Management Lessons from 'Rocket Singh - Salesman of the year'

Recent bollywood movie, “Rocket Singh,” staring Ranbir Kapoor, may or may not be hit among the movie buffs but it surely has a message or two to take away which can benefit entrepreneurs, especially in India. Not everything is practical but things which are can really make a difference.

Work closely with the best in the industry to understand business and quickly do a SWOT analysis .It helps.

• Rocket Singh is ready to make Mishraji (peon) a partner for his skills and aspirations and not for his qualification.

Lesson 1 # Recruit for talent and aspiration and not for fancy degrees and communication skills. Talented people will remain committed to the company and work efficiently.

• He welcomes his immediate boss with long side locks as his partner for his experience. Also fighting with him, would have made the situation worse.

Lesson 2 # Don’t under estimate experience just because you have a brilliant idea and have got some quick success. Instead of fighting with competent people, make them your associates.

• He warns his technical associate (porn king in movie) to behave well with the receptionist.

Lesson 3 # Make your work environment safe and respectful for everyone from day 1.

• He refuses to change his vendor when a big order comes as he is the person who helped him in startup and trusted him.

Lesson 4 # Building trust is the most difficult part of business. If you are able to develop it, nourish it. Do not grow alone. Let your partners and vendors also grow with you.

• He gives guarantee of service 24X7 and is even ready to sell his scooter if things go wrong.

Lesson 5 # Serve your customers as per their need and not as per your convenience. Put your 100% to your business. Put your heart.

• He sells off his dream to save his partners when things go wrong.

Lesson 6 # Always be ready to take risk and guard your partners. A true leader always stands by his associates and is not afraid of failures.

But most importantly: “ Risk toh Spiderman ko bhi lena padta hai, main toh phir bhi Salesman hoon ”

(Even Spiderman has to take risk, I am just a Salesman)

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Direct Marketing vs Mass Marketing

IT can be argued that much consumer dissatisfaction with marketing strategies arises from an inability to aim advertising at onlythe likely buyers of a given product.

The marketing process affects three different groups of consumers. First, there is the "Segment" i.e. people who need the commodity in question. Second, the "Target" i.e people in the market segment with "the best fit", characteristics for a specific product. Lots of people want to buy shirts, but only a few qualify as buyers of expensive designer shirts. Third is the "audience" all people who are actually exposed to marketing without regard to whether they need the product or not.

The three afore mentioned groups are rarely identical. The only exception being cases where customers for a particular industrial product may be few and easily identifiable. Such customers all share a particular need and in these cases "Direct Marketing" is like to be economically justifiable. Direct Selling/Marketing caters to only the limited target audience.

Most consumer goods markets are significantly different. Typically there are many rather than few potential customers. Each represents a relatively small percentage of potential sales.

Unfortunately, there are few media that allow the marketer to direct a marketing program exclusively to the "Target". Inevitably, people get exposed to a great deal of marketing for products in which they have no interest and so they get annoyed.

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Its a Twisted, TwistED world here!

Now here's something which could make a good discussion starter in any business class..

Credits:
Image 'No Exit' © Andy Singer

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Thee Marketing Mantra

In the words of Seth Godin, entrepreneur and the American author of best selling business books,

Marketing (in all its forms) is unlike everything else an organization does, because it's always different. There's no manual because everyone does it differently, and what successful marketers have in common is that they are successful.

The only way your organization is going to make an impact is to market in the way only you can. Not by following some expert's rules or following the herd, but by doing it in the way that works. For you. Don't worry about someone else's invented standards for new media, invent your own. Avoid obvious mistakes, don't follow obvious successes.

Find your voice, don't copy someone else's.

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