'Only Coffee' chain serves filter coffee on National & State Highways in Tamilnadu

Thanks to the efforts of G. Samyraj, you can now drink hot filter coffee when you are driving on the National and State Highways in Tamil Nadu.

G. Samyraj and his fellow-villagers identified spots on the National and State highways in Tamil Nadu, sat there from six in the morning to eight at night to count how many cars passed that way per hour. If the math worked, they opened a coffee outlet there. Not just any coffee, but Kumbakonam Degree Coffee!

G. Samyraj who came up with this initiative belongs to Zameen Devarkulam, a village 10 kilometres away from Kovilpatti. He worked for nearly a decade in the Middle East before returning to his village, where, he was pained to see fellow farmers struggling and in debt. He decided to do something about it. Eight months ago he set up his first Only Coffee outlet at Mangalamedu. Today, he has eleven of them up and running, and manned by people from his village.

The outlets are called ‘Naidu Coffee Inn' and as 'Only Coffee’. A dark blue board announces their presence. “We picked quiet spots where people in cars could stop and enjoy a refreshing cup. I am a coffee priyan and I love the idea of others like me enjoying a satisfying coffee, in the middle or end of a long drive. Kumbakonam Degree Coffee is a trade mark of Tamil Nadu and we serve that. It is like coffee made at home.” Frothy, piping hot, filter-coffee is served in gleaming pithalai davara tumblers. There is sugar-free substitutes for diabetics. “Sabari Malai pilgrims, and so on, are served in disposable cups,” explains Samyraj. The beans are procured from Chikamagalur and roasted at Virudhunagar from where they are delivered to the outlets where they are ground. Now Samyraj plans to go a step further to standardise flavours. He is working on setting up a unit where the decoction is centrally made. “So that the coffee will taste the same in all our outlets.” The R& D is underway and Samyraj hopes to get this plan off its feet soon.

What’s coffee without an accompanying snack? “Vegetarian bajji bonda will also be available. And we plan to centralise the grocery supplies as well. Only the vegetables will be sourced locally,” says Samyraj. The outlet proudly declares that it uses sunflower oil for frying and that the oil is not recycled. There is also a telephone number on teh board in case anyone has complaints. “We want feedback. That way we are alert about the service we provide. And we have communication with our customers.”

Samyraj insists Only Coffee stands for transparency and quality. Along with his business partners R. Anandhan and A. Kalpana, he is now on the lookout for franchisees. “We will set up the outlet for them and even have two of our trained staff to be with them for a month to show them how the café is run. We will supply the coffee powder and the grocery items too. Investors need approximately two lakh rupees that includes a deposit.”

Samyraj hopes that not too long in the future there will be at least a hundred Only Coffee outlets in Tamil Nadu. Till that time, he says, he and his team members will ensure that hot filter coffee priced at Rs 15 is served to the customers with a smile.

For details email
akvfarms@gmail.com or call 9940627322/ 9443911011

Content source: The Hindu.

Send Secret Promotions With Instagram Direct Messaging

Send Secret Promotions With Instagram Direct Messaging

Instagram is a one-feature wonder, which I love; but many marketers have a hard time figuring out how to use the platform to make money, grow their subscribers or build their email list.

Instagram’s new direct messaging feature can help.

Send private messages to share select offers to your Instagram followers.

Within the direct messaging feature, you can send a private message with up to 5 pictures to up to 15 people at a time. We’ve been using direct messages for follower appreciation, secret promotions, even text responders to build email lists.

Because VERY few marketers have caught on to this tactic, the conversion rates are incredibly high!

Socially Tag People Who Are Involved With Your Content

Socially Tag People Who Are Involved With Your Content

If you want to build stronger connections with high-value contacts, take your activity across more than one social network.

This will increase your visibility by giving you a stronger presence in several social networks.

First, know whom you’re targeting. Generally, I look to connect with bloggers and content creators, but it’s even better if you’re networking with thought leaders and prospects.

This tactic works best if you keep sharing your content in the days, weeks and months after it was published.
Next, make sure you know where those people are active. There’s no value in mentioning someone on a network they pay no attention to.

Watch the timing to take advantage of all opportunities. After you share content in one place, wait to see if it’s re-shared or generates comments. Then cross over to another network to thank and mention people who engaged.

The key is to watch for actions on one network and respond to them on another network. Here are some examples:

They share your content on Twitter and you thank them with an invitation or message on LinkedIn.
They like your post on Facebook and you thank them next time you share the post on Twitter.
They comment on your post and you thank all of them with a mention when you share it on Google+.

