Armando O. Bartolome

4 Core Elements in Company Brand Identity

News

Aug 102017

A lot of businesses are so focused on their products and services that they sometimes forget about the company’s brand image. But an effective visual representation of a company is important for it to succeed. A lot of entrepreneurs overlook the power of a strong brand image and only realize its importance when problems come in. Brand image is more than just the company logo. It is the soul of the business, which leaves a mark in the minds of consumers. Besides having a great brand image, businesses should also consider developing their own apps. As the world becomes more and more digital, apps ensure that companies can reach an even a wider audience in an instant. WHAT MAKES A STRONG BRAND IMAGE? Some companies consider brand image as an additional expense that is unnecessary. However, without a strong brand image, a business may not even survive its first year. Keep in mind that a brand image goes beyond what a company can offer. In simplest terms, a company’s brand image is how the consumers perceive the company as a whole. Brand image should distinguish your business from other companies and make you stand out. It should also make your company instantly recognizable. Brand image should also create an impression. The design of the website, the cleanliness of a store, the design of the business cards and how a company’s employees treat customers—all of these are part of brand image. It is vital for a company that consumers take Read More …

10 Marketing Strategies Every Startup Should Know

News

Aug 022017

10 Marketing Strategies Every Startup Should Know

Startups can benefit from marketing strategies called “growth hacks.” Sean Ellis coined the term back in 2010. It refers to non-traditional marketing techniques designed to rapidly grow your business. These strategies are based on the latest trends. From the web design, email templates, content creation, social media, search engine optimization, advertisement, landing pages and others – there’s a need to constantly be up-to- date. GROWTH HACKING STRATEGIES Entrepreneurs need to use all possible means to promote their business, and we all know how important the online world has become. Having a website is important, but it’s never enough to simply have an online presence. To help your business expand, you can use the “growth hack” strategies below. Growth Hack #1: Run a Pre-launch Giveaway Make some noise as soon as you launch your business. Let people know about your business by creating an account via Rafflecopter. This may cost you a bit, but it will entice people to join the raffle and promote your business. By using Rafflecopter, you also encourage your online audience to connect to your different social media accounts. Once they’re connected to you on social media, you can also gain feedback about your products and services, as well as create a customer contact list that you can use in the future. Growth Hack #2: Increase your online visibility through organic search Provide information that your potential customers will find most useful. Use snippets that can grab the attention of your online audience in 150-160 words. Use Read More …

5 Ways to Keep Employees Engaged While Learning

News

Jul 252017

5 Ways to Keep Employees Engaged While Learning

You can’t build a business by yourself. You need other people—employees and staff—who can help you with the day-to- day tasks. But as you grow your business, you also want your employees to grow within their roles. Your employees need to take time to learn and improve their skills so they can work more effectively and efficiently. Employers and supervisors, meanwhile, need to make sure that they are training their staff the right way. Below are training methods, which can help keep employees motivated and engaged with their work. E-learning Take advantage of technology. Providing e-learning modules can help employees learn at their own pace and time, and focus on topics that are relevant to them. Organizations can benefit from integrating online courses into their existing training and development programs. This is also a great way to teach employees about time management, preferred skills development, and workplace compliance. Private/Individualized Training Having a bi-weekly meeting between employer and supervisor can also be an effective training method. It can focus on opportunities for skills development, build confidence and identify strengths. It allows an employee to freely speak their mind, and boosts their confidence as they don’t have to feel intimidated by having to speak in front of a number of people. This also allows employers to gather first-hand suggestions or recommendations from their workers. On-the- job learning/ Job shadowing New employees usually have a strong desire to learn new things and are more receptive to coaching. An experienced employee can teach a Read More …

Unplugging From the Traditional Business Meeting

News

Jul 112017

Unplugging From the Traditional Business Meeting

Armando Bartolome Boardroom meetings may sometimes feel constraining. Some may be unable to fully express their thoughts during such meetings, especially when they have to deal with others with intimidating personalities. While this traditional way of exchanging thoughts and ideas still has value, executives today have found a more effective way to hold meetings. As a bonus, this new method also makes you healthier. “Walk the talk” is taking the meeting outside for a walk. Experts say this is a powerful way of making employees more creative, more inspired, more energized and alert. It helps people think more clearly and come up with better solutions. THE REWARDS OF "WALK THE TALK" MEETINGS Obviously, “walk the talk” meetings would not be effective if you need to talk to different department heads or if you have a video presentation. However, if you’re brainstorming with one or two people, you may want to conduct this while you walk around the nearby park or round the office building. Some of these benefits are: Employees can share their ideas more openly without the constraints of the four corners of the conference room. Being outside the office allows an individual to be more creative. A breath of fresh air enables individuals to come up with unique ideas. It helps keep employees healthier and happier. This creates a positive environment that reflects on the company. And it is also better than sitting for several hours in the office. SITTING IS KILLING YOU Researchers have found that sitting Read More …

Valuable lessons in starting a business

News

Jul 042017

Armando Bartolome I was an employee for several years before I became an entrepreneur, until I realized that with my communication skills, I can help motivate others and that I can start a business out of it. It was difficult at the start. I dealt with several struggles along the way. But, nevertheless, it has ignited my passion. Seeing people whom I have helped succeed on their own is a fantastic accomplishment indeed! I would like to continue to inspire people to make use of their resources properly and to take every opportunity given to them. Not every person may have the chance to start something that could eventually turn out to be successful. Whether you start your own business from scratch or consider to franchise a business, you would always need a strength of Samson, the wisdom of King Solomon and even the patience of Steve Scully. To prepare new entrepreneurs with their journey through business, here are a few lessons that would help them get through all the challenges and become successful. Lesson #1: Nurture relationships. Being in a business means widening your network. This can be done by attending seminars, workshops or symposiums where you are able to meet different people. Always see this as an opportunity for business. Lesson #2: Believe in your capabilities. Starting up a business may be your long-time dream. And it is only natural that you have a vision in mind. Unless you believe in your strengths and capabilities, do you think Read More …

