Tushar Mangl's Blog, page 26

Inauguration of Decathlon at Tagore Garden, Delhi

Decathlon, World's largest sporting goods retailer, has come up with their new store at Pacific Mall, Delhi and I went to see the sprawling store myself on the 15th of April.
Abhishek, manager at the store was kind enough for a quick chat in between the usual bustle of customers crowding the just-opened store. He quipped,
‘Though Decathalon caters to over 100 sports under one roof, this launch event will showcase, a lot more that can happen with sports. The basic motive of the event is to share a wow experience with the visitors making sports accessible to all. The grand opening of Decathlon, Tagore Garden is certainly an event which every sports fanatic should catch up on.’ 
The store has a neat division of sporting goods, on the lines of a particular sport. Suppose you are interested in Badminton, then head to the section for Badminton goods, similarly for any other sports look for that section. The variety is amazing and I am sure they cover almost everything one needs to passionately play a game.
Whilst we are at it, I got some good bargains for t-shirts to wear to the gym or for running. I purchased a bunch of them for myself and family. They even had a scheme wherein in first 1000 buyers, making a purchase of more than 1000 bucks would get this very cute backpack. Alas, my bill ran short of 1000 and I missed out on the bag.
Total size of this store - 1260 Square Meter

The tally of Decathlon stores in India - 47 (Including 2 in Gurgaon and 1 in Ludhiana which I have also frequented).


Nearest Metro Station - Tagore Garden and Subhash Nagar Metro Stations

Misses India announces Mrs South Asia 2017

Misses India TM is the only company in India which is associated with Mrs. Universe, Mrs. Earth, Misses United Nations and Mrs. Universal.



We use only digital platform for registration via our official website www.mrsIndiahomemakers.com.Mrs. South Asia 2017 is not just a beauty pageant but it’s a vision and a dream. Many Indian women dream to be a beauty queen but because of many odds, their dreams get crushed. Mrs. South Asia 2017 is one beauty pageant that celebrates the essence of being a woman.Our contestants are from a varied range of backgrounds such as working professionals from MNC’s, Aviation & Hospitality industry, Health Care, sports, entertainment, education and homemakers including self-employed businesswomen. Our contestants are from various parts of India representing their states with pride.
Love being the only essence each season turns out to be better than the earlier in terms of diverse participants with the sheer indulgence of creativity and talent.
Our motto is women empowerment and essentials of the society thereby focusing on various societal causes that we deeply believe in. We aim to inspire every individual to not only have faith in these fundamentals but to also contribute in every possible manner and make a difference.
We induct our contestants with high regards to environmental needs so that they inherit the vital stance of nature preservation and set a paradigm around their habitation. The list goes on to much more like girl child education, breast cancer awareness, water conservation, basic hygiene awareness that we include in our agenda to ensure we create modern day contemporary ambassadors. Funds raised through events goes to the benefit of society and their causes.
The grand finale is scheduled to take place at Paint Ball Club, Sector 36 Gurgaon (Gurugram), Haryana. The winners will be selected on the basis of talent, fitness, and zeal to work on social causes. We do not judge on the basis on pretty faces, we look for a pretty mind, pretty heart and a blissful soul.

Contestants will be staying together for four days and will go through grooming sessions on ramp walk, public speaking, hair & skin care, diet & nutrition, fitness, and dance. They will also be undergoing the process of photo shoots to understand camera facing techniques. We will have eight winners out of which five will represent India at International platforms.

Prize include charms. Beauty queens will be awarded beautiful handcrafted crowns, studded with Austrian Rhinestones designed by American Brand James Christopher. In addition to crowns, we have trophies, gift hampers, stunning jewelry and brand new portfolio by none other than the very famous Fashion photographer Nissar.
‘Hansini’ by Santashree Mallik, ‘Simplicity Fashion’ by Pallabi Abhijeet are our fashion designers. Ace makeup artist Rachna Arora will lead the show by giving our contestant the beautiful makeover.The choreography of the show will be done by Ace fashion choreographer Dipankar Kashyap.
Board Members Misses India TM: who will enlighten the contestant with their expertise in fashion.Ms. Aizya Joshi – National Director, with 22 years experience in fashion and glamor industry. A title holder at Limca and India Book Of Records and winner of Miss Queen Mauritius 2007 and Wamba Diva 2014. Former designer at Ritu Berry Couture.Mrs. Iris Maju – Winner of Mrs. World 2015,Mrs. Santashree Malik and Jyoti & Kashmiri, Ace DesignersMrs. Kristi Das – Winner of Mrs. India Home Makers 2017 and also a badminton player.


