The price advertisers paid for the 30 seconds advertisement during the Super Bowl game, which will be held this Sunday and will be broadcast by CBS, is expected to range between 2.5 to 2.8 million dollars – which is less than the 3 million dollars price it cost in the last Super Bowl. Last year NBC had made 224 million dollars from broadcasting the Super Bowl. CBS had already sold all the advertising spots , a week faster than NBC last year. According to estimations 100 million people are expected to see the Super Bowl on TV this year.

Super Bowl Madness

Several advertiser who traditionally bought spots on the Super Bowl , will be missing this year due to the financial recession, among them are the  car manufactures General Motors and Ford, and PepsiCo which wont advertise its leading trademark , Pepsi, or any other trademark for the first time in 23 years, after spending not less than 254 million dollars for advertisements during Super Bowl games in the last two decades.

Among the companies that will appear this year  are Intel, Motorola, Electronic Arts, The online broker eTrade, Honda , Hyundai, VolksWagen and Chrysler.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

When you want to reach a given goal, there is usually more than one way to achieve it. There can be more than one good way to act and they might all help you to get to where you want, but for certain there is always one way which is better than the rest.

Which way to go?

You have to decide not only which ways to take, but also how much effort should you invest in each step. How would you know how to decide what’s better or more effective? Well to do so you’ll have to rank your alternatives. To rank most effectively and reach the right decisions you will have to compare the options in front of you with the main goal.

The ranking is fairly simple, the more each action assists you in reaching the main goal the more it’s important. You will have to find a link between each step and the main goal otherwise this step is simply useless. The more you will be able to connect each step to the main goal the more you will know how to rank the steps.

A right implementation of this approach will assist you in prioritizing task and in the ability to effectively choose which task or project are worth more effort and which are simply don’t. Knowing how to prioritize task is the corner stone in the CEO’s job.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

Black Friday.

The answer seems to be more. More and more retailers are offering deals before and after Black Friday, and an increasing number are offering online deals. Traditionally, lower-market retailers have participated in Black Friday, selling older products that they would have to mark the prices down on anyway. But now higher-end retailers like Saks, Barneys, and Nordstrom had started their online sales the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, thus avoiding seeming low-brow while still being able to appeal to customers who, especially in these economic times, are always looking for a deal. And now Cyber Monday has begun to take hold. Based on the idea that people go back to work on Monday and therefore obviously begin shopping online, many retailers offer great deals online after Black Friday. Heck, JC Penny and Staples begin their Cyber Monday deals on Sunday!

So what is the point of this article? The first, most obvious point is that you and your spiked shoes should have stayed home this Friday. But the more important point is that everyone should take note that the world is changing. Traditional business models become obsolete with new technologies, and both producers and consumers who pick up on these changes will benefit. In-store shopping is not only less and less reasonable on Black Friday — any day of the week, convenient websites, sometimes even with free shipping (and free return shipping) make the hassle of wandering through the zoo that is IKEA or Victoria’s Secret less and less appealing. New interactive tools available while e-shopping, including recommendation agents and comparison matrices, simply cannot be matched in person. Businesses are now learning how to become what is called “brick-and-click”, existing both in real life and online. In tough economic times, the ability to become this type of amphibian, I believe, will determine the survival of the retailers.

Tamar

The CEO Game.

Learn To Talk The Talk

An MBA looks great on your resume. And as more and more B-schools are only letting in people with real-world experience, there is more and more to learn in business school from your peers, and you will probably get more out of it yourself when it is not just theory. You’ll probably be intellectually stimulated. You’ll make great contacts. You’ll know how to talk the talk and walk the walk. Some complain that an MBA is just a waste of money because people who have MBAs still have a hard time finding jobs, but I think that’s nonsense. Those people would probably have a harder time without an MBA. Unless you’re getting your MBA in some unaccredited school no one has ever heard of. Then you might as well save your money.

But, honestly, an MBA doesn’t create a business tycoon. An MBA might help you climb the ranks, but it isn’t going to put you at the top. What puts you at the top is your mind, your idea, your ambition. No number of classes are going to bring you that idea that will shake up the world, and nothing but real-world experience will teach you to be an entrepreneur. If anything, classes might teach you that success as a formula, they might teach you to be too formulaic and risk-averse. An MBA might help you guarantee a moderate level of success, but it might stop you from being number one.
Some of the most successful business people in the world didn’t have a BA, let alone an MBA. Just ask Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Rachel Ray, Ty Warner or Coco Chanel if they think they need an MBA. But they had balls, insight, and determination. So save your $80,000 and the two years of your life if you think you’ve got what it takes to become a leader on your own. But if you need help, let a great B-school hold your hand on your way to the upper-middle ranks of the business world. That’s good enough for some people.

Tamar.

The CEO Game.

Small Business Marketing

Internet Marketing:

Internet marketing does require a financial investment and basic technical knowledge, but there are ways that you can create a successful low cost marketing campaign. Internet presence is a must in today’s financial age and the easiest way to reach the masses.  There are many ways to create an online presence, some might be: Social networks, Targeted Ads or even Search engines. You should explore all those tools for better understanding of what each of them has to offer. Anyway the first step you should perform in your internet way is to create your own site because it gives a way to reach you (Using blogs, forums or even simple contact details).

Branding:

A small business has some advantages; two of them are agility and the ability to produce new product or services fast. When you talk about branding, being a small business is not a strong point. In order perform a successful branding plan your brand should project an image of a strong and a leading product and not a small fragile one. Those attribute are usually associated with large companies, therefore when you brand you must present yourself as if you are equal among the large companies. In today’s world projecting a strong image is a far easier task than it used to be. Using low-cost services such as: ready to go web site templates or even professional business cards is quite cheap and can add a lot to your business image.