The combinations are endless and two things can happen when you employ this tactic:

1. The people you target may share it again on the second network. This is likely because they like it.
2. They may follow you on the second network. Now, you connect to high-value contacts on several networks, not just one.

Smart marketers think cross-channel constantly. They’re diversified, yet targeted. They don’t put all their eggs in one social network, but they’re very focused on specific opportunities, connections and potential collaborators.

BJP Brand Marketing Campaign for Lok Sabha Elections 2014

BJP Brand Marketing Campaign for Lok Sabha Elections 2014.

Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar (as the message) in a non-responding ATM Customer Advice slip of State Bank of India in Kanpur.


#LokSabhaElections2014 #HowIndiaTravels #MarketingPundit

First seven seconds of an advertisement

First seven seconds of an advertisement are the most crucial in capturing a consumer’s attention and can boost a consumer’s opinion of the brand by 15 % to 20 %

#MarketingPundit

Friends are like BRAs - Nonsense!!

We may not be too far off from a TV commercial where the lyrics of the jingle of a lingerie brand could be:
"Har Ek Friend BRA Hota Hai"!

The advt copy of the print advertisement sucks ..... I wonder what has been the kind of response.

Incidentally, a few years ago, a bill-board (on Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, opposite the NUJS Kolkata Campus) of the same brand was frequently mutilated by a group of elderly morning-walkers seeking small doses of wayward pleasure.

How To Tackle Negative Comments While Managing Community In Social Media.

(Excerpt from discussions initiated by Pervara Kapadia, Independent Social Media Marketing Consultant in the ‘Marketing Pundit’ group on Linkedin.com)

Check out http://pervarakapadiaatmoney.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-tackle-negative-comments-while.html

Trishma Singh wrote:
The only idea that comes to my mind when I first read this discussion topic is to follow the "get well soon therapy" approach of the Hindi movie: Lage Raho Munnabhai ... gift a bouquet of roses to the person who cant understand your viewpoint.
One cannot get everyone to accept and conform to one's viewpoint.
The negative comments can also be tackled by supporting and winning the influence of those community-members who are posting/ commenting in the affirmative.

Pervara Kapadia wrote:
Absolutely Trishma, I would agree with you that the rest of the people in the group would also understand and be able to counter the negative comments. On a lighter note yes send them a bouquet.

Deep Banerjee wrote:
@Trishma: I love the way you expressed it all and the suggested solution. You deserve a hug ....:))
However, some people have a very nasty habit of posting derogatory negative comments. These creeps flare up even more when they realize that their back is to the wall and have been reduced to a minority vis-a-vis community-members who are posting/ commenting in the affirmative.

Writing correct English is absolutely important for success in Social Media Marketing

Writing correct English is absolutely important for success in Social Media Marketing. What do you'll have to say? (Excerpt from discussions initiated by Deep Banerjee, Marketing Support Consultant, Marketingpundit.com in the ‘Marketing Pundit’ group on Linkedin.com)

Deep Banerjee wrote:
I just read a nice and relevant article http://bit.ly/dw3ixV

Pervara Kapadia wrote:
Hi Deep thanks for the article. It brought me to the fact that our English went hey wire with the commencement of emails. In fact proper letter drafting and addressing people correctly went for a toss. Add to this with SMS we are totally out of proper English. And what’s more we have a new language 'what say d'huh!'. 'tks for d article' and so on...

Avijit Roy wrote:
The genesis of social media marketing lies on correct English otherwise you won't feel like reading it as it looses its sanctity.

Deep Banerjee wrote:
Dear Pervara & Avijit, just after the CBSE/ ISC results were announced in mid 2010, I paid a customary visit to a couple of schools in Kolkata. During the course of my discussion with a lady principal & some teachers in a school, I asked them about the secret of 90%+ average marks being scored by most students.
Somebody said that the instructions for awarding marks are very clearly laid out. For example: Macbeth by William Shakespeare is passe. Even if the child writes 'Sex'+'Pear', full marks need to be awarded. This is not a story that I've fabricated.
We are backdated or outdated. What say?

Pervara Kapadia wrote:
A very good question Deep. Infact the recent talk about changing the percentage system to grade system itself had gone through so much of criticism. Remember? So yes we perhaps are a scared people who do not wish to move ahead too fast.
But if you see we as a country are very re-active not proactive. We are not having the forecast though trust me we do not lack it if we encourage it. See for instance any calamity it will be attended to. But we will never be prepared for it.

