3 Apps to Help You Write a Marketing Plan

You might have a great product or an excellent service but your business won't grow unless people know you're out there. That requires marketing -- online, mobile, on Google, Facebook, direct mail or even printed flyers on doorstep. But where do you begin?

It all starts with a marketing plan. It's a written strategy to help achieve your goals and spread the word about your startup.

Here are three apps that can help you figure out your needs, understand your competition and develop a cost-effective marketing strategy:

1. Marketing Plan Premier 
This comprehensive iPad app is both a fill-in-the-blank tool and a mini-marketing text book. Marketing Plan Premier relies heavily on the idea that all good businesses provide a solution to a consumer problem. The initial steps involve defining that problem and how your product solves it.

From there, the app helps you analyze your competitors, determine your target market and come up with a price. Finally, the app briefly runs you through options for advertising.

Related: A Data-Driven Reality Check for Your Marketing Budget

Once you fill in all the blanks, Marketing Plan Premier inserts your answers into a pre-written multi-page, executive summary. You can export the finished Word document by email or through Dropbox.

Price: $9.99

2. Marketing Plan App 
If you don't need a lot of guidance, Marketing Plan App can get you similar results in less time. The app is available for iOS and Android, and it's formatted to work with the smaller, mobile phone screen.

This app can help you craft everything from your Vision Statement and market analysis, to helping you determine your marketing budget. After you fill in the blanks, save the document as a PDF or Word doc, then email to export or print straight from your device.

Price: $9.99 for iOS, $7.99 for Android.

Related: Writing a Business Plan? Don't Forget About Marketing

3. MarketMyBiz
This marketing plan app comes from a very unusual source: the government of Australia. MarketMyBiz is a beautifully designed app for the iPad or Android tablets. It isn't as wide-ranging as Marketing Plan App, but the navigation structure is intuitive and you won't get bogged down in boxes as you move from page to page.

This app also includes a section that helps you discover your weaknesses and helps you create a plan to address each one.

When you're finished, MarketMyBiz compiles your answers into one, simple report that you can print from the tablet or email as a PDF.

Price: Free

source: entrepreneur.com

Why giant retailers wouldn't affect local kiranas

Organised retail vs Local kiranas

      Many believe as the giant corps come into India after the govt has allowed FDI in retail, the local stores will be affected, some believe this would bring money and growth and employment, and some believe it would kill millions of shop owners. even politicians like Mamata Banerjee and Nitish kumar have opposed the idea and claimed they wouldn't allow this in their states. However, when I was in USA, I visited WAL-MART and Target stores, moreover I did some research in order to get a clear picture of how much would this affect INDIAN market, surprisingly, I don't think it's really gonna affect anyone apart from the organised retailers currently working in Indian cities. 

        Let's take a look at some of the pointers on why FDI in retal wouldn't affect India as hyped.

• Demographic of  India: Unlike US and UK, in India, language, food, clothes, traditions change after every 50 kms, if Walmart opens store every where, managing the inventory will be a big big issue as they won't be able to turnover the stock as they do in US, this may decrease profitability. In US they have stores away from the city and consumers buy in bulk and store for rest of the week or month, but in India, not many have the combination of time, motivation and vehicle. 
• Indian consumers: Local shop owners have given us some outstanding service over the years. If I need bread and eggs and milk at 7am, the shop owner will send a Chotu who will come running and deliver the goods something Walmart wouldn't be able to do ever and something we can't do without.
• Other countries: in countries like Brazil and China, walmarts have done successful business over the years because they haven't really had the concept of local kiranas, they either run community centres or grow themselves. Moreover they have enough space to allow 1 lack sq feet of walmart something that India doesn't have. China is larger than India in terms of space but has equal population thus density is low allowing land space. Brazil too is as big as India in terms of land but population in one sixth to that of India. Here they will get such land only in  outskirts. Now if I am living in salt lake and need some stuffs for home, I wouldn't travel all the way to Walmart to buy it, the cost may be cheaper there but my fuel expense will cover it all.
• Bleeding organised retails in India: India have had organised retail for over a decade now but when we look at the figures, it's not really tempting to invest here. Birlas run "More" stores all over India and has posted net loss of 423 crores last year. Reliance fresh made net loss of 247 crores. Bharti enterprise posted net loss of 260 crores. Subhiksha who at one time had over 12000 stores in India has shut down operations. Once these giant corporations come in, these Indian retailers shall sell equity and make some money using their expertise. 
• Supply chain: as mentioned earlier, India has diversified population, a product may sell in some part but may not sell in the neighbouring state. Moreover some states may not even allow them to setup stores so again this would affect the supply chain of the stores and managing inventory will be a really difficult task.

