Category Archives: Blog

Tips for Crisis Management

December 16, 2015 hmteam

Any emergency situation that affects employees, creates insecurity in an organisation and damages the public trust in an organisation is considered a crisis. Accidents, financial difficulties, misrepresentation and whistle blowing are common examples of situations that can lead to a crisis in an organisation. The management of an organisation requires specific communication skills that can help the organisation deal with worried stakeholders, customers, suppliers, investors, partners and employees.

Unfortunately, there is no way to predict when a major disaster will hit you, but here’s how you can be prepared.

Delineate Roles:

Everyone in your company needs to know what their role is and what is expected from them. Once this is clear, you have the right logistical support in case problems arise. Even the person who answers phone calls should know what to say. Remember that when there is a crisis, everybody in the organisation will be approached for their inputs on it. Neighbours, media and social media – they’ll all want to know the details and people do not hesitate to add their own perceptions to it all, which can make things messier. When crisis hits, you’ll have to communicate with your stakeholders and other relevant people as soon as you get a hint of trouble. If outsiders like media persons reach them before you, you have not managed your crisis well.

Keep Resources Handy:

Company information is vital for key stakeholders, so you need to enable easy access to it and keep backups at a site that is not a part of your office. Say there’s a natural disaster or your premises are locked down for legal reasons, you cannot say information is unavailable. In fact, consider having a meeting place in a different location where you can use equipment you may need in the event of an emergency. For instance, a publication may have a place to print their paper when their office is out of bounds.

Hire a Specialist:

Many companies hire a crisis communications manager or consultant to take charge of things when they need to. This is a professional who knows how to stay calm and think strategically even when everybody else is having trouble coping. Help with media relations and external and internal communications material such as letters explaining the crisis and detailing what steps are being taken and how employees will be affected, is provided by him/her.

Learn Special Interview Skills:

As a manager, you’ll be facing the camera with the industry and country wanting to know what’s happening to your company. It’s easy to break down in public or get into an angry brawl with people who are rude and inquisitive, but you can’t afford to do that. Invest in training from a coach who can teach you about the correct body language and verbal communication skills that you’ll need in order to have an interview that doesn’t make things worse.

Conduct a Test:

Smart managers like to practice crisis management by organising regular crisis simulations to test and improve their plans. It also works as a way to keep staff alert because people rarely think that crisis will hit home. Let each individual know what could happen and give them the opportunity to give inputs on how they think they could help. Feedback contributes to better preparation for the future. Try out all possible conditions so that you have a solid plan at the end.

Crisis starts with shock and leads to confusion. Then it drives you towards an intense search for solutions. That’s normal behaviour. You can use your newly acquired B-school skills and exposure to keep your focus on how the public hears about the situation and of course, don’t leave anybody in the company in the dark. A good leader is a great communicator.

Blog, Life at Nanyang, NANYANG-WASEDA

Boost Your Career with a Double MBA & Masters Degree

December 10, 2015 hmteam

Studying for your MBA at the Nanyang Business School can be extra enriching if you opt for the double MBA or masters degree programme. Instead of graduating with one degree, you can earn two. NBS has partnerships with top business schools in Europe and Asia to provide MBA candidates the best of different worlds.

Here’s a bit about the programmes.

The Nanyang MBA + Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management

The University of St. Gallen is a leading B-school in Switzerland. It was founded in 1898 and is known for its strong culture that invites students from all over the world. NBS chose this school because the Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management (SIM) programme has made a significant impact across the globe. With a top-notch curriculum that compels students to develop superior strategic thinking, the SIM programme has been ranked number 1 overall worldwide for a record of four years (2011 to 2015) by the Financial Times. And although it is one of the smallest universities in Switzerland, the University of St. Gallen has the country’s largest faculty for business administration. The location works out for your best interests as you get exposure to European business practices and culture. Read more.

The Nanyang MBA + One more MBA from Asia

When you think of Japan, you think of innovation in terms of electronic goods, cars and other consumer goods. This programme, a partnership between the Nanyang Business School and Waseda Business School in Japan, brings you to the centre of this innovative environment. The Waseda Business School was established in the 1990s but is a part of the century-old Waseda University in Tokyo. Besides earning two MBA degrees, you’ll become a part of two major alumni networks that consist of various business leaders. The Waseda side of the programme will amplify your knowledge of this region while enhancing your capabilities in leveraging innovation, based on the best practices of eminent and successful Japanese corporations. Read more.

