Anyone Can Be A Marketer, Can you?... Really?

As I am writing this, I am constructing another blog for the idea mentioned in the previous post; thus, unfortunately this post is not it. However, to give a quick idea, it is the 'nonprofit marketing agency for nonprofit organizations'. It sounds straightforward and clear, but is it?

Since I was pursuing my bachelor degree I decided to major in Pubic Relations, which I believe many PR skills are interchangeable with marketing (especially in promotion aspect). Many people told me that anyone can be a marketer or public relations practitioner. I agree! and you know what? Every one can be a doctor, a pilot, a scientist, an astronaut, you name it. The only impossibility here would be we cannot be non-human (genetically).

The big idea today is marketing is not for everyone, or you think it's for you, your personality may prevent you from being good at it. And here is the twist, the awesome thing about marketing is the field is so large that it can fit any personality you may have. If you are an introvert person, welcome to marketing analyst. You are a planner / thinker, well, marketing strategist seems to be for you. You enjoy dynamic working environment, then event marketer is sound for you. You get my point. So again, yes, anyone can be a marketer. Let's take an extreme example, leave a comment if you prefer a creative surgeon over the stick-to-the-point kind of surgeon.

Apart from theories, processes, and systems that a marketer needs to know (and yes, anyone who study them can do that). I believe that being a marketer is being a nosy explorer full with curiosities and the why not attitude (what picture popped in your head just now? I was thinking of a Beagle). We take (necessary) risks to see what works and what's not. Are you that type of person?

Credit: Micah Brian Riddle

If you are a marketer and you are not being a Beagle, be one. If you are already being a Beagle, keep going, be there, show up, anywhere your legs can take you.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

Keep in touch:

Twitter - @Rathapat_S

LinkedIn - Rathapat (Moe) Suwanaratana

4 Criteria of Personal Core Competencies

Have you ever wonder how a person get paid so much for their career while you believe the job is not extraordinary? Well, I do sometimes. 

Recently I learned an corporate internal environment analysis in my master and came across the core competency criteria. It was nothing particularly new or unique, but at a closer look, I tried to apply to myself as a person. 

It WORKS! Let's see how...

What is Core Competency?

Following the concept by Coyne, Hall, and Clifford proposed that the core competency is "aggregates of capabilities, where synergy is created that has sustainable value and broad applicability." 

The 4 Criteria

A core competency must be:

• Valuable
• The set of capabilities should help the person in the process of finding opportunities and create value, or preventing threats from surrounding.
• Rare
• The capabilities are possessed by few people, or none.
• Costly to Imitate
• The capabilities should not be easily copied due to 3 main factors:
1. Experience- Rich or extraordinary personal experience
2. Causal ambiguity
   - Unique ways of doing things that no one can understand
3. Social complexity
   - Network and relationship of the person
• Non-substitutable
• The capabilities that is invisible to others; thus, make it difficult to substitute.

Core competencies are the reason behind the differences between individuals which create competitive advantage that makes others perceived you are an important person that cannot be substituted.

I hope after reading this article you can find your capabilities and create your own core competencies.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

Keep in touch:

Twitter - @Rathapat_S

LinkedIn - Rathapat (Moe) Suwanaratana

"Goal of Life"

After half a year pause on this blog due to personal duties, I finally come back to write about nonprofit matters again.

Right now I'm studying master degree in business administration, I notice one common thing in my peers. They all want to work for $$$, and very small portion of peers really know why they are doing it, or how would it improve their society and communities. Only one thing they concern is "good pay".

I spent my time talked to many of my peers, I found out that they find a hard time finding what they like or want to do in the future; hence, "with money I can do anything I like" (quoted from a peer). It does make sense but would you live another 60 years having all the money you want, but still not satisfied because you have no GOAL in life?

Now, the question is, how to get to know your goal of life? This is probably one of the hardest question new generation is facing. Here is how I find myself in non-profit industry and communications.

First, ask oneself if there is one thing I want to improve about the world, what would it be? If you can answer that, you probably have the topic. Second, how can I be a part of change or improvement? Always remember to disregard the impossible and come up with the most viable method(s). Third, Am I on the path toward the change? Fourth, how much resources do I have? This includes your time (assuming you are 20 years old, then you have approximately 50 years of workable time), money, knowledge, etc. Lastly, What am I seeing after my time is done? This is simply your vision of your goal.

To wrap-up how to realize my life's goal:

1. What do I want to improve in this world?
2. How can I be a part of change/improvement?
3. Am I on the right direction toward the goal?
4. How much resources do I have?
5. What do I see after my time is done?

Hope this can be useful for everyone who is trying to find oneself.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

- Rathapat (Moe) Suwanaratana

Twitter: @Rathapat_S

LinkedIn: Rathapat (Moe) Suwanaratana

Time Management: The Irreversible Treasure of Life

Irreversible Treasure Of Life

"I have no time!" or "I am too busy" are two sentences I often heard from my peers. It is true that we cannot bring back time, but we can use each second ahead of us to its best. Today's posting I would like to share with readers how do I manage my time using several books I read.

Sunday night is the time for me to sit for about 30 minutes to manage my schedule for the following week. First, I setup objectives for the week (the lesser the better). From those objectives, now I follow five steps.

Five steps to setup a schedule: 

listing, ranking, separating, plotting, and reorganizing.

Listing

Listing is the process of noting down everything I think it is required to achieve the objectives. In this process, I keep on writing rather than trying to figure out if they are important or not.

Ranking

Now, I have my list but I don't know which one is important. The next step I do is to categorize the items to each objective and see if they will lead to the objectives. The purpose of ranking is to put number in front of each item in the categorized list according to its importance.

Separating

I would have a cleaner list that will lead me to the objectives by now. This step is the most challenging among all because many people cannot separate between "action" and "activity". Action will lead me to the goals, and activity will make my life easier to achieve the goal. However, I am looking for "action" rather than "activity". I put activity items aside and focus on action items.

Plotting

Plotting involves a two-dimension graph. On x-axis labeled "least important" and "very important", and y-axis labeled "least urgent" and "very urgent". Simply plot down the action items from the list and I see what should I concentrate on for the following week.

Reorganizing

Just before packing up and get ready for Monday, it is a good idea to look at the list and the graph again to make sure I understand everything correctly. Sometime I have to readjust and reorganize the items (often because there are too many of them).

Remember that this method works for me but it may not for everyone. After all, we are humans, we cannot work more than our body and mind can. If it is too much to handle, it is always a better idea to hand some works to your colleagues or put them down for now.

This method can be done in day, month, or year scope as well.

I hope this technique will help manage your time.

"Shaping The Future of Business"

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Twitter: @Rathapat_S

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Road to The Future of Nonprofit Sectors

The Destination We Should Look For

As a student in public relations and marketing communications, I'm fortunate to witness and involve with many nonprofit organizations.

According to my experience, nonprofit organizations are short of professional marketers to be able to communicate and bring change to our communities. 

This is a great opportunity for students to get a hand-on experience in real practice. Through volunteer as a marketer, students can learn much more than books and professors can possibly teach.

For that reason, nonprofit organizations should connect with college and university students, and give the students a chance to work with the organizations. That way, not only the organizations can learn from the students, but also serve as a foundation of the students' attitude and behaviour toward the future.

I always believe that one day society will not need nonprofit sectors. It is the day that our world is at peace and people are helping each other at our own time and will.

What Do You See In The Future of Nonprofit Organizations?

Share and leave comments as you please.

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