The Journey of Ichi's Family: October 2020

2 Things That Influence Marketing Strategy When Determining Target Consumers

Before making a decision what your next marketing strategy, it is crucial that you have to know the consumers. Sometimes as a business owner or at least people who I know, they only think of making huge profits even before analyzing their customers and their products in the market. I completely understand every business needs to gain profit, but profit itself will be coming with a good marketing strategy. How to determine target customers and how they influence marketing strategy? There is 2 thing, first who is target customers, second is where we could reach them.

1. Who

When talking about marketing strategy, it is important for a business owner to know the customers. Who are your customers? This is the first thing that influencing marketing strategy. Analyzing consumers will lead you and give a view of what marketing strategy should apply and also finding the best strategy. Questioning yourself about it, "who are they?", "are they adults or kids, and how old they are?" It surmises target consumers are kids. If your products are dessert it could be a cake then the next step is deciding which dessert is healthy for the kids. Why would think about a healthy cake? We agree that this product is saturated in the market. It means that the cake you make must unique from others. Starting from kid's preference, they love something vibrant so this product has a golden opportunity. For example, making a colorful cake with characters such as rainbow cake, sunflower cake, car cake, etc. All the ingredients in it must healthy choices. You could imagine that you are having a kid before buying a cake for your kids you must concern about what is the ingredient too, right? Positioning yourself as a parent to understanding what customers want and what they expect. It sounds challenging but we have to embrace, learn, and trying until the product will surpass. As a result, customers will back to you and become loyal buyers. Moreover, it has gained huge profits.

The next step is talking about how to promote the product. Thinking about when kids often come by, when they play, what time they are watching TV, what they watch. Why we need to know all about these? Simply put, we need to advertising the cake, right? If you are willing to promote it by television advertising then a good choice to put your work on kid's program. Hopefully, they will watch and ask their parent to buy your products. But we can use other tools such as media social or any platform that suits a cake business as a marketing strategy. Thinking about it, I've been thinking for such a long time about this. The marketing strategy is that by entering the parent community we can meet customers. Look around you, if we are a part of this parent community that will make your marketing strategy easier to adapt. The reason is first, we can promote the product mouth to mouth; second, showcase the cakes on the parent group by posting pictures of the cake on social media. This is how to engage potential customers.

2. Where

How this can affect marketing strategy? When we are dealing with customers we need to know where to find potential customers based on the product. Because some products are unique or have a special purpose and we can not expect general customers would buy it. Where the place that reaching these buyers we need to analyze and find a marketing strategy to meet them.

Let's say your product is swimwear. In order to get potential attention, we could do advertising this swimwear at a swimming pool nearby or beach by leaflet to people who come to these places. Moreover, because today we are in a digital world there is a wise choice to use digital marketing strategy by using social media, creating web and an online shop, joining a platform. Writing down on the flyer about your swimwear website, business e-mail, Instagram account, etc. That's the good news about digital marketing.

In my opinion, with digital marketing, a business will thrive even further. The gap between customers and the products will meet in the digital world because customers especially youngsters often shopping online. No matter where they are, it is virtually possible to do shopping. When it happens, a digital marketer needs to know about customer behavior especially when talking about culture. To get through the market, a business must understand this culture. In this case, swimwear material; in some countries, the customer prefers good material and price is no problem for them. But another country, they prefer cheap price and doesn't bother with material as long as cheaper.

To sum up, there 2 things that could affect marketing strategy when determining target customers, first; who are target customers; second, where are they based on the product. And in my perspective, the space between consumers and the product could meet in the digital world by online shopping. Especially today that businesses are preparing and getting ready for a "new normal" due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Note:

Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
Do not copy this article without permission

4 Steps to Digitalize Your Business in an Easy Way

Nowadays, everyone is talking about digital marketing. After Covid-19 struck the world with uncertainty and anxiety, many people seek for changing, including their business how to survive in this crisis. Indeed, we read and hear that some or many businesses collapsed during the pandemic, especially small businesses. The only way to get through the coronavirus year is to digitalize your business. And in this article, I am talking about small businesses.

Whether you like it or not, your business strategies must change and adapt. In order to adapt, you are dealing with "maybe" a new knowledge at least for some of you, it is called digital marketing. I know there are many questions, "what is digital marketing?", " what the strategies?", "How it works?", "Are you sure it will working?" and other questions. There are 4 steps to digitalize your business.

