Things That Interest Modern Indian Women

There has been a sea change in the way women have evolved from the past. They have come out from behind closed doors, received education, been enlightened, found economic independence and have established themselves to be at par with men. During this evolution, there have been various things that have caught their attention; but the top three things that interest women most are quality life, fairness in livelihood and the goal to become successful.

Gone are the days when women could be kept indoors, manipulated to suit the male dominated society and snubbed down under the curtain of heavy jewelry and gaudy clothes. The modern Indian woman looks at equality and fairness. She understands that her life can improve only when she gets a fair chance to stand on her own feet and shun dependency completely.

Here we are not just talking about the women who work in corporate houses and sit in air conditioned offices working on laptops. We are also referring to all those women in the suburbs and villages in India who have realized that they should have economic independence. These women are engaged in handicrafts, milk revolution, small scale units, cottage industries and many more. This has not only given them freedom from economic dependency, but has also allowed them to see things in a different light. This liberty has also given them the strength of fighting odds, raising their voice against physical torture and also made them able to raise their children on their own terms.

With every small step that women take, they realize that sky is the limit. Every sphere has a woman sitting on the top chairs. Not only has their ambition led them to fulfill their goals, they have understood the importance of fairness in life. This has given meaning and direction to the livelihood, and improved the quality of life. It would be wrong to say that women are not lured towards good clothes, or accessories, or footwear or even cosmetics. They do love to shop. But this is not the basis of their life. Their life receives meaning from the work they do.

Continue reading ...

Growth Statistics for Industries that Kept on Rolling in 2012

Just like every year, it is the time to evaluate the growth performance of different industries. 2012 witnessed some promising industries fulfilling the growth expectations. Technological advancements as well as human efforts continued to add new dimensions to the businesses in different sectors. Statistical evaluations of some of the top industries should present a better picture.

Big data industry maintained the steady growth rate of nearly 2% this year as well. The industry, as anticipated in the beginning of 2012, showed 6-7 times more growth than other technology-reliant sectors. The IT industry in the countries like India proved to be another winner of the year. Software export from the country in particular recorded the growth of about 11%, with substantial contribution from the growing SME sector.

Healthcare and wellness industry attained the mark of being a trillion dollar industry in 2012. The recent US Census Bureau’s report has announced the annual revenue of the industry at $1.668 trillion. The closely related elder care industry is another worth mentioning achiever for the year.

Cloud computing grew significantly over the year. Many credit the industry’s growth to the HIPAA act that instructed secure storage of health records. A number of surveys report that the industry will attain value between $120 billion and $140 billion in the next two years. With profit margins of the IT consulting industry increasing by more than 8% every year, it is another name that deserves mention in the list.

Environment consulting maintained the annual growth rate of about 40% and residential construction industry recorded growth by 18% in 2012. Mobile game developing industry is growing by nearly 400% every year and this year was not an exception. E-commerce industry grew by 10-11% from 2007 to 2012 and is certainly going to expand further.

Region wise industrial growth statistics are also notable in different categories. For example, the banking industry in Cambodia recorded 30% increase in the amount that the country’s banks lent to different sectors. The tourism industry in Calgary boasts of growth by 6.5%.

Other industries that made to the list include VoIP services, biotechnology, video gaming, warehousing, shipping and outsourcing industries.

Continue reading ...

B2B and SME Sectors in 2012 – Five Important Growth-defining Steps

2012 will be remembered as another important year in the growth of small and medium enterprises (SME) across the world. The owners of these businesses have certainly gained better grounds through increasing business to business (b2b) commerce activities. The geographical distance between the business buyers and sellers was further reduces, leading to billion dollar revenue growth for the SME owners.

Increased government participation to aid SME sector in the countries like India was seen this year. The introduction of Procurement Policy in April and online cluster development programs are some noteworthy examples. The Ministry of MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) in the country was seen busy launching or reviving impressive schemes like credit guarantee scheme, marketing assistance scheme and international cooperation scheme.

The shift from field to digital marketing and sales approach continued in 2012 and lead to some noteworthy statistics. More numbers of SME owners were seen having business websites and utilizing online B2B directories for global exposure. Internet attained more popularity for being a cost-effective and flexible medium for all b2b related activities.

Social media on the internet needs no introduction. This year, SMEs recognized the significance of harnessing online social media tools for the purposes like business networking, direct business interactions and marketing. Online reputation management through social networking websites also impressed the business owners to build as well as retain their business image.

Content driven marketing trends in 2012 intended at informing, educating and guiding the B2B buyers. Focus was mainly on the content that can provide exposure to SME owners, but at the same time help the b2b buyers to take the right decision. Increased enquiries and visits to the business websites resulted from the trends.

Finally, the role of mobile was realized to impress the b2b buyers who travel frequently. These buyers were able to access online product catalogues and search B2B directories using mobile phones. Direct sales force became a stronger channel for the buyers and the sellers through the use of portable data.

The upcoming year will be no short of new surprises for the b2b and SME sectors. However, the participants in these sectors have enough reasons to bid adieu to 2012 on a highly positive note.

Continue reading ...

Tips for Business Owners to Celebrate New Year

Big business firms and corporate houses throw lavish New Year parties to celebrate their existence and success. Building new business relationships and maintaining the existing ones are among the motives behind such grand parties. Needless to say, many business tycoons consider it a matter of great repute to celebrate the occasion with eminent people from all walks of life.

Small and medium business owners also find New Year parties as good mediums for business networking. A good idea they can utilize to make these celebrations more meaningful is to give away business gifts and memorabilia. There are unlimited ideas that the business owners may cash upon. New Year calendars, desktop items, decors, coffee mugs, key chains, caps and t-shirts are among the most impressive gifts for business clients, customers and associates.