In the CEO Game, you will start as small business owner. Knowing how to act among the larger fishes in pool will be a must if you want to eat and not be eaten. Using intelligent marketing tricks and hard work will be the keys for getting to the next level.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

Well are management and leadership the same? The fast and simple answer is NO.

One thing is sure, in order to become CEO of world leading organization you will be required to be both a great leader and great manager. We invite you to register for upcoming beta of our online business simulation “The CEO Game“ and start your training on your way to become a CEO.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

Starting From The Bottom

(1) Be a Sunny Face – Everyone loves the person who wanders around the office with a smile. Every time you meet a new person, greet them with a firm handshake and a smile. And every time you bring the boss those papers he needed copy, smile (though not creepily) and ask him how he’s doing. People want to be around people who are pleasant to be around. People in the office are more likely to spend more time with you, giving you an opportunity to learn more, or even to consider hiring you in the future if they like you. And always, always, be polite.

(2) Do your Research - Spend your off time learning everything you can about the industry and the company itself. The more knowledgably you can talk to a person, the more likely they are to be impressed by you and trust you with more important assignments. You will also be able to learn more during your internship if you are fully informed about the background of the work you are doing.

(3) Write Down Everything – Every tiny, petty thing you do needs to be written down. Every time you call a person, even if you have called them before, write down their number. Every time you talk to a secretary in another firm write down her name. No matter how small it seems, there needs to be fully accountable for everything done in an office. You never want to be caught later saying that you don’t remember when you last handled a file that has gone missing, or that you can’t understand why someone said you told them something you swore you didn’t. Also, this way, when you ask for a recommendation, you can bring up specific accomplishments, since they will all be written down. Suggesting to your boss that she might want to mention in a recommendation something awesome you did that she already forgot can be helpful to the both of you.

(4) Be Professional – Dress at the same level as everyone else in the office. Don’t get caught gossiping, don’t hook up with coworkers, and don’t waste your time (and the company’s time) on Facebook. This way, you prove to your supervisors that you can handle tough assignments and can be brought along to important meetings without embarrassing them.

(5) Ask Questions – While your boss doesn’t want to be harassed constantly about the minutiae of her work, she will be impressed by your initiative and interest if you take the time to ask insightful questions. As an extra bonus, not only will you learn more, but you will do a better job! Especially if an assignment is a little over your head, ask. Better to be a bit of a nuisance now than screw everything up later and have everyone have to do extra work to fix it later.

And, a bonus sixth tip! (6) Play the CEO Game and other business simulations. This way you can get more business experience when you’re at home in order to wow your bosses at work. The CEO Game is the most realistic business simulation out there — it an essential tool to a successful internship.

Tamar.

The CEO Game.

Today I want to discuss few of those myths.

Understand the Myths.

Myth #1: Work hard and you’ll be rich

Many of us believe that having a high-level position in a company or a company of our own assures us that we are on right track for financial wealth. With so many cut-backs and financial recessions, anybody can find himself out of job at any given moment. Working hard doesn’t assure you that you’ll ever be rich.

Myth #2: Saving is good

From the first day that we got our first nickel, we were taught that saving enough money will mean that one day they will gain financial wealth. Can saving assure a financial wealth?

Although saving might assure that you’ll have some money one day, it is definitely not the way to reach a true financial wealth. You should learn how to invest your money in different routes to achieve better and faster rates.

Myth #3: Being in debt is bad

Another myth we grow up on is that being in debt is bad and we should avoid it in any cost. Well, the truth is that not all debt is bad. It depends on what you do with the money you borrow. If you invest the money you owe in ways to gain more money then you actually use the debt to cover itself and even return an income, which is not bad at all.

Myth #4: Investments are a dangerous business

Many people live under the false assumption that investing in the stock market is equal to gambling in the casino; this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Investments are not as dangerous as long as you how to manage your risks.  If you truly understand the investment that you’re about to make than the risk is far lower and you know more or less what to expect.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

Searching For the Right Information.

In many cases market researches is an effective tool in getting information that supports decision making. Should you perform market research for every business call? Well, the answer is no. There are some situations that don’t require market research. To help you determine when you need market research, you should examine the following questions:

Is the research relevant to the marketing decision that we have to make? You probably should not perform market research just to satisfy your curiosity. You should only perform market research when it’s relevant to questions about your current strategic planning. Market research should supply all the information you need currently, depending on the types of decisions you have to make, and the current circumstances.

Is there any available information that can assist in the decision-making process? Occasionally you can find a lot of valuable information about the decision your about to make inside your organization. This information can be found in different kind of forms. This information can be from different market research done for other purposes, past experience of different persons, or different databases or software such as ERP, CMS and other organizational systems. You should try avoiding performing market research when it’s not really needed.

What are your time constraints? Performing market research requires time. You need time to gather relevant information from the field or even insert it into your systems. Performing the market research should be done under the consideration that it should be done before the relevant decision has to be made. Performing market research under too tight a schedule might cause inconsistent data and mistakes.

What is the Cost vs. Benefit ratio? It’s important that you first assess the value of the information that will be provided from the market research. It’s important to weigh the value of the information versus the relevant expense to see if it pays off or not.

In the CEO Game marketing research is one of the main tools in your marketing arsenal. Using it wisely can help you gain a strategic advantage over your competitors. Waiting your time on non-relevant market research will leave you behind.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.