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Professionalism
Always be professional, do not fall into the old friends trap, you will lose more than you will ever be able to gain back. I have had a few occasions where I was doing business as a consultant and I was asked if I could attend a social event to celebrate the success of the project. I was pleased that the company had asked me and I graciously accepted. The event was on a Saturday afternoon so I dressed appropriately for a BBQ.When I got to the event, everyone else was dressed the same way except the host who was basically in his workout clothes. He was treating everyone like old friends, which is not a bad thing. The problem turned out to be the language he chose to use at the event. If I had joined in as the others, I would have lost a great deal of respect. I decided that I would stay to be sociable but would take the first opportunity to leave. As much as I wanted to be part of the group, I did not feel I would gain anything by lowering my professionalism. I am sure most of you have been in similar situations. It is very difficult not to join in but if it is a customer, you should not let yourself be part of

t from a set of stimuli (e.g. photos) those that fit the examined subject.

Psycho-drawing is a technique that allows study participants to express a wide range of perceptions by making drawings of what they perceive the brand is (or product, service).

Personalization consists in asking the respondents to treat the brand or product as if it is a person and start making associations or finding images of this person. This technique is especially recommended in order to understand what kind of personality consumers assign to a brand / product / service.

3. In-depth interviews

These techniques of marketing research put an accent on verbal communication and they are efficient especially when trying to discover underlying attitudes and motivations towards a product or a specific market / consumption situation.

Individual in-depth interviews are performed on a person-to-person environment and the interviewer can obtain very specific and precise answers. Such interviews are common in B2B practices of market research, for example when a company conducts a research about a product among their existing corporate customers.

Interviews can be conducted by phone or via internet-based media, from a centralized location: this can greatly reduce costs associated with market research and the results are pretty much as accurate as the face-to-face ones. The only disadvantage would be the lack of non-verbal, visual communication.

Focus groups are basically discussions conducted by a researcher with a group of respondents wh

Registration Forms: How to Make Them Irresistible with Event Information
You can attract more people to your event by giving your prospects an overwhelming amount of evidence that this is THE event for them.Seminar companies who spend millions a year on direct mailers have tested, tested, tested, and then perfected the format that gets the greatest response rates.We dissected some of their most compelling seminar brochures to see what type of EVIDENCE they used. Here's how they do it - each one of these appeared as a list of 3 to 20 items: Types of people that will benefit most from attending Powerful things they will learn at the event Sound reasons to enroll today Testimonials from those who have attended Special benefits of attending Questions they may have asked themselves in the past (and now will get the answers to) Ways they’ll profit by attending Ways they’ll benefit from the instructor Brand name companies who have attended Questions to determine if this event is for them Motivate your prospects emotionally and intellectually. Tap into both sides of their bra

This article is meant to be a brief review and reminder of some valuable yet often bypassed techniques to collect data on international markets and consumers.

When thinking of market research, surveys are most likely the first technique that comes to ones mind. However, surveys are a quantitative research and, in order to understand customer behavior and the social and cultural context in which our business will operate, we will need to perform some qualitative research as well.

Qualitative methods are most certainly a more appropriate option when in need of researching patterns and attitudes in customer behavior, understand the depth of the environment around the customer, and understand the cultural characteristics then influence a customer – especially when the marketer is not familiar with the country of culture.

There are certain situations where qualitative research alone can provide the marketer with all insights needed to make decisions and take actions; while in some other cases quantitative research might be needed as well.

We will stop by the main qualitative techniques and see how and where they can be employed in international marketing. Craig and Douglas (2000), mention three major types of qualitative data collection techniques:

- observational and quasi-observational techniques;

- projective techniques and depth interviews;

- creative group sessions (synectics).

1. Observational and quasi-observational techniques

Observational techniques involve direct observation of phenomena (in our case, consumers' behavior) in their natural settings. Observational research might be somehow less reliable than quantitative research yet it is more valid and flexible since the marketer is able to change his approach whenever needed.

Disadvantages are given by the limited behavioral variables and the fact that such data might not be generalizable – we can observe a customer's behavior at a given moment and situation but we cannot assume all further customers will act the same.

Quasi-observational techniques are reported to have increased in usage over the past decades, due to the large scale employ of surveillance cameras within stores. Such techniques cost less than pure observational ones since costs associated with video surveillance and taping are far lower than a researcher's wage; the tape can be viewed and analyzed at a later time, at the marketer's convenience. When performing videotaping of consumers' behaviors, they can be asked to give comments and insights upon their thoughts and actions while the conversation itself can be recorded and be further analyzed.

Pure observation: the marketer watches behavior of customers in real-life situation, either in situ or by videotaping the consumers (less intrusive). Videotaping can be specifically recommended when studying patterns of different cultures, since we can easily compare behaviors taped and highlight similarities and / or differences.

