I once had the acquaintance of a one year old boy, his name is obiora and he is the son of a family friend. Obiora at one had an unusual fascination with doors, the implication of this was that he was always trying his hand on any and every door, of course at that age, his hand could barely touch the door knob and if he was able to stretch himself, he would succeed in slamming the door on his fingers( ouch). This did not make him relent, the guy just had a knack for doors, it was thus my pondering on this observation that inspired this write-up and as I share this thesis with you I hope as always that you will identify at least one point that is educative and informative to you and for your application.
Doors generally represent a ‘legitimate’ entrance or exit to and from a place. I use the word legitimate basically because there is a presupposition that thieves don’t come in through the front door, in their sly nature they have to employ a more sinister approach, and if they must go through a door( whether front or back) it has to be a break in.
1. A door symbolizes a semblance of possibilities that await you on the other side of the door, possibilities that are so treasured that they need to be guarded by a wooden or iron sense of security. A door doesn’t open merely by invitation, acquaintance or urgency, what guarantees the opening is either you have a key, or someone on the other side has a key and is willing to open for you.
2. A door also symbolizes transition, exit from a place and entry or at least the demand of entry into another place, we are constantly in motion, it is what makes us unique, the ability to detest stagnancy, in life generally and in finances specifically and so it is this life of transit that often brings us before doors, unfortunately most of us get stuck there.
3. A door usually attracts people of like minded destination, the truth is that if whatever on the other side is worth the while, chances are that you won’t be the only one in front of the door trying to get in. while you are waiting for the door to open, take time to be friendly, meet people that are waiting on your side of the door to get in, the fact you have the same destination doesn’t mean that they are your competition, if you network hard enough, you’d be surprised to meet someone that has the keys to the door or has already made contacts with someone on the other side.
This write-up is the exclusive copyright of Tochi Eze and cannot be reproduced or forwarded without her consent.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Ultimate Brand
Brand loyalty, as I have recently observed is the combination of a number of factors that result in a customer preferring a particular product or service over others that are of a similar nature. Most enterprises have realized the importance branding in the success of their businesses and hence a lot of financing is invested into developing a company’s brand loyalty as it were, ranging from beautifully designed graphic logo’s, innovative advertisements and excellent customer / service delivery system, they all strive for a niche that stands them out in the market.
As human beings, we all have our distinct brands that set us apart from the crowd, that make more readily appealing and desirable that every other person and that ultimately yields us better returns in life, these brands could be consciously or unconsciously developed.
Allow me to put it this way, a brand in a layman’s point of view is simply what a product, company or person is known as remembered by. X-pression reminds us of quality hair piece, Coca-Cola reminds of refreshing beverage, identita Nigeria connotes brand loyalty, amongst others. These brands did not just exist, they are a result of a deliberate line of thoughts, policies and actions, and like in the case of Coca-Cola, the effect has spanned generations, and yet, I will tell you a most perfect brand, whether for an individual, corporation or government, LOVE is a perfect brand. Scripture speaking in John 13.34 and 35 said that we should love one another, and that by so doing, all men will know that we are his disciples. LOVE is the ultimate brand, it sells itself always, wards off competition and the recipients never forget thereby generating the best form of brand loyalty.
Imagine if every time someone thought of you or your business, a nice warm feeling came over the person who by the way doesn’t mean to date you?
To love your neighbor is more than a cliché and it expresses itself in the smallest acts of kindness. For instance, when last did you pay for a stranger sitting next to you in a bus? How often do you smile at a beggar while giving him money? When last did you pray for a sick neighbor not because you were asked to but because you truly cared? How often do you forgive a wrong without an apology?
The extent of your brand communication ensures that your business still thrives even after you retire, its generally what you are remembered for. What comes to your mind when you think of princess Diana, mother Theresa, or Martin Luther King(JR)? these are people that are no longer with us and yet their actions still speak for them.
Finally, you cannot give what you don’t have, no business should sell what it is not prepared to buy because it douses credibility completely. The only qualification to loving others is to love yourself. Now, loving yourself goes beyond having a high self esteem or confidence the ability to make wise and credible decisions for your life, not just because they make you feel good but because it is the right thing to do.
My point exactly? Having seen the importance of branding and identifying the ultimate brand, we need to start making conscious and deliberate efforts to build or increase our already existing brand loyalty and like every good brand, it cannot happen overnight, but after a while you’ll eventually build that perfect reputation that you want people to remember you for!
