Blogosphere on Positioning: Susan Gunelius

Just as I wrote about the BlackBerry experience, I read Susan’s post, 3 Steps to Organic Brand Positioning:

For example, if your customers perceive your brand as representing poor customer service, make the necessary internal changes to ensure your customers will get best-in-class customer service going forward, and make sure your customers hear about those changes. In other words, make the necessary internal changes to meet your customers’ needs, which will in turn lead to the brand experience and perception you want your brand to convey.

Well, RIM needs to listen to her common-sense advice!

Online Tutoring Still In Its Infancy: Sylvan Learning CEO Jeff Cohen (Part 4)

SM: Has your online offering increased demand for your tutoring services?

JC: We have also seen growth in pure student demand. Here I refer to students of families who are calling in and saying that they are interested in the Sylvan service but that they would like to take it online. They do not even want to consider an in-center experience. >>>

Blogosphere on Positioning: Tom Asacker

Tom Asacker sent me a couple of interesting pieces, including The 7 wonders of branding:

Look. Branding today can only work through ideas that customers want to connect with. People can neither be hypnotized with media images nor cajoled with flowery prose. You must truly understand their pain, speak their language, and be felt like a part of their inner world of hopes and dreams.

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February 4 Roundtable Recording

In case you missed Thursday’s roundtable, the recording is below.  You can also view Sramana’s EJ methodology slides here.

Online Tutoring Still In Its Infancy: Sylvan Learning CEO Jeff Cohen (Part 3)

SM: Let’s talk about your online business. When did you start delivering your supplemental tutoring services online, and what was your strategy for doing so?

JC: We started back in 2001. That was the launch point for our online program delivery. There were a couple of factors driving us to build an online program. >>>

Blogosphere on Positioning: Steve McKee

Following the just-concluded Blogosphere on Bootstrapping series, here’s a similar series that captures thoughts on positioning from the cloud. Note, most of this material comes from marketeers outside of the technology domain, from folks who write about consumer marketing and brand positioning. However, some of my personal development on product positioning came from my experience with consumer marketing, especially working in the fashion industry while I was running Uuma. So I think this series would be useful for the technology marketeers as well. We start with Steve McKee and his extensive writings in Business Week. >>>

Forbes Column 2010: A Road Map For India

What will India look like in 2020? Find out in A Road Map For India.

Online Tutoring Still In Its Infancy: Sylvan Learning CEO Jeff Cohen (Part 2)

SM: Do the teachers recommend you to students’ parents?

JC: Sometimes. It is true that our service is a referral or word-of-mouth business. We have been and still are the largest private employer of teachers in the country. >>>