Trishma Singh wrote:
Flawless communication is the soul of Marketing. English, no doubt, is extremely important when it comes to social-media marketing. What we fail to understand here is that clear, concise and fluid communication in our local languages is slowly emerging as the next big tool in this arena ... what with google, facebook being offered in hindi, tamil, etc.

Pervara Kapadia wrote:
So true Trishma. In fact we need to follow the brand that we are working on. The Brand Personality is critical. While correct English is a prerogative, talking with the consumer in the brand language is also important. Add to this as you have rightly shared consumer language and attitude / behavior is also crucial to know how you should converse.

Rahul Sinha wrote:
I believe that the most important attribute in any marketing is telling the recipient what you wish to say - simply and emphatically. If this can be done by even a sign/ symbol or mnemonic, it is fine. Many a times, a smiley can do the job. After all you are able to follow road directions across the world thru road signs and you can understand most of the traffic signs innately. Simplicity is needed rather than right grammatical knowledge.

Recall a few brands which flourished because of the licensing raj and gagging of free economy & innovation in India between 1960s and mid 80s

Can you'll recall a few brands which flourished, thanks to the licensing raj and gagging of free economy & innovation in India. Never mind if such brands still exist or have been laid to rest. (Excerpt from the question posted by Deep Banerjee, Marketing Support Consultant, Marketingpundit.com on his Facebook.com wall)

Deep Banerjee wrote:
“I can think of one such brand as SERVO from Indian Oil whose only USP was lower pricing & dadagiri on the distribution sphere.”

Pradeep Narasimha wrote:
“Another set of Brands are HMT Watches and HMT Tractors both of these brands were leaders in their respective categories. Unfortunately both of them were put to rest by TItan and Mahindra Tractors and TAFE Tractors.”

Deep Banerjee wrote:
“HMT watches is a perfect example. There used to be a long waiting period to buy a HMT watch ..... now gone into the history pages.”

Sandip Samanta wrote:
"Thums Up ?? This brand got so big that Coca Cola had to retain the brand when they returned. Indian Oil's (Servo) initial success was due to its monopolistic stranglehold on the market."

Pradeep Narasimha:
"Allwyn Watches, Allwyn Refregirators, Allwyn Nissan LCV Trucks and Amdhra Pradesh Scooters Limited - Vespa PL 170, etc etc ..."

Rahul Sinha wrote:
"Yup. Two of my favorites in this list are: Doordarshan and Weston TV. Also Premier Padmini, Ambassador, Bush TV, Murphy Radio, Hind Cycles, Avon Cycles, Lambretta, Godrej Refrigerators, Keltron, Bata, Beetel, Department of Telecom, Indian Airlines, Park Avenues, etc. Most of them crashed as duties got cut, new players entered, prices moved as per market (often down) and new technologies entered India. Thank Manmohan Singh for that."

Castrol taught me the values of 'influencing the influencer'

I myself was with Castrol from mid 1985 - early 1992, fresh out of B-School. I had the great fortune of interacting closely with the great managers of yesteryears Dr.B.K.Barman, Mr.Dilip Kumar Guha, Mr.Ramesh Chandra Mahajan. They taught me hands-on about Castrol's (then, Indrol Lubricants and Specialities Ltd) strategy of influencing the influencer.
Irrespective of our hierarchy in the organisation, we had to visit a large number of roadside mechanics every week, spend time with them chatting about the virtues of multigrade oils, additives, et al and offcourse in their language. I loved getting under the gigantic trucks to help mechanics open the oil sump and collecting lube samples in special bottles for further testing in the labs at Paharpur, Wadala, Patalganga.
I have carefully preserved a couple of oil stained shirts as mementos along with the large number of certificates and trophies and ties. I personally love automobiles, the work in Castrol was a passion for me. I have heard and seen people joining Castrol from office automation companies and leaving in a few months since the system of 'influencing the influencer' was too much for their system.
There were no computers those days, yet the entire strategy was so systems driven. At one point of time in Orissa, I was commanding a 35%+ market share in the commercial vehicles lubricating oil segments. And that too, when the brands were priced 40% higher than the PSU oil company products. And mind it ... we were not even allowed to sell from the PSU petrol pumps.
During the past 8 years, as an Independent Marketing Consultant working closely with Youth and Children as target audiences and as the person behind the ideation and implementation of the only one of their kinds in Child and Youth Marketing activities India, viz. Inter School and College PowerPoint Presentation Contest (Powerplay and IT Kriya contests respectively), I have managed to convey the message and virtues of influencing the influencer to brands like LG Electronics - IT Divn, Nerolac Paints, Osram, TVS Motor Co., Eveready, Power FM, Rasna, General Mills and many more.