This write-up is the exclusive copyright of Tochi Eze and cannot be reproduced or forwarded without her consent.
As human beings, we all have our distinct brands that set us apart from the crowd, that make more readily appealing and desirable that every other person and that ultimately yields us better returns in life, these brands could be consciously or unconsciously developed.
Allow me to put it this way, a brand in a layman’s point of view is simply what a product, company or person is known as remembered by. X-pression reminds us of quality hair piece, Coca-Cola reminds of refreshing beverage, identita Nigeria connotes brand loyalty, amongst others. These brands did not just exist, they are a result of a deliberate line of thoughts, policies and actions, and like in the case of Coca-Cola, the effect has spanned generations, and yet, I will tell you a most perfect brand, whether for an individual, corporation or government, LOVE is a perfect brand. Scripture speaking in John 13.34 and 35 said that we should love one another, and that by so doing, all men will know that we are his disciples. LOVE is the ultimate brand, it sells itself always, wards off competition and the recipients never forget thereby generating the best form of brand loyalty.
Imagine if every time someone thought of you or your business, a nice warm feeling came over the person who by the way doesn’t mean to date you?
To love your neighbor is more than a cliché and it expresses itself in the smallest acts of kindness. For instance, when last did you pay for a stranger sitting next to you in a bus? How often do you smile at a beggar while giving him money? When last did you pray for a sick neighbor not because you were asked to but because you truly cared? How often do you forgive a wrong without an apology?
The extent of your brand communication ensures that your business still thrives even after you retire, its generally what you are remembered for. What comes to your mind when you think of princess Diana, mother Theresa, or Martin Luther King(JR)? these are people that are no longer with us and yet their actions still speak for them.
Finally, you cannot give what you don’t have, no business should sell what it is not prepared to buy because it douses credibility completely. The only qualification to loving others is to love yourself. Now, loving yourself goes beyond having a high self esteem or confidence the ability to make wise and credible decisions for your life, not just because they make you feel good but because it is the right thing to do.
My point exactly? Having seen the importance of branding and identifying the ultimate brand, we need to start making conscious and deliberate efforts to build or increase our already existing brand loyalty and like every good brand, it cannot happen overnight, but after a while you’ll eventually build that perfect reputation that you want people to remember you for!
This write-up is the exclusive copyright of Tochi Eze and cannot be reproduced or forwarded without her consent.
HOW TO WEATHER THE STORMS OF LIFE!
Whether used literally or metaphorically, the word ‘storm’ often depicts an unusually troublesome and turbulent situation that is difficult to control, yet, having the capacity to drown a person. Research has shown that the negative effects of storms on those who experience them is so outrageous that they either hardly come out alive and if they do, the damage would have scarred them thoroughly. In our journey in life, we often experience the harsh and cruel nature of these storms, and even though we are not sailors at sea, the negative effects are often the same. Whether it is the death of a loved one, a failed marriage, financial crisis, or a health condition, the list is endless, the point is that we don’t always come out alive and if we do, we would have been so badly bruised and scarred that life itself hardly recognizes us
Storms are inevitable, the are a necessary pointer that we are sailing the right direction, I also console myself with the fact that every storm has a time limit, they are not meant to last forever, eventually everything calms down. The only thing that troubles me is the damage that would have been done at the end of the storm. However these damages, as I have recently observed can be controlled and minimized if we could only understand and apply these basic principles.
• UNDERSTAND THE WIND OF CHANGE:
The wind is one element that can only be felt but never seen, Change, is just like the wind, it can at best be discerned but you can’t really tell the angle it will come from. Change, like they say, is the only constant thing and it is a necessity to keep us moving on and keep the earth moving round, change is confrontational and as such we have to face it square and tackle it head on, we don’t have to run at the face of every challenge or strain, how can you expand except you stretch yourself? Each time life presents a seemingly shut door to you, its not an indicator for you to cower back in fear or defeat, we have to always understand that a shut door doesn’t end the journey, it only means we have to look for another passage.
• UNDERSTAND THE WAVE OF OPPOSITION:
The scenery at the beach is usually breathtaking, for anyone who has been careful enough to observe, assuming you fall into the class of observers, have you ever noticed the way the waves rise and fall? With such intensity, they seem almost on a mission to cause havoc.
