Magnetic Leadership: Energizing the Inner Powers of an Organization Despite the Outer Pressures

How would you like to work in a place where everyone around you is totally engaged and contributing to their full intellectual capacity, a place where people are healthier and happier because they feel like they have control over their work, a place where each person views themselves as a leader, and a place where creativity and innovation are paramount?

This is precisely what magnetic leaders do. Magnetic leaders know how to energize the inner powers of their organization despite the outer pressures.  They inspire and energize people by connecting the vision, the values, the purpose and business goals of the organization to individual values and needs.  This is what motivates people.  This is what engages people. This is what empowers people to be their best.

Magnetic leaders clearly understand how to give control without causing chaos.  They also recognize how to take control by setting the direction and in this way, attracting followers.  It is a unique way of managing that engages, empowers, enriches employees and provides increased earnings.

True Leadership

Can you think of a boss that you've worked for that has really excited you?  Chances are you worked harder for that boss than for anyone else.  And what's amazing is they probably created this excitement without cracking a whip or being harsh.  This is true leadership - magnetic in fact.

When I personally consider the boss or bosses who had the greatest impact on my career, that I truly enjoyed working for, I can't help but think about the unique management style. Instead of micro-managing, they gave me a direction and the latitude to get there on my own.  Effective leadership doesn't mean looking over someone's shoulder each time a decision is being made but rather setting the course, guiding, coaching, and celebrating victory.  Effective leaders do things differently - that's what makes them so effective.

Knowing when to empower your employees and knowing how to lead is both art and science.  These skills can be learned by anyone who wants to improve their leadership skills and help others be successful. By leading and empowering others, you create a culture and environment of success.  

To learn more about magnetic leadership, I suggest you read the book The Power of Magnetic Leadership: It’s Time to Get R.E.A.L. authored by Dianne Durkin, President and Founder of Loyalty Factor.  You can get this book at Amazon.com or by going to the Loyalty Factor website: www.loyaltyfactor.com

Brand Update : Tata Safari rejuvenates through Storme

Tata Safari  which is in a critical stage of its lifecycle has launched the much awaited Storme recently. The new Storme is a completely updated Safari and is expected to bring back the much desired consumer interest .

Tata Safari which is a true-blood Indian SUV failed to capitalize on its long innings and a hard-core fan following. The brand although came up with some wonderful brand campaigns however failed to address the quality issues that nagged the brand from its earlier days. Safari did not have any big mechanical issues but many customers opined that the brand failed to rise itself to the higher standards of quality that the competitors were delivering. But still there were lovers for the brand because Safari had a character which was unique and appealing to certain customers.

Despite the fact that Safari had a distinct brand character, the marketing minds of Tata Motors failed to address the quality issues which was creating a negative perception among the consumers. The laid-back approach of Tata Motors in addressing the nagging issues of Safari virtually put Safari in  to the sidelines .
Safari also failed to see the changes happening to the SUV market in India. The brand failed to see the rise of more compact SUVs and was less aggressive in addressing competition from Scorpio. The laid-back attitude of the brand owners has virtually made Safari a nominal player in a category which it once pioneered.
Although the brand tried to come out with newer versions, most of the changes were cosmetic rather than a radical one.

The new Safari Storme is reported to be a 100% new vehicle rather than a modified Safari. The entire product has been changed for the better. One can only hope that Storme will change the quality perception that is haunting Tata Motors ever since it ventured in to passenger segment.
What is sad about the new Safari is the promotion. Tata Motors has decided to do away with the " Reclaim Your Life " positioning of Safari. Instead, the brand has the tagline " The Real SUV" which I think has undone what ever brand equity which the earlier campaigns has built.
The new " Real SUV " campaign does not give any power to the brand.The promise should be believed by the consumers. In the new market where all global SUV brands are present, Safari's claim to be the Real SUV is only a joke. I don't understand why and how a brand can just discard a powerful story like " Reclaim your life " .
Watch the new campaign here : Safari Storme
The new tagline is big downer for the brand. The brand suddenly switched to a functional positioning from a highly abstract positioning . This sudden shift may confuse the brand's positioning in future.

