Creativity has a new avenue. Harness broking skills.
First, determine what moves an audience. Bring authentic content creator to the brand owner who is interested in this audience.
In partnership, curate real and charming content to the audience. Own the right to use this new content (new in the way it is used).
Repeat often for best results.
In an expert position, how do you make prices?
– Experts do not price in accordance with cost. They price according to value (clients value benefits over price) created for the clients.
– If you do not believe, think and act like a differentiated expert, you will be perceive as a commodity. Commodities do not have pricing power.
– Small increase in price can bring about increase in profitability manifold.
– Do count pennies. It all adds up.
– Increasing market share does not lead to increased profitability.
– To set the price right, know the true maximum that the client will pay.
– Customer value refers to the maximum the customer will pay, and the possibility of alternatives. The best experts are peerless.
–Benefits must be quantifiable and documentable. Experts offer a written value proposition, backed up by a diagnostic framework and metrics for measurement of value creation. The customers pay for these.
– Express key benefits from the experts’ Why and How of being in the business.
Travelling alone creates a quiet distance for the self. There is a sense of helplessness that heightens our notion of why, how and what. I called this perspective. Now I call this vulnerability as well.
On 5 March 2013, Kenny from BooksActually came down to Splash to give us Splashies a “Passionate” talk.
BooksActually is an independent bookstore specialising in Fiction and Literature. It has been here in Singapore since 2005. Now, if you were to step into BooksActually, you would be overwhelmed by the amount of books there is. But how did it all started?
Kenny started BooksActually with Karen about 7 years ago. They started out by renting just 2 long tables to sell books at Book Fests (mainly at NUS). They set up a store in Ann Siang Road and has now moved to the Tiong Bahru area. He also shared with us all the troubles he faced, and how his passion for Literature and books kept him going. Here’s a fun fact: Kenny can memorise every book title he has in his store!
Now, BooksActually houses the largest collection of Singapore literary publications including some out-of-print titles. You can check them out at http://booksactually.com/flagship.html
At the end of the talk, we were all inspired by Kenny’s passion and how he kept on going despite all the obstacles he faced.
You can also catch Kenny’s inspiring talk right here:
- Charmaine Soh
Long after we are done with traffic jam in the studio, beyond clearing writer’s block, we have another obstacle to contend with — our meridian points.
Meridian points are vital spots in our body where energy is meant to flow. If blocked, debris literally builds up. This causes further fatigue, leading to illness. Eventually, ailment debilitates our creative capacity.
We want to do well for a long time to come. Keep our meridian points unclogged and our energy flowing smoothly. Thanks to the talk and sharing from Ms Kwok Siu Ling of essentiallyMERIDIAN, we learn more about caring for ourselves. Especially our back.
Stanley, Daren, Dan and Aurelia. You are a year wiser. Many happy returns.
On 15 February 2013, we had a talk by one of our fellow colleagues, Shak, on his personal project. Shak, like us, has a hectic work schedule and a life out of work. Despite many demanding commitments, he has made time to work on a self project, called the Terror Troopers, which brought him more than just leisure and satisfaction. It also created opportunities for him to explore the world through his works.
A Splashie by day and a Trooper by night, Shak has created his personal T-shirt brand to showcase his illustrations and to also earn some extra cash. He is now selling graphic T-shirts and has even started collaborating with illustrators from Australia and Manchester.
Through this talk, I’ve discovered 3 things that made him a real Trooper – habits, hunger and happiness.
Habits — Hone them
Habits are like drugs – you just can’t help but get addicted. His doodling addiction is crazy. I used to sit next to him; every second when he had nothing else to do, he would doodle. What I’ve learnt from him, is to make your habit a craft. By honing and perfecting your craft, you could pave your way to something beautiful.
Hunger — Satisfy it
His appetite for design is bigger than anyone of us! Having just a day job is not enough for him. So he satisfies this hunger by embarking on external projects.
Happiness — Create it
He found real happiness living and being a Trooper. Despite having to work all day and night, sleeping only 2 hours every night, he never once grumbled about having more work to do. His motto in life is that happiness lies in his own hands. Hence, it is up to him to create happiness by simply doing the things which he likes.
After the talk, I was very much inspired. It’s time for me to hone my habits, satisfy my hunger and create my own happiness. What about you?
- Claire Lim
A group of final year students from NTU’s WKW School of Comms started off with a FYP called The Silver Yarn Project (go ahead, Facebook them). It got out of proportion. For good reasons, of course. It is fast becoming a movement.
The team shared in Splash yesterday. The Silver Yarn Project is an impressive movement. It calls out to the public, to be aware of the need to involve the older folks among us. They need emotional engagement with the young. The young needs the life experience from the older folks. Mutually reinforcing.
What impressed me most is the extent that the team harnessed graphic design to tease and charm the public. The team did not stop at theoretical applications of advertising and journalism. Self taught, they tap creative design to go the distance with their messages. I am proud of this team.
I am also glad to see that lyricism and beauty blossoming in such a young team’s fine work. This is testimony that anything worth paying attention to bears the quality of lyricism and beauty. This starts from the heart, then the thought. It is evinced in the expressions. Ultimately, it is immortalised in the actions of every you, me and them.
百力果的活动，顾名思义，总是又＂活＂又充满＂力＂的。今年的丰收大会更是惊喜连连，比我见识过的百力果项目上了几层楼。
说来惭愧，身为百力果的指定创意公司，Splash没有为这一天出多少力，倒是当个座上宾，获益不浅。
谈到获益，自然是丰收大会的主旨。我老以为，这样蓬勃的企业，最大的收获该是老板。这话或许对了一半。
老板做生意期待赚钱，理所当然。但员工在欢乐中糊口，就不是那么直截了当的了。欢乐与否，就在一念之差。而一念之差，老板的主动举足轻重。百力果的老板，做得足足到位。
我是创意工作者，作品优劣一目了然，无需说恭维的话。我要分享的是，百力果上上下下，齐心一堂，不是在丰收大会才目睹的。从我见识过的百力果网点，无不表现出＂欢乐中学习＂。受惠的不仅仅是学生、老板，更是工作团队。学习、成长、分享，实在是值得开心的事业。
百力果的工作团队，不限于老师们。从各奖项的遴选条件以及得奖人的分享，不难察觉，成功是属于团队的。上台领奖的人，代表多日的辛劳，也代表整团人的齐心合力，孜孜不倦。从经理的推荐，到入围者的透视，到大伙儿的配合，不少于一年的光景。今年的丰收完成，马上进行下一轮。百力果20载「爽快」走过，确实是一门不小的学问。
我为百力果的团队庆幸。这门「爽快」的学问，丰收的果实，都满满地落在大伙儿怀里。看着大家抱成一团 — 来宾没份 — 自己心里也难免激动非常。这是好美的一幅光景；我看到百力果人灿烂的将来。
感谢百力果给了Splash创作的空间，也十分荣幸能够直接策划与制作今年几项特别精彩的活动，我们激动之余，也会努力体现出百力果的＂活＂与＂力＂。
百力果人同心，更上多层楼，再高也不怕！
