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The case outlines how the strategy for launching rice bran oil, a less consumed edible oil, was modified with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Tirupati oil by NK Proteins is one of the top 3 edible oils sold in Gujarat. Three months before the launch of the rice bran oil, the director passed away. With pandemic restrictions still in force, there was a change in the management with the next generation taking over. Amidst this chaos, the rice bran oil was launched. Within a year of its launch, it became the market leader in Gujarat. To achieve this goal, the company did three things differently from the competition. First, it focused on affordability and marketed it to the masses unlike their competitors who portrayed it as a premium product for a niche customer base. Second, they weighed on their huge distribution network and created a push product by directly supplying rice bran oil to the distributors rather than going through the traditional via the traders, and third, they positioned the oil as an immunity booster vis-à-vis the heart-healthy positioning adopted by other players. After this successful launch, the next plan of action was to professionalise NK Proteins from its traditional way of working. The new MD, Priyam Patel, felt that this was the only way to expand the business and take it to the next level. But would the personnel working with the company since before Priyam was born be receptive towards the change? Furthermore, the nearest competitor, Fortune, was looking to gain lost ground and thus posed a new challenge. Tirupati had always positioned its product as a healthy and immunity booster oil. With other competitors also highlighting the health benefits of their oil, Tirupati needed to strengthen its competitive positioning. Could a consumer survey provide them insights to evaluate their positioning strategy?

This field-based case introduces students to the challenges of building a professional brand through the lens of a college athlete. Since the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA's) landmark decision in 2021, college-level student athletes have been able to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Brian Gursky is finishing his collegiate pitching career at the University of Virginia after playing for four years at the University of Southern California and earning a business degree there. He hopes to play professional baseball, and his backup plan is to work in business. Gursky realizes that he might not have been fully leveraging social media to achieve either of his professional goals. Students investigate Gursky's tweets and assess what they communicate about him to potential scouts, coaches, NIL sponsors, and business recruiters. They learn that as athletes (and students) seek to become more professional, they need to use social media not as a vehicle to communicate with friends but as an advertising and promotion platform to establish their athlete or professional brands. This case is well suited for undergraduate and graduate (e.g., MBA) courses in core marketing, marketing strategy, sports marketing, sports management, advertising, promotion, strategic partnerships/alliances, brand management, or brand strategy. It can also be used in executive education courses to help business leaders identify, analyze, and recommend improvements in leveraging social media to build a professional brand. Finally, athletic departments can use it to introduce collegiate athletes to the rules and protocols for conducting themselves appropriately in today's high-pressure collegiate sport environment.

The Paris Agreement, which came into force on November 4, 2016, applied to Hong Kong, where Kam Sing Wong had been secretary for the environment of the HKSARG since July 2012. Wong wanted every business sector and household to embark on a new low carbon journey through cleaner energy, energy conservation, and green commuting and to nurture a “use less, waste less” culture. On June 8, 2022, Wong had to announce an increase in the charge Hong Kong shoppers paid to retailers for each plastic shopping bag they used, which was currently set at HK$0.50 (US$0.06). Even if Wong doubled the amount to HK$1.00, this would still be a small amount in absolute terms. What messages would be necessary in order to communicate to people the importance of using less plastic? Wong had to make a big decision about how much of a change to make to this small amount of HK$0.50. A small change in the actions of each citizen of Hong Kong could potentially be amplified into a large amount of absolute waste reduction.

NutriNest, founded by Le Danh Hoang, was the first company to introduce farmed bird's nest products in Vietnam. In January 2018, the company launched a sustainable product line under a new brand called the Green Bird. The Green Bird product line was positioned to meet consumers’ sustainability and health concerns, and quickly became the company’s best-selling products. To continue to grow NutriNest, Hoang was facing a crucial decision. Should he focus on the current portfolio of the Green Bird line or add new products? If he chooses to introduce new products, how should he ensure that these products will attract new segments of customers and increase sales?

The case describes the relaunch of the popular bubble tea franchise Gong Cha in Singapore in December 2017. This was seven months after its 80 outlets were converted, within a week, into a new chain named LiHO TEA by the former Gong Cha franchisee. Kang Puay Seng, the new franchisee, had the advantage of a large loyal customer base waiting for Gong Cha's return, but also faced the challenge of balancing the expectations of the existing base of Gong Cha loyalists with the changes occurring in the fast-changing bubble tea market. In addition, he had to find new locations in an increasingly competitive market in which mall owners were now allowing multiple bubble tea brands to operate in the same mall. The COVID-19 crisis in 2020-21 was another shock that the franchise had to adapt to, especially during a two-month lockdown period. In 2022, five years after the relaunch, the bubble tea market seemed to continue attracting new entrants, with over 60 brands operating in Singapore. The case describes innovations in menu additions, retail format, and service model that have kept the Gong Cha brand popular in a competitive market. The challenge ahead is to continue to innovate as the bubble tea market would likely consolidate in the years to come.

