Business Blog – Kalin

I don’t think there will be someone never bought something. Sales Processes occur everyday in our daily life. Normally, people think that sales process are very easy! From the consumer side, we go to a store, select something, and pay money. From the sales side, help the customers select products and receive money from them. That is what we though in past days. Actually, sales process is way more than that!!!

The sales process contain five steps. First, prospecting and qualifying, then, pre-approach, thirdly, presentation and handling objections, closing, and follow-up.

When a new product comes out, a very good sales will first list some potential customers. Then, he or she will contact the customers to let them know this product is available and can come for viewing. Then, the customer come to the store, the sales can go and present this product to him or her and give some discription.  The fourth step is to try the best to convince consumer to buy it. Most people think that if the consumer buy it, the sales process ends. It’s not!!! There is a very important step which is follow-up!!! A great follow-up can keep better relationship with customers, and they will be easily become loyal customers which would generate high profit for the company and also the sales him or herself.

COMM299 is an one credit course which takes the whole winter term. After take this course, I feel it is one of the most useful course I have ever had.  The second part of the course is career fundamentals, it helps me a lot on applying jobs. First, it teaches me how to right a resume. A resume is very important because it is what we first show to the company. Also, we learned how to write a cover letter. To me, I really don’t know there is something called cover letter exist in the past! The most important thing I learned is interview. I never had a interview in my past life. It is kind of practise for me. Although I didn’t do very well due to my nervious, I still feel that is a great try! Now, I know a lot about what should do and what should not do. COMM299 is very useful for business students even though it only contain one credit.

I didn’t have a chance to read the book before last class, therefore, I really have no idea when I was answering the Clicker Question about the AIDA Model in class on Thursday March 17th.

Now, I would like to use myself as an example and introduce everyone the AIDA Model.

These days, Japan has a very big earthquick and tsunami which distoried the northeast part of Japan. Because of this, I found I should buy a lot of Japanese products in case they more not going to be available any more in the future. Because of that, I start to search on online shopping center to find out what I should buy. I found that a lot of Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma products get my interest, therefore, I add a lot in my shopping cart, and thinking to buy them. After check and check for many time, I finally bought all of them that I put into the shopping cart!!!

My example is end, now, I’ll relate them into AIDA Model. When I think that I should buy some Japanese product because of the earthquick and tsunami, this is my thinking which is also “awareness” in AIDA Model. When I get interested by Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma, it is part of my feel, also “interest” in the model. When I really think that I need them and want them, it’s still my feeling, and it is the “desire” part in the model. Finally, I bought all the products I like. This is my action in the end – what I did.

*All the pictures seem not displayed well, therefore, I’ll stop posting pictures and try to post vedios instead if available!!!*

Every day we lived, every thing we saw, and every one we met, can teach us a lesson. The greatest lesson I learned is how to treat people around me. In the past, I was so unruly. I was very kind to people who I like, but don’t really talk to anyone who I don’t like or I don’t know (people I don’t like = I just don’t like him or her in first sign without understanding him or her, I may like him or her after I know him or her). I was willing to help my friend – everything I can and tried my best. To the people I don’t like, I always discuss about him or her with my friend and don’t really want to know him or her because of I feel bad about him or her in first sign. After I met a friend, I change my mind a lot. Maybe the reason also include that I grow up a lot and know more about life. My friend told me that, if you want to be a successful person, you must be friend with everyone around you, and even others you may never thought about. Although I though her thought was too absoluteness, but I started to try to know others. Several year later, I found she was right. At least, I shoud not give someone a tag before I really understand him or her. Sometime, he or she may act as a person you don’t like, but the truth is that he or she can be one of the best friend of you. Also, want to be a successful person, you also need to have a lot of friends so that can help you in the future. Sometimes, I feel this is right, but sometimes it seems making use of others to me. Anyways, be kind to everyone, and give everyone a chance to be your friend, and also give yourself a chance to know others, you will feel that you get a lot and the life is great!!!

Hello Kitty, name of a popular carton character, is one of the biggest brand in Japan and also spread out all over the world. It had been created in 1974, and became one of the most popular character for many many years.

At the introduction period, Hello Kitty only produces small coin purses, pencils, pencil boxes, and etc. Its target market is young age girls who like “kawaii” stuffs. Over several years, Hello Kitty becomes very popular in Asian and also other places all over the world. Sanrio starts to think about targeting more people and make products more valuable. It starts to innovate more different types of products in a very wide range, from very cheap stickers for little girls to high end luxury.  It also sell its brand mark to other company for them to develop Hello Kitty stuffs as well.

Hello Kitty changes its position very successful. It’s now targeting a wide range of people, girls from 5 to 35, and even more. Hello Kitty contains almost everything you can think. From Kitchen Collections to Large Furnitures, from electronic products to towel, and even Hello Kitty condom, and things you never though before.

