Podcast is a new information hub. Everyone can tune into their favorite podcast at any time. Many podcasts have been surfacing lately with great contents and we too have decided to make our own space among them.

What new things do we bring to the table?

While most podcasts have covered startups, businesses, and public figures and influencers, Insight is an initiation to originality, to put light into the first movers, the doers, and future stars of Marketing domain in Nepal.

Digital Marketing is an exponentially growing market in Nepal. The ‘not so new’ domain is yet to hit maturity. With this context, tons of challenges surface for the agencies, freelancers, and business owners. With insight we aim to bring the problems, challenges, and opportunities of the stakeholders into the limelight. We dissect, analyze and bring out discussions that will eventually enable solving those problems and create a standard for execution.

With 8+ years of experience in the field, I have realized that most common problems such as unstandardized payments lie due to lack of awareness of the business owners. Along with this, the aspiring marketers or any profession of marketing (creative directors, designers, SEO experts to name a few) will have an easy and resourceful access to gain ‘insights’ regarding marketing in the context of Nepal.

We all have been so motivated and eager to learn from the west that we have overlooked our own value.

An aspirant would start a company, agency or study the related topic through you tube and other sources. The technical ways would be similar for analysis and more but how does one learn the context of Nepal when there isn't ample information available? This is another motivation for Insight A Podcast to invite in the experienced one from the marketing so a youth can learn from their experience and also help them choose a mentor or company to start with.

Lastly, Insight A Podcast is not only limited to marketing. We aim to cover people of different professions and discuss how they were able to cash in on their passion. It is about the 3Ps  (Person, Passion and profession) of every successful businessperson.

The podcast has been possible with the help of title sponsor Genese Solution (Cloud Consulting Provider of Amazon web services & Cloud Consulting Company) and Sunway College, one of the best IT colleges in Kathmandu as the studio partner.

Title Sponsor:

Studio Partner:

‘Insight A Podcast’ is a passionate initiation to capture the stories, cover the professional viewpoint and in turn drive the aspiring future marketers towards their objective.

what is insight a podcast

A brand guideline is something that smoothes the process of on-boarding, re-branding and starting a company. It guides on ascertaining the company’s color, logo, typography and the clear message it wants to send to its consumers. 

The consistency of a brand is important for clients to have their trust put on the company. Without proper guidelines there will be a lot of confusion among similar looking colors or symbols. So one has to be able to make their brand different from others that showcases what the company and brand stands for by following proper brand guidelines.

Do you or your company follow <a href='https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/lessons/what-is-a-brand' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>brand guidelines?</a>

Furthermore, the podcast has been possible with the help of title sponsor <a href='https://www.genesesolution.com/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Genese Solution</a> (Cloud Consulting Provider of Amazon web services & Cloud Consulting Company) and Sunway College, <a href='https://sunway.edu.np/about/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>one of the best IT colleges in Kathmandu</a> as the studio partner.

Coming back to what Mr.Sujesh Harsha Bajracharya has to share about his initiation of brand guidelines and its importance today.

He shares, The main reason why I initiated brand guidelines is because of <a href='https://himalayanjava.com/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Himalayan Java</a>. At that time we used to look after 36+ outlets of java including international outlets. So, a brand with a big franchise would certainly need a consistent design everywhere. Hence, it was our job to initiate that. We could cover all the outlets inside the valley but it was difficult outside the valley.

He continues, Most of the cafes in Nepal follow Java and Java itself looks up to the standard of <a href='https://www.starbucks.com/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Starbucks</a>. We used to take references from Starbucks. When I researched Starbucks, they had brand guidelines.They had everything in detail. From SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to amount of coffee and syrup to be added. Luckily, I got their guidelines as it is not easily found and it helped to understand the specificity of color and all. I realized that one standard procedure could help all the other 36+ outlets then why not.

Today, some big companies use their brand guidelines but there are numerous ones who do not. It is also easy to be approved if guidelines are followed. We have adapted guidelines in <a href='https://softwarica.edu.np/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Softwarica College of IT and commerce</a> and here at <a href='https://sunway.edu.np/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Sunway College</a> too. I have started providing guidelines to many clients whenever I work on their logo or other projects of mine free of cost because until they don’t understand its importance, they won’t understand the value and without value i cannot put a price to it so that is what i have been doing.

He concludes, so guidelines are necessary to any company to have consistency in their colors, logo placement, business card, ID cards and other promotional materials.

