Entries from October 2008 ↓

Here are 10 relatively low-cost, simple ways how to market a small business.

1. Free gifts/goodies

Who doesn’t like free stuff? So, don’t be shy to give away free goodies so that the customer will always remember you.

Some smart doctors who run their own private practice give away free bicycles for their kid patients who scored top marks in the exam. In case of sickness, who the parents will send their kids to?

2. Coupons/vouchers

Coupons and vouchers sound so dinosaur but whether you like or not, they still work like a charm today. In fact, one of the habits of the millionaires’ wives is collecting coupons for their next shopping spree (they’re probably too free to do anything else and you’d think they don’t need coupons with their millionaire status). Give your customers some coupons so that they can have some discounted price the next time they drop by at your shop.

3. Pay referral fee

Where marketing is concerned, there’s nothing like it than a good word of mouth advertising. A customer who is happy with your product and service is sure to recommend his colleagues, family, relatives and dogs to be part of it. So, why not offer them some small referral fees whenever they refer you to a new customer? Give them stimulant to continuously promote your product. It’s a win-win situation, really.

4. Sponsor

Look around and see what are the next events happening around your community – school reunion, barbeque, social gathering, political speech, friendly football matches, funfair, sports day, spelling competition and many others. Most likely, the event organizer could you some help from sponsors. So offer them free food, t-shirts, caps, tents and other merchandize that bears your company name.

5. Cards

Send greeting cards to your customers on their special occasion – birthday, Christmas, Independence Day, Moon Light festival, New Year and other festive occasions regardless if you are a car salesman, carpenter, plumber, engineer, real estate agent, mechanics and so on. A little thought goes a long way, don’t you think?

6. Back-end support

As part of adding values to your products or services, offer a back-end support that allows the customers to get back to you in case they need some technical support on the product. Without back-end support, sometimes, the customers who face problem became frustrated and in the end, concluded that your product is no good, and not worth it.

7. Mix offline and online marketing

If your business is online, go offline to market it. Similarly, leverage the power of internet to reach a greater audience if you’re running an offline business. Now, you’re combining the benefits of both worlds. Perhaps, after this, you realize that your product is not only hot around your community area, but is also very much looked after by those people in Cuba!

8. Contest

Run a contest and get as many people as possible to join. Don’t forget, reward them handsomely. Perhaps, you want to organize a closed competition which is only open to your existing customers. For example, you can hold a contest for them to design your new products. The winning contestant get a paid holiday, plus a new product bearing their name. Isn’t that cool?

9. Attend networking program

Spend your time not only in your shop or office, but go out and mingle around other businessmen – the like minded people. Attend talks, seminars, workshops, conventions and trade shows. Who knows, a 5 minute coffee talk can solve you a problem you’ve been facing for 5 years? Don’t be surprised. It does happen.

10. Joint-venture/cross promotion

While attending a networking program, you find yourself hooked up with a fellow small business owner who would be ideal for you to do cross promotion exercise. And it seems he loves the idea too, very much apparently. So, you have just opened up a whole new opportunity, and it’s time to double your customer database, and turn your small business into something humongous.

5 ways to get yourself headhunted by established recruiters and executive search consultants:

1. Be very good at your job

A prerequisite to almost anything related to your career and not only in headhunting business. Your pay and promotion will largely depend on how well you can perform in your job. Continuously deliver best-in-class performance that will build up your reputation.

Build a round which is rounder than a round. Teach a parrot to speak Chinese. Make Jack Sparrow an ally to Davy Jones. Mesmerize your boss, your management and your competitors with your breakthrough achievements.

2. Back your claim with facts and figures

Will you be able to back your reputation with credible facts, figures and evidence? Can you prove that a certain significant result achieved by the company for the past 3 months is spearheaded by you and not by some Tom, Dick and Harry?

Perhaps without realizing it, someone has been stealing the figures and claim them as their own. Maybe, it’s your old good buddy Kumar. It can be even your boss Ming Cheng who wants to take credit for your hard work and effort. Don’t let your hard work be undone.

3. Play only for the champions, and in the champions league

The world’s best soccer players play in the English Premier League or Spanish La Liga rather than the Scottish or Italy’s second division. They also play in the Champions League. Similarly, the industry’s cream of the crop will either play for the market leader. And so must you. Choose a company sitting on top of the industry’s ladder. If you see the company is falling off the rung steeply, you know what to do.

