THERE IS A HUGE GAP BETWEEN PERCEPTION ND REALITY

Perception and Reality are like two parallel lines which will never intersect with each other. Let’s start the topic with the basic definitions.

Perception can be defined as the process of receiving information about and making sense of the world round us.

In other words it can be defined in a simple sense “to get something”.

Reality is another term which represents the actual position of an individual as well as of any substance in the world.

But one can ask what the relationship between perceptions and reality is after following the definitions.

Let’s start from a short story

There was a king in a kingdom having one son. The followers were not pleased on the king. So they went for an election. Amazingly the Yuvraj of the kingdom was also the part of that election as a contestant. The election was completed successfully and so also the Yuvraj. He also became a minister. He was very happy after getting the post. Then he came to his father and said dad now I became a minister. Think friends what will be his father’s reaction. Was he happy at that moment? No, friends, his father slapped him and said you fool somebody had wished to make you king but you are happy after becoming a simple minister.

From the above example it is very clear that how much distance is there between perception and reality?

So friends we the management students are in a dream world of getting a good job after completion of our master degree. It is very difficult to get a job in this competitive world.

Our perception is that we will get a good job with an attractive package, but the things are quite different in real.

So it is clearly understandable that which is more powerful whether perception or reality?

So we should always take our decisions by analyzing the real fact. So be realistic while taking a vital decision.

The Funnel Is Dead, Long Live the Measurable Customer Narrative

In this article, you'll learn...

·         Why the traditional marketing funnel is dead and gone

·         How the measurable customer narrative works

Look beyond the hype of social media, and you'll see that social networks and community dynamics have fundamentally changed many of the most intrinsically understood truths of marketing communications. They have made marketing a much more complex process while creating a more measurable business practice.

This series of five articles will explore those changes (see list at the end of this article for previous and upcoming articles.)

One of those reassuring little white lies we tell ourselves as marketers is this: People make linear decisions. It's simpler to draw straight lines about people's behavior, so to date we have typically pushed people through carefully scripted marketing processes.

But does that really reflect people's actions and the ways they find information? Of course not. We all know it doesn't really happen that way.

But by rejecting that common fallacy we would face some more challenging questions: If we rigidly enforce our own processes, how many people do we leave behind? Can we trigger behavior, and if we can... which behaviors and how? How is the fragmenting media landscape changing the processes by which customers research and make purchases?

Traditional Marketing Approaches Fall Short in the New Customer Landscape

The answers are clear: Marketing has fundamentally changed, and many in the profession are struggling to catch up. The framework by which they understand marketing is not set up for a non-campaign world where they don't control timelines and control only experiences. The so-called sales funnel, if that was ever an accurate metaphor, no longer looks even remotely like a funnel.

Companies tend to view the sales and marketing process as a systematic approach of 7-9 steps that begins with initial contact and pushes the potential customer through sales lead, need identification, prospect qualification, and so on, through to closing the sale and then maintaining the customer relationship.

But that is how sales and marketing teams structure the selling process. The buying process, from the customer's perspective, is nothing like that.

How Buying Works in the Era of Social Media and Online Communities

Buying is a complex process with multiple stops, starts, and options. Each potential customer will move through the process in unique ways (although, in aggregate, demonstrating certain patterns of behavior). The movement is linear in that any two sales will end with the same result, but no two routes to that sale are exactly the same. The same is true for any type of engagement decision (e.g., joining an email list, following on Twitter).

The best marketers can hope to do in such an environment is to manage the process so that even though all roads may not lead to Rome, eventually all roads lead to, and through, digital "toll booths" of content and information exchange.

Why don't many marketing organizations view that process as a coherent customer narrative? Three reasons:

1.     Marketing is structured around campaigns, not customers.

2.     Marketers don't measure a linked sequence of customer actions across all touch points yet; they still think in terms of pre-sale and post-sale, not a relationship that can last a lifetime.

3.     Marketers have been determined to control the narrative rather than create digital touch points of content and experience, and then measure how people interact with those touch points.

How the New Customer Narrative Works

Whether they're interested in a new pair of shoes or a new virtual private network, future customers can first engage with a potential purchase in many ways. That engagement could be via a billboard with a URL that they type into their smartphone's mobile browser, or a click on a Facebook wall post from a friend's feed, or a search on Google.

Those are all examples of entry points to a research experience that could initiate a longer relationship between the customer and the brand; the relationship begins with the brand's getting permission to communicate more, and it progresses toward a sale and possibly many sales.