The Nanyang MBA + Masters in Management

The masters in management degree has been much debated in the educational sphere. There is a lot in its favour because experts like the idea of a general management degree that can prepare candidates for a variety of management roles once they graduate. In contrast, the MBA degree may be too specific once you decide what to specialise in. NBS’ double masters programme of study with ESSEC in France bridges the gap between the two. Additionally, ESSEC’s innovative approach to management that combines the uniqueness of European ways with inter-cultural approaches is a boon for students who are keen on learning about doing business in Europe or with European companies. Read more.

Investing in a double degree programme will reveal its benefits when you apply for your next job since prospective employers will always appreciate a candidate with competencies in multiple areas. As you learn more than your peers who choose to study for a single MBA degree, you’ll be sure to impress interviewers who will know that studying for a double degree means that you are willing to work very hard and are open to a whole new range of experiences.

Find out if an NBS double degree programme can be a part of your career plan today!

Blog, Career, Useful Tools and Tips

10 Influencers To Follow During Your MBA Programme

December 2, 2015 hmteam

As future business leaders, you are certainly keeping an eye out for motivation and examples that will drive you towards success. Thanks to the rise of social media, you can follow your role models on sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn and stay on top of things. Here are 10 influencers whom you should follow during your MBA programme and even when you are finished with your course.

Richard Branson: Branson is a well-known businessman and investor. Everybody knows him as the founder of Virgin Group, a powerhouse of hundreds of companies. His business acumen was evident from a young age when he started his first venture – a magazine called Student. He opened a chain of record stores and ended up launching the major record label Virgin Records with Nik Powell. From then on, there were a plethora of brands including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Mobile. Reading Branson’s books is a great way to understand how he’s lead so many businesses and people without always following conventional norms like a stuck-in-a-cubicle environment.
Mark Zuckerberg: Just around 30 years old, Zuckerberg is famous for bringing Facebook into our lives. He and his college roommates at Harvard University launched Facebook from their dorm rooms. At 23, he was declared a billionaire with the site’s success. And he isn’t sitting there complacently. Instead, he works on bringing constant innovation to his product like the popular Facebook ads programme. A 2010 movie called The Social Network even portrayed the rise of Facebook with an actor playing Zuckerberg.
Evan Williams: Williams is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur who has founded several Internet companies. One of his companies led to the introduction of Twitter, the free micro-blogging site. Its popularity resulted in a new company in itself and Williams was appointed CEO in 2008. Although he stepped down as CEO a few years later, Twitter user statistics soared and he decided to try his hand at publishing too. And Medium (medium.com) was born.
Arianna Huffington: She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post and was listed as the 52^nd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes last year. She began her career path hosting TV shows and public radio programmes and proceeded to host a website called Ariannaonline.com before launching the Huffington Post. You can follow her on LinkedIn where she writes about success and shares professional insights.
Guy Kawasaki: Kawasaki was one of the employees responsible for marketing the Macintosh in the 1980s. His time at Apple was followed by entrepreneurial ventures and lots of writing and speaking engagements. One of his software companies lead to the creation of the email product called Emailer and a list server product called LetterRip. He’s worked as a special advisor to the CEO of Motorola and has several books to his credit as well. His love for design is being enforced in his new role at Canva in Australia.
Tony Fernandes: He is a Malaysian entrepreneur who gave his people their first budget airline, Air Asia. When Fernandes had stepped in, it was an ailing government-linked commercial airline. He also convinced the then-Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to introduce the idea of an open skies agreement with the neighbouring countries. So now Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia have granted landing rights to Air Asia and other budget carriers.
Anand Mahindra: The chairman and MD of the Mahindra Group in India, Mahindra is in charge of an empire that enjoys market leadership in several business verticals including utility vehicles, finance and IT. He joined Mahindra Ugine Steel Company after acquiring an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked his way up from his initial position as executive assistant to the finance director. He’s typically featured in all lists of Asia’s most powerful business leaders.
Oki Matsumoto: In 1999, when the online finance boom was in full swing in the United States, Matsumoto decided that Japan should be a part of it too. He left his investment-banking job at Goldman Sachs and launched Monex Group with help from Sony in the form of capital. It is now one of Japan’s leading financial services firms and Matsumoto has successfully built a global customer base that is growing every day.
Hendy Setiono: Indonesian Hendy Setiono’s business idea came from holiday visits to his father in the Middle East. He realised that kebab shops were very popular and started his business empire with a single pushcart. The number of carts increased and Kebab Turki Baba Rafi began operations with the help of his wife and one employee. Today, they have expanded to other Asian countries and can say that they made kebabs popular in the region.
William Bao Bean: William began his technology investment career two decades ago as a technology analyst in Taiwan. He joined SOS Ventures from SingTel Innov8 where he was managing director. A whiz at investments, he lead investments in major entities during his time there and was once a partner at Softbank China & India Holdings, an early stage venture capital firm as well. While at Softbank, he took care of major investments too. His tweets give you a look into life as a venture capitalist in China. He also gives the lowdown on innovation taking place in the region.