      So what's the end picture? Well, according to me, the small kiranas who know their customers by name now will eventually modernise and create databases, and there maybe a time when these giant corps may end up buying the small stores to increase their presence all over the country. It's happening for real in UK where Tesco has bought small stores and is running in different formats of retail like : supermarket , convenience stores and street corner stores. Similarly we may see the same scenario here in near future. These giant corps will have to make their own space in terms of consumers and land. This will certainly take time. So I don't really think allowing them will really have a bad effect in Indian retail market. As they wouldn't go about setting up stores in every locality.

Cheers,

Akash Poddar 

Hiring for startup

         Here’s something funny about first-time entrepreneurs. Even though they dream about making all the big decisions as boss of their own enterprise, when the time comes to recruit first teammates, they compromise. It’s true. Instead of seeking out a fabulous fit for their organization, they settle for the first person who “is available” and expresses enthusiasm for the startup mission.

The reason why startup entrepreneurs have a difficult time finding good people is they don’t try that hard.

Here are five considerations to help you hire the employee of your dreams.

1. Hire desired skills. Startup entrepreneurs are prone to hire an unqualified employee because the job candidate claims to be a “fast learner.” This kind of enthusiasm may work for larger companies with extensive training resources, but not for budget-starved startups.

Employees who are asked to do something they’ve never done before are likely to make beginner’s mistakes that will cost your company precious capital and time. The best way to avoid avoidable problems is to hire employees who have already “been there and done that.”

If, for example, your company needs proposal writing assistance for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) government grant, don’t just hire any kind of writer to do this important work. Search for a grant writer who has prepared several SBIR proposals in recent years. Then, favor applicants whose proposals turned into grant awards. I’d always rather pay more to people who know what they are doing, than less to people who don’t.

2. Hire relevant experience. Desired work experience should be defined not in terms of years, but rather in terms of specific work achievements. Just because a biochemist has, for example, 10 years of work experience doesn’t mean that the previous work accomplishments line up well with your company’s operating needs.

Another way to define work experience is in terms of work environment. A marketing manager who managed promotion campaigns for a well-established, big-budget corporation may flounder when asked to conceive and implement promotional campaigns for a cash-poor startup. As you review candidates, pay attention to work histories in which applicants were required to perform with little managerial supervision and team assistance. I also like to hire compulsive organizers who are happy to create systems for an emerging enterprise.

3. Hire competitive drive. Let’s face it — all startups have to compete aggressively for customers. So doesn’t it make sense to hire employees who thrive in a competitive work environment? Great startup employees embrace competitive challenges, hate losing clients to competitors and are highly motivated to exceed work goals. During interviews with prospective employees, ask about sports interests and other personal and professional activities that involve achievement under pressure. Prospective employees who dislike fast-paced competition probably won’t be happy working for your new company.

4. Hire persistence. With hiring criteria that emphasize competitive drive, should entrepreneurs favor job applicants who say they “have a long history of winning” in everything they set out to do? Not necessarily. Great startup employees adapt well to shifting priorities and don’t get easily discouraged from unexpected setbacks. Ask prospective employees how they handled career disappointments. Also, invest extra time into talking with prior bosses about a job candidate’s ability to manage frustration in a work setting. Simply stated, all startups need determined problem-solvers, not toxic finger-pointers.

5. Test performance. I’m a fan of long probation periods for recent hires in small businesses. If a new employee doesn’t fit in with the company rhythm or perform well during the first few months on the job, don’t delay in discussing your dissatisfaction. Another low-risk way to test prospective employee abilities is to create a project that can be completed as an independent contractor.

