Name: Manish Gupta

Designation: Head of Sales & Marketing, Agrani Wireless Services Ltd. (AWSL)

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Educational Experience
Schooling from St. Mary's Academy - Meerut.

Graduation from Meerut College - Meerut.

Management from BIT Mesra.

Professional Experience
In the 15+ years of my professional career, I've been on the receiving end most of the time. Yes, you guessed it right. I have been in Sales selling different products and services with some sanity coming from marketing and business development functions.

I too, have had my moments of glory when I was marketing Zee TV in UK and Europe. That assignment gave me tremendous international experience and exposure and lots of fun travelling all over Europe.

For the past 5 years or so, I've been associated with the so called new age rage called convergence (a combination of IT, broadband and telecom).

My career so far has been a mixed bags winging between great heights and some depressing lows. All in all I would say God has been kind to me and life has treated me well.

Job Profile
AWSL would be soon launching "Digital Wireless Communication" services in India. The project would offer various modes of wireless voice & data communication bundled into one "Product and Service" offering.

As head of sales and marketing, I would be responsible for sales & marketing functions for the proposed service. Currently I am involved in project development activities and Analog Radio Trunking operations.

Marketing as career choice
Developing marketing strategies and working out different tactics hones one's analytical skills, which goes a long way in developing ability to handle milts functional activities. Having good analytical skills is like having a robust and open architecture integration engine, which enables one to integrate with and master various skills.

The other important thing, which a combination of sales and marketing does for you is - develop the right attitude. And not just towards clients and customers. Having or developing the right attitude in life can provide success and happiness not only in your professional career but in all spheres. Be it professional life, relationships or outlook towards the society at large. Most importantly, the right attitude helps one to become a good and genuine human being.

Current Marketing scenario Marketing today has gathered a huge momentum the world over. More and more businesses are realizing the worth and potential of this tool for developing their business by leaps and bounds.

Gone are the days when closely held family businesses relied upon word-of-mouth publicity and loyal patronage. With competition getting more and more intense by the day, even the most loyal patrons are lured away by competition through a combination of price and attractive offering.

Right and wrong about current marketing scenario
The market today is witnessing some very conservative businesses coming out to adopt an aggressive marketing approach. Even small businesses allocate a substantial part of their budget to marketing activities. And the new age entrepreneur is all too aware of the effectiveness of this tool to not have a marketing plan in place.

The success of many products / services predominantly because of innovative and effective marketing strategies has also given rise to a new trend - proprietary businesses and individuals promoting their wares through a well thought out marketing plan similar in approach to that of a corporate. There is no question about it - marketing along with sound financial planning is the most important combination to determine the success of any business.

There is a flip side too. One of the negative bi-products of marketing is hype. Sometimes unrealistic, larger than life hype can be very dangerous to the overall success of a business. The other is unethical behaviour by certain players in the market. This is most evident in advertising campaigns. Though the overall standard of advertising has gone up appreciably, particularly in the third worlds countries like India but sometimes the competitiveness goes overboard. Certain campaigns witnessed are definitely in bad taste and can be clearly classified as below the belt.

Ambush marketing and advertising is another malady of the new age aggressive marketing approach. Though the actual advertisers may have a different perspective, the fact remains that actual product / service is hid behind a practically see through veil and the viewer is sufficiently discerning to realize this. Nobody is fooled except perhaps the ones who first impose such flimsy censorship and then choose to look the other way.

Putting an innovative, effective and cost efficient marketing plan is dependent on a large number of factors, which need to be analyzed in great detail. One needs to get to the nuts and bolts of each aspect to be able to put together a successful plan and hence it is inappropriate to theorize or hypothesize on a generic approach.

However, at the risk of being incorrect, I would say that a marketing plan in many ways is like a cricket one day innings - well paced - definitely aggressive in the beginning and sustaining during the middle overs. The end overs will depend on how the innings has unfolded in the previous overs.

To curb the malpractice associated with marketing / advertising, regulatory authorities are the ones who can play a predominant role by imposing practical and workable censorship. The advertisers and media planners should also take a conscious call. Many a times, despite being aggressive and innovative, marketing plans have failed to make an impact on the overall success of the business.

Marketing gurus are bound to have different perspectives about what is good or not so good, what will be successful or not so successful. The viewpoint presented over here is completely personal and merely a reflection on the current global marketing scenario. The success or failure in most occasions cannot be correctly hypothesized. In the end, it is in the hands of two factors - God almighty and Public.

Five years from now
Make loads of money. Get to the top. Take a break. Go on a one year round the world trip. Come back and hit the deck running.

Hobbies

Travelling - My ultimate dream is to be able to travel and see every nook and corner (figuratively) of the world. Playing & watching cricket - I could actually miss an important family function for a game of cricket.

Idea of enjoyment
Food, friends and a cricket match.