He has provided valuable insights on a lot of other topics that cover how an introverted graphic design enthusiast turns himself into establishing a successful and lucrative company in this <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beoG5q9PdyE' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>podcast</a>.

Digital Marketing and its related genres is a hot topic and it needs to be discussed passionately. In order to bring necessary insights in digital marketing in the context of Nepal, <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBbh6KEEN90' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>the first marketing podcast in Nepal</a> has been featuring some really good content on (Person, Passion and Profession) from the mouth of expert marketers. This will help beginners to decide whether digital marketing is their career option or not and further many such related queries.

Brand guidelines are necessary. Even if I no longer work with a brand and their designs in the future, the guideline with which I worked will help the future designers while working with that brand, says <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujesh-harsha-bajracharya-32375778/?originalSubdomain=np' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Sujesh Harsha Bajracharya</a> (Brand design manager at Trisara Restaurant & Bar) in the 6th episode of Insight A Podcast when asked about his initiation of brand guidelines.

initiation of brand guidelines

Brand could be anything. A name, product, service, a concept ,design ,symbol. Each person has their own brand to showcase and that distinguishes it from the other. Any two similar products could be perceived differently if the brand name of one is more popular than the other.

In the context of Nepal, we are familiar with ‘chiso bhanekai coca cola’ and ‘hamro manma waiwai’. How these two different food industries have taken the Nepalese market by storm. People don’t ask for instant noodles, they simply say, ‘wai wai dinus nah’. That’s how powerful these brand names have become today.

How important do you think <a href='https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/lessons/what-is-a-brand' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>branding is for your business?</a>

Coming back to what Mr.Sonish Sapkota has to share about what brand is.

He shares, Anything that you remember is a brand. Something that jogs our memory. For instance, What do we remember when we say water? What about drinks? If we talk about hospitals in Kathmandu, What comes to your mind? And a hospital fighting against COVID? My mind automatically says HAMS.

He continues, Brand is something we remember when we think of something or when we need to think of something. Some clients ask me to help them in their company’s branding and they start with their logo. For me and my agency, before actually jumping into the logo part it is important to understand certain questions. They are:

The funny thing is some clients just want to have their logo part completed first. So what we do is, we actually sit with the client and make them understand the basics of how all these things work.

He concludes, your company’s brand name and logo should align with your vision, mission and core values to have a good visual and psychological effect on the consumers.

He has provided valuable insights on a lot of other topics that cover his experience as a Digital Marketer, Academic journey, International work experience, the concept, the future scopes of Digital Marketing in Nepal, and many more in this <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGDcYIL-dgg' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>podcast</a>.

I don’t think a company’s branding work starts with a logo. It rather starts with having a similar vision, a documented mindset, mission, milestone and core values. If your core values are towards environmental friendliness then you need to create your brand identity similar to your core values, says <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonish-sapkota-186a23150/?originalSubdomain=np' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Sonish Sapkota</a> (Managing director, <a href='https://infinitydigitalagency.com.np/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Infinity Group of Companies</a>)in the 5th episode of Insight A Podcast when asked about what a brand is.

what is a brand

Although digital marketing has been around for some time now, we can say that it still hasn’t been clear to a lot of clients and customers in Nepalese market. Even the marketers have a hard time describing it to the common people. So, if one doesn’t understand something then the value of something declines with time and that is what digital marketing is going through.

Most of the people doubt the authenticity of digital marketing and advertising has been looked down upon by most of the people.(remember? when tv ads start we moan in pain and now social media ads bring out the same reaction). Unless it fulfills our personal needs we don’t find ads very important while the whole digital marketing industry is carried on by those ads. 

Do you understand the <a href='https://www.webfx.com/blog/marketing/importance-of-digital-marketing/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>importance of digital marketing?</a>

Coming back to what Mr. Ashwin Neupane has to share about customer’s mindset towards digital marketing.

He shares, I tried, I won't lie. I have always been inspired by foreign designs and that is what I always encouraged myself to do because I thought it was the best way. Minimal designs, high definition video and clear messages are what I always focus on. But then Nepal’s market is different. Here, it is not certain that customers will like it even if I say minimal design is the best.

He continues, Ultimately, it is the customer. If a customer (let’s say older) wants highly colorful designs with big fonts which I may not personally recommend them but then I have to do what they say. That’s my responsibility in serving my client the way they want. This is what I have realized with time. It's not their fault for wanting too colorful design, they have been seeing it for a long time and that is what they find capturing and appealing.

