OpenMagazine

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“I was never the kind that could survive our school system. At the age of 17, I told myself I’m either going to make it and I’m going to make it very differently or I’m going to crumble.” – Sandra Woo, a Lululemon ambassador and wellness instructor in KL who’s focus includes teaching Yoga and Mobility.

In this podcast episode, Sandra shares how she first took up the practice of yoga and how it has shaped her values in life. She talks about the common misconception about yoga and what are some of the first things people should try if they are new to yoga. She shares the challenges of being a fitness instructor as well as the traits of a great fitness instructor.

With her hit debut single ‘Okay’, Talitha Tan was catapulted to the top of music charts and stardom. Not only is she an amazing songstress, Talitha is and adrenaline junkie who’s passionate about fitness, parkour, rock climbing, motocross and powerlifting!

Tune in to learn more about the Malaysian music scene and Talitha’s singing journey. 

She’s worked with international brands such as Huawei, Lenovo and Disney. Sharina Shahrin is a Malaysian mixed-media visual artist who has her own creative studio and clothing line, bajubysharina.

Find out what it’s really like to be a full time artist in Malaysia with Sharina Shahrin.

You’ve probably seen this “Ang Moh” everywhere on the internet! Mark O’dea is a popular TV Host, Actor, Youtuber & content creator in Malaysia!Coming from the UK, Mark’s created a successful career in just 6 years. 

Find out how he carved a path for himself in a foreign land in this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast. 

He is the first Malaysian cyclist to have made it into the top 6 finalists of the Olympics three times, Josiah Ng @josiahcyclist is a retired Malaysian professional track cyclist turned speaker, coach, mentor, tech entrepreneur and brand advocate.

He shares how anyone can develop the mindset of a champion, be it in one’s personal or work life.

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1. Choose a topic that interests you
Loving what you’re talking about is the cornerstone of podcasting. Listeners recognise passion, or the lack thereof. Genuine passion is contagious. Your affinity for a subject will cause listeners to feel more invested in your show.

2. Prepare thoroughly for your guests
Having guests like experts or public figures from various fields to pick their brain on your podcasts can make for exceptional content that can draw in niche audiences. However, how the interview is conducted can make or break the entire episode. Be sure to study the guest’s past appearances, previous answers, and career highlights among other things. This will help you come up with unique questions that can set your show apart.

3. Encourage participation using social media platforms
While podcasts may seem like a one-way medium, there are many ways to get listeners involved. Pose questions for listeners to answer in a centralised location, for easy compilation, that you can feature in future episodes. Not only will this provide you with interesting content while simultaneously boosting social media engagement, it incentivises listeners to tune in to subsequent episodes in hopes of being featured.

4. Have a regular upload schedule
There is nothing more frustrating than waiting indefinitely. An upload schedule doesn’t just regulate your workflow, it helps build up listener anticipation. If you always upload on a particular time and day, more listeners are likely to tune in as soon as an episode drops. This can also make listeners create a routine involving your podcast, like listening as they have breakfast, commute, or go on a weekly run.

5. Publish episode transcriptions

Posting episode transcriptions on your website or social media can be an effective way to reach a wider audience and maximise the value of your work. People researching the episode topic on search engines may discover your podcast while and begin tuning in. Besides, it’s a win-win scenario since having transcriptions makes it accessible to the hearing impaired, allowing them to enjoy your content.

Subscription box services hit the market more than a decade ago. Although it is still a fairly novel concept, the industry has seen a growth rate of 30-50% annually. The convenience of a scheduled monthly delivery coupled with the excitement of receiving new products makes subscription boxes a great way to reward oneself. These days, there seems to be a subscription box catered to every market, ranging from household essentials to leisure products. Many of these subscription box services also offer a one time trial, which could make a perfect gift! Here are just a few locally available subscription box services. 

1. For the foodies: Boxsome, offering snacks from around the globe. (https://www.boxsome.co/)
   Boxsome is perfect for those who love travelling with snacks. The team at Boxsome sources snacks globally and curates them into a box every single month, perfect for the adventurous foodies who love discovering new treats.
   