Tata Motors should be appreciated for investing in Safari and making it survive for the last 15 years. The brand is now pinning its hope on Storme for delivering results. As a die-hard Safari admirer, I too hope the same.

Toll Free Numbers Across the World

One of the best things about being in marketing, and specifically search engine optimization (SEO), is that you get to meet people from all over the world interested in pretty much the same thing.  I recently met an internet marketer from Melbourne Australia and we had a great knowledge share about toll free numbers and how they support businesses of all shapes and sizes.

What I found particularly interesting is that our concept of toll free is pervasive throughout the world - with one twist.  Our 800 or 888 toll free numbers are different and used differently in other parts of the world.  In fact, Australia uses 1300 numbers as their standard to deliver marketing related promotions and messaging via text.  Different countries also use variations of the 1-800 theme.  I asked my new best friend from Australia to provide some insight into the 'toll free' phenomenon and how to choose the best one for your business. 

The difference between a 1300 number and an 1800 number is that a 1300 number attracts a local call connect fee (around 25 cents) when dialed from a land line. A call to an 1-800 is free here in the US when dialed from a landline. Note that higher fees usually apply when either type of number is dialed from a mobile phone. When a 1300 number is called by a user in the same local call area there is usually no cost to the recipient for the first 20 minutes. The recipient is usually charged at a set rate per second for each call, depending on plan and destination. This makes the 1300 number similar to a combination of our toll free and 900 numbers - something the US has not yet adopted.

In Anthony's country, 1300 numbers work a little differently than 1-800 numbers given the difference in regulation (Do Not Call Lists). With all of the toll free numbers that exist, it might be hard to track down what works best for small businesses or those seeking an online subscription via phone but the use of toll free or fee based calling is nothing new. 

Creating customized toll free numbers and offering it to your customers is a great way to stand out from competitors. If you have personalized numbers you've just released for a promotion, they'll know exactly whose number they are dialing and what for.  Having a standard toll free number for a business is ideal but using these numbers for specific promotions and really enhance campaign effectiveness.

There are many types of programs you can find to assist with the acquisition and promotion of toll free numbers in the US and Internationally.  It's essential that you take your time to make your 1300 numbers and 1800 numbers fun for your prospects and customers if you really want it to be effective. As someone is out there waiting for a bus, listening to the radio, or reading your ad, they could be exposed to a number that is easy to remember and prompts action.

There are numerous resources available such as phone research or dialing that can help you gain insights into your market and promote your services. There is so much information to be gained that it can be hard to know where to begin when thinking about the use of toll free marketing in your marketing strategy. Spend some time reading and developing a comprehensive marketing strategy around using toll free numbers.  This is essential if you want to make the most of your promotional dollars.

When 1-800, 1-300, or even 1-900 numbers are created, try to include the number's name in the message. This personal approach makes customers feel important, instead of like just a customer number. Successful businesses help each of its customers to feel individually important because they are important to businesses growth and success.

If you are designing a toll free number, get the most mileage out of your number by promoting the number in your internet marketing campaign. This will work to ensure that your promotional material is distributed to as many people within your target market as possible. There really is no reason to keep your effort separated, using different campaigns.  Integrate your toll free number wherever and whenever possible into your marketing communications.

Try to limit the amount of offers you're sending via your toll free phone number. It can be a little tedious for you to sit there and devise a number of alert messages and call-to-action lines to send out, and it can be really annoying to the people receiving them. Keep your messages at a minimum unless you really have something important to say.

There are a lot of different ways that you can get your toll free numbers out there (1800, 1300, 1900, etc.), but few are as direct as phone-based toll free marketing. Hopefully it works well for you.

Brand Update : Vespa slashes prices but is it enough ?

According to newsreports, Vespa has slashed the prices of its newly launched scooter by around Rs 6700. Vespa was launched as a premium scooter which is according to the company is  ageless, iconic and timeless. The arrogance that Vespa globally is considered an icon was reflected in the pricing. Vespa launched its 125 cc scooter with a price of Rs 66,600 which was way above the average category price range of  Rs 40,000-50,000.

