Brand Management and Politics

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

I hate politics. Nonetheless, as a marketing guy, I can’t help but be intrigued by the rather tumultuous political climate in which we currently find ourselves. When it comes right down to it, politics is all about brand management—personal brands, party brands, and ultimately, the American brand. Branding is more than just logos, colors, or slogans. It’s about the core values of the branded entity and being true to those values. From that perspective, if we view the various players in the political theatre, which of them are practicing solid brand management principles? Perhaps that depends on the brand they are trying to create. Still, I must wonder if the brands being projected are consistent with what they envision. As an interested observer, I thought it might be fun to do a short brand analysis of a few of these political entities:
The Presidential Brand: The President represents the American ideal. Over many decades, this brand has been developed into something that is almost larger than life and not to be trifled with—the President is characterized as the leader of the free world, defender of the American way of life, and the embodiment of the strength of our nation. The Obama administration has taken the message of a “kinder, gentler America” to the rest of the world. While some world leaders have embraced this message, others have interpreted it as weakness. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the approach, there’s little doubt that in the eyes of the world and across most of America, the Presidential brand has changed. But is it the change Mr. Obama had in mind?

Values to Keep in Mind When Doing Business in Japan

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

One of the most frequent pieces of advice about doing business in Japan is to “know the culture.” But what exactly does that mean? For starters, it’s important to recognize the American and Japanese value systems don’t always align with each other. While a single blog entry could never come close to addressing the complexities of the Japanese value system, at a high level here are a few values to keep in mind when entering the Japanese market:

Value 1: Nothing is more important than relationships

In American business, logic is almost the highest of virtues. Present a sensible argument that clearly demonstrates a win, and generally you will have management support. In Japan, decisions aren’t always logical—rather, they are more typically based on relationships. Never assume that presenting a logical argument will get you the deal. Certainly, present the argument so the value is understood, but focus your efforts on gaining the trust and respect of your potential customers.

Value 2: Don’t ever let your partner lose face

Doing Business in Japan: Honor, Loyalty, and Saving Face

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

In 17th century Japan, a Samurai lived by a strict code of honor and loyalty to his lord. Honor (and acquiring wealth) was what he lived and died for. In modern day Japan, while many things have changed, honor and loyalty remain fixed within the Japanese character. Key to honor is the concept of “saving face”—the Japanese will go to great lengths to avoid embarrassment. The loss of face is not easily forgotten nor is it easily forgiven.

In some harsh corporate cultures in America, you win by cutting someone else. In Japan, if you do something that makes someone look bad (even inadvertently), they may smile and seem ok on the surface. However, behind that smile may be someone that now feels the need to become a roadblock to progress in order to save face—either ending the deal outright or perhaps waiting and acting as saboteur later on when it may be too late to change direction. On the other hand, by finding a creative solution to problems or concerns, you will have an advocate for life and strong supporter in making the deal move ahead.

At Linux Networx we were fortunate to have strong partnerships to help navigate the Japanese business culture. One of the largest customers was a major government lab that had purchased a multi-million dollar system. Because the system was built around newer, state-of-the-art technologies, there were inherent challenges in the deployment and operation of the system. Nonetheless, the customer was willing to take the risk—based on personal relationship and the prestige of having one of the top 50 supercomputing systems in the world.

Doing Business in Asia: Learn the Asian Face

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

Katsuya Nishi, a long time friend and mentor in Japan, once told me to “learn the Asian face.” This valuable piece of advice was his way of telling me that while there may be physical similarities between the Asian cultures, that my success would be greatly enhanced by better understanding the differences. This message stuck with me and I made it a point to study and learn to recognize both the physical traits and cultural distinctions that characterize the various Asian societies.

In time, I came to realize that the differences in thought processes, culture, mannerisms, business customs and even physical features could oftentimes be striking—and that failing to understand the differences could prove fatal in a business setting. For instance, the Japanese are much more formal in business settings than their Korean and Chinese counterparts. While you may get away with being a bit more laid back in China, not following protocol in Japan can be considered offensive and turn you into persona non grata very quickly.

The Japanese are also very serious about the commitments they make and certainly expect the same from their partners. In Japanese culture, it’s a matter of honor and respect to do exactly what you say you will do. With that in mind, they can be slow to make commitments—but once the commitment is made, you can count on it happening. Contrast that with Chinese culture where the typical answer to almost any request is “yes”. And, while the intent is not necessarily to be any less honorable than the Japanese, this standard “yes” answer should not be construed as a commitment. Rather, it’s more of a sign that your request is understood and that it will be discussed and considered.

When in Rome….Behave Yourself

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

While traveling in Asia recently, I have been reminded of that old adage about doing as the Romans do. If not taken too literally, this can be good advice about the importance of being culturally sensitive and avoiding what can be perceived as offensive behavior. In many parts of the world, Americans all too often have been labeled as arrogant, obnoxious, and even a bit boorish—not necessarily a stretch, especially when compared to certain Asian cultures that tend to be more conservative in social settings.

