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to stay relevant…
relevance
ˈrɛləv(ə)ns/
noun
-
the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate.“this film has contemporary relevance”
relevant
ˈrɛləv(ə)nt/
adjective
-
closely connected or appropriate to what is being done or considered.“what small companies need is relevant advice”
synonyms: pertinent, applicable, apposite, material, apropos, to the point, to the purpose, germane, admissible; More appropriate to the current time, period, or circumstances; of contemporary interest.“critics may find themselves unable to stay relevant in a changing world”
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In the spirit of entrepreneurship in the startup world, there is one thing which I believe is very important, and that is to stay relevant!
It is not a thought but the most imortant thing and that word reflects a lot of parameters that makes a brand, a leader, a great product , a company.
Everyone need to stay relevant in this fast internet of thing world. Take technology as a parameter. It needs to stay relevant for both class and mass. Today’s innovation in technology is tomorrow’s life saving drug to millions. But before that it has to go through the test of relevance.
relevance is in every walks of life.
If you are a homemaker , you need to stay relevant, supper relevant. You have kids who look up to you, Your better half depends on your inputs, love, care and support. Your family count on you. You are relevant!
If you are a post man or a delivery guy or gal, you are relevant for the society. Huge responsibility. The value chain of the supply chain depends on you. You need to be that relevant. So many startups depend on you. You complete those food tech, delivery startups of the world.
If you are a student, you need to be relevant. Focused. Weather you are good in sports, labs, art or science. You are relevant to the school or college you represent. And if you thing you represent your school or college , then you better stay relevant. You don’t have to get A+ or 99.9% to stay relevant but you just need to give your best and keep contributing. If your are contributing your bit then for me , you are so relevant.
If you are a leader then needless to say what is the degree to which you need to stay relevant. You have followers and they are what you guide them to be. It is a responsibility.
If you are a baker or a home baker then staying relevant is like making the best cup cake for your client. If you are not passionate about making cakes, then you are not doing justice to your followers and you are not relevant. If you do not have eye for details, the you cant say you are a sugar-crafter. If you are doing just to add to your portfolio then you are relevant to the community.
I can go on and on about the different types of jobs and roles in the society, but whatever you are doing and whom ever you associated with, you ought to be relevant. Software developer to flower vendor all need to stay relevant to keep it going.
We are in a open society, constantly seeking or being sought by internet. So being relevant is important.
Being relevant is no competition or certification of achievement but a way of life. And when people from all walks of life try to stay relevant, then they together make a great nation. A nation of relevant citizen. And that citizen for me is a true nationalist!
peace!
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for more connect at business@expandnext.com
Bezos Touch: AMAZON WHOLE (FOODS) STRATEGY
Internet is bombarded with news and views on Amazon acquisition of Whole Food in past few days. This encouraged me to try my point of view about the deal. Since I am no retail expert, I will try not to speculate much on technicalities of the deal. A deal is a deal and in economic spirit, I would believe that an ambitious company with solid investment strategy did what is best for Amazon’s vision!
If you read once again the Wikipedia version of the history of Amazon, it will never surprise you that why Jeff Bezos stuck this deal. And it says, “Bezos selected the name Amazon by looking through the dictionary and settled on “Amazon” because it was a place that was “exotic and different” just as he envisioned for his Internet enterprise; the Amazon river, he noted was by far the “biggest” river in the world and he planned to make his store the biggest in the world.”
So simply put Jeff wants more distribution center for exotic products (also). Also, let’s not forget Amazon Go, Amazon fresh, and around 80 million Prime members (captive customers). Amazon wants to be a go-to-company for customer WHAT they want WHEN they want.
To cut short my analysis, here are random pointers (not in particular order) below that makes Amazon a good contender to buy Whole Foods Market:
- Amazon is an internet and technology lead retail company
- AMAZON has the best and big IT infrastructure
- Amazon owns cloud infrastructure and perhaps leader in that space
- Amazon has machine learning + IoT strategy in place which would know future consumer retail behavior. Based on the existing data and future data positioning and targeting would be done.
