WFH Collections, really?

#WFH collections, really?

There are news that fashion brands are coming up with Work from Home Collections keeping in mind the consumer needs when they are WFH. After having spent a decade in fashion retailing, i am putting my thoughts below on the topic.

I believe fashion retail is driven by a larger need of social proof. To define the taste we have, labels to tell how much we earn, and where we belong. Now, given social distancing has dented the need for social proof, its not dead.

We still sport social proof clothing for WFH, though more polos, more round necks rather than crisp shirts. For some, the logos on those polos will serve the need to make those hierarchy statements. Others, might sport 'Slogan Tees' to make thier point in resistance and so on.

But yes, comfort will take a higher precedence over trends. More for shorts than trousers. And yes, the thumb rule of 3:1 (top to bottom (trousers) ratio) might stretch to 4 or 5 given the screen limitation on video chat.

But will designs change, i mean a special line of clothing? I dont think so its more like using the popular term. The reason why i am writing about it also means that in times of covid, wfh collection catches attention and thus a chance for a consumer to at least look at a category which will be in extreme pressure. A larger question, is whether our need to keep refreshing our wardrobe from season to season, would that be needed? That will change...at least for a while. Till we come back to normal with the end of #covid.

So, how can fashion industry wade thru these times? I think, there is a need to detach the industry from discretionary to more value. This would require ways and means to attach to fight against covid. Cause based approach wherein society at large can benefit immediately if people purchase now! Shop and then proceeds will enable a, b and c. Some way where consumer feels that shopping will help me with clothes but also do something for others. The freebies can be given away from the piles of inventory which would be unsellable after some time sitting in warehouses given there will be impact on demand in short term.

While quarantine has also stopped most engagememt calendars of fashion brands, still continued dialogue is needed with these brands talking about tips to deal with wfh, bringing stories that can up spirits of consumers, contribute to fight against covid with efforts around may be developing PPE for covid warriors and son.

These are the things that industry has to address rather than wfh collections as of now.

#fashion #apparel #retail #covid19 #wfh #comfort

Is your product a must-have?

Picked up a book recently - 'Hacking Growth' by Morgan Brown & Sean Ellis to decode this popular term. The book explains it as 'Creative growth strategies executed at low budgets to acquire or retain consumers, applied with a multi-functional lens - marketing, product, tech and what not'; rather than just plain hashtag#Jugaad'. The book explains various steps on how to get started on GH. One of the steps which is peculiar and important in today's times of hashtag#covid19 (when a lot of services are under lockdown), is to assess whether your product or app is a MUST-HAVE. What is a hashtag#musthave hashtag#product? A product that brings an AHA moment for hashtag#consumers; the moment where utility of the product really clicks. For eg, for Uber it is 'the cab reaching you at a click of a button' or 'finding friends' photos and updates instantly' for Fb. So, how to find that your product is must have? Do a MUST-HAVE Survey with your customers & ask - How disappointed would you be if this product no longer existed tomorrow? 1 Very disappointed 2 Somewhat disappointed 3 Not disappointed 4 N/A—I no longer use it. If 40 percent or more of responses are very disappointed, then the product is a must-have! Its an interesting read and i recommend it. Which hashtag#book on hashtag#Marketing do you recommend?

Will our habits change post covid lockdown?

The world would never be same post hashtag#covid given our habits will change. Habits require a min of 21 days to develop while we seem to have much more! As hashtag#consumers, we have changed so much in last few weeks. Our time spent on screens has skyrocketed. We are trying hashtag#digital variations of various old world necessities already – a) Epapers over physical Newspapers/magazines b) Fitness Videos/Live sessions Vs a gym c) Cooking food via online videos Vs ordering food d) Watching user generated content over social media Vs proper content e) Reading/listening to hashtag#digitalbooks Vs physical books

f) Watching new genres of hashtag#OTT content Vs Cable because of lack of fresh GEC content All this will have some retention effect as we come out of hashtag#lockdown & thus brands are pivoting to add value to user experience in this period – 1. hashtag#YouTube changed its metrics of views from millions/billions to Lakhs/Crores. 2. hashtag#LinkedIn has added new features including ‘Featured Content’ 3. Many digital reading apps have given free trials for weeks/months – hashtag#Kindle, hashtag#Blinkist. 4. Education Content brands offering free classes/content – hashtag#Byjus, Amar Chitra Katha. Are you seeing any changes in your hashtag#habits in this hashtag#lockdown with adoption of a particular app/product or service? Which one?

Story of Icecream, Candle and Oxygen mask!

In life, there is a dimension of selfishness we need and selflessness as well for an everlasting happiness.