_____________

Editors of this website have not edited this content and merely shared the press release. If you wish to get your press release published, contact at Orangy[dot]in@Gmail[dot]com. 

Battling Depression

Journalist Pankti Mehta recently reached out for a story she was working on. It was about depression people face during college life. I shared my experience but then, can you ever explain or elaborate the whole thing?
Here is the link to the article, do read it. History has recorded several great people who have faced severe depressions. The great storyteller, Sydney Sheldon is among one of them. He suffered from depression but he faced it and went on to become one of the greatest novelists of our times.

One thing about depression I shared with Pankti and I will reiterate here as well. Stay loyal to hobbies no matter what. In the lowest points of your life, it is your hobbies that can save you. This is what you love to do. This is what gives you max happiness.

I also would say for all those battling depression or anxiety issues, be open about it. This is not a stigma thing. Discuss it openly. Talk about it. Reach out to me, if you want to. But for God's sake, don't bottle up everything inside you.

I would request you all to share your stories about depression in the comment box below and about people who have or are battling depression.

Naivedyam - Sushant Lok - Gurgaon

I always have maintained that Naivedyam offers the best South Indian food in Gurgaon. Although it has another outlet at Sohna Road, the Sushant Lok one is more accessible and centered. It is situated in between Vyapar Kendra and DLF Galleria on a road which is in bad need of repair. If you go there at night, you might be surprised at the choice of location which gives you quite a deserted feeling.

But once you enter this place, it is always bustling with patrons, most of them repeat customers who are regulars to this place.


Buttermilk is a welcome drink they offer to all customers. Their portions of chutneys and sambars are always generous, still, don't hesitate to ask more as they are always eager to help.The service is very quick and captains give you good recommendations.My favorite is Benne Masala Dosai, although all Dosais are good.If not interested in a Dosa, go for the Naivedyam Thali which is fulfilling and is a hearty meal.Sharing pictures of Erulli Masala Dosai and Tangam Paper Masal Dosai






[image error]









[image error]

Guru Randhawa steps up to Bollywood

The weather has delayed some of the participants of a meet up where famed Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa was supposed to discuss his Bollywood debut. Yet, as he entered with his entourage into the room, his first question was whether we are starting on time or not. Dressed all in black, with matching glares, Guru didn't give any inkling or air about the star he is.
As the evening progressed, Guru discussed a range of topics major being his cult song, Suit, which is being adapted for an upcoming movie, Hindi Medium starring Irfan Khan. He passionately discusses why content to him is very important. He writes the lyrics of his songs himself to get those right words into his songs. When he tells the audience that he is looking forward to Hindi movies because of larger reach he does not sound very ambitious, instead very humble and grounded.

Inspiration for Suit

Opening up to the son Suit, Guru elaborates that he as inspired to write the song, while at an event in California, United States. It was a gathering of Punjabis from across the state and he came across a lot of pretty girls in traditional suits.

Growing up in front of television

He candidly talked about his growing up years in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and how television especially Doordarshan and PTV influenced his decision to become an artist. In border areas in the 90s, and even in my hometown we used to get Pakistan TV or PTV on our TV as the antennas installed for Doordarshan caught their signals as well.


It is perhaps TV or the kind of content that he grew up on, that makes him so focused on content. He is very vocal about this. According to him, if the content, the words in his songs don't make sense than the essence of his songs will get lost. He is also a champion of the indie or independent music scene wherein he believes that indie music would remain his staple. From Bollywood, he might be expecting to reach a wider audience, but his loyalty to his home audience still remains.

Love for Dal Roti

His simplicity was evident in his choice of food as well. When asked the proverbial question you ask anyone from Punjab about the kind of food they indulge in. 'Dal Roti' is his quick reply. When someone quipped about Saag Makki ki Roti, he was quick to point that it was not easy to cook Saag and Makki ki roti. It takes a significant amount of time and resources and it is not a daily meal for Punjabis.

Future Plans

He also disclosed his future plans, majorly being a Punjabi movie in which he would be debuting as the lead hero. Apart from penning the lyrics and making fresh songs, looks like Guru has his plate full.


(In this pic: At the time of that mandatory 'selfie' we were discussing Punjab and our backgrounds. He comes from the Majha belt of Punjab whereas I am from the Malwa region of the state)

Here is wishing Guru Randhawa all the best for his stint in Bollywood for Punjab and independent musicians need people like him to represent them at a larger stage. He is surely an inspiration for so many indie artists out there. 
________________________________________________________

The author had gone to the event on invitation. If you wish to send out an invite for events,  Drop in a mail at Orangy.In@Gmail[dot]Com

Love has its ways - Divya Kapoor - Book Review

Love has its various ways is the debut book by Divya Kapoor. In this book, she elucidates about love and its impact on life. She has various life lessons for us to learn. It is a self-help book for readers to become “self-life coach.”