Here’s one last tip. I find that the most productive way to quickly sort through resumes, online or offline, is to have your written job criteria list on hand. If a candidate doesn’t meet your top three criteria for experience and expertise, then discard the person’s resume and move on. Hiring decisions are easy. It all comes down to this: If your game is football, don’t hire (and pay top cash for) the trophy-winning polo player.

Cheers

Akash Poddar

Family Business

Bridging the Gen Gap.. Its possible :)

         Family Businesses has a major contribution to the Indian Economy, apart from startups, family businesses enhances employment much more than the MNCs and giant corps does. There was a time when family business was labelled as "certain community idea" but things have changed now but challenges remain the same. I myself have been involved in my family's manufacturing business for quiet some time now and i have been facing quiet a few challenges which em sure most of you face as well. We cant blame the elders {father, uncle, grandfather} for their way of running business, because they have started it and are running it for decades, but now as we are taking up, there are certain changes in the work which we like to bring but is often not well taken by the elders, lets highlight some of the solutions to such problems which i have used myself and is really effective.

• Use external source: By this i mean try and bring letters or articles from newspapers or magazines or websites or blogs{like mine :-)} to show them the authenticity of the idea. Convincing them that such plan has been implemented somewhere and is successful will add a big push.
• Write down your idea: Instead of discussing it verbally, which may also lead to arguments, if you present the idea in paper using diagram or facts, it will make them hard to ignore what you have in mind. Plus it will also give them time to consider your contribution.
• Ask for your control: If there is a part or department at work where you think you can make a major contribution, ask for full authority. This will automatically make the elders focus more on that particular department and they will surely boost your morale.
• Fix a transition plan: Don't feel shy to talk to elders to make a transition plan (a plan that focuses on who will take over what). Indian children aren't very comfortable talking about it, but if there is not a proper transition plan, business may fall later and may often lead to courts.
• Focus on the chair: There are many people particularly in Indian businesses who have their eyes on the business and they will be willing to find loopholes so that they can take advantage of even a minor error, the business belongs to you, treat it like your baby and protect it, if you let loose now, in the long run it will kick your rear back.

    You may not always get full support, there will be times when your ego may get hurt but you have to be strong enough and get your work done. Every father will be proud of you once you show them the results, plus that director's remuneration package adds to your celebration :)

Cheers

Akash Poddar

Smart reads for entrepreneurs

Books for start ups

          Hello everyone, this isn't a blog actually,  this post has some names of books you all should read that will motivate you and keep you going to work at your start up phase. Start up is a difficult period and requires great attention and dedication its like having a new baby. So here is a list of some books you all should read:

• "Learn to program" by Chris Pine
• "Start something that matters" by  Blake Mycoskie
• "Vital Voices: The Power of Women Leading Change Around the World " by Alyse Nelson
• "War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle" by Steven Pressfield
• "The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything"
  by Guy Kawasaki
• "The Dream: How I Learned the Risks and Rewards of Entrepreneurship and Made Millions"
  by Gurbaksh Chahal
• "Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big" by Bo Burlingham
• "The New Business Road Test: What entrepreneurs and executives should do before writing a business plan" by John Mullins

Apart from these some from my personal collections that you all can read are biographies of business leaders like Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Dhirubhai Ambani. And if you are quiet young and wanna be an entrepreneur, go for "MBA at 16" by Subroto Bagchi its a fun read.

So, enjoy your life, keep reading, stay updated.

Cheers

Akash Poddar

5 misconceptions on being an Entrepreneur

5 misconceptions on being an Entrepreneur

          Hello everyone, hope you all doing good in life. This blog is about some myths people carry abouut being an entrepreneur, so lets focus on this and change their attitudes. If you’re looking for a feel good post about why you should quit your secure 9 to 5 job and become an entrepreneur, this is not the post for you. Being an entrepreneur is great and I wouldn’t trade it for a desk job, but there are some things aspiring (or existing) entrepreneurs should know.