What happens between those start and end points is the complicated part, and the start and the end are almost never directly connected, especially when the activity begins with a discussion on social media or in an online community.

Consider an online relationship with a customer who makes two appliance purchases over four years, and twice shares content:

Today, those start and end points are not connected. By setting up measurement beacons that customers interact with, marketers can understand what each digital customer narrative looks like. And by shaping those experiences with content and the addition of community engagement, you can measure the context and experience of research and customer care from the first interaction and throughout the relationship. In that context, the true measure of influence is how many people take up your shared content.

If you have unlimited marketing budgets and don't care how they're spent, this approach might not matter to you. But it will matter if you're a results-driven marketer with limited resources who wants to really understand how each part of the marketing mix contributes to progression via either relationship or sales conversions—parallel but intersecting tracks that must both be viewed and measured to understand customer/buyer and audience dynamics.

That ties directly into small-movement marketing: By measuring how people progress through digital properties, we can see which marketing investments are performing and which are not.

* * *

In my next article, which will re-examine the sacred cows of marketing, I'll take a look at the role of content in measuring small-movement marketing and why it's not the message or—gasp!—even the copy that matters most anymore.

Articles in this series:

1.     The first article explored how the role of long-ball big-idea marketing is shifting amid the rise of "small-movement" marketing—how marketers are starting to shift away from trying to hit only home runs and are instead trying to foster deeper brand and relationship interactions online at the beginning of the customer relationship process.

2.     This article, the second in the series, discussed the death of the so-called funnel and the birth of the measurable customer narrative.

3.     The third article will focus on content versus messaging and what brands and marketers need to do with content to keep their customers' attention.

4.     The fourth article will look at the shifting role of brand management in the new, fragmented environment.

5.     This five-part series will conclude with an article focusing on the interplay between content and community and the role of community within the sales and marketing cycle.

source-Jen Evans

Influencer Marketing Success Stories

In case you haven't noticed, the power of word-of-mouth is becoming an increasingly powerful force in marketing for the simple reason that the opinions of trusted individuals carry more weight than the often impersonal voice of promotional copy. Influencer Marketing Success Stories features 13 companies that have leveraged the influence of outspoken opinion-makers and ordinary online reviewers to achieve their marketing objectives.

With examples from Forbes Digital, Virgin America, SAP, PRWeb, and more, this new Case Study Collection will show you how to use influencer and word-of-mouth marketing to:

·                 Boost brand awareness: Harness an influencer's popularity by making concrete connections between their personal brands and yours.

·                 Foster third-party credibility: Motivate happy customers to share brand and product experiences in their own words.

·                 Introduce new products and services: Generate buzz around your latest launch by supplying the public with the tools—and motivation—to spread the word.

·                 Increase sales: Maneuver your way up the chain of command and do wonders for the bottom line.

·                 Improve customer relations: Deliver ongoing value for customers by associating them with the people they admire and respect.

Each case study details the tools and approaches used, the outcomes achieved and the lessons learned, as well as a list of insightful tips for getting started. By the time you finish reading, you'll be ready to launch your own influencer campaign in support of your marketing goals.

It All Hinges On The Fulcrum!

Every now and then, every established individual asks himself how life could have been different, only if... And every time, the very thought of a “different” present makes him realise how, actually, the Rubik’s cube appears more uniform today, than it ever did. The story of Sudipto Roy is no different. He once dreamt of climbing up the ladder in the world of journalism, but destiny would rather have him enter the world of media planning. Today, as the GM of Fulcrum division of Mindshare (and the Principal Partner – Client Leadership at Mindshare), he finds himself handling the biggest advertising account for his company – that of HUL. He still loves literature, but the numbers keep him glued to work. And glad he is, for it’s not everyday that you come across someone who has the good fortune to chart out media plans for one of India’s largest FMCG companies’ (HUL) 40 smash-hit brands.

So how does the world look from 20,000 feet above sea-level? Actually, we realised that his boots are firmly glued to the ground. He gives due credit to the brands that HUL has nurtured till date, and believes that his team has only done justice to his client’s expectations. Says Roy, “When you handle a client of this size, you get lulled by the scale of the business. So it gives you the confidence to deliver the goods.”