In the book, Life's Amazing Secrets, author and monk Gopal Gaur brings in a comparison with icecream, candle and oxygen mask.

Icecream melts. U have to finish it fast before it melts.  Savour till it lasts. Thats selfishness.

Candle also melts. But it has an obejective to share light and dispell the darkness. It can even rekindle light onto other candles. Thats selflessness.

But these are extremes. Most of the times we are in between, but still shouldnt we ditch self savouriness of an icecreams in our lives always?

No, thats where oxygen mask comes in. As u listen to the safety instructions on a flight, u can hear that first u put oxygen mask on urself before u help others! Why?

Until and unless u put oxygen mask on urself, u wouldnt be able to help at all. To share ur happiness u need to happy first. To share wealth with others, u need to have wealth first.

Thus, we need to figure out our means first and be happy or work towards savouring this journey called life. And then, along the way we need to work at social contribution to further accentuate the taste of life.

Never settle; keep finding new means of unsettling yourself.

Never settle; keep finding new means of unsettling yourself.

Your job is to do things that make you uncomfortable. People who are comfortable are short-changing their true potential. Would you agree that someone that has a goal to create a massive life will help and influence more people? The people who settle for average are not living up to their potential. They struggle to get by, barely making a mark on the planet.

Like Steve Jobs suggested, your goal is to make a dent in the Universe.

Coaching for Social Media Influencers

In the age of #InfluencerMarketing; these newly arrived Influencers are often using age old 'ctrl c+ctrl v' approach to take thier brand's message forward. #Millenials spot these copy pasted trends easily and the entire spend on influencers goes in-vain. There have been so many instances of late of such kind. There is a need for #socialmedia classes for those #influencers!

Or the brands themselves need to give social media primer before they hand over the brief.

#marketing #storytelling

Book Review - The Compound Effect

Recently finished another book on audible - Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. This book again reconfirms my faith on the power of compounding in life. Principles mentioned in this book or another book on importance of daily insignificant improvements - Atomic Habits, clearly if applied in life, one would definitely benefit.

Now concepts or principles aside question one asks is that, i know this knowledge is good, but how does one apply. I have tried to come up with those gems from the book which can be implemented. Here are these -

• It's not big choices, but ones that you think don't matter or count for much that derail us. You don't consciously think about it, but these small decisions can really change things. Success is doing a half dozen things really well, repeated five thousand times. Identify those goals and convert them into small choices and steadfastly adopt them in your routine;making them habits. 
• Be it the morning workout, or a fixed timezone to think of professional skills goal in office or investment check block or a mandatory hour with kids everyday. The essence is in defining a routine with clear walls built to safeguard time for these activities/choices which if done religiously on delivera daily basis will result in significant milestones.

• Small actions are all around us happening all the time when we are sleepwalking thru life on auto pilot of our habits. Once we begin to chose to be aware of our envoirnment and start observing, we shall find things which were always there, but we didnt see. These changes can deliver significant impact going forward. Thus, become aware first! 

• Gratitude is very important in life. Its a good thing to know as something we should practice, but we dont. Because we index towards immediate gratification activities vs long term. Gratitude helps us in forging relationships with ppl which are long lasting giving long term effects. And for that, you need to start exploring opportunities to thank and appreciate people. In relationships, u should make a task to write at least 3 things a day to thank and appreciate others genuinely, and then you would see how the relationships change for better. What you appreciate, appreciates.

• In relationships especially, its not 50:50 partnership to make it a success; but 100:0. You have to be willing to give 100 percent in your relationships without expecting any contribution from other to make it work. Thats when the strength of these relationships compounds.

• The first step toward change is awareness. The best way to become aware is to measure. Writing it all down is key. Track your behavior for at least one week. All winners are trackers. You cannot improve something until you measure it.

• Good example in the book of small improvements done daily give huge results - If the nose of a plane is pointed just one percent off course when it leaves LA for New York, it will end up in Delaware once it gets to the east coast.

• When you set a goal, most people ask, “What do I need to do to achieve your goal?” Instead, you should ask “Who do I need to become?” Our actions should be directed  towards changes  in ourselves first.

• Book end your days. You can always ensure how your day starts and ends. Finish your most important tasks first. Review your day each evening.
• Create a routine which you can stick to, so you won’t lose your momentum. Momentum is huge. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. The hardest part of momentum is the beginning. But like pushing the merry-go-round on the playground. Once you get moving you can keep going very easily. And that where the crux lies, once begun, if u drop out for a day or two or a week, you lose the entire momentum; which is a strict no no.

• Garbage in, garbage out. Don't waste your time watching TV, eating junk, reading useless stuff, consuming negative stories, and more.