Hello Kitty is an example of a character brand which target certain people and offer them everything they need. There are many loyal customers with Hello Kitty. Sanrio catches what the customers need and develop things they want, and even more.

It is a very successful brand and I love it so much.

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Thanks Hello Kitty and all other Japanese Factories to make the world wonderful, and hope everyone and everything in Japan is fine. (Mar. 11, 2011 – 9.0 earthquick and tsunami in Japan)

As the new Mac Pro just released one week ago, iPad 2 also introduced to us today at 10:00 am. For Apple fans, it’s one of the greatest information to them. Most of them in other places all over the world even wait until mid-night to catch the news about the new ipad in the first second.

When people are following these fantastic product and feel crazy for them, did they think about the development process of these product?

Use the iPad as an example, the development team in Apple needs to have many many creative thinking to get a better idea which can be done in the future. They need to do a lot of research to find out what the customers want and what could be done. People may like iPhone, but the words in iPhone is too small, they want to have a slightly large product which can do similar function as iPhone. Also some people want to have a smaller laptop which can take to everywhere easily. Finally, they get the idea to create a product called iPad which is larger than iPhone, but smaller than a laptop. Then, they need to ask some potential customers to try the iPad to make sure that’s what they want and how to make it better. They can get reconmendations from those testers and do more improvment on this product. After the team get a better idea of the key concept they need to have, they start to the product design part. There will have many different version of the product and they will finalized a best one and start to build on. They may ask those same potential customers to try again the new version of product and give some advices. After everything about the product is great, they need to start to test the market, to make sure it could successful after introduce to the market. iPad did very well on this. When Apple announces that iPad will come to the world. A lot of people start to follow on the information about iPad and thinking to have one in the future. At this point, it seems iPad could be great, then Apple start to manufacture this product and launch it into the market. At the time of introducing to the market, Apple needs to consider where to start and what is the price. For iPad 2, Apple didn’t do any promotion cuz they know how it would be crazy for people in the whole world, therefore, promotion is not necessary for Apple. iPad 2 set the same price as previous one, and start selling in US first. After March 11, 2011 people can order online or buy iPad 2 in the retail stores in the US. At this time, Apple start to collecte the informations about how customers feel and all the other kind of stuff to evaluate this product or prepare for next version of iPad. Until here, the development process ends.

Most people only thinks that Apple gains a lot of money from introducting iPhone, iPod, iPad or Mac, but they never think about how hard to introduce and develop a new product to the public.

Sometime, think more and stand on the other hand, you will feel you understand a lot than usual.

HOPE EVERY APPLE FAN CAN GET AN IPAD2 IN THE FIRST SECOND, AND I AM ALSO PREPARING TO GET A NEW IPAD ON THE 11ST OF MARCH AS WELL!!!

One of my best friend, Nicky, went to Las Vegas for her reading break. She went to many shops and bought a lot in Las Vegas. After she’s back to Victoria, she talked to me about her crazy shopping trip. Her mum really like a specific style of Hermes bag; therefore, she went to Hermes in Las Vegas to look for it for her mum.

When she arrived in Hermes in Wynn,Las Vegas, she found a Chinese people to serve her. She asks about the specific bag directly, but she got a very special answer. That staff told her that if she want to find a very popular product, she needs to buy at least 3000 USD from her, and then, she can go to check what my friend want in the back. Maybe the store have that one, but they will never show it on the shelf, they will keep for people who have record in their store only. If they have it in store, they’ll bring it to let her have a look, otherwise, she can order for my friend from other store or the factory. Because of that, my friend felt a little bit angry, and want to leave and check in another Hermes store in Las Vegas. That staff told my friend that you can check in other stores, but we all have the same rules. Latter, my friend checked in other store and get mainly the same answer. The Chinese people who served her told her that Hermes wants to not only sell the product which is popular, but also their other products as well. Also, Las Vegas is a popular place for people all over the world, the stores don’t want to sell their special products to visitors who only come once. They want to sell to loyal customers. Until here, my story ends. Now, I’m going to apply this into our marketing concepts.

Hermes is a really big and luxury brand all over the world. As I know, some of its bag even more expensive than a small condo. Hermes should have a very great promotion strategy for its products.

In our book on Page 12, it talks about custom printed my M&M’s adds value to M&M’s. It got my interest at that time. Also, my group did our assignment based on Mars – M&M’s which leads me to do more research on M&M’s.  I also ordered my personalized M&M’s for Valentine’s Gift.

Personalize M&M’s :  www.mymms.com

Most M&M’s product target on youth or young adults who like to have chocolate and candies. My M&M’s basically has the similar products as normal M&M’s, but people can add their own words and pictures on the small chocolate candies on the back of the “M”.

