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Bringing A Traditional Butcher’s Shop Into The 21st Century In Meaty Style

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:07 AM PDT

From a traditional high street butchers shop to online shopping, nationwide deliveries, books, videos and media attention, James Whelan Butchers is leading the way. I spotted Pat Whelan on Twitter a while ago and thought what a great job he was doing for his business; he has a really fun attitude online plus pushing the business in a subtle way which works. I certainly wanted to know more. In this interview Pat explains how the business has been in the family for over 50 years with himself bringing it into the 21^st Century, being the first Irish butcher establishing a great online presence and expanding into new markets – and I don't mean cattle markets.

How long has your family business been going, who started it and who is involved nowadays?

The craft of butchering has been in the family for generations (I am the 5th generation) and interestingly my mother taught my father as it's from her side! My mother and father started in Clonmel in 1960 and retired in 1999 when I took over. My father, James Whelan, is still in the background farming and there for general advice and assistance. We both go to the mart every week and I'd say he's forgotten more than I will ever learn about the livestock trade in Ireland.

People often ask me when did I first realise I was going to be a butcher and for me it was the most natural progression in life as I suppose butchering is part of my DNA. All the decisions I have made along the way seem to come naturally and the business seems to have evolved quite easily and without much fuss. I've built a great team of people around me over the years, all with unique talents and all of our endeavours have been the result of team collaboration.

When did you decide for your business to go online and why? How has going online helped your business and what new markets have you grown into?

Taking a traditional business and adding value to it grabs the imagination of a lot of people and with that a lot of attention and opportunity. As we have developed this business we have always remained true to the core value of the business 'quality'. Bringing the business to the digital arena certainly opened up a lot of opportunity for us and allowed us to serve people who we could never have connected with in the past.

Firstly we have developed a box which keeps the temperature for up to 48 hours and secondly we have developed partnerships with logistics companies that allow us to serve any address in Ireland or the UK overnight. This has had a huge impact on our overall business and allowed us to grow in a quiet but meaningful way.

I am the fifth generation of my family to be involved in this business and every day I see it as something I have borrowed from my children rather than inherited from my parents. For someone like me involved in a business that is part of a long family heritage the onus is to make sure your business is relevant to the generation you are serving and hopefully positioned well enough to sustain another generation.

Your website is great and very informative – who comes up with all the ideas?

The first website was a static website launched in 2001 and the current is the fourth site we have developed embracing the technology as it evolved along the way. Our mission is for the site to firstly be a meaningful resource for our customers by sharing our knowledge and insights into our business and through video sharing techniques etc; and secondly to sell products to our customers all over Ireland offering them an overnight delivery service to any address. I am always keen to keep the site updated weekly so there is something new when our visitors return. I am personally responsible for the updating of content to the web and it's something I really enjoy.

You are hot on Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Blogging – which is your favourite and why? How do you find time for Social Media?

I personally enjoy social media and have developed a particular interest in Twitter. I think the reason for this is that the "Irish Food" community at this moment in time is at the cutting edge and there are a number of key players who are all of the same vintage who have embraced it and made the "food Scene" on Twitter what it is today. There is a great sense of "family" and a Meitheal approach to helping each other with shared learning and experiences which makes it so interesting and enjoyable. I look at the time I spend on social media as an investment in the future.

You have an extensive Trophy cabinet – which Trophy are you most proud of?

I have been the recipient of many Trophies and Awards and I suppose the most prestigious one for me was the Marketing Institute Award which is a great recognition of all our endeavours as a team with no Marketing budget.......

You recently opened a new outlet in Avoca Monkstown – do you have any plans to open more?

In December 2011 we opened our first shop away from home. We are delighted to have partnered with the much loved Irish brand Avoca. The Pratt family share a similar ethos to ourselves and were a perfect partner for us. I was also joined by my sister and she and her husband run that shop in Dublin. They are a great support to me as we grow and develop our family business. The Monkstown shop has been a huge success from day one and as always we are looking to continue and develop opportunities for our business.

I'm glad I persevered with Pat as he didn't think he was interesting enough to be interviewed!? I'm sure you'll agree with me that he has a fascinating story to tell and I'm so glad he shared it with me, and therefore you too.