- Also, Amazon launched Amazon go few months ago. Makes sense as Amazon plans to open stores (Amazon Go). So, Whole Food cater to the strategy of physical stores (460 stores worldwide) which Amazon now could rebrand them as Amazon Go ready stores. The idea is not brand but the operation of the retail brand. With this deal Amazon pockets distribution network including cold storages and warehouses. Operational cost is the key to run successful retail business. With all technology infrastructure and now huge distribution center under your command Amazon well in position to unleash its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh strategy
- Very important – Amazon always follows company’s Mission statement. Amazon being a customer-obsessed culture company, it is not surprising why Amazon not come close to value chain when operating in retail industry (yet outsourcing resources or acquiring it at right time at right market)
- Also remember the 2016 Letter to stakeholders by Jeff. He maintains the importance of staying in Day 1. It’s all about right investment and long term …
Please Note- my analysis might be wrong, but who cares. It is same as when major IT consultancy companies predicted desktop would vanish and tablet would eat the laptop market share by 2012. And we know now that Apple just released the most advanced Apple workstation the iMac Pro this month. Thus, I am safe 😊
Finally, a picture below
Online Wallet
Here is the collection of talking points from a social media conversation of a closed startup / entrepreneur group. The conversation is a quick way to trend spot what is in the mind of startup enthusiasts when it comes to online wallet or e wallet.
Post :-
PayTM.
Momoe.
PayUMoney.
Mobikwik.
Citrus.
State Bank Buddy.
Citi MasterPass.
ICICI Pockets………
After all of them …. is there still room for another e wallet company….what you guys think. Anyone working on such payment system. thanks
Talking points ~ comments below :-
Comment 1 – there is always space for innovation
Comment 2 – zeta wallet, free charge, citrus, yes bank wallet, phonpe, mobilepay still coming…
Comment 3 – payza, rupizo, slonkit, dbs bank wallet….so long
Comment 4 – No please don’t introduce another one. Already confused which one to use.
Comment 5 – If you do the same as the others there is no space, if you are able to innovate and play bigger, there is always space for one more player.
Comment 6 – hey all have some drawbacks. The matter of fact is no one can be 100% perfect.
Comment 7 – But nowadays these company’s and banks are heading towards POS and targeting small merchants such as our daily market, grocery shops, medicine shops etc. Moving towards a solution as compact and convenient as possible. Integrating Inventory, billing, delivery, swipe all in a single device that too in a paperless model.
Comment 8 – That is what we are working on.
Comment 9 – This is insane… with so much competition… profits are negligible…
it’s these copycats that expand the market for you.
Comment 10 – I have a whole payment gateway system sold to two companies already and they are using it as well. Let me know if want to get into a conversation.
Comment 11 – I see no endurance. Bubble of success would burst in no time
Comment 12 – Is there anything you can offer which these companies are not offering? (It could be user experience too)
Comment 13 -big fish will always eat the small one.. momoe was acquired by shopclues in june.. and soon so many acquisition you will see in the market.. they all are actually doing the same thing.. do think theres a innovation in their idea ! if yes than what.. ?
One of the best App in market is payphone App of Indian govt in which u can transfer 1to 1crore without any transfer fee lifetime
Check QuikWallet
Comment 14 – Introduce with block chain features
Comment 15 – I would like to build e wallet for physically challenged people
Comment 16 – I know that there are two more wallets which aren’t in the limelight ….. ClicknPay and Froogal!! I don’t know what happens to them now!! 😛
Comment 17 – Yes possible Using BlockChain.
Comment 18 – Yes… paytm is insane. There is tremendous scope for a player with better product…
Comment 19 – You guys forgot Ola money
Comment 20 – kuchh alag kro re koi! Sab same krke you cant edge past anybody… its frustrating when people ask me to make clones like these…
Comment 21 – Can you design an e wallet system in which people can put old currency notes and get back their new currency notes without standing in ques. 😂😂
Comment 22 – makemytrip money
yes so many players ——-> that may b the reason Paytm pivot its strategy into Payment bank ………. cashless economic dream !
Amazon already giving this space a twist with NO CHECKOUTS !!!…………click and brick model
Comment 23 – Where there is will there is a way, it is only that one should be able to create the market and user should feel the promise with it.
Comment 23 -Right market analysis, right product, right product marketing … should happen together
Comment 24 – Reliance is also coming with e-wallet system
Comment 25 – There’s always room …. have clear differentiation …
Comment 26 – It’s like one tv with multiple remotes !
Comment 27 – To make successful wallet one need to be less on commission charge .