The personalized M&M’s has a larger target market with higher price. It focus not only youth and young adults, but also new couples, boyfriend and girlfriend, sports fans, and etc. The custom printed M&M’s focuses on most of the special events, such as birthday, weddings, new born babies, sports, Valentine’s Day, Father or Mother’s Day, anniversary, retirement, graduation, Christmas and etc. M&M’s also cooperate with NBA, NFL, MLB, and Disney to full fill most fan’s needs.

M&M’s is already a successful firm which is market oriented today.  It provides additional value to customers which is the MY M&M’s. It allows the customers the opportunity to act as collaborators in creating the product which is the personalized M&M’s.

There are many different promotions on MY M&M’s website every week to attract new and current customers. Usually are discounts, free shipping, or bonus bag.

There are many similar products in the market, if a firm wants to be succesful must not only produce great products, but also creat special products or let customers to partcipate to attract them loyal to the brand. Most customers today loves personalized products very much. M&M’s saw this chance and make is possible to customers to stand more stable in the market.

M&M’s was, is, and will be successful has its reason, which is target the right group of people and finding the right way!!!

When I feel free, I’d like to randomly read some of the students’ blogs to give myself some ideas about  marketing ideas. I just read BoZheng Yu’s blog about Starbucks’s expansion to China. I really agree with what he/she said and want to comment on something.

Based on my experience in China, the price for starbucks is really too high for major Chinese customers. A can of coke cost only about $3 RMB( = 0.45CAD), but a cup of starbucks coffee cost about 30-50RMB(4.5-7.5CAD) or even more. Based on the price, I really don’t believe that Starcbucks can be successful in China.

As I think several years ago, Starbucks will not have a lot of customers. Only very high class Chinese people will consume in Starbucks, and Starbucks will not expan to everywhere all over China. As time pass on, now, I feel that I got wrong. Starbucks is very successful in China now. Although it’s not same as Canada (see a starbucks in 3-5 min walk), it already has around 230 stores in mainland China (in total of around 500 stores in China including Mainland, HongKong, Macao, and Taiwan).

Why Starbucks can be successful in China? I did some research on that and find out some of the results.  First, as Bozheng said, the target market. Starbucks’s target market in China are the young generations from 18-30. As China develop so fast now, most families start to get better living standards and can have extra money to buy some luxury stuffs. (Starbucks in China still considered to be high value product). Therefore, these people are considered to be Starbucks target market. Also, young generation don’t really like the Chinese tradition tea. Most of them prefer Taiwaness Bubble Tea and Starbucks Coffee. Therefore, I don’t think tea is the indirect competitors of Starbucks as BoZheng said, instead of that, I considered that Taiwaness Bubble Tea is the largest competitor of Starbucks. For the direct competitor, there is a lot. There are many coffee shops in China, but none of them as large as Starbucks. Therefore, as my own consideration, I don’t see them as Starbucks’s competitors. Also, Starbucks changed a bit on its coffee’s taste to make them more fit on Chinese people. Although I myself prefer the North America’s version, but it seems Chinese people all like they ones they have drink in China. It’s kind of social consideration to change the coffee taste more preferable by Chinese people.

Starbucks did a lot to fit into Chinese culture. They made Chinese mooncakes during the right season as well.

Although Starbucks changed a lot to fid Chinese culture, they still keep their brand image very clear. All ordering pass from the person who order to the person who make the coffee, they all use English to communicate, even though they are all Chinese. It’s a good image of starbuck’s culture, and help Chinese people to understand more about Starbucks’s culture as well.

Anyways, Starbucks is very successful in China now. They are also considering to expan more in China to get even higher market share.

In my friend Ka Lok’s blog, she talked about her decision to buy the Johnson&Johnson Acuvue Contact Lenses.

Actually, I have the same issue with her. I don’t want ware glasses and feel it disturb me lot, especially, when doing some activities.

My decision process is tough and hard. I had my thought to take off my glasses instead of using contact lenses for very long time. It is a functional needs for me which means that I need lenses to see clear without waring glasses.

After I feel I need it, I started to do my research. Because I don’t know anything about contact lenses and never used it which means I don’t have any internal information, so I need to look for external information. I asked my friends, family and also search online and watch advertisments.  Because I don’t know anything about the contact lenses, I don’t want to take any risk. I am afraid that the performance of the contact lenses is bad so that hurt my eyes.

It takes me very long time, even more than several years to considering about whether buy the contact lenses or not. I looked up all the brand I heard from my friends and found in store, I decided to chose Acuvue’s contact lenses.

Just before I pay my money in the store, I just suddenly change my mind and change to buy another pair of glasses !

Now, I am still thinking to use contact lenses, but feel comfortable waring my glasses at the same time…My decision process is always amazing, I always move forward and back, forward and back…many many times, or suddenly change my mind to make another decision. Always like that!~~~

Formal consumer decision has such a process, but we are people, there are many time that people do not follow the rule or what they suppose to do, but make a decision just in a second!~