Anna Agoncillo, Author at MoneyDigest.sg

Chinese New Year Deals That You Do Not Want To Skip

Chinese New Year 2017 (CNY) is merely 8 days away. Abundant food, bright decorations, family reunions, and little red packets will grace Singapore once more.

Here are some of the exciting deals that you do not want to miss:

REWARDING DINING EXPERIENCE

Singaporean families generally usher the Chinese New Year with the warm presence of each other. Gatherings and reunions occur from the first until the second day of the CNY. This is why your dining expenses may be overwhelming. Fortunately, Standard Chartered Bank has your back!

Standard Chartered lets you savor a hearty feast with the “2017 Chinese New Year Dining Cashback Promotion”. Enjoy 15% cashback when you charge your registered credit card from now until February 28, 2017 (T&Cs apply).

HARMONIOUS FAMILY GATHERINGS

Speaking of the eating dynamics, CNY festivities will not be complete without the perfect Yu Sheng. Yu Sheng or Prosperity Toss consists of raw fish strips fused with shredded veggies and varied sauces. Its traditionally consumed during CNY in Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Celebrate the promising “Year of The Rooster” in a true Blue Lotus style by taking advantage of its communal-style set menus. Families and companies are welcome to try the Harmony (about S$68/person), Prosperity (about S$88/person), and Longevity (S$108/person). Each set begins with the Tea-Smoked Norwegian Salmon Yu Sheng. It will be followed by other dishes that were crafted by the highly acclaimed Owner and Chef Ricky Ng. Reserve a spot by calling +65 6339 0880.

ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE ESSENTIALS

Dreaming about getting your supply of delectable goodies and festive decorations in one spot? Turn your last-minute fantasy into reality by hopping to the “TANGS Chinese New Year Fair” at the VivoCity Central Court.

Feast your eyes and taste buds as you travel through the busy ailes. Maximize your wallet’s capacity by participating in the “Festive Lucky Draw” for a chance to win attractive prizes. Almost all of the shops inside the mall are currently having their CNY promotions as well.

LUCKY YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

Sentosa boasts a goldmine of exciting activities and picturesque landscapes. It holds a special place in my heart as I visited the island during special occasions. Why shall CNY be any different? For starters, they are rewarding selected individuals.

Image Credits: facebook.com/sentosaofficial

Locals and Permanent Residents born in the Rooster Year shall rejoice! Simply present your IC at the Sentosa Station redemption booth from this Saturday to Sunday to reap free Island Admission Ticket and Singapore Cable Car Sky Pass. You can enjoy these rewards between January 28 to 30, 2017 (T&Cs apply).

Surefire Ways To Nurture Your Child’s Marketing Abilities

The core of your business’ success relies on its marketing. Teach your beloved ones the marketing skills that they needs to thrive throughout their lives!

Do so while you have the luxury of time.

WATCH COMMERCIALS AND OTHER ADS

Children do not have the capacity to carry a stable job nor do they have the ability to budget money. However, they can influence how you spend it. Savvy marketers know this! For instance, expensive products for kids are usually placed in lower rack to meet their eye level. Television marketers focus on producing more content for toys, candies, computers, and so on.

Commit at least once a week to introduce the potent effect of advertising to your suggestible children. Select some commercials or ads to ask the following questions:

a. WHO was the intended audience?
b. WHAT was the description of the product or service?
c. WHY was the ad placed during or between this show?
d. HOW did you feel about the commercial or ad?

KNOW DIFFERENCE FROM REALITY AND FANTASY

Aside from discussing the detailed content of the commercials and other ads, you must create a distinction between reality and make-belief. It is easy to be trapped into the advertiser’s magic, if you do not know what to watch out for. Tell your children that there is more to advertisements than what meets the eye.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Discuss the various types of commercials on radio, television, print, and online. Help your children label these said ads so that they become less susceptible to the marketers’ influence.