Part of being an MBA candidate involves knowing what is going on around the world and its industries. So be sure to follow!

Anyone you’d like to add to this list? Don’t forget to share the names in the comments below.

Blog, The NANYANG MBA, Useful Tools and Tips

When Is The Right Time To Do An MBA?

November 27, 2015 hmteam

A few years into the workforce, and you’re bound to consider arming yourself with another qualification. Thoughts of applying for an MBA programme will fill your mind because it certainly seems like a stepping-stone to success. The trouble is indecisiveness, with factors like a weak economy, insufficient savings and anxiety about returning to school, that keeps people stuck in their jobs and away from the classroom. Still, you can’t put off that MBA forever.

Map Your Goals

A lot of people make the mistake of applying to MBA programmes just because their jobs are getting a little tedious. It’s alright if that is one of your reasons for considering B-school, but you need a plan. Map out your career the way you see it and want it. Do you see yourself in sales or marketing? Does the finance industry appeal to you more than what you are doing now? What is the difference between what you are doing now and what you want to do in the future? Of course, you could change your mind later, but having clear goals will enable you to focus better. Plus, your interviewer for MBA programme admissions can get a good idea about your passion as a candidate and future leader.

Talk to People

If you know what you want to do after the MBA programme, start exploring your options. It is never too early. See what kinds of candidates are hired for the roles you aspire to fill. For instance, some organisations expect several years of work experience and an MBA for some positions. Other organisations may put more emphasis on candidates with an MBA degree rather than the number of years worked. Keep your eyes and ears open because you need to be aware of the typical expectations from your chosen field/industry.

Organise your Finances

Most MBA programmes run for a year or two. Tuition fees do not scare good candidates away, since they look at it as a worthwhile investment. Sit down with your family members and see if you have enough savings to give you a stress-free study break. Find out if you are eligible for any scholarships and apply in time. Do you have to move to attend the best programme? The important people in your life have a part to play in your choice. Most of all, you need to believe that an MBA can have a major positive impact on your career path.

Analyse Your Skills

One reason that an MBA seems attractive is the upgrade in skills that you’ll gain. A better salary and promotion are tempting. What skills do you have? And what skills are you lacking? Make a list. Be honest with yourself. The MBA can fill up the skills gap that is keeping you away from your dream job by making sure that you take advantage of the research facilities, real-world projects with corporations, and constantly updated theory.

So there is no right time. The best time to make your decision is now. Are you ready to make yourself a more attractive and relevant candidate for your next career move? The demand for efficient managers is increasing every day, and so is the demand for sharp, polished MBA graduates. You know yourself best; you’ll find the right time.

Blog, International Exposure, Living in Singapore, Useful Tools and Tips

20 Singlish Words & Phrases To Get You Started

November 25, 2015 hmteam

When Singapore became independent 50 years ago, English was chosen as the official language of the city-state. That didn’t stop the various ethnic groups from creating their own dialect or Singlish, as it is called. Its grammar and vocabulary is borrowed from Malay, Cantonese, Hokkien, Tamil, Mandarin and other Chinese languages.

Studying in a new country is no fun if you don’t immerse yourself into the local culture, so knowing some common Singlish phrases can help you begin.

