Flip the Funnel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Flip the Funnel - Essay Example The majority of companies are hard pressed to find new ways of bringing their products or services to a highly-competitive marketplace that is also becoming global. Technology has made the world â€Å"flatter† as barriers to entry are lowered and competition could be just around the corner or it can be halfway around the world. Technology has bridged both distance and time much shorter. Ironically, technology has also made the world more impersonal, because people want to deal with technology instead of dealing with each other directly and personally. It has become a convenient shield to hide behind actual human interactions, although technology has its merits. The rise of computer technology, and especially the Internet, has made the world much smaller. A good number of people put too much reliance on technology, forgetting that it is only a tool to an end, and not an end in itself. This subtly askew mentality pervades the world today. This paper discusses the merits of a new mentality in the world of marketing, a game-changer of sorts, or what management and business experts term as the new paradigm. This shift has been long in coming, because most so-called marketing experts are themselves so enamored with their own ideas, views, and perspectives it made it hard for them to see the light of the day, so to speak. The entire marketing process has been likened by the author of the book to a funnel which focused on acquisition instead of retention; this is the basis for â€Å"flipping† the funnel. Discussion The marketing function has been taken for granted for so long that people have a hard time trying to think up new things, or whether what they are doing is actually right or not. It is a primary aim of the author, Mr. Joseph Jaffe, to demonstrate how many time-honored traditions in the art of marketing had been wrong in the first place, by destroying most of the assumptions or accepted wisdom in this vital part of a business entity. People had always assumed marketing is a frenetic effort to always attract new customers, that this always-new incoming horde of buyers, consumers, or customers will save a company in the long run. The assumption can only be partly right, because at some point, the point of saturation will reached and no new buyers will come in. The economic recession certainly brought to the fore the many defects of previous thinking. It is a good idea to always challenge the reasoning, assumptions, or justifications in any practice, whether in business or not. This is particularly true in the area of marketing, because so much time, money, and effort are expended on the acquisition of new customers, but as the good author had pointed out, many of these newly-acquired customers get neglected once they made a purchase and taken for granted by the company. These disgruntled customers will soon leave if ever there is another offer by the competition, displaying their lack of loyalty because they were not treated right by the previous firm. It is only right that they leave, because no one should be in the bad position of being a good customer and not given enough importance by a firm. In a good example or metaphor, the recession is like a low tide, in which rocks previously unseen are now exposed for everyone to see. During high tide (or in good economic conditions), mistakes, errors, or wrong practices are not very material but a recession forces firms to re-examine everything. The author certainly did a good

One variety of Shamanism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

One variety of Shamanism - Essay Example These are the needs, which paved the way for Shamans and Shamanism. Since the earliest Homo sapiens, hundreds of cultures around the world have developed different varieties of Shamanistic traditions which have fascinated generations of scholars and researchers. The traces of shamanism can be found in every continent. Some of the varieties of Shamanism are the Celtic Shamanism, Vedic Shamanism, Siberian Shamanism, Mongolian Shamanism, Tibetan Shamanism, Chinese Shamanism etc. what is common to all these manifestations of Shamanism is the healing of the body, mind and soul - a kind of purification. The study of these aboriginal traditions broadens our understanding of Shamanism as a whole. The evidence of the fact that Shamanism is an age-old tradition can be found in ancient literary texts such as The Rig Vedas. Vedic Shamanism, which flourished in the East and Central Asia is very similar to the other Shamanistic traditions, and believed in an animating principle that permeates through all things and all beings. That unseen essence of being is called the soul. The Shamans used roots and barks and produced a rattle sound while healing. It is believed that the Shamans made the rock paintings of Bhimbetaka in India. The meditative tradition in Asia that advocates Yoga is an offshoot of the Vedic Shamanism. Yoga attempts to set the mind in a thoughtless zone. This meditative tradition explores the ancient wisdom that an unseen energy flows through all beings and is connected directly to the quality of life. By trapping that life force, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being can be ensured. Although the process is spiritual in nature, it is not confined to any religion. The Yoga masters suggest that it is necessary to have a clear perception of the Self. Unless one recognizes the inherent energy, the pilgrim's progress towards eternity will be obstructed. How does one come to become a Shaman According to Robert M. Huff, a Shaman "may have received" his "calling to become a shaman as a result of a near-death experience in which" he was "carried into the spirit world and met teachers who helped them to learn healing songs, medicines, and revelations about the future. A shaman may also be born into the role, or be trained for it after demonstrating some special aptitude for healing." Every generation expects someone to take on the role of the shaman. The Roles of a Shaman: Michael Harner tells us that 'Shaman' is a Tungis word which originated in Siberia. It means one who can see with eyes closed or in the dark. The Shaman can be either a man or a woman. The chief role that the Shaman plays is that of a healer, as he knows the pragmatic techniques of diagnosis. Another important role of the Shaman is dealing with the spirits, because he is the one who can retrieve lost souls and banish the intruding souls. Davidson, in his book Gods and Myths of Northern Europe, writes, "The shaman acts as intermediary between the world of men and the gods, and has the power to descend into the realms of the dead. His spirit is believed to journey forth from his body, which remains in a state of trance. Sometime the long journey which it takes is described by him in a chant." (118). A significant role of the shaman, according to