Comment 28 – There is more space for e wallet. Just make a all in one e wallet app that will integrates all currently active wallets. Means for cross money sharing such as paytm to mobikwik and vice versa or there are many ideas can be implemented on ewallets you need to think differently
conclusive observation :-
There is no stopping for those who are innovative, have different approach to woo users. Cashless economic revolution has begun . (perhaps!) . More important is to have a cashless / digital wallet mindset. Cary less cash but have more data in your smartphones. Innovative but small, big companies with good cash flow might buy – consolidation in the space is the reality ahead.
Government is also planning to give incentive and support for small business to turn into more digital transaction economy. Easy to say but hard to follow. No rural consumption of digital transaction process. Things may change but fast.
BlockChain may bring new dynamics to this space….not clear yet.
Adoption of futuristic technology is key – startup which understands the changing layer of technology may lead this space and investor would lap them fast.
All in all – it is a good story in making.
way to apnacake
Cake is a symbol of celebration , fun and the perfect way to make any event memorable.
Cake as a food is available possibly at every nook and corner of our neighbourhood. Be it any retail channel – cake is sold in all forms there. In India we have convenient stores, departmental stores, organized retail outlets, local bakery, betel (pan) shops where cakes are sold. Cakes are a major attraction factor for many retail outlets in our country.
Cake is also sold online through various online channels by branded and local business. Online cake delivery model was an instant hit ever since it was operational in the online space. Social and online media is heavily used to promote the online cake business for some time now. Irrespective of the brand – online cake buy and sell model has proven to be a success. Other driving factors are price and convenient ordering process.
It is observed that even though both online and offline cake channels are operating, there is no aggregator business model in the online cake business space. As per various primary research and interviews by ExpandNext (www.expandnext.com) – there are few cake or bakery franchise which keeps all types of cakes at a given point. Even branded franchises offer restricted and limited items of cakes. A customer is often forced to make decisions to buy cakes from the available cake shops that do not often provide him the wide range of choices he would love to have before placing an order.
Online channels have fewer buyers and in many cases lack of knowledge and review/suggestion of the online cake and the baker (or bakery) is limited. Hence customers buy from local stores whatever is available to them. There is a trend to buy customized, theme based picture cakes, but there are few sellers available resulting in customers having to spend more on logistics to get the cakes of their choice.
From the seller perspective – homemade cake makers do not have the right connect in the market to sell cakes. Few outsmart the social media space and make the best use of it. The number is very low and mostly limited to the large metros but in small towns it is the word of mouth that helps them to find new customers. Marketing cost is another factor which holds back these cake sellers (homemakers, hobby cake bakers or small local bakery stores), especially in small towns and cities, to make it big.
apnacake.com is here to end the above conundrum, and be your friend that helps you realize your dream in finding the right platform and connect.
check the above video to understand the effort of apnacake.com
apnacake is a platform for cake sellers and buyers at the hyper local level and connects them.
apnacake wants to connect and bring together small and big cake business free of cost at the local level. It is an online classified site for buying and selling cakes, thereby helping you realise the entrepreneur in you .
apnacake.com is not into delivery of cakes and allied items but a directory for all types of bakers including the lady next door who was once known for making good cakes in her apartment !
Are you ready? Come and chat with us, and get to know more about how we can make that tasty cake go places!
Humor is serious business
As we progress on the strategic path of content marketing trend, we see color to color-less content surrounded by bold and beautiful story. Often leading to success and conversion.
Content comes in different shape and size, theme and trend. What becomes remarkable is the one which makes the BRAND – the consumable, acceptable, sell-able.
Content could be categorized broadly into humorous , insightful , emotional , picture , bad taste (cruel). Though I wont deny there are sub category for social media content. These are also mixed and integrated to create very attractive contents.
Let us consider humorous contents. Based on my observation, humorous captures 30% of the content trend among many brands. Though content with picture is playing dominant role in the social media platform. Also rule of the game says content with pictures attracts consumers. of-course, after all brand is seen first before consumed!
How Humor play a role in building great content? Why it is risky and why it is an easy way to success…
HUMOR is MEMORABLE – content with humor elements stay long in the minds of consumer.
Brand associating with humorous character would be have distinct advantage in the minds of consumer. Example – Mickey Mouse branding for a known brand product. It will create deep impact in consumer of all age group.
Similar to the trend in India – policybazaar TVC showing comedian Kapil advertising for the brand offering. This would have a long lasting effect in the consumer mind.
HUMOR IS SOCIALMEDIA FRIENDLY – IT IS SHAREABLE …fast
Humor contents of good taste is often shared fast and spread across platform/channels. Hence it is cost effective and gets better by the day. Brand should follow this trend. Sometime it is better to understand the demographic and culture of the target market to make more acceptable.
