Sunday, November 16, 2014

5 Steps to Make Your Agency a Success in India

                            


   Keep the success of your client the main priority. 



The term ‘Agency’ is not something traditional businesses, particularly from the old economy, and those bracketed under SMEs, (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises), are comfortable about, and to some extent, wary even. Not only the cost associated with working with a big agency, but also all the seemingly complicated marketing and technical jargon that are sure to be thrown around that’s still considered to involve too much effort – a transition that many decision makers still aren’t prepared for.


It is therefore very important to keep it simple and adapt yourself and your agency to not only the particular needs of the company but also communicate in a way that the major stakeholders of the prospective client are comfortable with. In India, a sense of trust and understanding still surpasses expertise that is difficult to comprehend. What all business owners and their marketing folks, in any, are keen to work with people and agencies that they believe have their best interest in mind, and although common good should always be at the crux of any business venture, agencies are encouraged to go that extra mile to convince, by action and results, that the foremost agenda for the agency is the clients’ success.

          Don’t focus on what services you have but what clients need.


All of us are keen to display our strength and forte, brandishing our expertise that is either derived or inherent. Ditto for agencies too. Agencies too are keen to offer services and expertise they have rather than taking time to appreciate what the specific needs of prospective customers are. There are cases where clients are sure of what they want, but in many instances, it is up to the agencies to consult what those needs, to deliver what is expected, to provide better alternatives that are either more creative, more practical or both.

It is therefore important to not look short-term but look at the overall picture and dedicate yourself to delivering what is most pertinent rather than what seems to be more opportune. It’s always daunting and financially taxing to add new capabilities, but this is where ‘smart scale-up’ could add both value and purpose to your enterprise. Over the long-term, this ability to be flexible to clients’ needs will set you apart in the industry and deliver tangible and intangible dividends.
  
           Don’t hesitate to form alliances or share resources and expertise.

This is in some way a thought that carry forwards from the last point of being flexible to client’s needs. For an agency at its nascent stage, adding resources and manpower is perhaps the hardest decision to make and implement. This is where alliances can prove to be the much needed scalability, in theory, that allows for services to be added on and deliver on what client’s needs are without breaking the bank.

However, it is advisory to be cautious in the alliances as it is not made in a day. There has to be a holistic approach when deciding on your preferred ‘service partner’. The association has to be achieved organically with all proper mechanism and formalities in place to make this association fruitful without complicating matters. In the end it is more about the people you form an alliance with and not the mere processes and services alone.

          Build relationships & partnerships, not just accounts & client base.


In a world of analytics, number crunching, calculated estimates and forward-looking forecasts, there is a risk that we might look at our clients as just a number and forego or ignore the core basis of the relationship that has been forged through frequent communication, building relationships forged on performance and human interactions. So while repeating the processes over and over again, rummaging through the statistics and dissecting the electronic data; don’t forget the human faces behind the emails and the humane emotions over the phone chatter. In India, from what we have gathered, more priority is still given to agencies that frequently visit and have a casual chat rather than all the reports and PPTs that has been shared online.

         Don’t scale up too quickly and don’t give up too early.


Once you do decide to start a business and invest the requisite amount, and after you put your heart and soul into it… no matter if it is profit making or breakeven yet, the temptation to grow too fast, too quick, could prove to a risk you might end up regretting. Although there are cases where the risk has paid off, in India, where agencies are cropping up everywhere making it unhealthily competitive, a cautious approach will prove to be a better margin call, so to speak. Although investors might be lining up or you have the cash handy to bankroll the expansion yourself, every decision should be backed by business sense and financial acumen, without being rushed into something that intimately might end up only adding a façade of development at the cost of true progress.

About the Author: 
Shybu Khan is the founder of ShyBuzz, having founded the company at the age of 25. Having majored in Journalism, he is a writing-professional with a keen eye on corporate brand building, business organization, entrepreneurship, geopolitical affairs, and the world economy as a whole. Shybu has contributed articles to a variety of reputed media organizations on a variety of subject matters. He has been part of the U.S. financial scene as an editor with a U.S. Company based in Mumbai. Apart from being an avid blogger, he is a freewheeling social and business commentator, who believes that concerted action, informed research, and social activism are the main architects for true change.


You can reach Shybu at Shybu@ShyBuzz.com 

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Why do we?

Do we need Satyameva Jayate to remind us what’s wrong,
When all that right asks is for us to be rationally strong.

Do we need Rahul to show us what’s silly,
When all that’s required is ask,’ oh really.’

Why wait for Narendra to teach us clean,
When the filth outdoors is ripe in the scene.

We wait for the news for discussing important matters,
Delaying issues until they are torn into tatters.

We need a Kiss of Love to protest morality,
Which is crushed without sense with brutality.

We feel threatened & forego freedom at the prospect of force,
Accepting the status quo & adjusting to the new course like a thoroughbred horse.  

Why is video games the closest we come to competing,
When our playgrounds are abused with political and social badgering.