Trace measures: consist in collecting and recording traces of consumers' behavior. Such traces can be fingerprints or tear of packages, empty packages, garbage cans analysis and any other ways a marketer can imagine (it's all about creativity here!). In eMarketing, trace measures come under the form of recorded visits and hits – there are numerous professional applications that can help an emarketer analyze the behavior of visitors on his company's website.

Archival measures: can be any type of historical records, public records, archives, libraries, collections of personal documents etc. Such data can prove to be of great use in analyzing behavioral trends and changes in time. Marketers can also identify cultural values and attitudes of a population at a given moment by studying mass media content and advertisement of the timeframe questioned.

Entrapment measures: those are indirect techniques (by comparison to the previously mentioned ones) and consist in asking the respondent to react to a specific stimulus or situation, when the actual subject of investigation is totally different. The marketer plants the real stimulus among many fake ones and studies reactions. The method is quite unobtrusive and the marketer can gather valuable, non-reactive facts. When the respondent becomes aware of the true subject under investigation (s)he might change the behavior and compromise the study.

Protocols: are yet another observational marketing research technique which asks respondents to think out loud and verbally express all their thoughts during the decision-making process. Protocols are of great value for determining the factors of importance for a sale and they can be collected in either real shopping trips or simulated ones.

2. Projective techniques

Such techniques are based on the respondent's performance of certain tasks given by the marketer. The purpose is to have the consumers (respondents) express their unconscious beliefs through the projective stimuli; to express associations towards various symbols, images, signs.

Cooper (1996) suggested that projective techniques can be successfully employed to: - indicate emotional and rational reactions;

- provide verbal and non-verbal communication;

- give permission to express novel ideas;

- encourage fantasy, idiosyncrasy and originality;

- reduce social constraints and censorship;

- encourage group members to share and "open up".

Projective market research techniques can take the following forms, presented below.

Collages – used to understand lifestyles and brand perceptions, respondents are asked to assemble a collage using images and symbols from selected sets of stimuli or from magazines and newspapers of their choice.

Picture completion – certain pictures can be designed to express and visualize the issue under study and respondents have to make associations and / or attribute words to the given pictures.

Analogies and metaphors are used when a larger range of projection is needed, with more complexity and depth of ideas and thoughts on a given brand, product, service, organization. The respondents are asked to freely express their association and analogies towards the object being studied; or they can be asked to select from a set of stimuli (e.g. photos) those that fit the examined subject.

Psycho-drawing is a technique that allows study participants to express a wide range of perceptions by making drawings of what they perceive the brand is (or product, service).

3. In-depth interviews

Focus groups are basically discussions conducted by a researcher with a group of respondents who

NASCAR's Sonic Boom
It is possible that a stock car can produce the sonic boom of traveling faster than the sound barrier? It happened yesterday in Mexico City in a NASCAR race. Don't believe me? Check the facts:• NASCAR's newest big addition to its driver stable is Juan Pablo Montoya.• ESPN broadcast the race entirely in Spanish with their ESPN Deportes crew. The English version was available on ESPN2!• Montoya wins the race in an exciting green-white-checkered finish making him the first Hispanic driver to win a NASCAR race.• 43 million Latinos living in this country have a new reason to watch NASCAR races and of course buy millions of dollars of NASCAR products.• The international stamp of approval happened the moment number 42 crossed that finish line and millions of fans beyond the borders of this country found a new reason to follow NASCARYou sure you didn't hear the sound of that sonic shift? Not only has NASCAR broken free from its roots of backwoods southern bootleggers, they are setting the trend for sports to follow as the fastest growing spectator sport in America. In fact, they are demonstrating t

behavior) in their natural settings. Observational research might be somehow less reliable than quantitative research yet it is more valid and flexible since the marketer is able to change his approach whenever needed.

2. Projective techniques

Cooper (1996) suggested that projective techniques can be successfully employed to: - indicate emotional and rational reactions;

- provide verbal and non-verbal communication;

- give permission to express novel ideas;

- encourage fantasy, idiosyncrasy and originality;

- reduce social constraints and censorship;

- encourage group members to share and "open up".

Projective market research techniques can take the following forms, presented below.

Picture completion – certain pictures can be designed to express and visualize the issue under study and respondents have to make associations and / or attribute words to the given pictures.

Psycho-drawing is a technique that allows study participants to express a wide range of perceptions by making drawings of what they perceive the brand is (or product, service).

