Comparative Advertising to Get Edge Over Competitors

Comparative Advertising to Get Edge Over CompetitorsComparative Advertising to Get Edge Over CompetitorsLets say you make a widget. Its a great widget the best one on the market. Theres another widget out there thats not as good as yours, but it has better recognition and market share. What do you do? Well, this could be the perfect time to use comparative advertising. If you really do have a product or tafelgeschirr that leaves the competition in the dust, you should seriously consider doing some side-by-side comparison advertising. What Is Comparative Advertising? In laymens terms, its simply the process of directly comparing your product or service to that of a major competitor. Whether its Coke vs Pepsi, Nike vs Adidas, or Republican vs Democrat, the formula is usually the same. Point out the ways your brand is stronger than the other, and pay particular attention to the weaknesses of the other brand. Perhaps the greatest example of this was the Im a Mac, Im a PC campaign. Ap ple won that battle in a landslide. If the competitor has had a recent PR disaster, that can also work to your advantage. One prime example of this was the London Eye ride, which was sponsored by British Airways. The wheel was having trouble being raised. Virgin Atlantic floated a blimp above the wheel saying BA Cant Get It Up, making Virgin Atlantic seem like the cool guy and one that can get things done. Its considered one of the greatest brand vs brand stunts ever devised. Is Comparative Advertising Legal? Yes, totally legal. BUT, there are guidelines that have to be followed. Every country has slightly different laws around it, with some (the U.K.) being more strict than the USA or Australia. You cannot make untrue statements about the competition, or blatantly misleading claims. If you tell. The Pros of Comparative Advertising There are many if you have claims that can hold water. For a start, if you are a challenger brand (i.e. much smaller than the leading brand), you can ride their coattails with a campaign daring them to fight back. Its a winning situation whatever happens. If they do, youve engaged them and youll get free press. If not, people assume youve won because the other brand is staying quiet. Comparative advertising is also a good way to compare your product or service instantly with one that people already know. Remember when Dyson first came onto the market? It was new, it was unheard of, and boy, was it expensive. But when Dyson went up against brand-name vacuums that people knew, and trusted, and blew them out of the waterDyson became the champion. Comparative advertising is also an excellent way to quickly and easily list product or service benefits to the consumer. A side-by-side list, showing how your brand beats the competition in every category. It can be that your washing powder cleans twice as white with half the amount (OxyClean made that claim, and it made the brand a household name). Cons Yes. Make no mistake, if yo u are going to step into the ring with another brand, you are going to trade blows. Take one of the most famous pieces of comparative advertising ever done- Avis vs Hertz. The year was 1962. Avis was looking for a new ad campaign to boost sales and went to the smartest new kid on the block- Doyle Dane Bernbach. Bill Bernbach got to the heart of the matter immediately. He wanted to know the strengths of Avis, and hit upon the tagline We Try Harder. Ads like When Youre Only No. 2, You Try Harder. Or Else, were a massive hit. It was clear Avis was taking potshots at Hertz. And of course, Hertz fired back. Long copy ads like For years, Avis has been telling you Hertz is No. 1. Now were going to tell you why put Hertz back in the power position. And for decades, they were fighting it out, calling out weaknesses about the others company. Its also worth noting that some of the bigger, meaner brands will have no hesitation in taking a smaller brand to court if theres a hint of something mis leading. Do you want that to happen? Remember- Only Start a Fight You Can Win Are you sure of your claims? Can you back them up? Do you know, with 100 percentaccuracy, that the other brand or service is unten liegend to yours? If youre nodding yes to every question, then that sounds like a battle worth taking on. However, if you have any doubts about the claims, or if the brand youre going up against can outspend you $100 to $1, think twice. Not every David can knock down a Goliath.

