Marketing underscores entrepreneurial excellence

Entrepreneurs of Indian origin tend to follow a low-profile approach, shying away from publicity and promoting their enterprises and their achievement in the media.

However, many of them are increasingly becoming aware of the value of marketing and the significance of creating and promoting their brand image.

Fierce competition, economic down turn of the past few years and the need to improve their market share are among the reasons for change in their attitude and approach to marketing.

The launch of the Indian Newslink Business Awards in 2008 and the inclusion of the ‘Business Excellence in Marketing’ category in the following year has also been cited as a motivator in this connection.

Robert Khan, Managing Director of Radio Tarana, which has been sponsoring the category since its inception, said that the Awards Scheme has been instrumental in improving awareness and encouraging businesses to perform better and be recognised for their success.

“Inclusion of the ‘Best Marketing Excellence’ was a step in the right direction and I am personally aware of the huge motivation it provided many companies to look at their marketing portfolio and realign their strategies and programmes to the evolving trends in the economy. The Award recognises measures that lead to improved company performance,” he said.

Changing attitude

He said Indian businesses in New Zealand are beginning to appreciate the significant role that marketing plays in promoting sales, improving profitability and lifting their market share.

“While the large and medium businesses, franchisees, and those with national and international networks have been enjoying the benefits of robust marketing plans, many smaller companies, especially owner-operated enterprises employing less than five employees, had not realised its importance until recently,” he said.

According to him, price wars orchestrated by competition, the growing need to be more visible in the market place and the desire to grab larger market share have encouraged many to adopt good marketing policies.

“I have attended the Gala Black Tie and Awards Night and Presentation Dinner held over the past four years. Each of these events has been a stunning success with hundreds of businesses networking and seeking to find ways and means of promoting the image of their companies, which I believe, is yet another unique way of achieving marketing excellence,” he said.

Enhanced brand image

According to experts, although New Zealand is a mature market in terms of availability of goods and services, there is little money around for marketing and advertising, compared to other countries of similar size (Singapore and Ireland for example).

In addition, cultural complexities are confounding and tastes are extraordinarily fluid. People who are not used to brands flit easily from one to another.

“This has turned marketing into an exciting exercise, with consumer research undertaken on a regular basis. Companies are always coming up with new products, or tweaking old ones, to suit local tastes and meet exacting preferences. Some prominent examples in the UK and to some extent in New Zealand are Unilever, which makes its soaps and shampoos foamier to appeal to some ethnic groups, Proctor & Gamble that produces toothpaste in herbal and green tea flavours and Adidas that has special sportswear designed for Asian bodies and “global” ones,” they said.

Mr Khan said that Indian Newslink has lifted the profile of the Indian community by launching the Business Awards.

Strategic partnership

“As always, we are happy to be associated with the newspaper and its activities. I strongly believe in improving business prospects through marketing excellence, which is why Radio Tarana is sponsoring the ‘Business Excellence in Marketing’ Category again this year. I am aware that successful marketing leads to successful branding, and successful branding leads to customer loyalty and with that begins a unique two-way relationship that is sustained again through pursuit of excellence,” he said.

Mr Khan said he encourages all companies eligible to enter the Awards Scheme to select the categories best suited to them and submit their applications as per the set procedure.

“These Awards are meant to promote our business community and celebrate the achievements and successes of Indian organisations,” he said.

Photo :

BNZ Chairman of the Board John Waller presenting the ‘Business Excellence in Marketing’ Trophy to Vibha Soni of Spice N Easy, watched by Sanjay Soni (left) and Radio Tarana Managing Director Robert Khan (right).