Last night when I sat down for dinner in the Sinchon district of Seoul, I couldn’t help but notice the group of American businessmen sitting two tables away. In fact, the entire restaurant couldn’t help but notice them. In rather typical American fashion they were being conspicuously loud and even a bit rude—totally oblivious to how their behavior might be perceived by those around them. Contrast the behavior of these fine gentlemen with that of the three Japanese ladies seated at the table next to me. They were the perfect picture of proper Japanese etiquette—talking quietly with hands folded neatly in front of them and making no effort to be noticed. The behavioral and obvious cultural differences were striking.

In business settings, experienced international executives typically understand and will shrug off potentially offensive behaviors as cultural. Certainly, if the business opportunity is compelling enough, they may indeed give even the most boorish of individuals a pass—but that doesn’t mean it’s ok. When in another country, it’s always good manners to observe and try to follow local behavioral customs. True international business success is attained by being respected, which comes from showing respect. I’ve heard some American businessmen dismiss this notion by saying, “I’m just being myself.” I’m not saying don’t be yourself—but be culturally sensitive.

Do One Thing and Do It Well: Start by Doing One Thing Right

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

There’s a maxim in the Unix programming philosophy that says programmers should “write programs that do one thing and do it well.” It’s a beautiful philosophy, and one that can be applied to almost anything in life. In business, if you can’t do that one primary function well, you certainly won’t survive to do another. It sounds simple, but the reality is that many companies struggle with this concept—oftentimes not even recognizing their primary function—and never seem to reach their potential. With that in mind, for some organizations, perhaps the initial goal should be to first clearly identify their primary function and learn do it right on an ongoing basis—then it becomes easier to focus on improvement to do that one thing better than anyone else.

Every time I see a manager or a company fail to do their primary function right, I wonder how they got to be where they are and how much better they could be with the right focus. Here are some real-world examples to illustrate the point:

Home Automation Systems Wireless Touchpanel.

By Ronnie Heinz, Luxul Wireless Director of Channel Sales.

Since joining Luxul wireless about a year ago, I’ve spoken with many Home Automation dealers about their Wi-Fi deployments. As we all know, Wi-Fi can be both a blessing and a curse for Home Integrators. Wi-Fi underpins the functionality of the “crown jewel” of most Home Automation systems, the Wireless Touchpanel. The Wi-Fi touchpanel typically comes in 7.5” and 10” sizes, weighs two to four pounds, and packs a glossy touchscreen from which the user may control all functions of his/her integrated home. A user can carry their touchpanel from the kitchen to the living room, flop down on the couch, dim the lights, close the powered blinds, and then stream some HDMI TV programming to the flatscreen on the wall, without ever moving from the couch. Remarks about sedentary lifestyles and the decline of human civilization aside—that type of seamless integration is what clients pay upwards of $100k for. It’s when the Wi-Fi Touchpanels don’t function properly that the headaches, and the lost profits, begin.

Branding and the Psychology of Color

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

What colors have you chosen to represent your brand and why? Was it simply because you liked those colors or did you have a particular marketing message or target audience in mind? Color offers an instantaneous method for conveying meaning and message in your branding efforts. Are you sure you know what message is being sent by the colors you’ve chosen?

When considering this question and developing your brand, you would be wise to consider the psychology of color. Our minds are programmed to respond to the subliminal messages we get from color—shaping our thoughts, and even influencing our behavior. For example, have you noticed that fast food restaurants are often decorated with vivid reds and oranges? This is not by accident. Studies have shown that reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave—which is exactly what they want you to do. Red is also an appetite stimulant. On the other hand, while blue is a wonderfully popular corporate color that shows stability and strength, it is one of the least appetizing and is typically used sparingly in the food industry.

Differentiate and Thrive in a Competitive Marketplace

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

What makes your company different from all the others that are competing for the attention of the same customers? Is it a unique product or technology? Better service? Superior sourcing capabilities? Attractive packaging? An unusually high level of expertise in a certain discipline? For some organizations, pinpointing real differentiation can be a challenge. But in a competitive marketplace, even subtle differences can be assets if properly positioned to be of value to your target customers.

Almost every company has unique traits that are valued by certain customers, but in some cases you may actually need to create differentiation. As you work to improve the appeal of your products or services, here are a few ideas to help you start with the process of identifying your company’s key differentiators:

Market Diversification: Finding the Right Balance

By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing.

Original Post on Utah Business.com Blog.

There is a Chinese proverb that states, “A sly rabbit will have three openings to its den.” For business leaders looking for a little insurance against economic downturns or inevitable changes in their core markets, this is excellent advice about the need for diversification.

As head of sales and marketing at Parvus Corporation—a supplier of rugged mobile electronic systems products—diversification was somewhat of a challenge. The company was well entrenched in the military/DoD markets and products were highly specialized. The company was also on a solid growth curve, which made diversification less of a priority. Still, the idea of having only one opening in our den was reason for concern. Plus, there was no better time to consider diversification than when the company’s core business was on the way up. With that in mind, we looked for adjacent markets that had similar rugged system requirements and found that transportation was a solid expansion opportunity. With some creativity on the part of a couple of superstar employees, the company was able to adapt products for use in mass transit applications and made some significant inroads in a relatively short time frame. Among the beneficiaries of that effort are local UTA customers that now enjoy the benefit of having stable high speed internet access while commuting to and from work.