Lah: Native Singaporeans love adding this word to the end of sentences. There are many ways to use it. For example, Ok lah translates to Okie dokie. No lah! means No, and you are clearly wrong to suggest that. Basically, lah is used to change the tone of a sentence and doesn’t really have a definition itself. Don’t confuse it with OK lor, which means Alright then and is said with a tone of resignation.

Leh: Leh can be used interchangeably with lah. For example, you could say, She did not tell me about that leh. Or somebody could tell you, No leh. He isn’t like that.

Why you so like that: This Singlish phrase means Why are you behaving this way? It is used to show frustration at somebody who is annoying you. Think of your friend making you wait for her for thirty minutes. Then you would ask her this. A Singapore group Kopi Kat Klan has a song called ‘Why you so like dat’. Check it out.

Talk cock: This term means joking around. If you had a relaxed evening laughing and talking with your friends, you could say, Today nothing to do. We all just talk cock all day long.

Wah lao!/Wah piang: These terms are interchangeable. Singaporeans express shock using them. For example, if you find out that the currency exchange rate with your home currency has increased a lot, you could say, Wah lao! So expensive!

Stylo Milo: This fun phrase can come to use when you are describing a classmate or somebody else. It describes someone as trying too hard to be stylish. Someone could point at a guy and say, Eh that guy so stylo milo.

Alamak!: This term translates to Oh my gosh! When a person is shocked or surprised, they may use this word.

Blur like sotong: These words describe a person who has no idea of what he or she is doing. For instance, it could be said to describe a fellow student who struggles to solve a problem. Or it could talk about a person who always seems to get lost. You could say, he is so old and still gets lost all the time, really blur like sotong!

Pai-seh: This term comes from the Hokkien dialect and means embarrassed or shy. You could employ it to express your discomfort about a mistake you made by saying, I forgot his book again. So pai seh. It is pronounced pie-say.

Ya ya papaya: This funny sounding term is used to describe a person as boastful or arrogant. If somebody in class always seems too full of herself and keeps on talking about her accomplishments, you could say, She’s so ya ya.

Eat already anot?: This phrase means Have you already eaten/Have you eaten yet? Anot is a common Singlish word that translates to or not.

Corright: This Singlish word combines the English words correct and right. It can be defined as righter than right. Imagine having a light-hearted argument with your classmate when he thinks what is right is obvious; then he could say Corright to emphasise how very correct he is.

Ah bu then?: This Singlish phrase can be used in instances where you’d say duh or of course in normal English. So if somebody sees you sleeping with your head on the desk and asks you if you are sleepy, this would be the answer.

Dun anyhow touch here touch there leh: If your roommate says this to you, you are in trouble. It means, Please don’t mess with my things.

Oi! Wake up your idea!: A person you are discussing a project with may say, Oi! Wake up your idea! The phrase translates to Can you start thinking straight! The speaker is asking you to wake up from your sleepy state and is being sarcastic.

Siao: This word is very common. It literally means crazy. If somebody asks you something absurd or does something stupid like burn his clothes with the iron, you could say: You siao ah? It’s sarcastic.

Shiong: Shiong is defined as very tired or tiring. Wah today damn shiong, the lecturer asked us to write so many articles, is one example of its usage. In other words, somebody is exhausted and is complaining about his workload.

I don’t know you / How I know you: When a friend does something stupid and realises it, you could utter the words: How I know you? No reply is expected. It is a sarcastic comment.

Han nah / Yah lah: This one comes in handy if you are being nagged. Say somebody keeps on asking you if you have finished reading the book that you borrowed yesterday; you can say han nah han nah han nah (as many times as you want to). Some people like to say Yah lah yah lah instead. If anybody uses this one on you, it means you are annoying him or her a lot.

Catch No Ball: When a local person says this to you, he is telling you that he didn’t understand you. You could picture a ball in his court, which he cannot grasp to remember what it means, “Eh, what talking you? I catch no ball!”

What are your favourite words and phrases? Don’t forget to share in the comments below.

Blog, Career, Networking

Answers: Why Should We Hire You?

November 20, 2015 hmteam

So you got the call; the company of your dreams wants to interview you. It is time for you to sit down and prepare for the conversation between you and your prospective employer. It isn’t an easy job because you never know what exactly they will ask you, but most interviews include some basic questions such as your educational and work background and interests. One question that you will certainly be asked is, “Why should we hire you?”