The Paris Agreement, which came into force on November 4, 2016, applied to Hong Kong, where Kam Sing Wong had been secretary for the environment of the HKSARG since July 2012. Wong wanted every business sector and household to embark on a new low carbon journey through cleaner energy, energy conservation, and green commuting and to nurture a "use less, waste less" culture. On June 8, 2022, Wong had to announce an increase in the charge Hong Kong shoppers paid to retailers for each plastic shopping bag they used, which was currently set at HK$0.50 (US$0.06). Even if Wong doubled the amount to HK$1.00, this would still be a small amount in absolute terms. What messages would be necessary in order to communicate to people the importance of using less plastic? Wong had to make a big decision about how much of a change to make to this small amount of HK$0.50. A small change in the actions of each citizen of Hong Kong could potentially be amplified into a large amount of absolute waste reduction.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 1 begins with a discussion of target markets, their nature, and their business potential. Traditional primary market research still plays an essential role, as does the internet, in obtaining data for actionable market intelligence. Assessing needs of market segments and understanding their strategic fit with a company's business plan can help a company select their target market no matter the size of the organization. The salesman's curse is also discussed-that is, the need for precision prospecting in order to find the potential customers worth spending time on. How to make use of segmentation to capture an organization's market is explored, along with how to focus the marketing and sales process effectively. If companies underestimate early marketing and sales work, they will eventually hit several obstacles, including hours of wasted effort and the need to revise their marketing and sales strategy.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 2 focuses on the need for an organization to establish their brand and a competitive position before they attack target businesses in their market segment. Marketing and sales efforts must be preceded by fixing the company's brand image in the prospective customer's mind. Establishing the brand and positioning is the next step in developing the marketing and sales process. Once that is done, companies can begin a highly focused and effective marketing and sales approach. Upstream marketing is explored, and while it takes time, effort, and expertise, it has many benefits. Several practical suggestions on branding, positioning, and communication in general are offered.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 3 shifts the focus from the marketing team to the sales team. Once specific market segments and target businesses within those segments are identified, sales teams can work with marketing teams to investigate and understand potential customers' business dynamics, how they buy, and whom the company is competing with to get the business. By exploring the market further, identifying specific target prospects, and taking the time to understand competitors, organizations will create and establish a healthy and realistic sales pipeline and reduce the length of their sales cycle. Straightforward tips on prospect analysis and qualification, competitive analysis, and competitive strategy are all provided.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 4 discusses how to inform, influence, motivate, and sell, which are core to marketing and sales. It examines how to move the prospect identified and analyzed in the previous chapter's work, from awareness, through positive opinion, to consideration, leading on to trial or evaluation and to the point of purchase. When these actions are executed effectively, they will lead to successful sales.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 5 considers how and when to put together the sales proposal or tender and what it might contain. The salesperson must make the case to be the right supplier, in the most professional possible. Many salespeople, under constant pressure to reach quotas, undervalue this communication to the prospective buyer. This chapter examines the importance of value-based selling (VBS), getting the timing right in this part of the sales process, and how to present the proposal to the target audience. Experienced businesspeople will discuss the lessons they learned in the field, and the chapter offers some insights on how to approach this vital part of the sales process.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 6 examines how to turn the prospect's awareness into a positive opinion, with sufficient confidence in you, your company, and your solution to give you the order. This is the stage at which many potential complex B2B sales are lost. Managing the customer's detailed assessment of what you are selling is an essential skill that will serve you well and lead to more closed deals. Every potential sale will differ at this stage; so an adaptable, personalized, and tightly managed process is needed. Professional and experienced managers of the sales process will comment on their relevant lessons learned in the field and the chapter draws some conclusions on the most effective approach.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 7 examines the art of helping your new customer to hit the road running. It's easy to close the sale and lose attention to helping the customer realize all of the business benefits that you sold to them. Whatever your product or service offering, a smooth transition into the customer's existing systems by properly managing the installation process is essential to avoid buyer remorse, customer support problems, and any early damage to a new relationship for which you have long-term ambitions. We'll also examine the importance of successful implementation by the user.

Marketing and sales are essential aspects of any business; marketing manages the customer experience, while sales focuses on the customer relationship. In today's quickly changing world, marketing and sales have had to adapt to virtual selling, social media communication, digital marketing, and more. Nevertheless, some things have remained the same, including the need for consistent branding, the focus on the customer, and the collaboration between marketing and sales. This text looks at these issues in depth. Written for marketing and sales professionals and students, Seamless offers expert opinion, academic theory, real-world experience, and practical advice with explanatory graphics and "Dos and Don'ts" lists to educate and guide readers through the marketing, sales, and account management process to business success. Chapter 8 introduces the roles of the SAM-strategic account manager or KAM-key account manager, who will produce highly profitable repeat sales. It looks at becoming embedded as a strategic partner, assessing and realizing future sales opportunities, gaining enthusiastic endorsements and referrals, and fending off the competition by providing a great customer experience (CE). The benefits of these actions apply to organizations large and small. A major practitioner will discuss how they have had success in this area, and the chapter offers suggestions on how best to make it work.