3. In-depth interviews

Focus groups are basically discussions conducted by a researcher with a group of respondents wh

A Guide To Warehouse
Warehousing is an important function of physical distribution, particularly when a manufacturer produces consumer goods. A commercial building for the storage of goods is known as a warehouse.Some inventory is kept at or near the plant, and the rest is in warehouses in other locations. A company can own private warehouses and also rent space in public warehouses. Strong warehouses store goods for moderate-to-longer time periods. Distribution warehouses receive goods from various company plants and suppliers, and move them out as soon as possible. Some warehouses provide facilities like cold storage. There are specialized warehouses for agricultural products.The older, multistoried warehouses have slow elevators and inefficient material-handling procedures. These older systems are receiving competition from newer, single-story automated warehouses with advanced material-handling and warehouse-management systems under the control of a central computer. The computer reads store orders and directs lift trucks and electric hoists to gather goods according to bar codes, move them to loading docks and issue invoices. These w

age cans analysis and any other ways a marketer can imagine (it's all about creativity here!). In eMarketing, trace measures come under the form of recorded visits and hits – there are numerous professional applications that can help an emarketer analyze the behavior of visitors on his company's website.

2. Projective techniques

Cooper (1996) suggested that projective techniques can be successfully employed to: - indicate emotional and rational reactions;

- provide verbal and non-verbal communication;

- give permission to express novel ideas;

- encourage fantasy, idiosyncrasy and originality;

- reduce social constraints and censorship;

- encourage group members to share and "open up".

Projective market research techniques can take the following forms, presented below.

Picture completion – certain pictures can be designed to express and visualize the issue under study and respondents have to make associations and / or attribute words to the given pictures.

Psycho-drawing is a technique that allows study participants to express a wide range of perceptions by making drawings of what they perceive the brand is (or product, service).

3. In-depth interviews

Focus groups are basically discussions conducted by a researcher with a group of respondents wh

Success Is About Being Different
It is amazing just how many people are insecure with themselves that they wish to be somebody else. I have even heard of people going as far as having face transplants to look like someone else! Now don't misunderstand me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having someone to look upto, people you look to for inspiration, guidance and support, this is different to when you seek upon doing exactly what everyone else does, i.e. becoming like the Jones' - following the crowd. This is unlikely to bring you success in your career or business. You are unique, you are the only one with your particular uniqueness, one in more than a billion people, strong and living, that is to be celebrated not discarded.In Wes Beavis' book - 'Escape to Prosperity' he talks of how we live in a society where people want to be better than the Jones', their next door neighbour, but you do not know how those people got their success, certainly be inspired by them if necessary but do not envy and therefore feel like you are inadequate as a person. What you need to do is work on your inner self, developing your knowledge and skills in whatever you wan

ng trips or simulated ones.

2. Projective techniques

Cooper (1996) suggested that projective techniques can be successfully employed to: - indicate emotional and rational reactions;

- provide verbal and non-verbal communication;

- give permission to express novel ideas;

- encourage fantasy, idiosyncrasy and originality;

- reduce social constraints and censorship;

- encourage group members to share and "open up".

Projective market research techniques can take the following forms, presented below.

Picture completion – certain pictures can be designed to express and visualize the issue under study and respondents have to make associations and / or attribute words to the given pictures.

Psycho-drawing is a technique that allows study participants to express a wide range of perceptions by making drawings of what they perceive the brand is (or product, service).

3. In-depth interviews

Focus groups are basically discussions conducted by a researcher with a group of respondents wh

HRM - McDonald's
In this article I will discuss the human resource strategy of McDonald’s. The company is the leader in the fast food industry and it proves that the strategy the company chosen is right and efficient. All the details about employment in McDonald’s will be reviewed in this article. McDonald's began in the USA in the USA in 1995 with one restaurant. McDonald's is now the largest and fastest growing Quick Service restaurant in the world. From New York to Newcastle the Golden Arches have become a universal symbol for McDonald's.McDonalds opened its first store in the UK on 1974 in Woolwich, London and by the year 2000, it started to operate over 1000 restaurants. The human resource management of McDonald's covers a variety of activities. The term human resource management? Has largely replaced the old-fashioned word personnel? Which was used in the past. Human resources management within McDonald'sThe key to human resources management is that it is seen as a strategic concern for McDonald's. Rather than being simply a specialised function (as a personnel management used to be), it is a concern for all managers

t from a set of stimuli (e.g. photos) those that fit the examined subject.

Psycho-drawing is a technique that allows study participants to express a wide range of perceptions by making drawings of what they perceive the brand is (or product, service).

3. In-depth interviews

Focus groups are basically discussions conducted by a researcher with a group of respondents who are considered to be representative for the target market.

Such meetings are usually held in an informal setting and are moderated by the researcher. Videotaping the sessions is common these days, and it can add more sources of analysis at a later time.

Focus groups are perhaps the ideal technique, if available in terms of costs and time, to test new ideas and concepts towards brands and products; to study customers' response to creative media such as ads and packaging design or to detect trends in consumers' attribute and perception. One of the important advantages of focus groups is the presence of several respondents in the same time, providing a certain synergy. Disadvantages refer mainly to the costs involved and the scarcity of good professionals to conduct the interviews and discussions.

To conclude, we have to keep in mind just how important non-survey data collection techniques are in today's market research. Not only they provide more depth of analysis but they can be performed in significantly less time than surveys and they're more suitable to be employed during the exploratory phases of international marketing research.

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