CREATE CATCHY SLOGANS AND TUNES

Your dedication has led your children to understand the effect of advertisements. To absorb the essential marketing abilities, allow them to make their own catchy slogans and jingles. These activities will help the potential entrepreneurs to use their resources to create significant marketing tools that will make a particular product rise above the pack.

Without valuable customers, even the best businesses will fail. Introducing this topic to your children can prepare them to attract loyal customers for their future businesses.

TRANSFORM THE OLD INTO THE NEW

As you may notice, existing brands are constantly thinking of ways to improve their products and to satisfy their loyal customers. The longstanding OREO boasts with a variety of unique flavors such as Banana Split and Birthday Cake.

Ask your child to apply this idea by putting his or her own spin into a popular product. This activity is a good way to maximize his or her own creativity as marketing heavily depends on innovation.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Telltale Signs That Your Colleague Secretly Dislikes You

While some people have no problem letting you know that they hate you, others may try to maintain their professionalism by hiding their unpleasant feelings.

Know some of the obvious and less-obvious indications of dislike by reading thru this list!

#1: HE OR SHE DOES NOT SMILE WHEN YOU ARE AROUND

As you pass by, the shinning smile on your colleague’s face dissolves instantaneously. The change in his or her disposition is not due to a hormonal mood swing or an occasional unpleasant day. It is deeper than that! Something is wrong as your colleague makes a conscious effort to not smile whenever you are in the room.

#2: HE OR SHE CANNOT LOOK YOU IN THE EYE

One of the most obvious signs that you co-worker dislikes you is when he or she cannot maintain eye contact. The eyes are the gateway to what is beneath your soul. People may be afraid to look you in the eye if they perceive that you have an ability to detect hostility.

#3: HE OR SHE DOES NOT INCLUDE YOU IN THE WORKPLACE HUMOR

Exchanging jokes and teasing are common in cemented workplace relationships. If the person who hates your guts is the leader of the workplace clique then, you may be constantly left out in the inner circle. They may not feel comfortable when you are around.

#4: HE OR SHE DOES NOT INVITE YOU TO SOCIAL EVENTS

Being excluded from the social guest list is one of the signs that your colleague does not want you around. “Sorry! We forgot to invite you.”, may be one of the lines that you constantly hear from that certain person.

#5: HE OR SHE DISPLAYS NEGATIVE BODY LANGUAGE

Communication is mostly made up of non-verbal cues. Uncover your co-worker’s genuine feelings toward you by observing his or her body language. Constant subtle eye rolls, lack of eye contact, and folded arms are just some of the red flags.

#6: HE OR SHE TAKES CREDIT FOR YOUR WORK

When a co-worker is determined to exclude you from all the important company discussions, it is clear that he or she does not want you to get involved. A more potent display of disdain is when a co-worker sabotages your role in the project by taking credit for your ideas.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Watch out for these!

Sources: 1 & 2

How To Deal With The Toughest Questions About Money

Nurturing an honest and educational discussion about money is highly encouraged. It is helpful to share personal saving tips and ways to cushion the challenging economy. However, it is easier to travel deeper into the conversation as you get more familiar with someone.

A nosy or rude question about money can push your pleasant discussion into an inaappropriate territory. Prevent judgment or unsolicited advice from coming by considering these approaches:

#1: HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU MAKE?

One of the most shocking encounters in my life was when my uncle’s neighbor directly asked how much I made. This is an inappropriate question to ask to a person you met for the first time. I wore a smile on my face and firmly said: “I am sorry, but that is personal. It is not something that you need to be concerned with.”

You may approach the same situation in a lighter manner by saying: “I earn enough to cover my needs and reasonable wants.”

#2: HOW MUCH MONEY DOES YOUR SPOUSE EARN?

When you are exercising a in-depth disclosure with your friends, it is easy to slip an invasive question from time to time. One person may ask how much your spouse earns per month. Divert the topic by saying: “We make enough money to enjoy your pleasant company today.”

If you are unsuccessful in changing the course of the conversation, politely state that you do not discuss financial matters outside of your marriage.

