February 28, 2009

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the diferrence."

- Robert Frost

February 27, 2009

"By creating conversation, we let our customers spread our message by word of mouth."

-Anita Roddick

February 26, 2009

"There is one rule for industrialists and that is: Make the best quality of goods possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible."

- Henry Ford

February 25, 2009

" If a business is to be considered a continuous process, instead of a series of disjointed stop-and-go events, then the economic universe in which a business operates—and all the major events within it—must have rhyme, rhythm, or reason."

- Peter Drucker

February 24, 2009

"It takes more than capital to swing business. You've got to have the A. I. D. degree to get by - Advertising, Initiative, and Dynamics."

- Isaac Asimov

February 23, 2009

"Success or failure in business is caused more by the mental attitude than by mental capacities."

- Sir Walter Scott

February 22, 2009

"A man to carry on a successful business must have imagination. He must see things as in a vision, a dream of the whole thing."

- Charles Schwab

February 21, 2009

"Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacles and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage."

- Victor Kiam

"Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacles and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage."

- Victor Kiam

February 20, 2009

"Beware of little expenses: A small leak will sink a ship."

- Benjamin Franklin

February 19, 2009

"Business needs more of the professional spirit. The professional spirit seeks professional integrity, from pride, not from compulsion. The professional spirit detects its own violations and penalizes them."

- Henry Ford

February 18, 2009

"The advertising man is a liaison between the products of business and the mind of the nation. He must know both before he can serve either."

- Glenn Frank

February 17, 2009

"Execution is the ability to mesh strategy with reality, align people with goals, and achieve the promised results."

- Larry Bossidy

February 16, 2009

"The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong questions."

- Peter Drucker

February 14, 2009

"Humans are ambitious and rational and proud. And we don't fall in line with people who don't respect us and who we don't believe have our best interests at heart. We are willing to follow leaders, but only to the extent that we believe they call on our best, not our worst."

- Rachel Maddow

February 13, 2009

"In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."

- Eric Hoffer

February 12, 2009

"What we actually learn, from any given set of circumstances, determines whether we become increasingly powerless or more powerful."

- Blaine Lee

February 11, 2009

"The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare."

- Thane Yost

February 10, 2009

Unconditional Celebration

Posted by Bizaholic | 11:29 PM | with 0 comments »

There are some special milestones in the lifespan of a brand like silver jubilee, golden jubilee, platinum jubilee that call for celebration. They are excellent opportunities to celebrate the relationship a brand shares with its customers and other stakeholders. These are some rare occasions when the brand should shower unconditional love on its customers irrespective of their importance and the business they deliver. On occasions like these, true brands rise above business to create a sense of inclusiveness among its entire customer base and build their stature.

The very essence of celebration is lost the moment conditions become part of the celebrations. Conditions abhor inclusiveness. Celebration is seldom individualistic. It is always targeted at a larger community and tends to be inclusive.

Unfortunately, many a time brand managers tend to celebrate these occasions in a way similar to running a sales scheme. Celebration which should have been targeted at a larger customer community with representation from all strata of customers becomes more of an exclusive club party. The end result turns out to be dilution of a once in a long time opportunity to emotionally bond the brand with a larger community of stakeholders.

Celebration is supposed to be an act of showing gratitude and giving thanks. It makes sense to celebrate with as many stakeholders as possible and thank them for their patronage.

"Never forget that no military leader has ever become great without audacity."

- Karl von Clausewitz

February 9, 2009

"What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate."

- Donald Trump

February 8, 2009

"As long as you're green, you're growing. As soon as you're ripe, you start to rot."

- Ray Kroc

February 7, 2009

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."

- Leonardo Da Vinci

February 6, 2009

"If I had to sum up in a word what makes a good manager, I'd say decisiveness. You can use the fanciest computers to gather the numbers, but in the end you have to set a timetable and act."

- Lee Iacocca

February 5, 2009

"The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it."

- Warren Bennis

February 4, 2009

"Leaders are more powerful role models when they learn than when they teach."

- Rosabeth Moss Kanter

February 3, 2009

"The most effective leaders of companies in transition are the quiet, unassuming people whose inner wiring is such that the worst circumstances bring out their best. They're unflappable, they're ready to die if they have to. But you can trust that, when bad things are happening, they will become clearheaded and focused."

- Jim Collins, Good To Great

February 2, 2009

"Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes... but no plans."

- Peter Drucker

February 1, 2009

"If leadership is an art, then leaders are the artists, organizations are the easel, people are the canvas, ideas are the pigment, values are the frame, and vision is the thing that's hung up at the gallery--the final outcome that's so magical it tempts the audience to forget the messy process by which the result is fashioned, and lures them into a state of awe."

- Walter Stevenson