Nurturing a business with the important ‘Ps’

News

Jun 292017

Nurturing a business with the important ‘Ps’

Armando Bartolome A lot of people nowadays no longer just rely on their day jobs. While some may be earning enough from their 9-5 work, it is always better to grab business opportunities that give you an edge in building a brighter future for your family. Whether you're starting a business from scratch or availing of a franchise, the basics are the same. THE 4Ps OF MARKETING Building a business and sustaining it means familiarity with the 4 Ps of marketing. – Product You must have a clear picture of what you want to offer your market. You should know what products or services are in demand. You may also offer a unique product that other companies have yet to offer. But before finalizing your product, you need to first conduct a market study to find out how your product may fare. Your product’s potential buyers must also be identified. – Price It is vital to come up with a competitive price that will entice customers to purchase your product or service. The price of the product will directly affect how it will sell in the market. The cost of the product should also make your customers see its value. Setting the price of the product must be based on the value chain costs, distribution plans and how competitors price a similar product. “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” – Warren Buffet – Promotion No business can survive without promoting its product. Sales promotion, advertising, and Read More …

Nurturing kids to become entrepreneurs

News

Jun 202017

Armando Bartolome Almost all kids have entrepreneurial skills. They all have the same goals– to have more “baon” when they go to school. When I was in Grade 3, I also wanted to have more baon. But instead of forcing my parents to give me more money, I thought of ways to raise money myself. Instead of taking the cab, I would walk to the nearest bus stop and take the bus home. It saved me a great deal. From what I saved, I bought a bag of candies and sold it to my classmates. The teachers in school also became my loyal customers. I sold them “walis tambo” which my grandfather made. I also helped my grandfather sell flowers at Plaza Miranda during All Souls Day. My parents also nurtured my entrepreneurial streak by asking me to help them sell “nilagang saba” after school. Through these little businesses, I was able to build up my savings. My young mind naturally developed the discipline required to be an entrepreneur– no one forced it on me. Our parents raised us in different ways, and what we learned from our parents we tend to impart to our own children. Parents, by nature, want to shelter their children and provide them everything they want. But when we expose our children to life’s realities at an early age, they can become more independent and responsible when they grow up. Teach them the value of earning It is better to let your children realize that Read More …

How to Attract Customers

News

Jun 072017

Armando Bartolome As a business owner, you need to widen your perspective while focusing on three things — your employees, your product or service and your customers. Most business owners, especially the new ones, may feel at a loss on how to encourage people to check out their products and services. You know that the lifeblood of your business is having a large client base, which will help your business grow and be able to fulfill your vision for your company. Hiring the right people who can generate sales is crucial to a business. Marketing plays a very significant role. And there is more to it than simply relying on word of mouth. Let me share with you some points on how you can increase your client base. Identify your customers. When planning a business, you should have a clear vision on what your target market will be. Will it be people from middle-class families or from the upper class? Will you be focusing on a specific age group or base on gender? It is not enough to just put up any kind of business without thinking if what you will offer is something that the people will truly purchase. You must identify who they are and what motivates them so that you can have a clear understanding of their needs. Know your business inside and out. One of the factors that can help you succeed in any kind of business is by having a firm knowledge of the products Read More …

Generating excellent ‘Brand Awareness’

News

May 222017

Armando Bartolome There are so many brands out there vying for the public’s attention. Because of this, it can be challenging to get your voice heard, especially if you are a new company trying to compete with more established brands. It is important that you have a unique brand/concept that easily sticks to the public's mind. Brand awareness means your brand is recognized within your target market. The company name, logo, symbols and slogans make up your brand. Technology also plays a very significant role as it helps get your brand more exposure. Here are a few tips on how to generate brand awareness. Create a powerful marketing and advertising campaign You may think that the products and services you provide are better than your competitors. But it is not enough to just rely on walk-in clients and word-of- mouth. You need to spend on advertising. Ad campaigns don't need to be costly. With social media, you can promote your brand by constantly posting updates on what you offer. This allows people to compare your product with products from other companies. Repetitive exposure is an extremely powerful tool in building brand awareness. People will have a better recall of your brand if they see your ads often. From the logo itself, customers should instantly be aware of what your company is about. The logo is not just a symbol. It is the visual foundation of a company’s brand. Along with your company’s name, the logo should help people remember your Read More …

Building your empire

News

May 172017

Armando Bartolome Are you considering putting up a business instead of just relying on a 9 to 5 job? With the high cost of living, some millennials choose to build their own enterprise for their future family. To achieve optimum results, you must have all the necessary tools, resources and the skills. The most important thing for an entrepreneur is to be physically and emotionally prepared. Starting up a business means having to face so many challenges along the way, and would mean having to take risks in order to come up with the best possible outcome all the time. Only a small percentage of start up businesses last beyond their first year. There is no guarantee for success, but an entrepreneur who is prepared to face all the adversities has an edge. Apart from creating a good business plan, there are several factors that an entrepreneur should look into. Financial Resources No business can start without having enough financial resources. And this does not only mean having a few bucks. One has to realize that there are so many things that are needed. What are these? Business registration Capital for buying goods Rent Marketing paraphernalia Mobilization funds Your funds may come from your personal account, a loan from a financial institution or from family and friends. When you are seeking for a loan, look for the least amount of interest to make paying it back less of a struggle. Business Knowledge Don’t allow yourself to be beaten by your Read More …

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