Power of compounding in daily habits

Einstein called it the #8th #wonder of the #world; but it is not that popular. However, it is present everywhere. The more i experience it, the more i think about it. Its called the #Power of #Compounding.

It states that if you do something in small amounts but on a daily basis; u shall get huge returns with time. All it needs is a) consistency of action and b) long term horizon

Case in point is my #running. I started running in end of 2015 inspired by some of my friends' runkeeper posts of distance run. As a normal chap closer to end of year; i took resolution to run everyday....but as you can see from the graph, it didnt last long in terms of consistency. Then again started on and off. Slowly my baseline of runs grew from 30k/mth in 2015-16 to 90k/mth in 2017-18. Even if it tapered in 2019, it is still around 60-70k/mth. The tools available today like @runkeeper help you to keep understanding nuances of growth and performance around speed, calories, cadence etc.

With few runs of 5k and 10k, it grew. I started reading about how to prolong ur runs. And trained for airtel delhi half marathon in Nov17. This entire effort in the process had made this habit persist over initial milestones of 21 days to 365 days and now well over 3.5 yrs. The effort/resistance now to go for a 4k run has got tremendously down with the power of compounding. From a complete novice in 2015 end, i i ha run for close to 4000km without any history of running or focus on excercise in my family tree anywhere. Thats the power of compounding.

One can argue that sports is a field where power of repitition is well known. Then, i think about any habit; it doesnt become an habit until it reaches your daily schedule. Even for 20 min. But that daily rythm is needed.

To work on clarity of mind; i had started on guided meditation on the @curefit app. Initial few sessions were very difficult to do as u battle with silence; but as i persisted to get that power of compounding going...i have now completed 500 min of meditation and now it feels better than ever. I conciously look for those 15 min of meditation post my runs everyday.

James clear in his book, Atomic habits gives a strategy of #habit #stacking. It means you add new habits in your schedule of current habits in such a way that they momentum of one can go into another. I exactly did this with audible listening on my runs. This has multiplied my #reading habit and also enriched the interest in my runs. In last 6 months i have listened + read more books than ever (12 vs 2 or 3 earlier). Even this book itself (Atomic habits) i listened on #audible.

And obviously one knows about importance of power of compounding in #stock markets. One has said - "You cannot time the market, but time is your only friend for better returns".

Another quote i read long time ago - "Nothing will ever change your life which doesnt happen daily".

Books Reading - Goal Update May19

May19 Goal Update - Against 12 books goal in 2019; currently reading 10th book. And now its like straddling between #paperbooks (which i had been buying but not read), #kindle and #audible.

This is the best year where i am able to double down on this goal given huge productivity boost via kindle and audible.

Read #Ikigai; which culls out secrets of happiness from people aged 100+ from okinawa. Learnt 10 secrets: always remain active and yet take things slow, dont eat 100% full, have friends surround u always, excercise, smile, stay with nature, show gratitude and always live in the moment while treading ur path to ur ikigai (purpose).

#AtomicHabits book has further strengthened my beliefs on small but consistent steps to any big goal (this reading is a good example). The law of compounding works like magic in small bits, daily.

Loved concept of habit stacking - connect a new habit to an existing habit so that the inertia of old leads to momentum in new.  Another gem - Always define habit regimen by time and location. It works.

Envoirnment needs to be designed basis ur targeted habit, if u want to run; keep tracksuit next to alarm clock!

#books #habits #2019 #productivity #goals #life #wisdom

Book Review - Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Its a hell of a ride with Phil Knight on how this idea called '#Nike' happened as expressed non-chalantly by the cofounder himself.

A must read for anyone interested in creation of an idea and taking it to fruition and keep it alive at any costs. Or #Entrepreneurship. And for anyone who understands #running or any form of sports.

Phil has very openly put down the 'how it happened' without editing the bad spots or places where he felt incompetent to handle things. Thats what i liked the most. Its a story; told sincerely without glorifying.

As a marketer, i wanted to know how this legendary 'swoosh' and Nike happened. And, it just happened! Just a decision on name on a close call with Dimension6 & Falcon. And one of the cofounders said, it came to him in his dream :) Though it means goddess of #victory!

No big research on the symbol also, Phil gave this assignment to a freelancing student of arts whom he met like a coincidence. She did some options and then swoosh was chosen. She charged 35$ for the design!

This book is sprinkled with such moments where Phil took decisions like this quite fast and worked on them as and when they happened.

And yes, huge wisdom in some quotes here. One of them - "Reality is #nonlinear, Zen says. No future, no past. All is now."

#bookreview