1. Identify market

Whatever your business before when Covid-19 become crisis suddenly the market slowdown. Am I, right? Why? First, now gathering is prohibited; second, customers can not go shopping freely; third, businesses must close due to the situation for example lockdown or semi-lockdown.

Identifying the market is the first thing we have to do before making a decision for the next marketing strategies: what people seek, what people want, what people need, what is changing in the market. By analyzing all of these things will give you some sort of view of what you move next. Do not lay back and wait for luck that the Covid-19 will be gone by the time and you can open your business again. Instead of complaining and sit back, you can make a move and change the business strategies.

A simply put I give an example, before this unprecedented crisis you sell books, then business run slow and nearly goes bankrupt. If you could identify what is going on in the market, the first thing you know is that people are looking for a face mask. It is your chance to grab the opportunity by selling masks.

2. Learning

What does it mean? It means we have to learn whether to learn new things or expanding skills. You have to remember that learning is something we must-do if you want to survive. Otherwise, the world will leave you behind. I am seriously talking about this. I can see people who I know that many of them stubborn, they do not have the spirit to challenge their limit or even just look for a few seconds to learn.

For example, now you want to sell masks but you can not sew. What would you do? Yes, learning how to sew is the correct answer. Or might be you see the door to sell foods or snacks, you are not able to learn before the Covid-19 crisis because busy with works or something else but now have time to upskilling that talent. What I am trying to say is that choosing the right courses or self-thought you are interested in will give you a chance to survive. At least, you still get some money to provide food at home. Do not feel hopeless until trying hard and learn.

3. Finding Tools

"Tools" means anything that you can use to sell your products. You can use social media, or applications such as Whatsapp. How it works? Look at people around you, it could be your family, friends, family friends, colleague, your community; what kind of tool they use in everyday life, is that Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp? By analyzing this short view we can see the quick result. Put your works on it, I can say free advertising. Let them see what you are capable of by showing the products. That's how you engage with potential customers. You can give them sample products and see how they react.

Let's say you are making snacks. By using the tool, WhatsApp for example, we do not need to meet customers. They can leave messages by WhatsApp to order. And take a picture of your works then post them on Instagram. It sounds simple, right? It is an easy way how to transform the business to digital. You need to find the right tools and applying them. Because what I have believed is that technology is a survival skill.

4. Services

At this point, services are one thing that we have to do. There is communication between us and customers and also deliver the products.

Even if we are a small business, do not forget that our customers are important. Gaining their trust will lead you to get loyal customers. If you can build this connection, they will become your brand ambassador. Have you have ever heard about a mouth to mouth marketing, right? This is what happens when customers are satisfied and happy with your brand. They will talk to their friends, family about how good the products. Build two ways of communication between you and consumers; asking them, "are they satisfied with the product?" With this communication, you will know what consumers expect about the brand. Do not be agitated when they criticize your products. Put your effort to make better products and surpass them. Or when consumers ask something we have to respond as quickly as possible. Do not let them wait for too long. How does it work? You can create a business e-mail, quick chat by WhatsApp.

The second service is how to deliver products including packaging. For example, I am selling fried noodles now. Due to the Coronavirus situation, it is impossible to open a stall maybe because of the rent that we could not pay. So, I cook my fried noodles at home, customers order by WhatsApp before the shop opens online. After opening, we are ready to cook then direct delivery to the customer's home or they could take their own order. If there is a possibility to join Grab Food then you can try it. The question is that our product packaging good enough; "is it proper material to wrap fried-noodle?", "is it easy for customers to carry?" Besides thinking about communication and delivery you need concern about packaging too.

There are 4 steps to digitalize your business in an easy way. Why I am writing this topic? Because there are or some small businesses owner who does not know how to transform their businesses amid pandemic. Are you kidding me? No, I am not. It is a reality that we have to face that not everyone has a source to learn, some people live in the city or big modern country, some others stay on the island or remote village, or some other being stubborn and doesn't want to change at all because of afraid with uncertain life ahead. So, this is why I write an easy way to apply digital marketing strategies.

To sum up, in order to transform a business into digital there are 4 steps; identify the market, learning something new or advanced skills, finding the right tools, and good services in communication, and deliver a product to gain customer trust and loyalty.