One would expect that with high price will come all the high-end features but Vespa decided that the premium is for the brand and nothing else.So what was offered to the Indian market was an ordinary scooter with excellent looks, funky colors and a brand.

Despite the high price and ordinary features, Indian consumers gave a warm response to the offer. Newsreports suggest that Vespa was able to sell around 30,000 odd scooters after the launch.

Then came the price cut. Vespa has cited operational efficiency as a reason for the price decrease. The price cut amounts to around 10% and still the scooter is the most expensive in the market . 

Although I don't disbelieve the clam of operational efficiency for the price-cut, I think there is an inherent confusion in the brand regarding its approach to the Indian market. There are also rumours of a mass-market launch from Vespa  aimed at volume. If that is the case, then how will the brand justify the premium for the current offering which is not feature packed.

India is a market where the utilitarian point of view of consumers are very high. Even if consumers splurge crores of money in luxury , the mental accounting regarding the value proposition is very strong. In this information age, it is surprising that Vespa overlooked the value proposition. 

The current price rationalization is not enough to excite the consumers because the value proposition of competitive offerings are more compelling. Ofcourse there is a niche segment who look for exclusivity but going by the noises made by the brand, it looks at volume rather than niche.

Having said that, the current launch can also be viewed as a test dose ( an expensive one) for gauging consumer response to a Vespa offering . The brand can take solace that consumers have viewed the brand in a positive light and has showed genuine interest in  what is being offered. The positioning based on the brand's iconic global status has also well received. May be the brand will reduce its arrogance and offer a better value proposition in future.

Related story

Vespa 

How Much Content is Enough?

I've been doing a ton of reading on Content Marketing.  Ever since the Google Penguin update (yeah, Panda too), I'm seeing more information about content marketing.  Essentially, the idea is to create unique, quality content for your blogs, websites, etc.  And I get it, content is still king.  But what is quality content?

Content is no longer a simple article that covers a topic in your niche, I think its more than that.. it has to be!  Quality content uses all types of media and packages it in different ways for a particular audience.  Here are just a few pieces of "content" you should consider.

--Articles
--Videos
--Images
--Customer Reviews
--Local Company Profiles
--Press Releases
--Infographics
--Social Media Updates
--White Papers

Think beyond the written word.  Technology has afforded us the ability to create meaningful content for our audiences in different shapes and formats.

I think the companies that will succeed in this content starved generation have to be masters in repackaging.  No one in their right mind has all of the necessary resources to keep pumping out content after content.  And truthfully, content marketing doesn't always work that way.

Repackaging
To succeed, you need to think about packaging and repackaging quality content again and again.  This can be done in a linear fashion and fewer resources.  For example, giving a presentation can produce a transcript, video, and slides to be uploaded to slide share.  You can even tweet about your presentation or post it to Facebook.  The key is repackaging.

Repackaging can take many forms.  Do you have a strategy in place to repackage your content?  Probably not.  I know that I'm just thinking about it myself based on some of the complexities associated with content distribution.  For example, I used to make all of my social updates via Twitter which was attached to my Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.  Now that a social separation has occurred and there are many new social sites online, its vital to explore new options (ex: Hootsuite).

Audience
The companies and websites that succeed in engaging their audience and win organic search will be masters in producing quality content their audience wants and producing in multiple formats.  This doesn't mean that you need to pump out new content by the minute but you do need different avenues to share your content.

You may find a few channels that work best.  Think about how you can promote your content once it's produced and share that content across each channel.  You may be surprised how quickly you can spread your content if you've considered all the possibilities at your disposal.

Share your thoughts on producing and distributing quality content in the comments section...

Odomos : Play it Safe

Brand : Odomos
Company : Dabur

Brand Analysis Count : 519

Odomos is a 40 year old brand which has a generic status in the mosquito repellent cream market in India. The brand which was originally from Balsara came into Dabur's fold after the acquisition  of Balsara Hygiene Products  in 2005. 