After importing three hundred bags of ground sacha inchi, a seed with promising nutritional benefits, from Peru, Kayla Gray has important decisions to make. Her new venture, Sachi Superfoods, is ready to launch; however, she does not have a clear plan on how to best market her product. Gray must decide on the best market segment to pursue in addition to the most effective marketing channel for her product.

Incubated by two engineering students from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. After several pivots, the company focused on home appliances, specifically ceiling fans. The fan-related journey began in 2016 as a Business -to-Business business (B2B) venture, but soon, the company focused on the larger consumer market. In a very short span, it had grown to a revenue run rate of US$80 million in annual revenues by 2022. At the same time, it faced many challenges. To begin with, the company's marketing efforts were mainly through digital channels. 25% of Atomberg's sales were made through online channels, far higher than the industry average of approximately 10%. However, to scale its ceiling fan business to the next level, the company needed to grow its share in the offline market dominated by regional distributors and retailers. While e-commerce will continue to grow, companies such as Atomberg need to have a multi-channel strategy in the short run. They need to focus their marketing and brand-building activities through digital channels and synchronize these with in-store promotions. The case follows the life of a young and successful start-up that pivoted its business model multiple times to reach its current size but needed fresh thinking on its marketing strategy to scale to the next level.

Opened in January 2021, the medical centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), CUHK Medical Centre (CUMC), was a non-profit teaching hospital wholly owned by the university. In December 2022, Professor Hong Fung, the executive director and chief executive officer, knew that the CUMC board of directors would soon be asking how he was going to ensure that the privately operated CUMC would remain financially sustainable while still achieving its mission and vision—offering quality healthcare services at affordable and transparent package prices—and returning all surpluses from healthcare services to the hospital to support its future development and the CUHK Faculty of Medicine’s research and teaching.

This case narrates Bestore's initial success as a regional snack food brand and goes on to introduce its multiple channel innovations, i.e. from running 100% self-operated stores in central China to opening franchise stores all over the country, then to striking online-offline balance in revenue, and finally to finding ways to increase its presence in a rising channel, Douyin, also known as the Chinese version of TikTok, a globally popular short-video-themed social software on smart phones. As Bestore's founder, Yang Hongchun, observed that Douyin was attracting increasing user traffic, he decisively assembled a team to build business there. However, it seemed that the underlying logic between traditional e-commerce platforms and Douyin's e-commerce model was largely different. He needed to push for constant iterations on the part of the Douyin business team based on the data service and with the tools provided by the Douyin platform. In addition, the team also needed to grow its capabilities in many aspects to adapt to business on Douyin, such as having a familiar understanding of the new fads and creating contents that could resonate with Bestore's target customer groups. Bestore was just a small firm compared to western food conglomerates. As Bestore already had a complex online and offline channel system, was it worth the sweat to further invest in creating and running more Douyin accounts?

In early 2018, WhatsApp—the cross-platform messaging and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service—began testing its WhatsApp Payments (Payments) service, designed to enable digital payment transactions in India. By late 2020, the platform had rolled out the initial launch of its Payments feature within India, with the National Payments Corporation of India agreeing to a staggered launch. However, despite the number of Payments users increasing from twenty million to forty million between November 2021 and April 2022, the platform witnessed stagnation in customer retention due to faulty transactions and inefficient processes that resulted in driving customers away. WhatsApp’s challenge was to review its customer value proposition to gain new customers and retain existing ones. How should it communicate this customer value proposition to its target customer base to attract new users? Would it be more appropriate to launch Payments as a standalone app?

Captain Fresh, a tech-enabled business-to-business (B2B) seafood marketplace based out of Bengaluru, India, had been enjoying phenomenal success. Founder Utham Gowda set out to simplify the seafood supply chain in a fragmented, unstructured, and complex market. He was sure that going forward, technology would play a major role in building high-quality distribution infrastructure that would take fish from sea to plate. In January 2022, having achieved revenue growth of more than 700 per cent from September 2020 to September 2021, Gowda was faced with three equally compelling options for growth. In January 2022, he was faced with three equally compelling options for growth. The first was to set up Captain Fresh’s own business-to-consumer brand; the second was to add mutton and chicken to his product offerings; and the third option was a bold proposal to go international by expanding to the United States. Another exciting strategy was expanding Fishgram, the unique proprietary marine supply-chain technology platform Gowda had built to help fishers connect directly to buyers across various geographies. There was an opportunity to monetize the platform by offering it to non-competing fishers as a software as a service. Which of three options should he choose while maintaining his original goal of easing problems in the country’s fish and seafood supply chain? Should he offer Fishgram to fishers and other businesses?