Twitter speaks up after an actors found working at a Trader Joes

Twitter speaks up after an actors found working at a brsenspekulant JoesTwitter speaks up after an actors found working at a Trader JoesTwitter piped up recently in response toa Daily Mail storylater reported on by Fox News, about how two shoppers saw former Cosby Show actor Geoffrey Owens working at a Trader Joes location in New Jersey.Karma Lawrence, who reportedly works as a medical secretary, saw Owens while at the grocery store in Clifton, NJ, with her wife, The Daily Mail reports. She took pictures of him and told the publication how she felt seeing him thereI would have thought after The Cosby Show he would maybe be doing something differentIt was a shock to see him working there and looking the way he did It made me feel really bad. I was like, Wow, all those years of doing the show and you ended up as a cashier. she told The Daily Mail.Owensreportedly played the role of Elvin Tibideaux on the show between 1985 and 1992, but has also starred in others in the years following .But as messages of support for Owens bubbled up on Twitter, it became clear that people didnt like the way he was characterized and had manythoughts on what it takes to support yourself financially during your career.Good Morning America reported that according to him, since appearing on the Cosby Show (and excluding a theater job), he hasnt had a position thats lasted more than 10 weeks in 26 years. He reportedly quit his job at Trader Joes because of all this unwanted attention, although the store is open to his return.Owens appeared on the morning showtoday, where he explained things from his perspectiveOwens told the morning show that eventually, his depiction as the Cosby guy who got shamed for working at Trader Joes thats going to pass. But he went on to say what he hopes this does for the way we think about work overallI hope what doesnt pass is this idea that people are now thinking, this re-thinking about what it means to work. You know, the honor of the working person an d the dignity of work. And I hope that this period that were in now where we have this heightened sensitivity about that, and a re-evaluation of what it means to work, and that re-evaluation of the idea that some jobs are better than others because thats actually not true.There is no job thats better than another job. It might pay better, it might have better benefits, it might look better on a resume and on paper, but actually, its not better. Every job is worthwhile and valuable, and if we have kind of a re-thinking about that because of whats happened to me, that would be great. But no one should feel sorry for me, either from a positive or a negative perspective.he said.Check out what people have been saying about Owens on TwitterHeres what Twitter had to say

The guide to tying up professional loose ends before the new year

The guide to tying up professional loose ends before the new yearThe guide to tying up professional loose ends before the new yearWith Thanksgiving on our heels as 2017 quickly comes to a close, you might spend some time over the holidays thinking about not only what youre thankful for in work and life, but also what else you want to do for your career by the end of the year.Consider this a professional to-do list of sorts.Get back in touch with your networkReconnect with your professional connections.Fill them in on how youre doing at work, and if your schedule allows, offer to help them with an upcoming project they tell you about when you reopen a dialogue.Get feedback from your manager ahead of Q1The classic performance review can be stressful, but take a minute toisolate your emotions from the process and promise that whatever constructive criticism your manager gives you, 2018 is an huge opportunity to to take his or her tips to heart.If things dont work like this at your compa ny - meaning, you dont have annual performance assessments - see if you can get some time on your supervisors calendar to talk about how youre faring anyway.Wouldnt it be great to go into the first quarter of the new year with total clarity about where you stand, and what it will take to reach your goals at work?If you dont love your job, consider thisBernard Marr, author, keynote speaker, and data expert, writes about the questions you should respond to before the year is over in a LinkedIn post.One of them is, what can you do to improve your job satisfaction? Maybe its a case of asking for more of the types of projects you like best, or delegating more, or improving your skills in some area. Could you improve your work/life balance in any way? Create stronger boundaries around your work responsibilities so that they dont bleed into your life? What would give you more satisfaction?Whether or not you like your career or not, use the end of the year as a time for reflection on your life as a whole.Go on an informational interview or twoYouve been checking out your dream company with fascinating job openingsfor months. First you have toget to know people there.After reading up about the industry and its leaders, plus putting LinkedIn to good use, you finally score an in. See if someone at the company will grant you an informational interview so you can see if both the company and job posting could be right for you.Remember that even if you meet and nothing pans out now, that doesnt mean you and your connection cant help each other professionally at some point down the line if you stay in touch.Make your goals list for 2018Sit down and come up with a list of things youd like in your career next year. Write down the names of people who might be able to point you in the right direction, and make a point to connect with them in the coming months.Whether you want to build your personal brand or start your own business, this is one way to get the ball rolling ahead of the new year.