Why do we need Bollywood for a fantasy done badly,
When the reality of books is shelved to obscurity all so gladly.

We wait for the next Sachin, Kapil, Sushil & Saina,
When we keep neglecting Rakesh & Anup for lack of persona.

Let’s hope this criticism won’t offend or disturb more than it should,
At best it is a gentle reminder or at least a creative hint for what we still could.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Creative Posts on Social Issues, Festivals and Initiatives

Ganesh Utsav, Ganesh Chaturthi


Mother's Day


Politics 


Politics


Politics


Women's Day & Food


Children's Day


Halloween


Dussehra


Ganesh Utsav, Ganesh Chaturthi


Krishna, Janmashtami


Eid Mubarak


5th June, World Environment Day


Mother's Day


1st May, Maharashtra Day.


Voting, Indian Elections, Democracy.


Easter, Jesus, Christianity, Faith.


Women's Day, Equality, Unity, Fairness.


Valentines's Day, Love, Togetherness, Life.


New Year, Celebrations.


Human Rights, Equality, World, Unity, Respect, Peace.


Save the Girl Child, Navratri, Festival, Life.


Gandhi, Non-Violence, Peace, India, Mahatma.


Ganesh Utsav, Ganesh Chaturthi


Freedom of Speech, Speak Up, Freedom.


Freedom, Conservation, Earth, Protect.


Krishna, World, Janmshtami, Watching.


Maharashtra Day


Voting, Indian Elections, Democracy.


Women's Day, Femininity, Homemaker, Elegance. 

Christmas, Spirit, Christmas Tree, Merry Christmas.


Abdul Kalam, Rocket Man, Vision, Commitment. 

Sachin Tendulkar, Legend Farewell, Cricket.


Independence Day, India, Patriotism, Heartbeat.


Summer, Heat, India, Mumbai.


Onam, Kerala Festival, Malayalam.



Most Surprising Facts About Food - Did You Know This?

1. DYK a half-cup of figs has as much calcium as a half cup of milk.


2. DYK Strawberries are the only fruit which has seeds on its outer skin.


3. DYK Banana is a herb and Tomato is a fruit.


4. A row of corn always has an even number.


5. DYK it is customary in China to celebrate birthdays with noodles and not cakes.


6. DYK Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing French Fries to America.


7. DYK Potatoes are only 20% solids and 80% water.


8. DYK eating a lot of onions will make you sleepy.


9. DYK in Japan they have square watermelons because they stack better.


10. DYK cocoa beans were once used as money.


11. DYK ripe Sesame Pods burst open at the slightest touch, scattering their seeds which is the reason behind the phrase...
OPEN SESAME.   


12. DYK the hotter the chili pepper, the healthier it is.


13. DYK the French referred to the Tomato as the "Apple of Love." 


14. DYK Microwaved grapes tend to explode. 


15. DYK a study has revealed Avocados to be the world's most nutritious fruit.


16. DYK storing potatoes with onions makes them rot quicker.


17. DYK eating garlic was thought to keep mosquitoes away. 


18. DYK more than 36 million heart-shaped chocolate boxes are sold on Valentine's Day. 


19. DYK rubbing butter over pots' edges stops milk from overflowing.


20. DYK Peach was the first fruit eaten in space.


21. DYK mixing Sindoor with Flour gives you a natural red Holi color.


22. DYK 40% of the world's eggs are consumed in China.


23. DYK Bananas wrapped in plastic lasts four to fives days longer.


24. DYK to give mashed potatoes a creamy consistency, stir in warm milk.


25. DYK Oregano means, 'Joy of the Mountain.'


26. DYK a mango tree can grow as tall as 100 feet.


27. DYK Napa Valley celebrates 'A Mustard Festival,' to mark the Mustard Season.


28. DYK Turnips turn green when Sun burnt.


29. DYK the oldest evidence of soup is from 6,000 BC.


30. DYK according to the Guinness World Records, the world's heaviest Watermelon was 121.93 kg.


31. An egg will age more in one day at room temperature than in one week kept in the fridge.


32. DYK Honey never goes bad. Archaeologists have tasted 2000 year old jars of Honey found in Egyptian Tombs. 


33. DYK you need to wash hearty vegetables with a stiff brush under running water if you want to eat the skin.


34. DYK if you cut a Pomegranate in half and peel it in water, the seeds float.


35. DYK for rich, creamy dressings made healthy, substitute half the mayo with Greek-style yogurt.


36. DYK Pineapples are classified as Berries.


37. DYK humidity, light and heat will cause Herbs and Spices to lose their flavor.


38. DYK when chopping Herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board to keep the herbs from flying around.


39. DYK an easier way to cut brownies is to use a plastic knife.


40. DYK one Pomegranate can hold more than 1000 seeds.


41. DYK when boiling eggs, adding some salt with keep the eggs from cracking. 


32. DYK ripe cranberries will bounce like rubber balls.

Image Courtesy - The Mini Punjab GroupNote: All Images are Copyrighted and Subject to Copyright and Intellectual Property Laws and Statutes.