2. For fragrance enthusiasts: Scentses + co, a monthly perfume subscription. (https://www.instagram.com/scentsesandco/)
   Scentses + co aims to deliver designer perfumes to your doorstep monthly, ensuring that you never have a bad-smell day. They offer two options: a monthly delivery of a chosen perfume or a monthly delivery of six different travel-sized designer scents curated by the team. The latter allows perfume lovers to try out new fragrances without committing to a full-priced bottle.
   
3. For the bookworms: Dualitybox, a new YA book every two months. (https://www.instagram.com/dualitybox/?hl=en)
   Dualitybox is a bimonthly book subscription service and a new theme is revealed every two months on their Instagram page. Not only would subscribers expect a new YA book and exclusive merchandise, they can also expect fun collaborations with bookstagrammers for relevant discussions. These boxes are perfect for those who enjoy reading and are seeking a community of fellow book lovers.
   
4. For parents: Atom & the Dot, fun art-science activities for kids. (https://www.instagram.com/atomandthedot/)
   Atom & the Dot is the ultimate box for parents who want to keep their kids busy with educational activities. Besides their normal boxes that are for sale, they have a surprise box with 3, 6, or 12 month subscription options. Each box will contain 3 to 4 fun activities based different science topisc monthly. They have even worked with local animal sanctuaries to offer live virtual field trips!
   
5. For the joyseekers: Happy Hopscotch, miscellaneous items that spark joy. (https://www.happyhopscotchmy.com/)
   Happy Hopscotch’s motto is ‘Be Happy for No Reason’. A new box is released every 3 months, filled with various lifestyle goods such as handmade accessories, locally made artisanal goods, exclusive products from independent brands, or anything that brings joy to the receiver. They also offer a ‘Try It Out’ 1 time box for those who want to test the waters before committing to a plan!
   

With the number of video gamers in the industry in the billions and rising, marketing to the large audience in the industry will likely allow you to reach a potential customer base). Just like in any other community and audience, gamers have brands that they associate with, and here’s what they want: A study by Kim Thompson shows that 83% of people in the gaming community prefer content from brands that entertain them, 75% of them want content that taps into their passions, while 70% wants content that gives them useful information about how to use their products or services. 

Before diving deeper into the video game community, one factor to take into account is whether the marketing medium, like smartphones, tablets, PC, and connected TVs should be in line with the consumer’s interest, such as using sports, puzzles, movies,and more. With that in mind, here is a list of things to take note of when marketing in the fast-growing market of video gamers:

Brand Name

The name of a product or brand is the first thing people see, so it’s important to make a lasting and positive first impression. Branding and marketing Catchy names that are easier to remember tend to capture the gaming audience’s attention better as is evident by many popular games like Destiny, League of Legends.

Samples or Sneak Peeks

A common marketing strategy in the gaming industry is the release of trailers and teasers that serve to give players a sense of the gameplay. Many game consumers want to know what to expect before they buy it, so many prefer to see a product in action as it gives them an idea of how they will react to the game once they are finally able to play it.

Incentives & Rewards

Early order incentives in the gaming industry allow for consumers to purchase a game before its release. Some are skeptical of this strategy but it is still an effective marketing tactic as users know they are guaranteed a copy upon release. The promise of rewards such as additional discounts, special features, or early access can also act as incentives for gamers to purchase a game.

Gaming Influencers

Gaming influencers have the power to influence gamers who share the same interest and that is proven through the many game purchase decisions that are a result of influencers. As a brand, influencer marketing is a strategy you can tap into to increase the credibility and trust towards your products due to the rapport that influencers have with their followers.

Video Content & Quality

Better quality videos stand a higher chance of grabbing the and contributes to 50% of the video-viewing completion rate.

Brand Integrity

Like any other industry, brand integrity has an effect on consumers. It is found that almost 90% of consumers will gravitate towards brands based on their connection to charitable causes. From a brand’s perspective, being able to understand that more users favour  such philanthropic  partnerships could give you an upper hand in the gaming industry.

Inclusivity

It would be helpful to have a diverse product development team that understands the audience to create a positive and accessible gaming platform.