What’s In A Name? The Huge Value Of Branding

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 05:45 AM PDT

Have you ever wondered how global brands like Coca-Cola and IBM make it to the top list of global brands? Well, aside from years of guaranteed quality service, one of the major factors is having a reputable trademark or in layman's term, a brand.

Top Global Brands

In October 2011, Interbrand, the most prominent brand consultancy in the business sphere, launched its top 100 global brands. Among the top 5 were Coca-Cola, which has topped the list many times in a row; IBM; Microsoft; Google and General Electric (GE).

These five have been reigning in the list for years now, serving the public with quality products from beverages to computer software, electronics and other services. But how? Stop wondering anymore because it's all about branding or how they have established their name to the consumer public.

What is branding?

You may have asked yourself what it is and what it does. Is it different from advertising and public relations (PR), or is it basically part of them?

Before you do PR and advertising, you first have to conceptualize and establish your brand.

Branding is the first stage that a company must undergo to establish its name and build its reputation.
It is a way to fulfill a company's long-term goal of being known widely in the market.
It is your brand that you introduce, reinforce and use in your other marketing campaigns, serving as the product or service's identity.

In the American Marketing Association dictionary, branding is a strategy "to develop a strong brand reputation" that can result in positive recognition and feedbacks.

In order to be successful in branding, it is obviously important to have a brand or a trademark, in legal terms, that will stand out among the competitors and that will make a mark in the minds of your consumers.

More than just the brand name and logo

Branding is not only about establishing a unique yet intellectually-thought brand name, designing a memorable logo, creating the most fancy yet remarkable slogan and advertisement, and organizing events to increase recognition; it is also about how a company carries itself in a pool of competing industries.

Branding: Face and Reputation

Also for branding purposes, it is important that your company's credibility is not marred by unhealthy issues that can turn consumers off. In this way, you will be able to build your reputation and open more opportunities for your company.

Having good and flawless reputation can open more connections not only to fellow businessmen in the industry but also to your consumers.
Connection and communication between you and your consumer is very important, and a well-crafted branding strategy can help you win their hearts.

For example, Coca-Cola has been there for hundreds of years and is still being trusted by consumers. The reason behind it is the way the company reaches out to its target market—a healthy company-consumer relationship.

Reaching out to consumers: Building the bridge

Branding is important in establishing a connection between consumers and the business or company. As you establish your name or trademark, it is necessary to not only know the products or services you offer, but also your target market. In this way, you will know how to reach out to them to motivate consumer loyalty.

Getting consumer loyalty in a very competitive industry is no walk in the park, but it is achievable even through simple means. For one, you can start by being open to your consumers for their questions, complaints, feedback and other concerns.

Consumer feedback is important since you will know how consumers view your product and how to improve it based on such information.
It can also help establish your brand among competitors and introduce your product to consumers who are unfamiliar with your brand.

Taking the edge against competitors

Rising above your competitors banks largely on two things: credibility and consumer loyalty. These essentials are linked, as branding will not be successful if one of these goals were not achieved. Credibility breeds consumer loyalty, and consumer loyalty is hugely anchored on credibility.

Personal Branding

Even individuals can take advantage of the benefits of branding, establishing a reputation for themselves and being able to sell themselves better.

For job hunters, presenting themselves with a particular "brand" or identity allows them to make a mark in prospective employers' minds, making them more memorable and more likely to get hired compared with other applicants.
Even in the corporate setting, branding is deemed important not only for the company, but also to its employees. If branding per se can make a company stand out from others, personal branding can also make one shine among other office personalities.

When you brand yourself and your work well, you will gain expert status in which people will come to you for expert advice and opinions. These will make you a household name or an authority figure for journalists and for the industry.

Personal branding is also an edge for you because you will be trusted not only by your employer or by other business people, but also by the consumers. Consumers will put their trust in you because they think that you know much better. This way, you can gain more confidence that you can do more to provide quality service for other people. And as a personal brand, it is also important to take care and increase your market value because yes, business is still business.

Establishing your brand

It is not only worthy to know how important this marketing essential is; it is also important to know establish it. Know, communicate and innovate. Know what you are and what you can do. Communicate your "edge" and build good and strong connections with your target market. Innovate to bring novelty, sustain and strengthen consumer interest, and consistently provide quality and ever improving products and services.

How do you brand? let us know in the comments below!

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Image: guardian.co.uk

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joi, 21 iunie 2012