“Hi-end technology has engaged people enough to make them go away from their own selves,” Kapoor says. “This book enables one to connect back with oneself, finding one’s own purpose and following the workbook as a step-by-step guide to becoming the most inspiring person you have ever known.”

The book is neatly divided into neat little chapters, around of them. I especially liked the one on forgiveness. (Forgive to Enlarge future) The chapter highlights forgiveness and how important it is for us to grow and move ahead. I could relate with this as all around me, I see how people hold deep rooted grudges and refuse to move on.
Divya Kapoor hopes “people realize the power within, understand that love is the only truth and love for ourselves can make our life so beautiful and enriching. It also makes the reader rely on the universe and understand that existence is working for them, and not against them.”
Publisher - Balboa PressSoftcover | 5.0 x 8.0in | 134 pages | ISBN 9781504360173

About the Author
Divya Kapoor is a traveler, journalist, teacher, translator, life coach and a tarot reader. Kapoor was studying mass communications during her first year when she started learning tarot and reiki. Kapoor believes life can be termed as “mystery” and everyone has a purpose in this world to unravel it. Kapoor’s inclination toward the mystical began when she discovered an inborn gift of insight and healing as well as a talent for signature reading — she also practices emotional freedom technique. Kapoor is pursuing her master’s in travel journalism.

_____________

Received a copy from the author for a review. If you wish to get your book reviewed, contact at Orangy[dot]in@Gmail[dot]com. 

Amici Cafe - Cyber Hub

I have been to all 3 Amicis, one in Khan Market another in Saket and this one at Cyber Hub. This is one is the best out of all three. Spacious, well designed and decorated, it gives you a very chilled out vibe. No one is in a hurry here and the pasta is World class. Could have done better with the portions though.  Their desserts are good too. Shakes are pretty much like what you get elsewhere, my opinion would be to try their Oreo Shake which is a must.


[image error]

Blogger Interview - 10 Rachit Singh

Some words about your blogWell, I own multiple blogs. I will talk about one that I started with, Hacknovations. Where I share tips and tricks about being a smart blogger, and growing a blog into a revenue stream. I started it back in 2015, it grew dramatically but then, due to some problems, I wasn't able to take care of it, so decreased gradually. Now, I am working again on it, hoping that it will grow back soon. Other of my blogs are doing fine though. 
What do you think sets your site apart from others?
Passion. I have seen a lot of blogs coming and vanishing. I have talked with bloggers and I know that most of the bloggers are pushed into blogosphere to make money not to blog. I am not pulled by money, which is clear from the fact that I don't fake myself or my opinions. If I feel something is bad, I'll just say it. I am passionate about internet marketing. For a long time, I blogged without any return income coming towards me. 
One more thing that sets me apart from other blogs is that I focus more on connecting with my readers than networking with industry experts. I do network, but only if I feel a genuine need of connecting with that people. Like many bloggers, I don't fake being professional and network for only getting in the limelight. A defining moment of your blogging lifeThe moment that turned me into blogger was when I was not going school. I was suspended, and at that time there was no friend circle for me. So, all day long, I sat in front of my computer, making .html pages, writing stories and doing random stuff. This was time when I discovered that I love this stuff. I was not getting revenue out of it, neither I wanted to, but I still loved doing it. So, I started a blog after some research. This was the time that pushed me into blogging and I continue to do it. Things, however, have changed now. Now, I am a marketer who happens to blog. 
What is the future of blogging?The scenario of blogging is changing dramatically and it is booming. In near future, people will turn from traditional media to the internet for reading news. Which means more companies will turn towards the Internet and create more jobs here. But at the same time, Google, as a search engine is evolving. It is getting very smart every day. With updates like Fred, and Knowledge graph, it will soon create a powerful AI that will mock down a lot of sites and at the same time, make it very easy for users to search.