He concludes, I try to make people aware about digital marketing. If someone's offline business is doing good, why not go digital, make websites and run ads and make themselves known to the larger audience. It is still hard today to make the older generation understand. But the good thing is the new generation have started grasping the concept and are positive.

He has provided valuable insights on a lot of other topics that cover his past experiences, hustle, motivation to become a digital marketer, his first start-up experiences, future goals, and more in this <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-HdiXtLvA8&t=2368s' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>podcast</a>.

In marketing, they say ‘never assume’. It depends on the product and the audience. So, even as an expert your taste for design is different from your audience, you have to go for what your audience/client/customer chooses. You have to make them happy says <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwin-neupane/?originalSubdomain=np' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Ashwin Neupane</a> (Content Creator | Digital Marketer, creative head at <a href='https://digitalgurkha.com/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Digital Gurkha</a>)in the 4th episode of Insight A Podcast when asked about customer’s mindset towards digital marketing.

customer's mindset towards digital markteing

Your business is likely to fail if you fail to satisfy your clients and customers. Simply, customer satisfaction is a measure that shows how a brand or business has made its client/ customers happy with their product and services. 

Everyone starts a business while keeping their client/customer’s best interest in mind.But as the business starts to grow and profit keeps coming some business person start degrading their customer satisfaction job while eyeing the profits. 

It is the reason why some elite companies have become bigger with time and others have lost their way. Those companies who are thoughtful about employee’s job satisfaction and their customer satisfaction, are likely to succeed in their business no matter how small they might have started. It is about time you ask yourself, <a href='https://www.hubspot.com/customer-satisfaction' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Are my customers satisfied</a>?

Coming back to what Mr. Anil Dhakal has to share about customer satisfaction.

He shares, I tend to make extra efforts for clients when they are busy or if there is a big communication gap. My idea is to keep that communication loop going. Even if the work does not flow smoothly or there are content problems that don't match their expectations and vice versa, we must make the necessary effort to work it out.

He continues, an anecdote about a client whom I worked with recently. So I was working with him and he was paying me well too. There were a lot of communication gaps going on because he was quite busy. We were not able to sit even for a quick meeting to discuss and that was hampering our objective.

He added, See the thing is my ticket was already going to be raised so I didn't have any obligations to make an effort if I didn't want to. To me, if my client is not happy, I can gladly lower my fee but since I made all the efforts to meet and make plans on how to do it better, he was more than happy to pay me. One thing led to another and the client even asked me to join his second project. So, that’s how it is.

His conclusion, it was not all about money to me, customer satisfaction should be on the top priority when taking on any projects.

He has provided valuable insights on a lot of other topics that covers how a bullied kid from Surkhet became an entrepreneur, scope and prospects in the digital marketing industry, his journey and experience and many more in this <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzra4AkoVMk&t=3432s' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>podcast</a>.

I will gladly lower my fee for the client if the work I am assigned to do is not upto the mark or if they are not happy with the result says <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/anildhakal/?originalSubdomain=np' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Anil Dhakal</a> (Branding|Marketing|Business consultant ) in the 3rd episode of Insight A Podcast when asked about his view on Customer satisfaction.

customer satisfaction

Marketers must be conscious about what their end goal is. Uneven or wrong strategy may lead to failure of a campaign or inadequate in achieving the right goal. So, it is very important for a marketer to choose the right plan, set a right goal and move in that direction to achieve it so that their product, service and brand won’t be seen in a bad light.

Ask yourself,<a href='https://learn.g2.com/marketing-campaign' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer' > Is your marketing campaign carefully planned?</a>

In the 2nd episode of Insight A Podcast, <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/bidhanx/?originalSubdomain=np' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Bidhan Pokharel</a> (Nepal’s Leading Branding & Marketing Consultant and founder of <a href='https://bidhanx.com/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>BidhanX Digital</a>) talks about the major factors to consider before launching a new marketing campaign.

Furthermore, the podcast has been possible with the help of title sponsor <a href='https://www.genesesolution.com/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>Genese Solution</a> (Cloud Consulting Provider of Amazon web services & Cloud Consulting Company) and Sunway College, <a href='https://sunway.edu.np/about/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'> one of the best IT colleges in Kathmandu </a>as the studio partner.

Coming back to what Mr. Bidhan Pokharel has to share about the major factors to consider before launching a new marketing campaign. He shares, It depends upon questions like what message are we trying to communicate and who the targeted groups or audiences are. For me, these two questions are simply the two major factors to consider before launching a new marketing campaign.

