Are Brands Dead for Good?

Author: Sparxoo

“Brands are dead!” says marketing guru, Faith Popcorn. Consumers are asking themselves, “Why would I buy a 50 oz Tide for $20 when I could buy a house brand for $3.99?” But she is not the only one declaring a fateful decline of brands. Brand values are down across the board, according to a new study by Interbrand. When budgets are tight, are consumers thinking about brands or price? Studies show consumers tend to look at store shelves, not the products on them.

Though name brands might be taking a hit today, what happens when we emerge from the recession and we have more disposable income? We’ll hand over the debate to our three industry commentators: Ana the Analyst, Creo the Creative and Connie the Consumer.

Will brands be the titans in 2015 that they were in the 1990s:

Ana: Marketing guru, Faith Popcorn, doesn’t seem to think so. A new study by Catalina Marketing and the CMO Council indicates that 52% of consumers who were highly loyal to certain packaged goods brands in 2007 became “markedly less so last year.” This is consistent with Faith Popcorn’s findings from the “Culture of the Recession” Study, which indicated that 48% had made a “conscious decision to switch from a brand name product to a store brand/private label product.”

Connie: Until recently, I did buy name-brand packaged goods. Everything from Tide to Coca-Cola was in my shopping cart. As money has been tight, it’s been difficult to maintain the shopping habits I had accustomed myself to. Since I’ve made the transition to more private label purchases, I haven’t notices an incredible difference. Though I must stay, RC Cola has much more flavor than their competition. Other than that, it’s just slight adjustments here and there. After we emerge from the downturn, I don’t think I’m going to go back to 100% name brands. I like saving an extra few bucks.

Creo: Let me ask you Connie, how did it feel to buy name brand?

Connie: Good, actually.

Creo: Ah ha! You had an emotional connection to the brand. It is those brands that bridge the gap between just laundry soap to a feeling of freshness and comfort. Through creative wit, marketers and advertisers can still create the connection between consumer and brand. Beyond creative wit, marketers are increasingly...

To read more about branding, go to Sparxoo, a digital marketing, branding and business development blog.

About the Author:

Sparxoo is a business blog that inspires breakthrough by tomorrow’s leaders. We are a strategy consulting firm with a pulse on marketing, branding, and development.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Are Brands Dead for Good?

Sales Recruitment and Training

Author: David Nalin

Whether someone has a special talent for a given professional field or is especially interested in how it operates and changes through time, the ability to truly excel in a position is usually heavily dependent on the quality of any training that is received. This is especially true in the world of sales, where myriad techniques and theories exist and grow in an effort to help companies attract more partners and customers, igniting the international engines of commerce and trade. While the high motivation and outgoing communication skills of a potentially phenomenal salesperson are often as easily identified as an exceptional sales position itself, understanding how a job candidate might need to be trained to achieve their full potential can be difficult for even the most thorough of companies and hiring teams. Likewise, salespeople entering new jobs may find themselves unsure of how to apply their skills and knowledge at first, leading to lost time and prospective sales as effort is poured into preparing. Sales recruitment companies provide a clear solution to such problems, and are often able to ensure that jobs are filled and begun with the best possible chances for success through effective training.

As part of a quality sales recruitment service, training can take place either before or after placement, though many companies and employees alike are bound to find that training after placement is the most rewarding and meaningful method with which to work. Sales recruitment teams with post-placement training services can be of extraordinary benefit to employers, many of which suffer substantial losses when filling positions due to compulsory training and adjustment periods. Training as delivered through a sales recruitment firm can ensure that the basics of excellent sales, along with techniques pertinent to the individual position, are introduced and absorbed quickly and efficiently, leading to faster and more numerous sales.

Salespeople themselves can appreciate the advantages of training through a sales recruitment team, as the methods and concepts covered can apply to the field in its multitude of forms and serve as the basis for a solid understanding of sourcing sales opportunities and closing deals. Through participation in sales recruitment training while starting a new position, salespeople can instantly apply their lessons and incorporate new ideas, resulting in positive outcomes that can be expanded and improved with personal effort and time. Undergoing the process of sales recruitment training can help take the initial confusion and length adjustment out of employment, leading to the rapid establishment of a quality sales record and providing a great foundation upon which to launch an extraordinary career.

Choosing to work with a sales recruitment company that provides extensive and practical training is a great way for companies and job seekers to move past the difficulties typically associated with filling open positions. With the perfect combination of motivation and practiced skill gleaned from quality training, salespeople and their employers can and do achieve amazing things.

About the Author:

myfirstsalesjob ® Specialist Sales Recruitment Agency based in Melbourne. Unlike traditional Sales Recruiters & Employment Agencies, oursales recruiter Services include Assessment, Placement + Professional B2B Sales Training of candidates.

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Sales Recruitment and Training