(6 Topics)
1. e-Commerce
101 - an Update
The purpose of this BGR topic is to provide your
clients with an understanding of what ecommerce is and some ideas about it
might be used in their business.
Whether it’s business-to-business or business-to-consumer, the use of
ecommerce is growing worldwide. Consumers are adopting online shopping at a
phenomenal rate. The growth in the use of ecommerce has opened up whole new
ways of doing business online. e-Procurement and e-marketplaces are being
used more and more around the world resulting in real cost savings for
businesses.
This topic will give your clients a much better understanding of how
ecommerce is changing the way we all do business. It will also help your
clients be aware of the factors to be considered before they make a decision
to adopt an ecommerce strategy.
2. Features
And Benefits
Your customers are generally only interested in
product features that translate into benefits. So, whether you’re developing
a new product or exploring a way to repackage an old one, it is important to
think clearly about the benefits you provide. Product features are not
important in themselves. Great as a product may be, customers won’t love it
for its own sake. They’ll only love it for the benefits it provides.
This topic is about translating product features into benefits that meet the
needs of your customers. It covers market research to identify benefits from
the customers’ perspective, how to develop a Unique Core Differentiator and
how to incorporate these benefits into marketing strategies to provide you
with long-term growth.
3. Inventory
Management
Inventory control is
rated as the second biggest source of problems for small businesses that
sell products. It only comes behind lack of capital. However, the two
problems are often related. Poor inventory management can tie up large
amounts of cash, eating into capital resources. Good inventory management,
on the other hand, can free up significant amounts of cash and reduce
business-borrowing requirements.
Deciding how much inventory to hold is partly a matter of weighing up costs and benefits. It means analyzing when and where you will have a crucial need for inventory. This can be key to business success or failure. This topic is an introduction to developing systems and processes for successful Inventory Management.
4.
Smart Pricing for the Small
Business
There are a lot of variables to consider when you set
a price, such as, 'What is consumer demand for a product? What pricing
standards do your competitors set and how are they likely to react to
different pricing strategies?'
There are many pricing pitfalls too. If you set your price too high, consumers may opt for cheaper alternatives. If you set your price too low, consumers may assume that you're selling a poor quality product.
This topic will provide you with a better understanding of pricing and marketing to help you build a stronger business. If you can effectively analyze pricing issues you will be more confident in your business decisions and you will be a better business planner.
5.
Trademarks
And Patents
This topic looks at the
importance of intellectual property, dealing specifically with patents and
trademarks and their importance in your business. Intellectual property can
include processes you may have developed, original products or manufacturing
processes and marketing graphics. These can be a competitive advantage for
your business and are able to be included on your company balance sheet as
an asset so it is essential that you know how to protect them. The
presentation explores Patents in detail, including how and when to apply for
patents, patent protection and patent rights. Learn about trademarks: how to
choose a good trademark to distinguish your goods and services from your
competitors; develop a unique brand identity; and how to register your
trademark to protect it.
6.
Unique Core Differentiators
Perception is reality and people buy
based on the differences they perceive. It's the differences that potential
customers perceive that drive them to choose one business over another. And
those differences make the customer feel more confident about their final
decision as well.
Unique Core Differentiators (UCDs) clearly articulate what makes your business different. They are the special things about your product or service or business that compels customers to buy from you, rather than your competitors. Well-formed differentiators target your customer's 'hot buttons,' real buying concerns or key frustrations. In one statement, UCDs educates them about exactly why they should buy from you.
This topic will help you to identify or create your company's own UCD's and will provide strategies for ensuring that all of your marketing efforts clearly articulate why you are unique and why customers should buy from you.