Note:

Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
Do not copy this article without permission

The Importance of Upskilling in Dealing with Pandemic

Do you agree that in order to survive in an unprecedented crisis we have to upgrade our skill? People say that the future is a mystery; we do not know what happens in a few years later. But as human beings, it is our basics skill to adapt if the world is changing quickly.

I believe that most of you hear or read that many businesses go bankrupt due to the Coronavirus situation. And in this article, I only focus on small businesses or home-based businesses. Indeed, I agree because of this crisis makes many people feel nervous. However, facing it in a positive mind will open a new door that brings us to a new opportunity. One door is closed and another door opens. What I am trying to say is that we have to adapt.

If the world changes rapidly and so are we. Adapting to the crisis we are in, it leads us to the next step. In order to do it that learning something new is a good decision. I remember a few years ago one of my friends asked me for advice. She wanted to make additional money to support her kids because she was in the divorce process. I talked to her that she needed to open small businesses at home by making cookies and cakes. By promoting her products on social media such as Instagram and Twitter would drive more customers. Besides, using another tool that popular in the community, WhatsApp for example, would make it easier for customers to orders and get in touch. Why I gave her that suggestion? My friend had a talent for baking and randomly her friends ordered. Moreover, she used to use social media in her daily life for unnecessary things. I thought she just needed to change her behavior by using social media as an advertising and showing to people what she capable of. The good thing is that it is a free Ad. Unfortunately, she said she could not do it because the market was not promising and did not know how to sell cookies on media social. Instead of trying she chose to give up. To be honest, I was disappointed. And today we are in Coronavirus year, if she had built the business back then, her businesses will thrive because the Covid-19 crisis urged businesses to go digital and creative. Read my other article that related to this topic here, https://ichi-journey.blogspot.com/2020/10/surviving-businesses-are-one-whose.html

We can not expect that every day is always a rainbow; sometimes storm comes. To deal with this condition it is important to upgrade our knowledge, our skill, or even our degree. Who would have known what happen in the future, it could be an economic or diseases crisis. By learning something new or take advanced knowledge, we can embrace the pandemic. Taking courses, class, or even self-taught in your field or another subject will give you the possibility to create a new opportunity or "just" survive. For example: if your business collapsed or you lose your job, what would you do? Whether you like it or not, you should learn something and upgrade skills to transforming your business or yourself. Without upskilling, it is virtually impossible to get through this pandemic.

Let's say you were selling fresh fruits before. A slowdown in sales during this Coronavirus crisis force you to close down the business. By upskilling your strategies on how to make fresh juice, using a tool to promote the product then drive new customers, and how to deliver orders without direct contact with customers, it is possible for you to keep your business run in a rough situation. Furthermore, you can make another product such as dessert made from fruit too.

For of all, in the end as a human being, it is basic knowledge for us to survive in any condition. Pulling up ourselves together to embrace the crisis by upgrading skills and knowledge to level up our life. Otherwise, without adaptation, we are unable to carry on with our lives, the most important is our future.

Note:

Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
Do not copy this article without permission

Surviving Businesses are the one whose transform to digital and creative

How many businesses collapsed during the pandemic? The answer is a lot! We heard and read there are more and more businesses are struggling or even dying to survive. Yes, we agree that crisis hasn't ever warned us when it comes. But, as a human being is our nature to adapt and survive, right? Learning something new and figure it out how we can apply new strategies. That's how we transform our businesses into digital and must creative.

I heard from one of my friends that her business bankrupted due to the Coronavirus situation. I said to her, "Why don't you try another opportunity or learn how to digitalize your business?" Here her answer, " I am not as smart as you, I can't cook, I can't sew, I can't teach, etc.." I gave her suggestions based on where she lives that it is a big opportunity to make a handmade mask & handmade brooch, or selling snacks, or become a tuition teacher. And how to do that work? Of course with a new strategy called digitalization. Instead of trying she chooses to wait and do nothing. On another hand, her kids need support to buy medicine, food, etc. But another good story comes from my other friend; if many businesses go bankrupt instead my friend builds her business. Are you surprise? I am not at all. Why? she uses media social to promote her business and show her skill, using Whatsapp to connect with customers and take orders, and also deliver the order directly to the customer's home. The most important is she always wants to learn and upgrade her skill. My friend's business grows every day. We can't deny if you are a creative person, wanting to learn something new, and transform the business to digital then your business would survive.

