Start again????

Thinking.....maybe I should....anyways this was always going to be about self-obsession.....

Thinking....

Let's think for some more time... :)

Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing never made sense to me initially. The term Social has always conjured up images of socialism/do more for others,etc etc.

The next I knew, it was The Term being tweeted the most around, even by my closest friends abroad. My initial reaction: What a waste of time!!! Those were the days in which I had active accounts on Facebook,Linkedin and even a twitter account (hence, the tweets), and had come to the stage where in all of them, at least to me, were a total and utter waste of time.

And then a few experiences, few pieces of information about people/events hit me through this medium. And I was hooked!!

So today, Social Media has started to finally make sense to me, and am amazed at The Power of the various tools in helping a product/brand/person connect and engage with the target audience. As a marketer, the opportunities represented by this media are intimidating and exciting in the same breath. The chance to reach across directly, to understand and subsequently engage is breathtaking literally.

Since I am part of the largest Mobile operator in India, I have been fortunate to actually see the impact, small though it is, first hand. The jump in sales of GPRS enabled handsets, the craze for smart phones and the even bigger hype around 3G services just makes the imminent impact of Social Media all the more exciting for marketers.

Mobile Companies have been instrumental in getting to the masses and helping in attaining mass for the social media penetration (check out the basic handsets also offering facebook/twitter), but the connection/engagement pieces are still in their nascent stages. We are still in the stage where in we push links across and love the number of hits we get. The community building, the engagement, specifically with the majority still leaves gaps.

But while there are gaps, there are certain companies who have actually utilised this quite effectively.

I came across a few amazing articles on the impact of social media marketing which I am sharing here. Starbucks and the 4 lessons from their social media efforts are worth replicating (specifically the point of starting,albeit in a small manner). Then we have the exceptional and popular piece on the Egypt/Tunisia revolutions, and the way it is almost akin to a brand/product launch. Closer back home, one should check out the Dominos Community (an amazing 4,00,000 people like/follow this) on facebook, to actually see how community building can actually expand the reach of a business. Even the airtel twitter page has shown immense growth with 6,500 followers.

So, can Social Media marketing actually achieve the scale and penetration and become a preferred way for marketers in India??

I strongly believe so.

There are quite a few learnings yet to be assimilated, but as the Starbucks example states, one has to begin, even with small steps.

The best part is that there is virtually an information overload on the Internet for an organization to kick off the engagement. Quoting the Starbucks example again, scale engagement is the only way and that is one thing we are great at...numbers (population/math, you name it!)

So, here's to Social media marketing, and pardon me for incessantly repeating myself, but boy, am i hooked!!!

The Social Network

Yes...and I am back!!!

Just saw The Social Network, and looks like the social media bug is catching up with me as well. Have for quite some time held the view that Social media is an extremely strong PR tool, and the belief just keeps getting re-inforced.

After a long time, did the most mundane and obvious thing we all end up doing some time or the other online: googling ourselves!!!


Turned up the usual Linkedin and Facebook profiles as well as a major blunder made a few years ago on pagalguy. Nonetheless, discovered an article which highlighted my name as a "notable" Head boy of my school, Hyderabad Public Schoool!


Its an amazing feeling reading such stuff online, and does give a heady feeling (pun unintended).


Heck, it got me back here, didn't it!!!


Hope I can start doing this once more!!!

2010 update..the rambling continues!

I keep coming back to this page.

I read my last entry and then get the brainwave that I will add something to it.

I usually do not!!!

Well, its 2010, and I am back to Jaipur. Have finally moved to marketing and am looking after Postpaid segment.

And as usual I am again wondering about what to put down here.

And as usual I am clueless!!!

BTW, last time it was PS: I love You, now its Twilight!!! Quite addictive!

Since I am rambling, would just like to add that after watching the Hockey world cup, maybe we wont do as badly during the CWG. People have supported Hockey, and it is high time the team started delivering!

As I said, rambling...and the first 2010 update...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

PS: Whatever

Back to blogging.

Its been a long time since I have attempted to write something down. Its now been 15 months at Airtel, and the journey is continuing.

I am now in Udaipur, having been in Jaipur and then Sawai Madhopur for a long time in Sales.

I still do not know what to put down here. I think its got more to do with impatience rather than anything else.

But nonetheless, I am on a positive drive (not to be confused with a Positron "Sc-Fi" drive).

I will!!!

I think!!!

I am!!!

BTW, I got married....YAHOO!!!

And here's a tip...do not watch PS:I love you...it leads to a lot of problems like insurance planning and so on and so forth....

55 Days@Airtel

I have finally found the time to write something again, and it is a great feeling!

It has been a long time since I got time off for this. The last 55 days have been downright hectic ( a word which figures in most of my orkut or facebook interactions). I have learnt so much from the past couple of months, that somehow whenever I head out somewhere, I have an innate feeling of pride in my knowledge,about my work!

Well, I finished my one month stint at Networks, and besides learning the pain points the technical team faces, I have seen the way the business is impacted by the backbone of the business - the minute making factories. For the past few weeks I have been exposed to the Customer Satisfaction Delivery processes and mechanisms.

What should not have been surprising or astounding for me, is that there is a complete mechanism, a complete well thought out process behind the entire business. Pity, as a customer how less we think about the other side; the people, the work, the intentions to succeed which exist on the other side. The best and the worst part of the entire deal is that nothing is stable, nothing is constant. Everything changes, and that too rapidly. At one moment you are relaxing and thinking about the way your achievement will impact the business, the other you realize that the competition has someone as intelligent who just made mincemeat of your achievement. So its back to square one, and the learning curve just gets steeper and steeper.

Currently I am getting involved in something which is hopefully going to impact my industry in a bigger way,. or at least that's what I think will happen. These are very exciting times, and one can maybe put it down to my in-experience, but I think it is so great that I look forward to every day. I somehow think work, even when I am not around the office, and that itself has given me a great thrill. There is a purpose, a final destination which I want to reach, and these early days have given me the feeling of being on the right path! Sounds philosophical, but who cares!

The power to dream, the power to achieve, the power to will everything is in my hands!

Feels incredible!!!

Meaning or intention of this post....NOTHING!...Just wanted to blog and share the positivism I have been feeling!

By the way, this post could also be put down to the Arthur Clarke novels, which have these immensely well dreamt plots which reflect optimism to the core!!! :)

GOLD GOLD GOLD

WE FINALLY DID IT!!!

Thank you Mr. Bindra!