Monday, February 27, 2012

Modern Marketing According to Steve Heyer CEO

Given the relentless march of progress and history itself, businessmen have to always be ready to react to new developments. It is clear at present that the man was right in his tips, delivered long years ago. Heyer spoke of these matters famously in a conference some years past that was attended by many representatives of the marketing and advertising industries.

Steve J. Heyer is chief executive officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the world’s third-largest hotel chain. In an interview made a couple of years after his keynote address in 2003, he explained his point in 2003 by talking about his marketing strategy for the popular hotel chain. The trick, according to him, was to focus on selling fun, not a bed or a room.

In this approach, what is being sold is the experience itself. Memorable experiences, in other words, would be the products. Heyer and his idea of marketing experiences blazed a trail in the marketing industry following that, for the freshness of the proposed outlook.

Heyer believed that the future held great things by way of personalization. Interestingly, this too has proven true. This is a theme most strongly supported by digital products and companies nowadays.

The entertainment business is being sucked dry by the latest technologies in the hands of teen consumers. When Napster.com, the first music downloading service website, burst into the scene, the music industry lost millions in potential revenue. Internet users indiscriminately downloaded the latest and most popular hits for free.

There was pandemonium in the song-production business, Heyer noted. In his 2003 speech, the CEO turned to music executives and reminded them of the changing ways of producing and reproducing music due to the empowerment of consumers. Heyer said that even TV was no longer safe, and that new trends might well harm those in the industry.

What Heyer advocated was the shift from emphasis on the item to emphasis on the experiences associated with it. In the interview explaining his marketing strategy for Starwood Hotels, he furthered explained that they are now a company engaged in distributing entertainment and unforgettable experiences. In other words, consumers would have their eyes trained on what the hotels could provide, not the hotels themselves.

Indeed, Starwood has even come up with unusual partners in the enterprise, such as Victoria's Secret. Because of the exclusivity of the runway shows to Starwood customers, there is a clear integration of the desire to view a Victoria's Secret show with attendance of a Starwood hotel. This is a case of the product being an experience.

Steve Heyer has also made negative remarks about a growing trend in the LA film industry: the insertion of brands in random shots. He found it reprehensible for its lack of contextual significance. He also said this practice neither improves storylines nor enhances marketability of products.

One of Coca Cola's former leaders is actually Steve Heyer CEO. It is from that time that we may take an example of what he means by properly contextualized brand "cameos". He put the brand in view of American Idol's audience by setting Coke glasses before the judges of the series.


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Saturday, February 4, 2012

If You Have Masters of Education

There are plenty of people who are interested in obtaining a masters of education degree but feel as if they are not up for the challenge. There are those who see masters programs are very difficult to achieve. There are also those who are doubtful of their capabilities as a graduate student.

People will continue to have misconceptions about a masters of education degree unless they are given the correct information on what it really is. The thing about such courses is that program providers offer different things. Read on to see what things there are to expect when it comes to a masters in education.

There is an endless list of courses a student of education can choose from so enrolling in the right courses will be important. Of course you have to think about your career path when choosing programs but it is also smart if you focused on your preferences. You should really get things like calculus out of the picture if your main degree focus is geared towards language and literacy.

You need to be a bookworm when it comes to something like a master in education program for it will come with tons of reading requirements that cannot be neglected. Not being ready for class is truly unacceptable here especially since you are participating in a graduate level degree. Whenever your teachers are discussing the topic at hand, it is possible for you to raise questions and share your insights.

One of the great things about masteral courses is that the educators and their students work side by side. Usually, the lectures are more interactive which means that students get to participate in all aspects. Both the professor and students share insights and strategies while they solve problems together that encourage learning in a more conducive environment.

In this case, class participation is really something that is taken seriously. Understanding the topics being discussed is the responsibility of the student and he or she needs to ask questions when necessary. In their studies, students have to be hands on not to mention independent especially when it comes to their thinking abilities.

When it comes to a masters in education, it is advised for students to have teaching backgrounds first but it is a really good idea to work and study at the same time. Graduate classes teach new theories and strategies and getting to implement and practice them the next day would be beneficial to the learning process. When it comes to this, as students are learning, if they apply what they learn, they will be able to understand things might better.

For added convenience, it is also possible for an interested individual to pursue an online masters degree in education. Here is where students can enjoy the perks of distance learning programs that are being offered by numerous certified providers. For individuals who are intent on studying while holding a full time job, this is something that they should definitely consider.

Students who pursue a masters in education can also expect better opportunities once they graduate. It is in America where the educational services industry is one of the top ranking industries there are today. By the time they graduate from a masters in education course, students can expect nothing but great opportunities.

Something like a masters in education is not for everyone considering the kinds of requirements that come with the program. When it comes to this kind of program, discussed here are some of the things that you will be dealing with if you decide to pursue a degree. If you decide to pursue a masters of education, there are various gains that can come your way.


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Friday, February 3, 2012

How to Find the Best Online MBA Program for You

Almost all students who really want to pursue a degree in MBA will find it difficult to choose the best online MBA programs. In fact, even though you have wanted to pursue an MBA years before, not being able to consider all your options is but a foolish move. There are a lot of factors that you have to consider before you get the right option.

A student would want to be distinguished from other MBA graduates and this will take a lot of hard work, effort, time and other important factors. There are plenty of MBA institutions that students can endlessly choose from. MBA programs are also offered in a lot of distance-learning institutions and universities.

What sets an institution apart from others would be the qualities, services and features that they provide. As online institutions offer varying features, advantages and benefits, it is essential to also consider these when making the final decision. Picking out the best online MBA programs from the mediocre ones will be essential in this process.

The curricula offered by high-ranking MBA schools revolve around management, finance, economics, accounting, marketing and human resource. Core courses are sometimes few in some institutions, in order to allow the school to offer more courses related to management. Being knowledgeable about the basics and the foundations of the course is the most important thing that you should get from your chosen institution.

Since online education will involve technology and communication resources, you will need to take a look at how your school facilitates learning as well. Online institutions use the virtual learning process as a major part of their teaching strategy. Top online MBA programs offer basic introduction or tutorial classes to give you the chance to practice using their online learning schools prior to the beginning of class.

Accreditation of an MBA program is also important and this can be an indication that the program is one of the best around. Accreditation means that such schools have the highest quality standards of academic excellence. In the real world, the preparation provided by the institution will prove to be very essential.

There are so many more factors to consider when narrowing down the best online MBA schools. Tuition and enrollment fee, university ranking and support facilities for students are just some of the aspects that should be looked into. More importantly, every student should know that another's preference for the best online MBA school might not be the same as one's own.

Researching paves way to valuable information and in turn, a more informed decision. Browse school websites and speak with current students and alumni as much as you can. You can even attend MBA school fairs or browse online forums to gain more information about your schools of choice and their programs.

One of the most effective methods to determine the best online MBA programs for you is to create your own MBA ranking yourself. Coming up with your own requirements, you will be able to rank the online MBA schools based on which school will be the most suitable one for you. Rankings created by some organizations can be helpful in creating your own ranking, but you should always take your own requirements as the primary basis for consideration.

One of the most important skills graduates of online MBA programs attain is the ability to make important decisions by considering all options. Since it is a major choice, selecting the online MBA courses will make up a big part on the whole picture. Although it may be a difficult task to do, it will definitely be a decision that will reap a beneficial outcome.


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