Here’s how you can get the perfect answer ready.

Pitch Yourself Again

When interviewers ask you why they should hire you, they are asking you to tell them what you can do for them. They also want to know how you can make a difference in their organisation – compared to the other candidates. So this is your opportunity to pitch yourself again. Don’t give them a list of your accomplishments at work or in school. Instead, spend time on research so that you know what they expect from the role you are interviewing for. Ask yourself how your skills and background match up to those needs. Keep your answer positive. Do not mention what other applicants may or may not be able to do. Focus on yourself.

Be Enthusiastic

Show them your enthusiasm. Let them see that you are excited about the possibility of working with them. Motivation and a keen interest will add to their interest in you. But don’t let them think that you desperately need the job. There is a thin line between showing interest and seeming like you need something badly. So work on the tone of your voice. Practice with a friend. Body language matters as well. Sit straight but lean forward once in a while. Smile, but don’t force yourself to smile throughout the interview. The key is to be polite and friendly without overdoing it.

Keep it To The Point

Why should we hire you? It is a broad question that can draw you into a long look back at your previous accomplishments. Still, you should not start talking about the essay competition you won in elementary school or the interschool spelling bee that you won back in 5^th grade. Stick to what is relevant to the job in question. What skills, interests and experience do you have that can make you succeed in THIS role and at THIS organisation? And beware of the dangers of exaggeration. Answer with the truth because a background check or reference check could ruin things for you.

Share Your Uniqueness

Are you the person who colleagues approach when they need help with certain kinds of tasks? Or perhaps, you excel in a certain area like sales analysis or trend mapping. Tell the interviewer about this and give a couple of examples to demonstrate. This will let the prospective employer picture you at their setting, doing similar work.

Showcase Your Qualifications

Most job descriptions mention what education qualifications applicants must have. That basically means that you will not be the only aspirant with an MBA. You need to figure out how to make your degree stand out. Just mentioning the top ranked B-school will not be enough. You’ll have to share examples of how you applied your newly learnt knowledge and skills to the business world. This is the chance to discuss your internship or that special project during the MBA programme. Highlight any prior work experience as well. Mention any role and organisation/s where your actions lead to results. Explain how you achieved it.

Here’s an example:

You should hire me because I am a self-motivated person who likes to create an impact wherever he goes. In fact, in my role as (DESIGNATION) at (COMPANY), I was voted the most promising team player after my supervisor noticed my effort on the (PRODUCT) launch. And my internship supervisor at (COMPANY) appreciated my ideas so much that he asked me to present them to the senior executives there.

Being prepared for the Why should we hire you question, and it will save you from the surprise and discomfort. Keep specific examples in mind and your abilities and background. Then link them to the interviewer’s company and its goals.

Good luck!

Blog, Business Competitions, The NANYANG MBA

The journey to victory at Dell Case Competition 2015

November 19, 2015 Mok Wei Li Douglas

Contributed by MBA students: Kevin, Moohwan and SungWon

As MBA candidates and future leaders of a dynamically changing business environment, how do we define our success and measure our learning progress? Our answer to the question was to participate in business case competitions, as we believe that the ability to apply practical industrial knowledge and to demonstrate our inner potential is a vital criterion for success.

In view of this, the inter-university Case Competition organised by Dell was a great opportunity for us to apply what we have learnt in class and to leverage on our skillsets such as collaborative team work, efficient time management, application of effective framework and compelling presentation. We knew that the competition would be challenging and require significant commitment and sacrifice but we decided to take up the challenge and embark on this journey to achieve our very first milestone.

The case competition consisted of two rounds. The first round was evaluated based on a five-minute video recording on the topic of Dell’s supply chain management, and the second round was carried out at Dell’s office amongst the selected teams, based on the result of the first round. In total, 17 teams participated from three universities, namely NTU, NUS and SP Jain. Four teams were promoted to the final round; two teams came from NUS and one each from NTU and SP Jain, respectively.

The team, DellTaForce was voluntarily and carefully formed on our own by taking several criteria into consideration in order to optimise the team potential and synergy. One important, though often neglected criteria, is how the different individuals, with their expertise and professional backgrounds can complement and work with one another in a team. With that in mind, we finally formed a team consisting of three members with over five years’ of career experience in different business areas, namely, management consulting, strategy planning, and engineering. The mix of diverse background helped significantly throughout the Dell case competition as the different perspectives of each member allowed us to bring a wide range of ideas that an individual by him or herself might not be able to generate.