Digitalization is not something new to me because I had learned it in 2018. At the time I just want to learn how to start an online business. Another reason, I want to apply it to my small business. That's the reason why I decided to study digital marketing. And because of the Coronavirus situation, every day, everywhere, people often talk about digital marketing. Personally, to me, this unprecedented crisis gives us lessons that we have to upgrade our skills, knowledge, and never stop learning. Someone said, "future is a mystery." We do not know what happens tomorrow, next month, or next year, and be better to prepare it right now. That's what my father taught me a long time ago. We have to prepare our future by learning new knowledge and upgrade skills.

So, how to survive in this pandemic situation? This is in my opinion:

1. Transform into digital

It is clear transformation is needed to survive in any business during the pandemic whether small or big businesses. In this article, I would like to talk about small businesses or home businesses. Before you make a decision it is important to analyze the market and customer behavior. During the pandemic, the market could change their interest or demand, for example, high demand for masks, sanitizer, green vegetables, even snacks. You can say which one is in high demand today by observing the market at least realize what the market wants, and what is change. This is just an example: if in the past you sold ready-to-eat food, soup, then now you should try how to make a pack of soup ingredients. Why? First, customers prefer cooking at home rather than buy takeaway food. The second reason, easy for customers who is the first time cooking at home. Using an app that familiar to the customers; order online and deliver the package directly to the customers.

Secondly, after analyzing the market we have to consider how customer behavior due to the Coronavirus situation. This is what happens around me, people do online shopping! Ordering foods, clothes, kitchen stuff, office stuff (many work from home), accessories, etc by online. I, myself, often do online shopping rather than conventional ones. If the business doesn't catch up with a glimpse of customer behavior changing then believe me your business will go bankrupt. "But I don't know how to transform", then it is time for you to do learning about digital marketing, am I right? "I can't..", well it hard to say, you must learn if want to survive.

Remember, the decision is based on where you live and what is going on around you. It could a different approach between one place to another. Quick example: in a remote village, a business must use its own resource to deliver an order. Why? There is no such kind of online delivery such as Grab Food for example.

2. Creative

Like I said an early paragraph, we need to become a creative person if want to survive. Looking for a new opportunity and what can we do during the situation. One door is closed another door opens. Again, every decision depends on what happens around, that's why we need to analyze it. For example: in the past sold "mee goreng" at a stall then your stall closed because of the Coronavirus. And now what? At home, you could start a "mee goreng" business or a new one by making meatball soup, fried meatball with tomato sauce, or making handmade masks for example. Using anything that familiar to the customers to promote the business to your friends, family, or even your neighbor, taking online orders, and send it directly to customers. At the same time while you are waiting for an order you could do teaching some children who do an online school. There is no need to pay stall rent, just stay at home yet making money. Sounds, good? 😍

The key to get through this situation businesses must adapt and transform into a "new normal." Talking about a "new normal" you can say it is all about digital. Before applying the strategies what we need is analyzed around: market changing and customer behavior; make a decision on which strategies will work and execute the plan/ strategies. What I believe is businesses will survive if they transform into digital and must creative to find out new strategies during the pandemic.

Note:

Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
Do not copy this article without permission

Ichikraft Design: Autumn Flower Brooch

Ichikraft design: Autumn flower brooch - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Autumn? What are exciting about autumn? Well, in this article I am gonna share one of Ichikraft design; Autumn flower brooch. Sounds good, right? We are going to make it in an easy way that you could follow step by step. Furthermore, the color is great too! I hope you can enjoy the processes. Let's get started!

Material:

Double-faced satin ribbon in wine color with 4 cm for the wide. Cut 5 cm for the length and you need 3 pieces
Double-faced satin ribbon in wine color with 4 cm for the wide. Cut 6 cm for the length and you need 5 pieces
Double-faced satin ribbon in burgundy color with 4 cm for the wide. Cut 7 cm for the length and you need 6 pieces
Double-faced satin ribbon in willow color with 4 cm for the wide. Cut 5 cm for the length and you need 2 pieces
A needle and thread
Lighter and ruler
Felt
A pin brooch
"HANDMADE" label
Artificial berry or flower stamens

These are what you do:

Create the first layer by joining 3 pieces satin ribbon with 5 cm for the length. You have to stitch them like the picture below shows