Bring back the Maruti Suzuki Esteem

The 1300 cc, three-box Esteem car from Maruti Suzuki was one fantastic machine. It was very low on maintenance costs and extremely good in fuel economy. Driving comfort was just too good. The pride of ownership was indeed an ego booster .... no wonders the little girl after the joyride in daddy's new Esteem (as shown in the TVC) proudly announces that its "My Daddy's Biiiig Car". In the Indian motor-rallying circuits, Esteem still calls the shots.
Why did the company want to bring in a 'forced obsolescence' with effect from early January 2008? In the product life cycle, the car was still in its growth stage, there was nothing to worry.
It is being heard that a three-box Swift is in the offing. However, I am sure that the new product being planned could have been squeezed in between the Esteem VXI and SX4. The media in no uncertain terms have spelt out that the introductory batches of SX4 is very poor in fuel economy.
Maruti Suzuki had earlier made the mistake of withdrawing the jelly-bean shaped Zen from the market for about a year in 2005 and replaced it with Zen Estilo. Estilo has just not been able to create an impact with customers. With competition hotting up in the small car segment, Maruti Suzuki needs to become far more market savvy in the higher segment and that's where Esteem figured.
Past and present 'Esteem owners', 'Esteem lovers' and marketing gurus, can we have a discussion on the topic please?
(Article by: Deep Banerjee dated 14th February 2008)

A Summer Project is NOT Agent Recruitment Project

I'm shocked at the way number of B-Schools in India are forcing their Marketing Management students to appear for campus interviews - for Final Placements as well as for Summer Training.
For Summer Training, private Insurance sector companies are awarding projects which involve appointment of agents for selling insurance products. The students are being paid a commission for the number of agents they manage to recruit. They are being threatened that if they do not appoint a bare minimum number of agents, they may not get their "certificate of satisfactory completion" from the company at all. Once these students pass out the following year, companies marketing branded products may not touch them with a barge pole. What these students do in the name of Summer Project for a period of 6 to 8 weeks is not a project at all.
Final year MBA Marketing students (with a background in Engineering) have been offered final placements (during campus interviews in February) in insurance companies with the job profile remaining the same as that of Summer Training. The insurance companies issue "Letters of Offer" to practically every individual who appear for the interview. What is worse is that, thereafter, the students are not even allowed to appear for other campus interviews by the college authorities between February and June.
These final year students were not even informed about their job content, i.e. on what they were expected to do on joining the company. On completion of their MBA in June - July they have also realized that the remuneration promised to them has a very very very high component of variable pay (in the form of incentives). No wonders there's a large number of demotivated fresh and young MBAs in the marketplace.
Will someone counsel these youngsters properly, please? I'm keen to hear from youngsters incidents which are very similar to these.

Market your brand to and through children and youth

Hello Friends!
If you are working in an Indian or MNC corporate entity in a decision making position in Brand Management, Product Management, Market Research, Market Segmentation, Product Positioning, Marketing Support functions, Advertising Agency of repute or if you are the Head/ Deputy Head/ Divisional Head of Marketing in your company, let's exchange ideas.
Even if your spouse or somebody really close to you is into the same please ask him or her to revert to me.
If the brand(s) / product category you (or your contact) manage or is responsible for, targets directly or indirectly :
-- "Children from Premium Households/ Schools studying in Class 3 - 12 anywhere in India"
-- "Youths in General/ Professional UG and PG Colleges anywhere in India",
please revert to me as soon as possible.
I am sure that I will be able to help you'll a lot.
Even if you are in a different functional area viz. Finance, HRD, Logistics, etc and if you feel that your company will do better by tagetting the above mentioned target audience, please refer me to someone important in the functional area of Marketing in your organisation.
My offer also applies to individual entrepreneurs also.
Those in the functional area of Marketing will know and those in other functional areas should know that children and youth are increasingly becoming opinion leaders in brand selection / purchase / usage.
Directly or indirectly, they are a Rs.40,000 Crores segment in India ..... Yes, That's True !!!