During the analysis of the case studies, we set the most important and fundamental rule upfront, which was to respect and encourage each other for all meetings. The small initiative paid off as the team members were able to share their ideas confidently, leading to fruitful brainstorming. No matter what idea was brought up, we considered all of them worthy of discussion and talked about it until we reached a consensus.

The challenging parts that we have encountered were mainly ideation relating to supply chain management business domain, as none of us had previous professional experience in that field. To address the issue, we proactively approached professors to guide us on process validation and viable examples for ideation. We had to instill a confident mindset in ourselves that we are the expert in the supply chain management as far as the case is concerned.

Another challenge that we had to work on was the professional presentation for the final round. As the team consisting of non-native English speakers, our pressing issue was to enhance our effective speech in a professional and convincing manner. To quickly equip ourselves with the necessary presentation skills within a short timeframe, we focused on practicing, preparing Q&As, and non-verbal communication cues such as posture, eye contact, attire and more. The intensive practice sessions continued all the way till the final presentation date. Although it was not perfect at the end, we certainly made visible improvement to deliver our idea to the panel judges. Last but not least, most importantly, we gained confidence in public speaking.

Our determination, specific goal setting, collaborative teamwork, consistent discipline, sincere commitment and specific plan to achieve our common goal played significant parts in helping us win this case competition.

The key takeaway from the experience was that when all the attributes of success are applied collectively, the likelihood of winning will definitely increase as it creates synergistic effect as long as everyone plays their part responsibly.

We would like to attribute our glorious success to Professor Vijay Sethi and Professor Peter Giulioni who were willing to spend their personal time to help us, especially when our progress was stagnated and when we were occasionally demotivated. It was a great achievement as a start and we strongly believe that Nanyang MBA’s journey for business case competition will continue thriving.

Blog

Making our classes fun

November 17, 2015 Mok Wei Li Douglas

Contributed by MBA students: Kevin, Masa, Prashant, Ryo and Shreya.

We had less than 10 days to prepare ourselves to present a case study on Netflix. The biggest question facing us was whether Netflix was yet another warfront for Art and Technology.

The MBA class at Nanyang Business School was completely determined to make Friday lectures interesting. We got full support from Professor Vijay Sethi for this. Hence, we started the chain of experimenting with ideas of making case presentations on companies such as Facebook, Google, Taobao etc as fun-filled as they were informative. With groups innovating with ideas such as group activities, fun surveys, role-playing, we were left wondering: what could we do with our idea?

After a couple of brainstorming sessions, we decided to focus on the core question- Is Netflix as a business model, helping the art?

We ended our presentation with our version of what Netflix could do next. The group, we said, believed that the future lies in crowd-funded content generation.

After a fun-filled presentation, we surprised the class with this video. This was a spoof of our markstrat course which was yet another source of adrenaline rush for us when the simulation results were announced every Friday at 8 PM.

This is all a part of the experiential learning that the NBS focuses on. The encouragement from Prof Sethi to experiment with ideas and sportsmanship displayed by Prof Lewis helped us create this video.

Blog, Networking, Useful Tools and Tips

How do you define your brand online?

November 15, 2015 hmteam

The last few years have seen a drastic change in the field of marketing. The physical form of marketing (including one-on-one consultations, display boards and signs) has not died out, but has a new companion – digital marketing. The evolution of informational technology has put the digital space in the spotlight, with organisations devoting significant resources to digital marketing. The term ‘digital marketing’ covers marketing processes that largely depend on the use of technologies. Social networking websites, apps and blogs are examples.

Earlier, customers would touch and feel the product, see some advertisements on TV or in the newspaper, buy the product and leave. These days, digital marketing has expanded the customer-brand relationship by bringing them closer and allowing interaction. Nevertheless, merely opening a Facebook page or a Twitter account doesn’t build your brand.