4. People must know you are good and knowledgeable

Accept invitation to be a keynote speaker for events. Speak on behalf of your company. Present your research findings on conferences or speaking circuits. Be in the judging panel for college competitions, or even reality shows. Contribute articles to the local magazines, newspapers or internet publication. Blog. Back your knowledge with facts, figures and evidence. Leave traceable marks that will lead influential people to you.

5. Network, network, network

Make your face familiar with the networking events, especially those related to your industry and specialization. Exchange business cards, trade ideas and share your point of views on the industry’s future direction. Play football friendly matches with your vendors, clients or even competitors. Join their weekly bowling challenge. At the same time, stay as a ‘passive’ job seeker. Let people know what you are doing, without telling directly you’re actively seeking for a job. Headhunters loves this type of people, who are good in their job but do not seem desperate enough to leave.

20 sample of job interview questions for a Product Engineer:

1. Can you explain your current specific roles and responsibilities as a Product Engineer?

2. Describe the most challenging engineering project you have undertaken within the last 3 years with your current company.

3. Can you tell me about your team members – what kind of professional relationship you have with them, and in what way you guys complement each other’s function?

4. Are you tasked to deal with external parties and entities? Who are they? For what purpose? Do you do this on periodical basis or ad hoc basis?

5. Please explain the features and characteristics of the product and test equipment you’re using now. In your own assessment, how deep you think you know about the machine?

6. In case of machine and equipment downtime, how will the machine be fixed? Will you be involved in the troubleshooting at one point? At which point an external engineer or repairman will be asked to look into the problem?

7. You mentioned that you also concurrently work with the research and development (R&D) team. How far your collaboration go? What sort of activities e.g. brainstorming session that you guys work on together? Have they been fruitful?

8. Have you managed to come out with any prototype of new, or enhanced product? How this was achieved? On your own incentive or through collaboration with other team members or other departments? How was the reaction from the higher management?

9. Tell me exactly about the new technology of this product. Is it an improvisation of existing technology, or a completely breakthrough invention? Will it be patented?

10. So, what is the direction of this newly developed prototype? Will it be produced through high volume production soon?

11. It seems that you have quite a good background not only on product, but also in testing, troubleshooting and even research to some extent. Are you considering to branch out or specialize into one of these areas in the future?

12. Are you planning to pursue your studies, perhaps enrolling in a Masters or PhD course?

13. You mentioned in your resume here that you went for a 2-week training in Santa Clara, US. Tell me exactly what you did there, and what are some new things that you learn. Are you in any way bonded with your company for your participation in oversea training?

14. What do you like/hate most about your current job?

15. What kind of changes you would wish to have on your current job function?

16. Apart from the technical and engineering role, are you assuming any leadership role such as supervision and mentoring junior engineers or technicians?

17. In your current organization, how does a cycle of an engineering project implementation look like? What about the roles of the people absorbed into the project team?

18. Can you still remember the last time you used engineering principle to successfully solve a technical issue? Describe the situation, who are the people involve, and what was the final outcome.

19. The role for this vacant position, as much as your current role, involves a great deal of engineering calculations and accuracy. How do you keep yourself poised to ensure that everything is done in details and accurately? What are your check and balance?

20. How would you think you can use your expertise in the product you’re currently working on with that of ours? In which areas you think you can contribute most?

A warning letter sample for employee’s discipline issue/problem.

Dear Employee,

We refer to the incident occurred in this office on Monday, 6 October 2008 during which you were found to have verbally abused your Supervisor, Mr. Harold Singh, using threatening words. The incident happened after you were alleged to be unhappy and disgruntled with Mr Singh’s decision for not approving your application for a long leave.

Several office personnel were present during the occasion and had been witness to the unwarranted spat. After several minutes of words exchange, you were seen to dash out from the office and slammed your wrist to the door.

Upon further investigation by the team of inquiry, you have admitted your fault and has expressed your regret with the turns of events.

Please be reminded that we take discipline, behavior, attitude and conduct of the employees in this company very seriously, and any attempt to jeopardize the harmony in the team will be dealt in a serious manner. The company do not and will not tolerate usage of abusive and threatening languages against the co-workers for whatever reason it may appear.

Therefore, this letter would serve you a warning and an official indication that similar action will result in a more severe punishment. Please take your moment to clear the air with your Supervisor, apologize and not to repeat such outburst in the future.

We thank you for your co-operation; please stay committed to contribute to the company’s growth and create a healthy working environment.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Tony Fernandez,
Manager, Employee and Industrial Relation