The household insecticide market in India is worth around Rs 1600 crore. The smallest of the segment in this market is the mosquito repellent cream segment which is of size Rs 50 crore. The largest segment of the insecticide market is that of mosquito coil which is worth Rs 900 crore. Odomos has a virtual monopoly in the cream market.

The small size of the mosquito repellent cream market is the problem that the brand faces. The major challenge is to make the segment grow. Having said that, creams have found lukewarm response from the consumer. The major reason being the questions regarding the efficacy and safety of the product which needs to be directly applied to the skin. 

As a consumer , I too had these questions regarding Odomos. But should say from my experience that Odomos is very effective. But mosquitoes are smarter lot and they know to search and bite on places where Odomos cream is not applied. 

Odomos as a brand has  tried to address this safety issue by getting endorsement from medical associations. The brand prominently displays the message of  being "Skin Friendly " in their packs. Another bold step that the brand took was to target kids. The move is risky because parents would think twice before using Odomos regularly on kids because the perceived risk is too high.

Odoms now has product forms of Cream, Lotin and Oil. Odomos mosquito repellent oil was created to target rural market because oil product form has more acceptance in that market. More over oil applies better on the skin and is more effective in the job.

The brand owners have invested consistently on the brand. The distribution reach is very good for this product. Earlier, one inhibiting factor was the price which has now being resolved. Odomos have come out with smaller packs of Rs 5 and Rs 10 which I would say will encourage more buys.

The challenge for the brand is to make consumer consider Odomos as the primary defense option against mosquitoes. The product  is has maximum utility outside the house and that is why the brand is promoting it for kids who wants to play outside. The brand is also trying to promote its safety aspect through a variant Odomos Naturals which contains Aloe Vera. 

As a user of this brand, these questions are still  there regarding safety. Odomos despite running so many campaigns so far has still not convinced me that it is safe for regular use. The dilemma for the brand is that it cannot harp too much that it is safe because consumers then will think that it is mild and hence may not be effective .

In times where mosquitoes are now immune to coils and vaporizers , Odomos has proven to be a best bet for a good night sleep. 

Marketing Your Business to Moms

Mothers are still one of the biggest shoppers around. Hey, moms have kids to shop for, their husbands to shop for, themselves to shop for too.  In fact, moms still make most of the purchasing decisions for household items such as food, clothing and supplies and influence purchase decisions for large items as well. 

About 34 million moms in the U.S. use the internet for research, socializing.  And of those, 70% use the Internet for shopping. You’d be a real fool not to try your hardest to market your business (Assuming it's applicable to a family) to mothers. Here's how to market yourself and your business to moms…

Research
I honestly think mothers are some of the most discerning demographics around and rightly so. When you're shopping for not only yourself, but your baby or a child, you have to do your research carefully. Take advantage of this by making sure your PPC and ads offer advice, facts, and tips. Your metadata in the search results on Google should have some bit of advice as well. And of course, make sure you have solid articles chock full of information on your site too. 

If you want an example of this, look for online strollers and baby gear sites. Not only is there stuff to buy, but articles on what to buy and why. Moms look for quality content that provides value.

Moms Socialize
When you have a five month old in the house, you don't get much rest. So the internet has become a place for moms to connect with others in their cohort. They read, blog, write, tweet, post pictures, give advice, share and compare notes on shopping. If you're already there talking and advising, you can get the attention of mothers without annoying them and they'll be more likely to develop an ongoing relationship with your business, products, or brand.


Moms today may suffer from bouts of isolation. Working moms don’t have enough time to do anything but work and juggle the family and stay at home moms are alone with their child for eight or more hours a day. All of this drives many moms to go online to search for meaningful connections, including connections with businesses.  Focus on cultivating relationships and providing the needed connection moms crave.
Moms Share Information

Make it easy for mothers to share you with other people through social bookmarking, reviewing and sites like Facebook fan pages and Twitter. Just like the old coffee dates where moms compared notes on where they shopped and why, the online venue has become a great forum  for networking. Make sure you are there and lend something to the discussion.

