Posts Tagged ‘mobile brands’

Should you start a business because “you” think that your product or service is commercially viable?  Your answer to this question may be “yes”.  But I would say you have a case of marketing myopia.

Thinking that you have a great product or service is a short sighted approach to doing business.  That’s why I’m going to talk about products that are solutions and that is the reason why they are so successful.  They help people with problems that seem insurmountable or are too time consuming as far as sourcing and procurement go. 

Together let’s decipher the formula for business success and a sure shot way to beat myopia…developing products and services that are solutions…

• Help People Look and Feel Better

No I’m not on to weight loss programs, fitness and image consultancy and neither is this a testimonial or endorsement of the product I’m going to use as an illustration…Proactiv.

The reason why Proactiv has succeeded in becoming a leading product in the skin care segment is because its creators have focused on acne…a common problem that ails teenagers and adults all over the world.

Secondly, Proactiv is a simple 3 step regimen that users have to follow to get rid of the big A.  Thirdly, it comes with a money back guarantee that permits buyers to return even empty bottles within the specified period.

So you see, it addresses a big issue as far as look good, feel good goes, it is easy to use and you can get your money back if you feel it isn’t working for you.  There you have a solution that is easy to apply and comes with money back guarantee.

The beauty business is a big market and developing products that help people overcome such problems is a really lucrative business opportunity.  Even creating reversible outfits can help people trim the size of their wardrobes while creating different looks so helping people to look good is not just skin or weight issues, it could be anything. 

• Make Life Simpler

Why do people buy cup noodles or Quaker oats that cook in 2 minutes?  Because it makes life simpler.

At some level all of us look for products and services that make our lives simpler.  Looking for inspiration?  Let me tell you the story of the creation of the Bagswitcher, a pioneering product that was born out of a problematic situation faced by its creator.

Most women (old, young, working, housewives) and the like have a fetish for bags and so does Riddhi Doshi, the lady behind the Bagswitcher.

One hectic day…Riddhi switched bags but forgot an important prescription in another bag. Sounds familiar?

It was then that Riddhi’s mother-in-law, Mita Doshi (who happened to be accompanying her at the time) came out with the idea of creating a pouch with compartments that could be transferred from one bag to another…switch the bag with the clutter. That’s how the “Bag Switcher” was born.

In July 2010 the two women made a few pieces and sold them at an exhibition and that was how the business plan took shape. This pouch with six compartments; there’s room for everything (well almost) pens, cellphones, make up kit, keys, purse, sunglasses, a perfume bottle, USB pods, business cards, a pocket book, an iPod and even cables for your laptop is every woman’s solution to switching bags with the clutter.

• Add Wheels to Your Brand

Mobile brands are all the rage now and that’s because time is a scarce resource.  Cities and town everywhere have rush hour, traffic snarls and road rage problems.  Adding wheels to brands simply means a lot of things get door delivered, people have to get out less and that way they save travel time.  Roads get a lot less congested and stores less crowded. 

Online shopping sites have worked on this very principle for a long time now and the possibilities of brand mobility are virtually endless.  Pizza Hut and Dominos have applied this model very successfully and there’s no reason why you can’t use it as a differentiation strategy. 

Wheeling brands in to the customers’ home lets people enjoy goods and services in the comfort of their own homes.  Greentokri.com delivers fresh salads to customers’ homes in Pune making getting fresh greens and storing them so easy. 

Customers today look for personalization and flexibility on the part of the vendor/service provider this is precisely why making your brand a mobile own will put you miles ahead (pun intended) of your competitors. 

So when you think of doing business…ask yourself…is my product or service a solution?  What problems are people facing and how can my product or service help them to overcome these problems? 

This is important to develop a clear vision for your brand.  Marketing myopia?  You won’t have to battle it if you put some serious thought in to developing solutions!

Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1556

When you think of a business idea the top the top things that you should consider are “Does your product simplify life?”, “Does it help people to save time?” and “Does it offer convenience?”

The answers to these questions will help you determine whether or not your product is marketable. Fast moving products are those that offer simplicity, convenience and savings are the key to building a successful business model.  Creating a unique business based on small, simple ideas is the most profitable route that a business owner can take.  Here’s how…

Savings Are Always Welcome

Products that save time and offer convenience are highly preferred especially nowadays when “time” is a scarce resource.  If you can create a product or provide a service that saves time chances of commercial success are high. 

Take the case of ready to eat meals like cup noodles, heat and eat options and something like two minute noodles, people buy them simply because you can rustle up a meal in no time.  