GREAT ICEBREAKER – HUMOR contents are easy to get back to the audience you lost some time back. Consumer would forgive the brand of being off the social scene quite a while. Brand could easily get back in the popular circuit with a big event or occasion. Like the #supperbowl, #diwali (in India), mother and fathers Day. Humor is interactive and it add the #lol to the brand communication strategy.
However – HUMOR content / post can get risky if it gets off the track in sending the message.
Time and situation and context should align for a perfect humor content. Example below (source: hootsuite) –
Next time when we are creating #content, let us add some #haha. And then analyze the response.
Social Media of SMBs
Small and Medium Scale Business (SMBs) in India represents almost close to 90-95% of Indian Enterprise
Small and midsize businesses emerging as sizeable market with IT investments growing at over 15 percent, reveals new study, which underscores need for IT vendors to localize products for smaller enterprises.
The study revealed that 500,000 SMBs in India currently have Web sites and 2 million have Internet access. Growing PC adoption is also another growth driver, with 4 million SMBs already using personal computers. This number is expected to grow 30 percent from 2011 to 2015, doubling the size of PC-enabled SMBs.
According to a MR company, India is still largely a hardware market. “The SMBs in India are very different from SMBs in the developed world where small enterprises have a higher understanding of IT.”
The unorganized segment represents enterprises with a lack of defined business processes which run for subsistence and by first-generation owners, while the sophisticated group is identified as those with business processes adapted from industry benchmarks and global best practices, which are keen to evolve as an enterprise and are taken over by the second generation owners (per a MR company)
All the above facts are encouraging yet challenging for the digital market strategist to bring the SMBs on same platform of social media acceptance. We are still talking about IT hardware adoptability among SMBs in India. So how they will tweet.
There need to be categorical shift from legacy mindset to the new era of social media channel. This should come from more localized approach to make SMBs in the hinterland of India to start talking about their business fashionably on social channels.
According to my assessment, it needs to be done or approached by keeping following in mind:
- The local social media marketing approach – content should be more appealing to local business environment. May be more regional specific to attract local suppliers, vendors.
- Unique support models are required to bring them to main stream digital marketing platform. Show them the value of being social and then transform their marketing strategy around it.
- Customized pricing based on different verticals , business needs , product segment
- Digital marketers should understand the SMB workflow, supply chain knowledge, result of which help both the party to optimize social media effort. This will help them give customize services to different SMBs /SMEs
All said …we cannot ignore the budget allocation in SMEs in India on marketing. Traditionally they are very low and on top we want them to invest on social media. We should watch out this space as the SMEs progress on being more e-skilled.
The large and best organized companies should take it as an added effort to encourage Small scale companies to invest on social media platform. This could be their ancillary partners as car OEMs.
Brillo – Google IoT way to approach Smart home market
Google is set to take on Apple also in the Smart home market space (part of the Real Estate boom). Interesting to watch this space as it already assessed to be a $billion market. The new OS name as of now Brillo is designed to work on low power devices. The aim is to account it to be more user friendly, cost effective and hit the last mile market with different technology at all layer. Google has also partnered with Samsung to win the smart home automation market for network protocol. Apple has already invested into networking protocol, developer homeKit, automation interface enabler through iPhone etc. Surely the market is heating and several players including smart home device, appliance manufacturers are working on to be successful in the supply chain. Digital is the keyword here.
Google move is more of a natural service cum platform provider than an opportunist. Google has NestLabs, it has search engine, it has the OS and now it will know what consumer do after taking a shower. It has the Android market size which is maturing with new Apps, startups, and the smartphone war. Truly a world of digital system and information technology.
Apart from matured market, home automation and companies working around it will find acceptance in emerging market such as India. India which is upbeat about its digital transformation with make in India and Digital India initiatives.
INSIGTS:
Brillo is the natural discovery for the Nest purchase by Google
Google has already proved its dominance into internet search engine – Brillo will give access to get into smart appliance information
Samsung could be a natural partner to Google for developing networking protocol in this market though they also compete in different market
Google and Apple’s smart automations technology offerings will help different companies to decide on their go-to-market strategy and product innovation
This space and platform will also excite the social media enthusiast and could disrupt the way we networking and share.
Of course it will impact the digital marketing strategy
Overall we are opening up with new set of ideas, challenges, and discoveries with IoT
Digital High - News > Views > Insights 