Moms Feel Best in Relationships
Once a mom finds a good doctor, dentist, or school, she's generally not happy to let that go.  The same can be said for places to purchase products and services from. The best way to do that is to let moms catch a glimpse of who you really are. Be honest. Don't be afraid to talk about yourself in your emails, blog posts, and social networking-especially if you have a family. Small business owners in particular may find they become friends to many moms as they share their story and develop meaningful relationships. 

Moms Want Good Customer Service
Don’t be fooled.  Although it might be said that everyone wants good customer service, trends seem to indicate that moms have a higher standard. Research shows that moms will look for recommendations and stay away from businesses that people have had poor experiences with to a higher degree then men. Don't let that be you! 

Have impeccable customer service; add the personal touch with a 'thank you note ' somewhere in the process or offer deals and more information along with downloaded products. 
Remember, it only takes a few minutes for anyone, including moms, to write a poor review of your business, but that poor review may linger for months, impacting you negatively. It’s imperative that you make sure this doesn’t happen to you!

Above all, mothers want one thing: a way to simplify their lives so they can get on with their to do’s and spend more time connecting with their family! The internet is one of the primary tools they use so make sure you are in their tool box. This doesn’t need to be a complex process either. The internet is still a business venue and just like any business venue, good customer service, relationship development, and meaningful information are all ways to make certain that your voice is heard and your business can succeed.

Thanks to Kundan Saha for today's guest post.  Kundan is a Digital Marketing Professional and an enthusiastic writer, who holds an editorial position in Prepgenie, a test prep provider that offers exam preparation courses forGAMSAT, PCAT, HPAT, LNAT, UMAT and UKCAT.

Top five tips for improving the ranking of your website

Particularly in the current climate, not all business can afford to pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars to marketing or specialist SEO agencies to improve the ranking of their websites. 

However there are some simple steps businesses can take which will help drive your website up the search engines. 

1. Make sure all your products and services are described in depth.
Google's search engine works on a very simple question and answer model. You type in what you want and Google returns the websites that best match your search. Therefore your website needs to include all the names and various terms (keywords) that describe your products and services. Google also likes to see your products and services described and worded naturally, with lots of support information that relates to that content. 

2. Add new content regularly.
If you read the newspaper every day and it reported the same news stories week after week, you would never buy it. View your website in the same way. Generally speaking Google ranks websites that update their content regularly higher than those that do not. Why? Because Google wants to present 'current' content to its searchers. New content may include such things as better product or service descriptions, company news, market news, new clients, new projects, case studies, testimonials, guides, video, photo gallery, hints & tips, articles..I think you get the picture! 

3. Generate some inbound links to your website.
Why create inbound links? Because Google interprets this as somebody else endorsing the quality of your website, which is a big thumbs up. Getting a link from another website to yours can be easy, but unfortunately these tend to be the ones that don't carry any value. Links can generated from lots of websites, including suppliers, customers, industry associations, industry magazines, industry news, industry directories / portals, industry article and general directory and article. 

There are also many different ways to achieve the link. With a directory it might simply be a case of adding your company details, which is why they don't often carry any value. With suppliers you might want to write a press release on a recent project endorsing their products. With a customer you could write a press release celebrating your longstanding relationship. With industry sites you may wish to offer your services to blog and comment on certain topics. When you create a link within an article, where possible try to link from a keyword to the relevant page on your website. You may have to pay for some of your links, particularly in things like industry news websites or general news websites. If the website has a reasonably high page rank, then this is certainly worth considering. 

4.Create a blog.
As illustrated in point 2, Google gives credit to websites that update their content regularly. Create a blog on your website that enables you to add comments and news information on what's going on in your business on a regular basis. 

5.Create links within your website.
Google likes to see websites that are well structured and which help visitors navigate through the site effectively. Within the wording of your website, create links to other pages where people might wish to go for more information. If you are in an extremely competitive marketplace, deploying these tactics alone is unlikely to get your website to the top of page one for your target keywords. While the ranking of your website will certainly improve, if your aiming for the top of Google you may require the support of an SEO agency.

Special thanks to Northern Light Media in the UK for these helpful search engine optimization tips. For more information visit http://www.northernlightmediauk.com