Roy is no stranger to tall brands. He has handled accounts like Tata Tea and Maruti in the past. But before he moved to Mindshare, it was all about dabbling with many things at a time. With HUL the situation changed. With a one-client focussed approach, he redefined creativity and made the right decisions on the use of media vehicles. From leveraging a phenomenon like ‘Jatra’ in Bengal and Maharashtra to reach out to 4-5 lakh people at once (through travelling talkies), to successfully conducting the first AFP (Advertising Funded Program) on DD National (the Wheel Smart Shrimati game show), Roy has been lucky almost every time. But the great results as he claims have come about due to the “research that precedes the investment, and a focus on strategy, creativity & creative platforms...” Having recently won accolades like Agency of the Year Award, medals in ABBYs, Digital Agency Award from Campaign India, Best Media Operation in the world title, another Digital Media Award for ‘Axe’ et al, Roy’s team has proven why focussing on competitiveness pays more than just the dollars. 

His work keeps him busy, but he has no regrets, for whatever time he can spare, he spends it with his family, particularly his two daughters. And though Roy would have loved to yield the journalistic pen today, he seems to have found a liking to what destiny had in store for him. 

Media Agencies have to Adapt to New Trends

You have been in the industry for so long. How has been the transformation? 
I believe that the evolution is huge and drastic. Earlier, the media department used to be an integrated part of the entire ad agency. But today, you have certain dependent units within the media division also, like planning, buying, special service units et al. This has largely happened because media has panned out. New media formats have come in and advertisers have changed their outlook. Thus, media agencies have to adapt to the new trends. 

What challenges or shortcomings do you see with the emergence and bifurcation of media in India? 
Most of the time you actually don’t know what the creative looks like. You just have a basic understanding of what the communication is until the client really has a process where it involves all the agencies and their business partners. Hence, it’s a disadvantage as it prevents us to think holistic. 

Earlier, the relationship between media owners and buyers was transactional in nature. How do you think it has changed? 
It’s still transactional but it also depends on how you partner with them as they have the asset which is combined with your thinking and strategy. For instance, we have the Aviva – Donate a Book campaign. We have collaborated with HT for it and are using it to both promote the brand and get associated with a social cause.

This year in January, you joined as COO of VivaKi after a stint as Vice president – Media at Zenith Optimedia. How has been the transformation phase? 
It has made me look at things rationally as I have become a part of the whole management. We now have a more scientific way of doing things as we have added a procurement person who comes from the client background and brings in the knowledge and expectations which the client may have. This gives a more comprehensive approach towards doing things. 

Do you think your advertising background helped you in understanding the nuances of media planning? 
Absolutely. I believe people of my era are kind of all-rounders and understand every part of advertising and not just media, as we used to work along in integrated units. An obvious understanding of media was there since we used to be a part of meetings that went into building a brand. Our exposure was far superior as compared to people who have now come on board.

You also have a VivaKi nerve team. What is its function and how will it work in India? 
It’s a global initiative wherein they bring in all the best practices for the brand to kind of adopt it. Thus, they do a lot of training programmes and also have a digital initiative. It’s still in a very nascent stage in India and the whole idea is to get into various digital launching tools, techniques and tie ups.
Mona Jain, COO, Vivaki Exchange India always wanted to be a Marketing Professional. But she Ended up next door in Media Planning. Here, She Shares how Media Planning in India has Evolved and what lies ahead 

We are Independent! What a joke

Every Indian celebrates Independence Day on 15^th August. But I don’t think we are still independent. Let’s start the story from a broader view. When we open a news paper in morning to refresh our mind we normally find robbery, bomb blasts etc. It sends a message that we are not secured. If one is not secured then how he/she will be independent. Corruption is another big deal for India. If one is going to protest that then he has to see the doors of jail opened for him. Is this the independence we are talking about?  A person has to go to door to door to earn his daily living and he is not bothered about the rude behavior of the high class society. The simple reason is that by any means he/she has to earn his/ her daily living no matter whether he/she is an uneducated beggar or a highly qualified sales person. In the 20^th century if one government is unable to create employability for its citizens then can we say proudly that we are independent? But really some people especially the politicians can say that they are really independent because they can do anything. They have the liberty to do any crime which includes corruption, scams and many more. Because they are very clear about the fact that nothing will happen to them. If the protector becomes the destroyer then can we really say that we are independent? If an athlete wins a medal for the country then he is rewarded with a huge amount but when a soldier or army person dies who has dedicated his life for the protection of the country then a simple condolence and a small amount of stipend come into act. Is this the independence we are talking about? A person has to get into the city bus in time no matter how rush it is because transportation is the biggest concern of the day. If u will miss the bus then it increases the probability of missing your job also. Is this the independence we are talking about? In this independent country increasing price of necessity commodities is another biggest concern. No matter whether it is grocery items or Petrol and diesel. This is the country where women don’t feel themselves secured if they will be out after 8 pm in the evening. Is this the independence we are talking about?