Mobile Brands

The best thing about brands with wheels is that they are door delivered, cut travel time and reduce the effort involved in locating what consumers need.   This is precisely why online shopping and e-banking have become so popular with people.  They offer convenience 24×7 without leaving the comfort of one’s home. 

Even a relatively simple business model like the Tiffin service provided by Mumbai’s Dabbawalas is built on the principle of convenience.  Hot, home cooked meals delivered to your office or place of work without the early morning rush to have packed lunch ready before you leave for work. 

Convenience Packs

Convenience packs like sachets of soup and shampoo, tea bags, ready to use coffee mixes that will make one cup of coffee are popular among buyers.  The main reason being that you can whip up a meal for one in no time, wash your hair without lugging a bottle of shampoo around and the other reason being these packs are easy to carry.

If you can create little products for everyday use that are easy to carry and use you’ve won half the marketing battle!

Solving a Problem

An interesting instance of a product that solves a problem is the Bagswitcher, a product I reviewed last month. The Bagswitcher is a practical pouch that has around six compartment-type pockets along with a key hanger and a chained compartment for women to load your essentials. This pouch fits into a handbag with ease.

Whenever a user wants to switch bags, all they need to do is grab the switcher by its small handles and transfer it to the next handbag. The USP of the product is that the moment you put your hand in the handbag to find you compact powder you know exactly where to look for it.

Classics Live On

Classic products that have stood the test of time are simple and ones that can stand the test of fashion and trends to go on and on.  The Little Black Dress (LBD, as it’s commonly referred to), a cocktail dress, the origins of which fashion historians trace to the 1920’s designs by Coco Chanel is a wonderful example of a timeless product.

Attaining business success become easy once the product is sorted out.  Simple, clean lines, models that save time and sometimes money too are always preferred by buyers.  This is why simplicity is the key to business success!

Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1152

A discussion with my colleagues at work this morning made me realize not for the first time) that we are always complaining about the lack of time.  Each one of us has 24 hours in a day yet most of us feel we can never get enough done.  We are looking for ways to save time which is why I feel brands with wheels make great business sense…simply because they save time!

From mobile libraries to spas at your doorstep, businesses that offer convenience are laughing all the way to the bank, here’s why…

It’s All about Convenience

In your daily schedule finding time to pick up groceries, bringing home the laundry or getting books from the library can become difficult.  This is because you have to go out there and get the stuff.  If you had a grocer who was ready to deliver at your doorstep just when you ran out of milk at 6 am you would definitely prefer him over the swanky department store located five miles away.

Time is an important constraint for those of us who are grappling with busy schedules and cannot just make it to the grocery store, laundry/library. Librarywala.com is an Indian online business success story.  A venture that allows members to order their favorite books from among over 8,000 paperbacks and has a range of membership plans. 

Registering for a membership, ordering books and searching for a particular title or author can be done online.  Delivery at one’s door step at no extra cost has built a huge customer base in Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. 

Saving Travel Time

Cities and town everywhere have rush hour, traffic snarls and road rage problems.  Adding wheels to brands simply means a lot of things get door delivered, people have to get out less and that way they save travel time.  Roads get a lot less congested and stores less crowded. 

Come to think of it…online shopping sites have worked on this very principle for a long time now and the possibilities of brand mobility are virtually endless.  Pizza Hut and Dominos have applied this model very successfully and there’s no reason why you can’t.

The Possibilities are Endless

If you’re wondering whether or not there’s a brand you can add wheels to, I would say look around.  There’s plenty of inspiration.  Meanwhile here are some small business brands with wheels that I came across…

• A mobile school
• A mobile furnishing store
• A spa service
• A salon
• A pet grooming service
• Organic vegetables fresh from the farm
• Fresh fruit and vegetable juices
• South Indian snacks like Idlis and Wadas
• Tailoring services

All helping customers to save precious time!

Comfort At Home

Wheeling brands in to the customers’ home lets people enjoy goods and services in the comfort of their own homes.  One lady who runs a mobile beauty business says business is good simply because getting a massage at home or coloring one’s hair at home is so much better.  

Customers today look for personalization and flexibility on the part of the vendor/service provider.  This is why it’s important that you choose a reliable delivery mechanism/partner this is crucial for an image that emanates efficiency.  This could mean investing in a mobile van, car, and scooter or even bicycles (to add the “green” edge to your business). 

Business is all about realizing commercial success and if we were to carefully consider this aspect we would inevitably discover that in an increasingly competitive environment being “different” is in fact the only thing that counts. 

Look around and you will see how people are coming up with ideas that are novel, original and are meeting with commercial success. Adding wheels to your brand could just make business so much easier and profitable on both sides…wheel that brand!

Image Courtesy: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=721