Find out How Your Boss Might Be Watching You at Work

Find out How Your Boss Might Be Watching You at WorkFind out How Your Boss Might Be Watching You at WorkMore companies are monitoring their employees electronically. Active monitoring of employees has risen recently from 35 % to 80 %. Why? What can you do about it? Privacy in todays workplace is largely illusory. In this era of open space cubicles, shared desk space, networked computers and teleworkers, it is hard to realistically hold onto a belief in private space, said Ellen Bayer, AMAs human resources practice leader. Why Companies Monitor Employees The reasons companies monitor employee activities are valid business reasons, not just a desire to snoop. The AMA listed (in alphabetical order) five reasons given by survey companies as to why they monitor their employees. Legal Compliance. In regulated industries, taping telemarketing activities gives both the company and the consumer some degree of legal protection. Also, electronic recording and storage may be considered part of a companys due diligence in keeping adequate records and files.Legal Liability. Employees who are unwittingly exposed to offensive graphic material on colleagues computer screens may charge a hostile workplace environment.Performance Review. Customer service and consumer relations personnel are frequently taped as they field calls, and tapes are reviewed with supervisors to evaluate and improve job performance. Productivity Measures. Net-surfing, personal use of office e-mail, and/or dialing up 900 numbers expend time and assets on non-business related activities.Security Concerns. Protecting the value of proprietary corporate information is a primary concern in an age when e-mail and internet connections continue to expand. Work is carried out on equipment belonging to employers who have a legal right to the work product of the employees using it, Bayer said. It should be noted that the survey revealed that 90 percent of the companies engaging in any of these practices inform th eir employees that theyre doing so. Also, fruchtwein of the monitoring is performed on a spot-check basis rather than an ongoing 24-hour basis. Your Rights As an Employee As an employee, very few. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse New technologies make it possible for employers to monitor many aspects of their employees jobs, especially on telephones, computer terminals, through electronic and voice mail, and when employees are using the Internet. Such monitoring is virtually unregulated. Therefore, unless company policy specifically states otherwise (and even this is not assured), your employer may listen, watch and read most of your workplace communications. Their Fact Sheet 7 Workplace Privacy has a very good summary FAQ about employees rights, or lack therefore, with respect to phone calls, computers, email, and voice mail. Obligation of Managers to Monitor Managers have an obligation to their company to monitor the activities of their employees to ensure com pliance with applicable laws and policies. They monitor their behavior, their adherence to the dress code, the way they greet customers. The need to monitor their electronic activities is equally as great and the reasons are the same. They should be sure to let employees know that they are being monitored electronically, in addition to letting them know what is being monitored and why what is acceptable and what is not. The easiest way is to develop and publish the companies policies with regard to the use of computers, the internet, email and voice mail. Managers should monitor for compliance and discipline as they would for any other company policy.

How to Gracefully Resolve Workplace Conflict

How to Gracefully Resolve Workplace ConflictHow to Gracefully Resolve Workplace ConflictIf youre lucky, you like and appreciate your colleagues. Theyre smart, motivated and generous - and if youre really fortunate, they feel the same way about you. But over the course of your career, youll likely find yourself in situations where you need to resolve workplace conflict with coworkers or supervisors, and youll need more than luck.When you share resources and spend time with other people for 40 or more hours a week, some clashes are pretty much inevitable. In worst-case scenarios, you have to involve management. Yet fruchtwein conflicts dont need to reach that level.Employers value staff who know how to sort out all sorts of problems - whether professional or interrolleal. You can be the person in your firm or department who navigates difficult disputes and sticky situations with diplomacy and professionalism. Here are seven tips to help you resolve workplace conflict.1. Repeat the se renity mantraYou and your fellow employees are not going to see eye to eye on every issue. Whether you have disagreements over politics or work projects, different opinions exist - and thats OK. Dont sweat the small stuff that doesnt directly affect work quality, and resolve to accept the annoying things you cannot change.2. Dont let the tension escalateLeaving conflicts unresolved typically makes them worse, and the result is wasted time and energy. Dont let arguments get in the way of productivity at work. After calming down and reflecting on the problem, take concrete steps toward getting the relationship back on track. If need be, act like the adult in the room and take action first, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable it feels.Check out our report on happiness in the workplace now3. Reopen lines of communicationWhen youre not getting along with someone else or theyre not getting along with you, the first thing that happens is a breakdown in dialogue. While this is a natural reaction, its also counterproductive. The best way to resolve a conflict is via effective communication, which is actually a two-pronged approach involvingspeaking and listening skills. Ask the person whats wrong, then really hear what they have to say - with the hope the other employee will do the same. Conflicts at work are rarely resolved by the silent treatment.4. Assume good intentionsSome workplace conflicts stem from misunderstandings rather than actual disagreements over fact or policy. For example, people continue using that pricey organic salad dressing you keep in the employee refrigerator. But rather than being too cheap to buy their own, perhaps they thought it was communal property. So, before you get angry, consider the situation from different points of view. Put simply Dont jump to conclusions.5. Be willing to give and takeThe word compromise sometimes has a negative connotation. Some people feel that compromising is synonymous with either giving in or giving up c herished principles. They struggle to concede even the smallest point. However, diplomacy is based on tradeoffs and finding an acceptable middle ground. Aim to create a win-win situation where both parties walk away gaining something.6. Let bygones be bygonesWhen you and the other person come to an understanding, move on and dont look back. You dont have to be best friends with people who rub you the wrong way, but you do have to be civil and professional. Life is too short to let grudges fester in the workplace.7. Know when help is needed to resolve workplace conflictSometimes empathy and dialogue go only so far. If the issue is serious, such as workplace bullying, and youve done all you can to resolve it, dont feel bad about asking management or human resources to recommend a way forward. Effective conflict resolution occasionally requires a mediator. Just be sure to approach management in an even-headed manner - and maintain that throughout the process.Your workplace is made up of various personality types. You will naturally gravitate toward some colleagues and away from others. The smart move for your career - and emotional health - is to not become embroiled in petty problems or workplace politics. And who knows? By having an open mind and spirit, you may even come to appreciate the finer qualities of a former rival. Tags