Furthermore, the message to be delivered and to whom that message is meant for is very important because it's all about proper communication. For instance, When a restaurant says' tonight we are open’ then it is a direct message to their target i.e. consumers communicated through whichever medium they find faster and easier.

On asking whether copywriting and a good design plays an important role in a campaign he answers, It is really important. If you are telling something to your audience, how are you going to deliver it if you are not able to illustrate it with the right copy and design? Again for an example, When pushing a video, we know that the video will play despite being mute but it is easily skippable too. But if there is text written for us to see then the differences in watch time between a non-texted video and texted video is clearly visible.

In addition to that, Nike brand’s copywriting says ‘ Just Do It '.The message here is why not do it now. You have the energy, now show your activeness. Nike is targeting their customer on the basis of high energy, active like an athlete. The message is there and with the right communication the brand has done pretty well for itself.

He has provided valuable insights on a lot of other topics that covers his upbringing, qualities that make a good digital marketer, his career path in the marketing industry, experience with failed and successful initiatives, and much more in this <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzra4AkoVMk&t=3432s' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>podcast</a>.

First of all, marketing campaigns are a strategically and carefully planned process to achieve the set goals and objectives in promoting a product, service or a brand. The strategy varies with different campaigns so it may not be one strategy for all, although there will be similarities too.

major factors to consider before launching a new marketing campaign

Choosing digital marketing as a career path can never go wrong as it is very high on demand, it is popular and it is the future. Fortunately, few IT colleges have made an effort on introducing Bachelor’s in Digital Marketing and it could not have been easier.

Ask yourself,<a href='https://www.techaxis.com.np/blog/blog_detail/digital-marketing-career-and-scope-in-nepal' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer' > Can I become a good digital marketer in Nepal?</a>

In the 1st episode of Insight A Podcast, <a href='https://shwetasherchan.com/about/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer' > Shweta Sherchan </a> (Digital Marketing Trainer and founder of Sherchan Consulting Pvt. Ltd) talks about choosing a career path in digital marketing.

She shares, It all comes down to knowing who you are as a person. Digital marketing is a field of creative people working together to express their ideas in the form of storytelling. Today, releasing a video containing good content is a very sellable skill. It is true that your skills must align with your passion in order to create exceptional content, be it through writing or video or any other medium.

She continues, For me, expression was very important. I wanted to tell stories so I chose the path of writing. I see a lot of people I know turning a random story into a brilliant creative story which on itself is an art.

She concludes, wherever your strength lies, you must first self-reflect , give yourself enough creative freedom and make sure you have necessary skills to pursue your passion. Simply, love what you do!.

In addition, her thoughts on choosing a career path in digital marketing has come from what she has passionately believed in and it's one way to look at it.She has provided valuable insights on a lot of other topics that covers the world of digital marketing in the <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B9a4m-zOw8' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>podcast</a>.

Digital Marketing is a hot topic and it needs to be discussed passionately. In order to bring necessary insights in digital marketing in the context of Nepal, <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBbh6KEEN90' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer'>the first marketing podcast in Nepal</a> has been featuring some really good content on (Person, Passion and Profession) from the mouth of expert marketers. This will help beginners to decide whether digital marketing is their career option or not and further many such related queries.

It's no wonder digital marketing has been evolving since people started to understand its importance. It has always been growing and evolving as various platforms are integrated into it. Digital marketing is all about expanding your business’s discoverability in a wider range. 

choosing a career path in digital marketing

Ranging from a marketer, any professional, a passionate person to anyone who wants to share their valuable insight are all welcome to ‘Insight A Podcast’. Podcast is an unfiltered and unbiased platform. Insight A podcast is driven by the goal to make resourceful information available to the public. 

The misguidance, malpractices, and most failures are the result of lack of research and access to information. A standard can only be maintained when every stakeholder has a basic awareness regarding anything.

For instance, we can convince the business owners to pay a valuable amount if we can make them aware about the time, effort and learning curve involved in the process. According to our research, people bargain for less due to the availability of low cost for the same service fear of being cheated due to high prices, increased profit and because we are entitled to a little discount.

If we are able to make people understand the value of certain products then we can happily charge higher. Here, selling self or the company is an important process but imagine a world with fair play where small and big companies both are surviving successfully.

This above use case is simple and most relatable. It is safe to say that most of us are victims to the exemplary context from any one of either side. So, do feel free to open up in our podcast.

Click on the button below to find the invitation as a guest

Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone is an inspiration to someone they do not know.

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