Here is how you can define your brand online:

Define Your Target Audience

Every brand has a target group of customers. You need to understand who your customers are and what kind of lives they lead. Are they men or women? What about age and marital status? Household income and location are other factors that are important. What kind of people can afford your product or service? Once that is done, find out which social media websites this group uses. Maybe they are not too Twitter savvy? Similarly, a very young audience may not like spending time reading long blog posts. You need to find out your target group’s online habits.

Be Consistent

Since your brand has a unique persona, let that persona reflect in your brand goals as well. This means that the design of your website must reflect the brand’s personality. This is why brands for the youth use brighter colours and fun designs with lots of opportunity for interaction. Even your tweets and Facebook posts need to be tailored to fit your brand. Like a brand whose USP is no animal testing, should keep that in mind and never post anything that could question their value – such as posting ads for a company that sells leather products.

Deliver Great Content

Content drives the customer experience. Your brand could be present on every social media and web platform but not make an impact if the information you are sharing is not appealing. Details about products, prices and promotional offers, all need to be conveyed with the target audience in mind. What type of customers do you have and what kind do you want to attract to your brand? Educate your customers on the industry and not just your brand. For instance, leading health magazines share interesting articles about nutrition and psychology trends that are not from their product.

Develop the Voice

Along with a personality, a brand needs a voice. When you are tweeting or posting online, you are speaking as the brand. All digital content should stick to a single tone and pace. If your brand is targeting young working women who love to use makeup, then fun may be an important part of your brand’s definition. If it is, keep it fun. If a compassionate, serious voice matches your brand, then stick to that. For instance, a healthcare facility will probably have the latter.

Even if the brand in question has existed for a while, the digital marketing space requires a completely different approach from traditional marketing. Both forms of marketing can affect a brand. The online category helps a brand develop a wider customer base and enables customers to communicate with the company. That in turn, contributes to the brand’s growth with constant feedback. Not a bad thing at all!

Blog, International Exposure, Life After MBA, Life at Nanyang, Networking, The NANYANG MBA

5 Reasons to Get an International MBA Degree

November 5, 2015 hmteam

The decision of pursuing an MBA degree is a critical one, requiring a great deal of thinking and planning. An MBA can help boost your career, there’s no doubt about it. But, as a potential MBA candidate you must also evaluate the different MBA programmes, to see which one can provide you with the maximum benefits, in terms of the learning, exposure and opportunities.

Doing an MBA degree abroad, as opposed to doing it in your own country, can be beneficial in many ways. Here, are a few reasons why your must choose to pursue an international MBA degree:

Exposure to New Culture

The job of a business professional involves interacting with a wide range of people, and building a rapport with clients and co-workers who may belong to other countries and cultures. Doing your MBA overseas automatically trains you on this aspect of the job. By studying and collaborating with a culturally diverse mix of students, you acquire the essential social skills needed to survive and flourish in a global market.

The Opportunity to Learn New Languages

With companies going global and expanding their operations in non-English speaking countries, recruiters are often looking for candidates who are bilingual, and able to fluently communicate in languages other than English. Doing an MBA from business schools located in countries such as France, Germany and Singapore, provides you with an opportunity to be trained in a foreign language, thereby boosting your CV in a big way, and opening up newer job avenues for you in numerous global destinations.

A Competitive Edge

Doing an international MBA degree puts you in a high-pressure environment, where you would be competing with students from diverse nationalities, with a wide range of academic and professional experience. This prepares you well for challenging jobs, and gives you a competitive edge over other MBA grads, who have had a less intensive course at a local business school.

A Wider Professional Network

More than the degree itself, the professional connections you make and the peers and mentors whose support you gain at the business school add more value to your professional career, taking you further ahead in your professional journey. An international MBA would provide you with a wider network, and open up myriad opportunities, that might not be accessible to someone who has done MBA in his/her own country.

Personal Growth

By studying overseas you are not just growing as a professional but also as an individual. Stepping out of your comfort zone, finding your way in a new country, interacting with people belonging to other cultures – these things equip you with the courage, flexibility and open mindedness needed to succeed in your professional and personal life.

The Economist, in its list of the world’s top MBA programmes, ranks the Nanyang Business School in the 66th position and as one of the best business schools in Asia. The affordability of education in Singapore and its cultural diversity are some of the factors that attract students to NBS. For more information on Nanyang business degree, visit http://www.nanyangmba.ntu.edu.sg.

The NANYANG MBA Blog