What do we want our brand to stand for?

Wayne Rooney put Manchester United ahead against Bayern Munich after 62 seconds.

Manchester United and England fans love Wayne Rooney for what he does.

We, marketers, continuously try to define the brand we want very closely, and we use a combination of research and intuitive judgements to reach our definition. Basically we are all trying to answer the question: what do we want our brand to stand for?

Apple is not about making computers and iphones but liberating human creativity. Disney is not about making cartoons, but about creating magic for kids of all ages. The Apple brand is young and challenging; the Disney brand is an ageless child.

Back to Rooney...people use many different words to describe Rooney's key attributes: commitment, determination, hardworking, relentless. And they used phrases to match: "The English bulldog gives 110%." Rooney may not have the natural flair or charisma of Eric Cantona or Lionel Messi, or the electrifying skill and pace of Cristiano Ronaldo, but his dedication has been his biggest asset

Simple thank you notes

"We would like to give you the opportunity to comment on your stay at Starlight Suite Hotel Salzgries for possible inclusion in our customer review section online," the email from Starlight Suite Hotel Salzgries read.

Making a customer starts with these simple thank-you notes. Maintaining this contact will surprise and flatter most customers.

It is a generally ignored fact of business that it is far, far easier to sell more to an existing customer we have than to sell to a new customer.

Ask the market

Our 3+9 review meeting is due in 2 weeks time.

I was looking for a solution to the market share troubles. "Why not ask the buyers in the market?"I wondered aloud.

It's all too easy to focus on the wrong things. At the end of the day, it is the right products/services, the right place and time, and the right price that are the keys to attaining market share.

Creating self-managing teams

"People born in Taiwan in the 1970s and 1980s are commonly referred to as belonging to the "Strawberry Generation" reported Jenny Chou, "meaning that they are less able to withstand pressure and that they aren't able to work very hard."

Each generation is different from previous ones. Gen Y'ers have a set of life and work values that are very different from their parents and grandparents. Most of all, they are less tolerant of bosses. They believe they are entitled to a "good job". In other words, the newer workers are not satisfied to report to work merely for the paycheque. They have an acute need to be treated as valuable and respected contributors and to be given an opportunity to learn and develop.

I believe my leadership style of creating self-managing teams answers the needs of the new generation of employees. I break down the traditional, hierarchical, boss-based system and my team members control and manage themselves.

from left: Rae, Eleen, Stephie

We reap what we sow

"Arrived - wanting to go back to nature. Departed - not wanting to go back home" Up popped the ad banner on Yahoo News.

That ad made me think of a native invention of Australia - the boomerang. As a principle of life it holds true anywhere.

What ever a man sows, he reaps. It is silly to plant a mango tree and hope for durian.

A leader doesn't see things from his own point of view. If he's a salesman, what are the benefits to the buyer? If he's an employee, how can he help his company stay competitive and remain excellent? if he's an employer, what else can he do to empower his employees and staff for peak performance?

Shiver-giver

I was on SQ325 from Frankfurt to Singapore. I noticed that the airline had omitted the 13th row on the plane.

Millions of us are superstitious or believe in luck charms. Why is a "black"cat unlucky - when cats of other colours are pretty much "all right"? Friday is not the shiver-giver; the number 13 is! What is 13? Just another number!

The desire for "good luck"has brought about huge buying audiences for such items as luck charms and rabbits' feet. It seems the only thing unlucky about a rabbit's foot is the rabbit.

Superstitions can be enjoyable when we treat them lightly and laugh about them. They do us no good when they close our minds, start arguments, paralyze our opinions or get us upset.

Find a mentor

"A good mentor gets personal satisfaction from helping others to learn and grow," Barbara wrote in her report. "They can be compared to a good teacher."

I believe everyone in life should have a mentor - someone around 20 years older than oneself. I have been blessed to be able to regularly tap into the wisdom of the late Lau Kong Beng, Charlie Goh, Steve Ong, Christo Diamandopoulos. I cannot think of anything I have done in my earlier days with first consulting one of them (and there are many things I haven't done because I heeded one of their advice). It helps to talk with someone who has already traveled the pathway of the journey before me.