Business employees too can be presented New Year gifts that can add to their performance in the upcoming year. Travel bags, smart phone chargers, Bluetooth headsets, flash drives, GPS systems and many such ideas can be harnessed to make the employees happy. Performance awards and bonuses can also be planned on the occasion.

Businesses offering on the spot services to the customers can celebrate New Year while generating sales. Restaurant owners, for example, can arrange for special cuisines and dance and music performances. Stores selling different items can offer special discounts and hot deals to attract the buyers. It can also be a great opportunity to organize stock clearance sales as the occasions inspire a lot of individuals to indulge in shopping. Online New Year sales and discounted deals are already attaining popularity in this direction.

New Year celebrations may also accompany setting up of new business goals and resolutions. It can be the right time to unleash new business products and schemes. New Year business promotions are sure to gather attention from the targeted audiences. Create special business promos and presentations and circulate them on the internet. Social networking websites can help you connect with your business customers during the celebrations. Create special business messages or involve your followers on these websites in interesting conversations and group interactions.

Continue reading ...

Tips and Tricks to Promote B2B Business

When one business offers goods or services created by other businesses, then it becomes a B2B company. There are various methods of promoting a B2B company to make a mark in the market. Let us take a look at what they can be.

Instead of going for emails, you can consider mailing your promotional package to the interested business unit. Though old school, this method helps due to the tangible quotient involved. When you hold something and get a feel of it, your reaction is more spontaneous. For example, when you see a pair of shoes online, you are in a dilemma whether to buy it or not. But when you are in a shoe store, and you have strutted about in those heels, all you want to do is buy it. Here the situation is similar. If you have the resources, advertise the business that you have in leading local magazines to grab attention of other B2B businesses.

Getting space on paper is the best way of coming to limelight. People travel and they need something to read. Sometimes when people are waiting in a lobby for an upcoming meeting, they shuffle through the magazines in front of them. If you can get the attention of some people who would be interested in your business by reading an article or a column in the magazine, part of your work is done.

Another way of promoting B2B businesses is by attending business conferences. In gatherings like these you will find business owners who are interested in your service, and people in whom you are interested. All you need to do is to speak and present your business to the best of your abilities. You will soon find calls, emails and SMS coming your way. The key to a successful business is promotion, and that can happen when you increase your circle of acquaintance and opportunity. The only way to do this is by intermingling with people who share the same interest that you do. You can also get your business listed in B2B directories or online B2B market places.

B2B business is an interesting platform as this simultaneously benefits more than one business institution. Since its success depends on promotion, you can try the tips mentioned here.

Continue reading ...

Skin Care - Part Of Your Daily Routine During Winters

Come winter and all the trees are left barren without leaves. When you look outside, the view is lack luster. But this does not mean that you skin has to have a similarity to the weather. If you follow a beauty routine, your skin can be soft, supple and glowing.

The rosy cheeks in winter are actually the result of dryness. This can be so severe that it can cause flaking. So the most important thing to do in the winter is to moisturize. You skin loses moisture due to continuous exposure to the heater. Other than using a humidifier, get a good moisturizer that you can apply all over your body to get an intensive care of your body in winters.

If you have a tendency to get pimples on your face try natural ingredients for skin care. Make a pack of sandalwood powder and rose water and apply on your face before you take a shower. Lemon juice is also good in case you want to get rid of tan and are afraid to use sunscreen on your face. Yes, sunscreens are important in winters as well. The sun and the snow glare together can leave your skin dark and tanned. So get a sunscreen with a high SPF value before you head out.

Remember to include your hands and feet in your skin care practices as they are the most neglected parts of the body. The skin on our hands, do not have as many oil glands as there are in the rest of the body. So after you have finished your work, apply a good layer of cream to your hands. Take some time out to pamper your feet as well. Scrub your feet, get rid of the dead skin around your ankles and apply a good foot cream before wearing your socks. Keep your feet covered most of the time other than when you go to bed.

There are a few precautions that you should take in the winters. Avoid hot baths, wet socks and gloves and also too much exposure to the heater. Drink plenty of fluids to keep your body dehydrated. A careful skin care routine and healthy living will let you enjoy the winters with great skin.

Continue reading ...

Unique Advertising Medium to Promote Products

Whoever said “everything sells” actually meant that everything sells with proper advertising. Advertising is a combination of intelligence and effectiveness. Many companies spend more money to endorse their products than they had spent while creating them. But there are several ways of advertising and promoting your goods and services that are inexpensive and cost effective.

You might not have enough money to make a tableau run through the city or get a bill board on the busiest streets or even go for a media release. Does this mean that you will not be able to effectively launch your product? Well, the answer is no, as you are sure to find other advertising medium that will market your product.

One of the most effective forms of advertising in today’s world is sending an email or an SMS. For this you need a database of email ids and mobile numbers of the target audience that you have in mind. You then need to design a visually attractive page that you can send in an email and compose a message that will grab attention as soon as the SMS displays itself.

Another advertising medium is having a website of your own. You can also take help of a web designer and add meaningful content to the website along with an appealing look so that when people use search engines to look for the goods and services that you are offering, you website appears in the search results. This will increase the awareness of what you have in store for your clients.

Telemarketing is one more cost effective advertising medium. Call your potential clients and make them aware of what you can offer them. You are sure to catch the interest of some people in this process. Distributing leaflets with details of your products and services can also help. All you need to do is get these leaflets printed. You can either have someone deliver these door to door, or you can request a newspaper distributer to slide the leaflets in the newspapers that are being distributed. You can also find someone who can stand near shopping malls or subway stations and distribute the leaflets.

You can use one or more from the several advertising ways that serve as value for money options to market your product.

Continue reading ...