1. You’re going to be insanely successful. You are not the next Mark Zuckerberg. Sorry, you’re not and I’m not.:( If you have the idea that you’re going to sit down and create the next Facebook and be worth billions of dollars in seven to 10 years, it’s not going to happen. Am I saying it’s not good to dream big? No. I’m saying there is only one Facebook or Apple and only one Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs in this world.
2. Entrepreneurs have a very flexible work schedule. They can work three to four hours a day and have plenty of time to fool around!. I know I’m not alone when I say that entrepreneurs don’t have the luxury of ending our workday abruptly at 5pm. When you own your own company or work for someone who does, you have to put in the extra hours and the extra effort to make things happen. If you aren’t ready to work some pretty long days, you probably aren’t cut out for being an entrepreneur.
3. Entrepreneurs can take off when they want — after all, you’re the boss, right? Remember all those times you used to be able to party on random nights of the week or just take off for a weekend with your friends? Not if you want to keep your business afloat the first year (or two, three, four, etc). Now I’m not saying you won’t ever get time off, but most entrepreneurs live, eat and breathe their businesses after all its their money at stake and a lot of times partying gets pushed to the wayside. What’s more important: Playing poker with college buddies or generating income so you can pay bills the next couple months?
4.  Working from home means you’ll have more time for your relationship, your pets, taking care of your home, etc. Wrong! Because you work from home, it’s like you live in this constant state of never finishing anything. You start cleaning the dishes and then think of a great idea or feature for your company. Instead of taking your significant other out to a nice meal, you ask to get drive through so you can get back to work quicker. No venture can be ever taken for granted. A venture is like having a baby, its a 24/7 job as client calls or a baby in this example
5.  Everyone wants to have your job. I’m guessing it’s because people genuinely don’t love their jobs, but they think you have this perfect setup where you get to work and play all day long. I always hear things like “At least you don’t have to deal with a commute” or “I have so many worthless meetings and calls, you’re lucky”. It may seem like a cakewalk, but the truth is the struggle is always onn

For all the starving entrepreneurs out there, keep fighting the good fight. We’re all doing things we love and enjoy, and that’s what matters. I may not be building the next Facebook, but I am excited about controlling my own destiny and knowing the harder I work, the bigger i make

Cheers

Akash Poddar

How to excel in Art of Net-Working

            Ok first of all i am sorry for the late post have been travelling a lot with 2 big family functions in radar recently and thus couldn't concentrate on posting, i have been getting your comments and emails and it inspires me more and more. Now, as far as this post is concerned, "Net-Working isn't working on the Net" LOL :P Networking is something every entrepreneur has to be very good at, it is one of the most most important criteria to excel in business. You never know who, where and when will come upto you with the next major break through, even if nothing major comes up, you will atleast get to learn so much talking to different people and learning about their lives and ventures and struggles. 

           My 2 cousin brothers are getting married and like every Indian wedding theres lots of ceremonies and people coming and eating, so opportunities like this is perfect to get to know people and build contacts, you never know that long distant uncle of yours maybe the supplier you were looking for! So i took this opportunity to talk to many people in these functions getting to know about them and their businesses, thus this post will help you to excel in this very act of "NetWorking"

•    Have your objective clear:  With this what i mean is, you should know what/whom are you looking for, are you looking for an investor or a co-founder or a supplier or mentor. If you know whats on your mind, things will be easier and you will save a lot of time.
•    Get a stag entry: Most of us would like to visit such events with a partner or a friend but its better to go alone, this way you will get bored and to avoid the embarrassment of standing alone by the speaker, you will end up talking to someone. being an introvert doesn't help these days, you will have to outreach yourself to win that export order you have your eyes on.
•   Cast a web: More the interactions you make, greater will be a chance of benefiting from that occasion. Studies show that 5 to 7 minutes is more than enough to know how much will this particular conversation benefit you, so calculate accordingly and avoid distractions {both beer and babes :D}
•   Feed-in reminders: Its not possible to remember everyone you meet and talk in such gatherings so its better you make short notes of people and their details using abbreviations, best place to scribble in at the back of business cards or better if you have a note pad app in your smart phone, also to avoid awkward situations do this privately in a corner or at rest room.
•   Follow up: The most important of them all. Few months down the line none of you will remember anything, so use mediums like Linkedin or facebook or twitter to stay in touch, this also helps to build long term contacts and get invitations to similar gatherings.

    Use these tools to increase your horizons and build contacts as you can never predict who comes to your rescue at what situation.

Cheers

Akash Poddar

akashpoddar@live.com