Any message you want to give to the readers of this blog?
My message is, if you are blogging, don't do it for money. It is not only for money, it goes for everything. If you are into blogging for money, soon enough, someone will take over. Do it for the fun of it and money will come on its own. Also, don't quit. If you are dedicated and consistent, you will succeed. Maybe not overnight, but you definitely will.Do you feel that Indian bloggers are aware enough about the importance of content marketing?
Indian blogosphere is huge, it would be wrong to judge everyone in one answer. There are bloggers who understand the worth of content marketing, but then there are bloggers that don't want to pay for content or don't focus much on content. A huge part of Indian blogosphere is 16-18-year-olds or people who are just trying their luck to make money from blogging. They don't understand how powerful content marketing is. They'd love to make $1000 a month but they won't like to spend $20 on content part. In the same sphere, are some people that invest on content marketing. But still, Indian bloggers don't understand content marketing as much as outsiders do.
Is there any incident in your like where someone told you that you couldn't write?
No. I have always been the storyteller of my group. Passionate about writing since an early age. People used to circle me when I started telling a story or incident. When I started writing, I wrote in the same way that I'd speak and it worked. But people did appreciate my writing. There were criticisms, but I took them in a positive way and fixed them as quick as I could. As a writer, I have evolved dramatically since the start of my career.
If a blogger had to choose between SEO and SMO, what would be your advice?
I'd say SEO. SMO can give you lot of popularity and make you an influencer in short time. SEO takes time, but once you do it right, it can literally open floodgates to your blogs. 
"You are portrayed as cheerful, and at serious at the same time. How does this happen ?"
Unlike many other bloggers, I don't fake professionalism. When I am cheerful, I am cheerful from inside too.  If I am serious, I am serious from inside. When you don't fake how you are, people do take you as it is if you are good enough. I see that a lot of bloggers fake professionalism, there is a huge difference in what they are and what they potray. For me, that difference is almost none. That's all!

Lead generation for new businesses with Email List Marketing

The most challenging thing for a business is to make clients and customers and to do that one needs a marketing strategy, especially if you are a startup. Every day dozens of startups are introduced and most of them are related to technology. In such market, it's very hard to make a presence let alone converting it into a brand. So the companies are opting for various marketing strategies in order to benefit and have successful marketing campaigns.


                                   
There a lot of options available to promote a business online most common of which are social media, content marketing, SEO, SEM or paid marketing (google Adwords, bing, yahoo), and more. But the one channel that remains on top by outperforming the rest is the email. Email has been one of the oldest and most effective ways of promoting and creating awareness of a business among people. So if you are an established business or a startup then you should directly market your products to people who uses similar products like yours. To make this easier there are various email list providers that provide the list of audience based on the type of business you run. 
The email database provided by these companies is highly targeted according to various needs like the kind of technology, location, demographics, and more. For most of the businesses, the major challenge is to get in touch with the people who are on the executive level like CFO, CEO, COO, CXO, and IT executives. The email lists help you by saving your time of finding the contacts or emails of such people as this list comprises of the full database of a business. You can buy mailing lists that are targeted on the basis of a type of business, location, and specialty. One such company that provides mailing list is Emailonbusiness that provides a list like CEO email lists, CFO email list, B2B mailing list, and other types of lists.
The main focus of a business is to have sales conversion and the email lists can help you by providing the database of people already using services or products similar to yours which gives you a lead on them. This lead can be turned into a customer by including a discount or some other kind of offer. For an e-commerce business, email marketing is the best to get sales and to make the task easier you can always buy an opt-in email list which will help increase your ROI and increase the number of successful marketing campaigns. 
Some of the small businesses use top social media sites like facebook, Instagram, and twitter because they are a free tool for marketing (unless you go for the paid marketing, which a small business will find hard to invest in). And, even after so much of work only around 15% of your audience will see the post on your facebook timeline because facebook wants you to invest in their advertising platform which is not an easy task for a small business. So, it's, in fact, a good idea to invest in an opt-in email list which is comparably cheaper and provide more sales conversions than any other social media or paid marketing service.

__________

For guest article submissions at this website, kindly get in touch at orangy [dot] in @ Gmail [dot]com

C as in Customer Retention #AtoZChallenge

I talked about AtoZChallenge and Blogger in my previous posts and this one is as the letter series goes is for the letter C. C as in Customer retention. First, let me explain what do I mean as a customer here. A customer can be a client, a consumer of your services or your target audience. 
Customer acquisition is not that hard these days especially with all those social media tools and easy to set up advertising. 
What is difficult is retention. Especially with attention times which are only getting less by each passing day. How do you make sure that stickiness is maintained for your regular consumers when the competition has a red carpet rolled out for them. 
Stay updated with your analytics. It is not just a fancy tool but something very meaningful to guide you as to where your audience is moving towards.Talk to your audience. They should feel that connect we have in a normal conversation.Follow industry trends. Whichever field you have chosen for yourself follow its trends. No one likes a primial obsolete monster. Stay up to date and your audience will reward for it. Read books, periodicals, watch videos.Keep innovating. Whip up something which people love. And dont mind if you couldn't put up something new. The sheer effort should be able to inspire people.Anything I missed for customer retention? Do jot down in the comment section below.