Waves are a reaction of the sea to the wind. The sea, not being very accommodating reacts in such velocity to the wind, no wonder the waves are usually more intense at evening and night when the wind is more pronounced.
The wave of opposition is simply the earth’s (including man) physical reaction to the wind of change. The society and life in general is not very accommodating to our situations and challenges, people tend to judge what they don’t understand, ourselves inclusive. Take it all in good stride. It’s called the ‘wave’ syndrome. You don’t have to react to every opposition you face, this stage is very sensitive because the wind of change has thrown you off course and the waves of opposition threaten to swallow you, don’t wallow in self pity, recognize this stage of the storm and take it all in good stride.
• UNDERSTAND THE ANCHOR OF THE SHIP:
The sea, just like life, is not static. It is in constant motion and operates in such a way that if you are left at its mercy, you either sink or float.
The anchor is usually but not always in the form of a metallic hook that is thrown from the ship to get a grip on something solid enough to prevent the ship from sailing away once the engine is off.
The will to stay afloat at the end of the storm is not enough, you have to identify that one mark that you hold unto for dear life to keep you from floating away, to prevent your essence from being drained out of you so that when the storm is finally over an the sun rises again, the world will not have to send a search team to fish you out.
For various people it differs, but for me its is God, he is the one person I can hold unto for dear life and no matter how weak my grip I know he will never let me go, and besides, when the sun eventually rise, I want to be seen by his side!
This write-up is the exclusive copyright of Tochi Eze and cannot be reproduced or forwarded without her consent.
Storms are inevitable, the are a necessary pointer that we are sailing the right direction, I also console myself with the fact that every storm has a time limit, they are not meant to last forever, eventually everything calms down. The only thing that troubles me is the damage that would have been done at the end of the storm. However these damages, as I have recently observed can be controlled and minimized if we could only understand and apply these basic principles.
• UNDERSTAND THE WIND OF CHANGE:
The wind is one element that can only be felt but never seen, Change, is just like the wind, it can at best be discerned but you can’t really tell the angle it will come from. Change, like they say, is the only constant thing and it is a necessity to keep us moving on and keep the earth moving round, change is confrontational and as such we have to face it square and tackle it head on, we don’t have to run at the face of every challenge or strain, how can you expand except you stretch yourself? Each time life presents a seemingly shut door to you, its not an indicator for you to cower back in fear or defeat, we have to always understand that a shut door doesn’t end the journey, it only means we have to look for another passage.
• UNDERSTAND THE WAVE OF OPPOSITION:
The scenery at the beach is usually breathtaking, for anyone who has been careful enough to observe, assuming you fall into the class of observers, have you ever noticed the way the waves rise and fall? With such intensity, they seem almost on a mission to cause havoc.
Waves are a reaction of the sea to the wind. The sea, not being very accommodating reacts in such velocity to the wind, no wonder the waves are usually more intense at evening and night when the wind is more pronounced.
The wave of opposition is simply the earth’s (including man) physical reaction to the wind of change. The society and life in general is not very accommodating to our situations and challenges, people tend to judge what they don’t understand, ourselves inclusive. Take it all in good stride. It’s called the ‘wave’ syndrome. You don’t have to react to every opposition you face, this stage is very sensitive because the wind of change has thrown you off course and the waves of opposition threaten to swallow you, don’t wallow in self pity, recognize this stage of the storm and take it all in good stride.
• UNDERSTAND THE ANCHOR OF THE SHIP:
The sea, just like life, is not static. It is in constant motion and operates in such a way that if you are left at its mercy, you either sink or float.
The anchor is usually but not always in the form of a metallic hook that is thrown from the ship to get a grip on something solid enough to prevent the ship from sailing away once the engine is off.
The will to stay afloat at the end of the storm is not enough, you have to identify that one mark that you hold unto for dear life to keep you from floating away, to prevent your essence from being drained out of you so that when the storm is finally over an the sun rises again, the world will not have to send a search team to fish you out.
For various people it differs, but for me its is God, he is the one person I can hold unto for dear life and no matter how weak my grip I know he will never let me go, and besides, when the sun eventually rise, I want to be seen by his side!
This write-up is the exclusive copyright of Tochi Eze and cannot be reproduced or forwarded without her consent.
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