What the Experts Are Saying About Entry Level Programmer Resume and How It impacts You

What the Experts Are Saying About Entry Level Programmer Resume and How It impacts You Entry Level Programmer Resume Features On the contrary, it should illuminate the most impressive characteristics of your background. The degree of education which you have attained or intend to acquire is another crucial element. You should also have basic soft abilities, including your capacity to work well within a team or your capacity to head massive projects with success. The best way to become noticed by gaming studios is to produce games and set them in a portfolio. The Upside to Entry Level Programmer Resume Dont include what you would like since you wish to have them excited Bear in mind, your resume shouldnt repeat the data in your resume. So How About Entry Level Programmer Resume? In addition, it works for applicants that are changing careers. Beyond that timeframe, you dont will need to include details unless the positions are related to your existing career. You dont need to incorporate every job you have held, especially in case you have many years of expertise or have worked in unrelated fields. Also view a list of a number of the top rated entry-level positions across industries. Other individuals call for a degree but dont care what degree its, again so long as youre able to satisfy the other job requirements. Many times, you should adhere to a conventional curriculum vitae. It is possible to also talk with your colleges career counselors or start looking into your alumni network to discover alumni which may have the ability to suggest entry-level opportunities. Soft abilities, hard abilities, any skills in any way. Find a business which you mesh with. There are a lot of ways it is possible to present the info about each job. You dont get promoted simply because youve been doing the job for a specific quantity of time. Another part of discovering the most effective entry-level job for you is knowing the form of organizational culture th at is suitable for your style. Entry Level Programmer Resume You get promoted depending on the quality of your work and the sum of project responsibility you are able to handle. There are a lot of approaches to locate a great entry level-job. If youre interested in receiving your resume prepared to go, together with discoverable, the for free choice is an exceptional place to start. Try to remember, that theres no harm if your accomplishments are over by the conclusion of the very first page. For example, your time management abilities or comprehension of particular computer programs can be useful in most any position. 1 The very best example of a software engineer resume is one which receives the interview. If youre searching for a job for a software engineer, you already know that you will need to showcase your abilities and ensure hiring managers realize you keep at the forefront of development in the software engineering market. There are lots of programming jobs readi ly available, but they have various names based on the nation, state and game company. Computer science pros really like to tinker. Generally speaking, however, a college degree in something linked to computer science helps. To attract attention, you will want to compose a wonderful computer science resume. See the computer science resume template at the peak of this informative article. Instead, he listed only the ones that show hell deal with his prospective responsibilities easily. I share straightforward solutions to help you introduce a profession you adore. Instead, technical support work can supply a firm foundation for careers in different fields which also involve extensive use of computers. And, nowadays, its getting more and more important.

2 Reasons Why Communication with Candidates is Key in Recruiting - Spark Hire

2 Reasons Why Communication with Candidates is Key in Recruiting - Spark HireIt can be overwhelming at times to keep in constant communication with each of your candidates when you are juggling multiple job orders with several candidates in play for each order. However, in order to be successful in recruiting, it is extremely important that we always stay in communication with each of our candidates.There are two reasons why communication with candidatesis key to a recruiters job.1. Builds stronger relationshipsOne of the most important ways to ensure successful placements is to have solid relationships with candidates. Without a strong relationship between you and your candidates, you will inevitably miss out on important information that your candidate would share with you otherwise.For example, when a candidate has developed a trust in you as his recruiter, he is more apt to share with you any other potential job offers he has on the table. Knowing this information is what can hel p you to prevent a deal from falling apart in the final stages.If you know that your clients top choice candidate has another offer on the table, you will be able to notify your client and speed up the final decision making process. In addition, you will be able to understand what the candidate has on the table versus what it would take for him to accept an offer from your client.When you know this type of information, you are providing a valuable tafelgeschirr to not only your candidates, but also your clients.2. Everyone is on the same pageBy staying in constant communication with our candidates, we are ensuring that everyone stays on the same page when it comes to the interview process.Lets face it, there is nothing more frustrating to a candidate than the feeling of being left in the dark or forgotten. When this happens, many candidates may give up on your opportunity and begin to pursue other opportunities without informing you.Your clients are relying on you to hang on to the candidates, even during the hectic times when the hiring manager is unable to move forward or make a final decision as quickly as originally planned.If you want to make sure that you, your client, and your candidates are all on the same page, communication is key. Not only should you be contacting your client each week for an update, but you should also be contacting your candidates immediately after to follow up and let them know where they are in the process.How often do you believe you should communicate with your candidates? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.Image Tom Wang/BigStock.com