Latest Ideas & Research

The Business Advisor magazine provides business owners with a useful resource for information on financial, accounting, legal and marketing related issues. Brent Banda is a contributing author in the area of Strategic Marketing. You can also buy books and reports by Banda through this website.

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April 21, 2008: by Manny Sabares, Senior Consultant
The Eight Major Health and Wellness Trends Today
As Health, Wellness and Sustainability in the food sector continue to move into the mainstream, market research firm Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) has identified eight major trends and their countertrends that will drive these sectors.

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Winter 2008: by Brent Banda
Improving Sales Agent Performance
Most manufacturers view Sales Agents as a necessary evil. Few manufacturers feel the Sales Agents earn their pay or focus on increasing volume. Sales Agents are people. In any organization, performance is a result of having the right people on board and forming a working relationship that produces good work.

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Fall 2007: by Brent Banda
Timing a Product Launch
When is the right time to begin selling a new product? Do you want to jump into the market right away or wait and learn from your competitors' mistakes? Like most decisions in business, there is no right answer. You'll have to make a judgment call.

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Spring 2007: by Brent Banda
Growth Through Brand Repositioning
Increased competition, pricing demands and changing markets can affect a company's market share and bottom line. When faced with these situations, companies often turn to repositioning as a way to create new appeal for existing customers and attract new growth opportunities.

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Winter 2007: by Brent Banda
Push vs. Pull Marketing
Pull Marketing creates a situation in which consumers knowingly request a branded product and "pull" it through the distribution channel. Push Marketing sounds much more aggressive than it actually is. It creates a situation within the retail environment where the manufacturer and the retailer work together to promote one specific product model or entire product line.

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Fall 2006: by Brent Banda
Creativity Can Sell
Have you ever watched an interesting TV commercial and one minute later forgot what was being sold? Creativity used effectively in advertising is more than artwork.

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Spring 2006: by Brent Banda
Linking Marketing and the Sales Force
Most business owners can easily improve the performance of their sales force by ensuring salespeople work toward the company's broader goals. This can be more complex than it sounds.

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Winter 2006: by Brent Banda
Creative Pricing
When setting a price you can adopt simple tactics that work in other industries. Remember, every industry has its own nuances, and not every tactic will work for your company. So, take what fits and modify it to your situation.

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Fall 2005: by Brent Banda
Attracting Profitable Customers
The first step to effectively marketing your business is to understand your current customer base by identifying the most profitable segments and by examining the lifetime value of each segment.

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Spring 2005: by Brent Banda
Branding Your Business: More Than Just a Name
Branding is a term that all business owners come across but few truly understand. Branding is similar to branding on a ranch. You leave your mark on your customer's mind.