators name and woven into a set of values and a pattern of inspiration. Thus, it cannot be used by another member of the creator’s family. The relationship between a brand and its creator can last far beyond the death of creator; Chanel is a good example of this. Karl Lagerfeld does not try to imitate the Chanel style, but to interpret it in modern way. The world is changing; the brands values must be respected, yet adapted to modern times.

Analyzing a brands potential:

In analyzing the identity of a brand, which must precede any credible repositioning or revitalization of a brand, we find that the facets of its identity are not all equally patent. Some indeed are at the tops of our minds, while others are latent, concealed in certain underlying signs of the brand. Rich brands, which have many sources of identity, do not necessarily choose to tap them all. Typically the latent brand capital is that which is not tapped, but which can be if the company decides to make it an asset. Patent and latent capital alike can be either positive, ie an asset or negative, i.e. a liability. The cross combination of these two dimensions serves to represent the brands potential. Revitalizing a brand consists of revealing what is currently latent yet positive and concealing what is currently patent yet negative. Revitalizing a brand also consists of searching the brands latent potential for those identity sources that will best revive its messages and actions. Identity is the essence of a brand. It is the vital basis for positioning a new brand or repositioning an old one.

Positive Work Behaviors: 8 Straightforward Tips For Moving Up The Corporate Ladder

Positive work behaviors is by far one of the most straightforward tips I can give you when it comes to moving up the corporate ladder. Do you sometimes feel that whenever people speak about moving up the corporate ladder, it almost always has a cunning undertone?

For career newbies especially, my recommendation is to always focus on positive work behaviorspromotion you want is just a natural next step.What are the 8 straightforward positive work behaviors for moving up the corporate ladder? that you can start practicing now. When the time comes, moving up the corporate ladder will seem effortless. This is because you do what is right and focus on the positive. Bosses will notice and when the right time comes, the

1. Ideas:Regardless of how junior you are in an organization, you can have ideas that positively affect the company. Do not be contented with just doing your own work. Do not be shy or embarrassed about sharing them either. What’s the worst that can happen? They laugh at it and reject the idea? Well, then you turn it into something positive. Ask why can’t it work, and you would have learned something new. That information can be used to come out with better ideas.
2. Impact:Be smart enough to choose some projects in a year that are considered a challenge for your level of experience. Be hardworking enough to see it through. But have the wisdom to cross check with your bosses to make sure it is a challenge and not impossible for your experience. That way you can create an impact in the company. This positive work behavior ensures that you aren’t just the average worker clocking in and clocking out without making an impression.
3. Impeccable:This positive work behavior is to be flawless in your language and dressing. Know that you are judged at all times. First impression or not, people judge you on how you talk and what you wear. You are lucky if you work in a company with dress codes, then just dress up or down accordingly. Being impeccable when it comes to dressing doesn’t mean expensive clothes. It simply means to dress well. Being impeccable with your language doesn’t mean using bombastic words. Quite simply, it means abstaining from vulgarity.
4. Independent:Learn to work independently. In the age of empowerment, most employees are given the freedom to fail. Even if this culture is not practiced in your company, learn to work with minimal supervision. When you can work independently, it allows your boss to concentrate on other things. But remember to always update your boss on what and how you are doing. Working independently as part of positive work behaviors will help you in moving up the corporate ladder.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
t
Long as he is popularly known - went through a period of disillusionment many mons ago. 'A slap and a kick' from a good-hearted cousin then woke him. He found himself graduating and having a good career. In his free time he runs www.career-success-for-newbies.com with his wife Dorena as their way of paying it forward. Download these free eBooks - Career Success Recipe for Newbies and SHINE At Work: Your 30-Minute Guide at the website now.

Are online degrees legit?

If you attend an exclusively online college will the degree you receive be legitimate? Or will you be just another sad statistic...someone who threw your money away on a worthless degree?

Every year, thousands of students earn legitimate online college degrees. Sadly, there are also thousands of students that end up getting phony degrees from colleges best known as degree mills.

What are degree mills? Degree mills are colleges that take money, normally about two thousand dollars, from prospective students and give them credit for something called a life experience. In exchange, students receive a realistic looking college degree. Unfortunately, these degrees are worthless to most of the students. It is also the reason some employers are reluctant to hire students who have received online degrees.

Degree mills are hardly a new creation. For as long as people have been earning college degrees, degree mills have been willing to hand them out to anyone who had the money. For a one-time low price of fifty dollars, you could have a genuine Harvard Law degree printed while you watched.

There are several easy ways to make sure that you don't fall into the degree mill trap.

The first thing to be aware of are colleges offering a low one-time entry cost. Although it is true that online colleges normally offer a lower tuition than traditional colleges, they still are by no means cheap. If a college offers a degree for less than twenty thousand dollars, be sure to check their credentials very carefully.

The other thing to be on the lookout for are online colleges and universities that offer huge amounts of credit for life experience. Schools offer credit for life experience because they realize that it is an important part of your overall education, but they also realize that it isn’t everything. The most reputable schools will offer is about twenty-five percent of the overall degree credit, not one hundred percent.

The third thing to watch for is the length of time it takes to receive a degree. If a college promises a degree in less time then it took you to fill out the application, it probably isn’t going to be a legitimate degree.

The people who are running the degree mills are smooth. They know how to talk and they know how to make themselves sound perfectly legitimate and respectable. The good natured people on the other side of the telephone are very good at convincing potential students that everything is on the up and up. A lot of times the students who mail in their checks don’t even realize that their degrees aren’t the real deal until they try to use them to advance their career or to get into another college program.

The sad part about students that fall for the degree mill ploy is that it is such a simple thing to avoid. All it takes is a simple credential check, which involves nothing more than making one simple little phone call to the Council of Higher Education Accreditation. The Council of Higher Education Accreditation keeps the name of every accredited college in the United States on file.