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Why ‘millennial’ is not the buzz word of 2019

Market research is an ongoing process. However, it is only useful and valuable if relevant. There are hundreds of articles about Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z but they don’t quite hit the nail on the head. We set out to explore what Joe Public refers to as ‘generation fluid’. Gain new insight into South Africa’s youth segment and gauge if your brand is staying relatable. Avoid familiar – it may not be relevant Gen Z might be a familiar term for marketers and a key point when doing market research but familiar does not mean relevant. Gen Z,…

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The influencer equation: LIP = Lust + Investment + Proximity

One book every marketer should have on their bookshelf is Influence by Robert Cialdini. The author writes extensively on the six principles he believes underpin ‘influence’ –reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. And in 2016, he added a seventh: unity. The unity principle posits that the more we identity with others, the more we are influenced by them. Authority figures have the power to sway us. We’re seduced by powerful stats from experts. According to a 2015 Schlesinger Associates study for Augure (now LaunchMetricscom), 81% of marketers believe influencer engagement is effective. It begs the question of…

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Social Media Management

Social Media has infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives  Social media is constantly evolving and has infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives – keeping up with it isn’t an easy task. Of course, social media isn’t just for personal use -it has become an integral part of digital marketing and can help a business develop from a start-up into a smooth-running machine. Social media marketing is all about communication.  According to industry legend, Neil Patel, “Social media marketing is the process of creating content that you have tailored to the context of each individual social media platform in…

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Business Management as a career

Every operation needs skilled business managers in order to succeed in the cut-throat industry, whether it’s a major corporation or an independent business. Business management is a wide field that incorporates many types of management positions all with the potential to become high-level executives. Only motivated, organised personalities will thrive in business, where environments are often high-powered and stressful. Knowing how to deal with this stress will help you keep your cool—and keep your business running smoothly. Do you think business management sounds like a good career? Here are six reasons why we think you should study business management: The…

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Death of all salesmen: Waiting for the final curtain to fall?

In February 1949 Arthur Miller’s most famous and now much celebrated play, Death of a Salesman first opened at the Morosco Theatre on Broadway. The story focuses on the last 24 hours of salesman Willy Loman’s life, tackling major themes including loss of identity, superficial ideals and a man’s appetite for accepting change within himself and society. In some respects, those of us engaged in sales roles of one kind or another may find ourselves grappling with the same issues faced by Willy in his tumultuous final hours.  ‘Sales’ is a vocation under assault. What is the role of the modern…

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The scope of a Digital Marketing Career

Marketing is an integral part of any business, so it makes sense that only the best of the best would be tasked with the responsibility of creating awareness and promoting a brand. It’s a highly lucrative career, but only if you have the right skills and training. Of course, there’s no shortage of guides and how-to’s online that promise to make you an expert in the marketing world – but these only scratch the surface. Industry experts like Neil Patel, Rand Fishkin and Jeff Bullas have all dished out a lot of articles explaining key marketing techniques and trends, but…

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Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity: Why project management is essential in a VUCA world

Some fifteen years ago I received an amazing gift. On the first of May of that year, I started as a regional manager with a company involved in a merger. I received three things: my new laptop already set up to start working, a printer in a box, and a file. In the folder were details of a three-day project management course I had to attend, with the details of another few days to do a course on the MS Project programme. Those courses changed the way I approached projects and events. We were taught how to do everything –…

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Finding a balance between volume, cost and quality

Finding a balance between volume, cost and quality  How often have you heard the Sales Manager screaming for more high quality leads, while in the background the Financial Manager is demanding cheaper leads and higher conversions? For Digital Marketers that have bravely ventured into the world of Search Engine Marketing (SEM), it would appear that the greatest challenge of all is finding a balance between volume, cost and quality. Here’s why… The market size is only as big as it is Most, if not all of big businesses in SA now have an online presence with multiple search engine strategies…

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Corporate reputation management

No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care Tracy Porter   For many PR people, we live with the everyday fear of an incident causing a reputation disaster. Where daily tasks grind to a halt, where the days become longer and the weekends shorter – as we tend to the catastrophe at hand.  Some bound by corporate policies and procedures, many limited to the instructions of senior management and some even caught between the media and the company spokesperson.   We have so many examples of how this could…

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A disconnect between what Marketers do and what organisations think they should do

Tracy Porter I have often said it: “Everyone in the organisation is a brand ambassador,” “every employee owns marketing,” “the CEO is the face of the organisation” and more. Am I perhaps sending the wrong message into the organisation? Am I not fighting the marketing case strongly enough? In essence the above is correct and true but perhaps I am supporting those who have a different meaning of what marketing is, than to those who understand how marketing contributes to firm’s performance. Those who often misunderstand marketing think it is mainly about promotional elements of marketing, events,…

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