by Kurian M. Tharakan Unbelievable promises, outlandish claims, impossible scenarios. Nigerian scams are one of the most common types of confidence frauds for which there seems to be a never-ending line of willing victims. There are many … [Read more...]
Memory Cues – What the Energizer Bunny Knows
by Kurian M. Tharakan It may surprise you to know this, but most people simply do not spend every minute of every waking moment thinking about you and your amazingly wonderful product or service. It would be great if this weren’t true, but most … [Read more...]
The Problem with Marketing a Better Dental Floss
by Kurian M. Tharakan I’ve been flossing since I was a kid. Yes, it has been a long and established habit of my dental hygiene. Everyday, for years, I have been stringing out the floss from the little container, yanking back against the little metal … [Read more...]
Local Small Business Marketing for the Web
by Kurian M. Tharakan Want to Maximize Your Local Small Business Marketing? Here are the critical things you must do! For many businesses, their best target market is the local market. And when a prospect is in need of a product or service but is … [Read more...]
Spheres of Influence
by Kurian M. Tharakan Ignoring the role spheres of influence play in your marketing plan can be very perilous to your business health. Briefly stated, a sphere of influence is any entity or person that can sway the purchase decision of your … [Read more...]
The Social Mix
by Kurian M. Tharakan As I often say in my seminars, the best courses in marketing that I’ve ever taken have not been purely marketing-oriented. Instead, they have been courses in the social sciences like sociology, psychology, and cultural … [Read more...]
One of These is Killing Your Sale. But Which One?
by Kurian M. Tharakan In the selling cycle, there’s a big difference between Objections, Rejections, and Stalls. Objections typically mean that the prospect doesn’t have enough information, or that they have false assumptions (i.e. the wrong … [Read more...]
Post Sale Reassurance
by Kurian M. Tharakan Congratulations! You’ve closed the big sale! The contract has been signed, the product delivered, and the customer is happy! The process is done…isn’t it? Don’t bet on it! Beginners often believe that they have crossed the … [Read more...]
Social & Psychological Risk – Two Reasons Why Customers May be Afraid of You
by Kurian M. Tharakan When instant coffee was introduced in the early 1900's, it was a huge disappointment in sales. Why? There was a general perception by the public that any housewife (remember, this was still the age of the housewife who stayed … [Read more...]
The Form Factor
by Kurian M. Tharakan A product’s design elements can significantly affect the marketplace’s perception and acceptance. Do you remember the first handheld mobile phones? They were big, clunky, and short on battery life. But we didn’t care because … [Read more...]