#3: ISN’T THAT TOO EXPENSIVE FOR YOU?

A concerned family member or a close friend may bluntly ask you about an item he or she perceives as hefty. Alleviate the worries of your “asker” by elaborating how good you felt about your purchase. Also, you may share how much thought you exhausted before purchasing the said item.

I shall illustrate this scenario in the following dialogue below.

Gabby: How can you afford to purchase the new GoPro?
Jayden: I did my research. I shopped around Singapore to find a camera that I really desire. Do not worry about it! This GoPro is still within my budget.
Gabby: Okay lah!

#4: HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND FOR YOUR FLAT?

Real Estate in Singapore is a tricky subject. People may judge you for either spending too much or too little for your nest. Stay on the safer side by keeping your answers vague. Consider saying something along these lines:

a. It is more that we expected, but less that the actual asking price.
b. It was above our asking price, but within our budget.

Sway away from this matter by inviting the person as your guest in your upcoming housewarming.

#5: MOM AND DAD, ARE WE RICH OR POOR?

Children are immensely curious by default. As early as primary school, they begin to define themselves by observing the similarities and differences between them and the society. Their friends may brag about how much they have, but your child cannot fully appreciate what rich or poor actually means. This is why it is your responsibility to shape your kid’s definition of what it means to be well-off.

You can impart that the essence of being rich does not necessarily equate to a household’s net income. For instance, you may say that your family is rich in the love and presence of each other.

#6: HOW MUCH DO YOU EXPECT TO EARN IN THIS POSITION?

The juiciest job interview questions are related to salary. Your potential employer may ask you about the specific range of expected salary in order to make an offer. It is best to utilize a positive and direct response to avoid triggering the interviewer’s tougher side.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Say that I was put in this situation. My response will be: “I would greatly appreciate if you could make an offer that is based on the budget for this position. We can negotiate from there on.”

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

8 Marketing Emails That You Need To Encounter

Are you doing everything you can to maximize the benefits of your email campaigns? Consider sending out these types of emails.

1. WARM GREETINGS

Upon signing up to the mailing list, it is advised to send out an automated “welcome” email. Most clients are keen to open this type of email the most. So, ensure that you create a good first impression to enhance the image of the company.

2. RECURRING SUBSCRIPTION

Enclosing a newsletter in an email can help your clients understand your latest products and other offerings. It must be sent out in regular intervals in order to build a loyal subscribers and to exude reliability.

3. SPECIAL SHOWCASE

An event invitation email is a good tool to promote an upcoming or ongoing event that the company is hosting. Motivate your clients to register by highlighting the reasons why the event is worth their time. Do so by adding quality visuals or illustrations.

4. SHARING STATUS

For companies thriving in the e-commerce scene, sending order status emails is important to keep the clients in the loop. This type of email includes significant details such as confirmation, shipment updates, tracking number, and delivery date. Sending these nurtures trustworthiness.

5. THOUGHTFUL MESSAGES

Connect with your clients on a deeper level by greeting them during special days. Often dubbed as anniversary emails, this type covers the anniversary of the company, the client’s birthday, and the public holidays. Combine these emails with promotions, promo codes, or a one-time deal to increase engagement.

6. REWARDING PARTNERSHIP

A co-marketing email is sent out when 2 or more companies work together to fulfill a mutual event, task, or promotions. Its bottom-line is to use the existing clientage of one company to widen the reach of the other.

7. CLIENT CONVERTER

To blast a content that aims to turn your existing subscribers into established clients, you may use a “lead nurturing email“. A series of interconnected emails with useful content makes up a lead nurturing email. This type may be time-consuming, but it is highly rewarding.

8. DEDICATED SEND

As the name suggests, dedicated emails focus on a singular topic (e.g., a product or an announcement). It marries the best email marketing techniques – an opportunity to be highly shareable, personable, and potent.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

In most cases, the most efficient email marketing strategy includes the mixture of all these types. Make the most impact by allowing the client to choose which emails he or she can receive.

Sources: 1 & 2

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