Insights With Trent Munday

Lots of social media right now is full of messages of positivity and hope. Stay Strong!  We Will Get Through This Together! This Too Shall Pass. And that's GREAT. Lots of people at a tough time like now are really in need of those kind of messages. But some people just need to YELL & SCREAM & CRY and tell the world how ANGRY they are. And I reckon that's ok too. Don't get nasty. Don't target individuals. But, if you need to let it all out...let it out. The best you can do is just be true to yourself...even more so at a time this. #rant #negativethoughts #positivity

For any business trying to make decisions at a time like this is really difficult. The toughest of those decisions often revolve around your people. Your employees. Your teams. Your colleagues. Your friends. If your business operates multiple units and maybe even in multiple countries, those decisions get even more complicated. As someone overseeing multiple units across multiple countries, the past few days especially, have been crazy. But I think I've got some advice that might help... Just take it one decision at a time. Base each decision on what you know to be true - to the extent you can know anything for sure at a time like this. Treat each business unit as it's own unique business. To try to make universal decisions across multiple units at a time like this is almost impossible. And finally, be prepared to potentially have to change or even reverse your decision tomorrow as new information comes to light or as circumstances change. Good luck! #decisionmakers #decisionmaking #crisismanagement

I'm in LOCKDOWN. So we're changing things up a bit. I've decided to try a bit of a Daily Journal kinda format for the Trent365! Show - at least while I'm in this limited lockdown here in Malaysia. Multiple, random thoughts as they occur to me throughout the day, all presented here in the final video/audio file. Topics Covered today include... 1. How much expats - and anyone living in a foreign country - rely on Social Media for updates at a time of crisis. And how that makes us susceptible to Fake News. 2. Government interventions when it comes to restriction of movement IS necessary in many countries, like Malaysia. 3. Media of all forms - TV, radio, Netflix, Social Networks - are massively comforting in times of crisis. Even though often they are flooded with all the negative news relating to the crisis. 4. For countries to get through this crisis, all stakeholders of that society - governments, industry, employees, people - need to share the burden. 5. We have become so dependant on others to survi

Force Majeure is defined as - unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract. Many contracts have such a clause. It would typically come into play in the event of a tsunami or earthquake or similar. But this current COVID-19 Crisis, according to most interpretations, would qualify as a force majeure event. That means, if you have a contract with another person or company, they may be able to avoid their obligations to you at this time. If that obligation includes them paying you money for goods &/or services rendered, you could be in trouble. Further, oftentimes these force majeure clauses will allow either party to cancel the agreement completely if the event last more than a certain period of time - 3 mths, 6 mths or more. So, best you check your agreements and make yourself aware of the short term and long term impacts on your business if a force majeure is declared. #forcemajeure #contractual #covid19

This is a sentiment from a conversation I overheard a few months ago. I don't recall exactly where or when. But at the time I heard it, it just felt like a meaningful thought. So I wrote it down. Today, right now, in the post-COVID-19 world in which we are living, it seems more relevant than ever. Many are being forced to be flexible. Forced to work from home. Forced to lockdown. Forced to be unemployed even. In a world like this, flexibility is the key. And for many, my Worst Case Scenario theory, as mentioned in Ep. #246, might be a good place to start. Here's that episode if you want to take a listen... https://www.audio.trentmunday.com/worst-case-scenario/ #flexibility #resilience #adaptability #covid-19

As a society we just don't tend to encourage people to NOT chase that thing...especially when we're succeeding. And maybe it's time we did. That's the message I picked up in this recent interview with the actor Robert Downey Jr on the Joe Rogan Show... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5XTDmm0KUQ At a time when lots of people are being forced to take a timeout due to this COVID-19 crisis, it's not a bad thing to keep in mind. Maybe, just maybe, this will give you an opportunity for. reset. Chin Up! #timeout #reset #contemplation  

Events all around the world are being cancelled. What about all the sponsors of these events? They were hoping for some brand exposure. Now they won't get it. And therein lies an opportunity for your business. Reach out to those sponsors who've been impacted by these cancellations and invite them to sponsor your Newsletter, or your store or...maybe even this show.  I don't even think it matters if you charge them money for the exposure. If they're willing to pay for it, great. But if not, the offer from you to help them get some added exposure at this difficult time will surely give you a friend for life. And quite possibly a valuable long term business relationship. #sponsors #cancellation #businessrelationships

All around the world events of all types are being cancelled. No doubt this causes lots of inconvenience for those planning to attend, not to mention the financial implications. But as someone who has just had to make the decision to cancel an annual event, for the first time in our company's history, I can assure you, these decisions are never easy. Not matter how obvious or how crucial that cancellation is, the people making these decisions invariably go through a whole lot of anguish before they finally make those big announcements. Here's a little insight into some of the emotions that these folks are going through. #decisionmakers #dotherightthing #cancellations #covid19

At this time of heightened concerns about the coronavirus COVID-19, many Spa Business are suffering. We're being told to avoid close contact with other people. And let's face it, Spas mean close contact. There's also so much noise around what to do and what not to do that people are just getting more and more confused and concerned. In this situation, the default is to do nothing. To stay away. BUT...here's the GOOD NEWS! The one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is to be healthy and have a good immune system. Can Spas help with that? Absolutely. How? Firstly, sleep is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy immune system. Spas can help with that. There are also fruits & vegetables such as ginger, garlic, almonds, spinach, etc. So replace your existing beverage and snack offerings with some of these. Then you can promote how you can help enhance people's immune systems. At a time like this, that should be enough to get people's atte

At a time of crisis like we're experiencing now with this COVID-19 outbreak, most people prefer not to travel. However, if like me, you still need travel, at the very least you need to be well aware of what's covered by your Travel Insurance Policy. For example, most insurance companies declared COVID-19 a 'known event' as on 31 January, 2020. So unless you had your insurance in place before that date, chances are you won't be covered. There's a great article by Amanda Horswill of Canstar that discusses your options, including the possibility of Cancel For Any Reason cover. Here it is... https://www.canstar.com.au/travel-insurance/cancel-for-any-reason/ #covid19 #travelinsurance #businesstravel

Many businesses in the travel and tourism industry are suffering from mass cancellations due to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. How should these businesses be handling the requests for cancellations? Should they waive their existing cancellation policy? Should they be tough and advise customers it's their responsibility to take travel insurance to avoid any losses? Or should they maybe find the middle ground? Personally, I'm a big fan of offering a Credit Voucher at times like this. #crisismanagement #coronavirus #cancellations

Fear is a funny thing. Often the fears that we hold on to are the result of us overestimating the risk. They're not entirely rational. But that doesn't really matter. My fears are very real - to me. No matter how irrational they may be. Right now, many people around the world are genuinely afraid of the coronavirus, COVID-19. For the most part, the behaviour we're seeing in response to those fears are no really rational. Again, it doesn't matter. To those people, they are very real. So, if your business is being impacted by COVID-19, as so many are, spare a thought for those irrational customers and their irrational fears...they are very real. #fears #covid19 #coronavirus  

Making a big impact does not necessarily require you to make big changes or even big efforts. It is often the smallest of things that make a difference to our customers and therefore end up making the biggest impact. That was certainly the case on my recent trip to Thailand.  One of the three hotels I stayed in this week made a significant impact on me, and it was not because of any big time thing they did. It was the subtle things. Come and listen to a few examples of just how subtle those difference can be and yet how impactful... #impactful #simplethings #differences

When people buy a ticket, they’re committed to the purchase. They’ve already made it. But when people make a reservation or a booking, the commitment just isn’t as strong. Even if you’re insisting on a credit card to secure the booking, the purchase still has not been made. So they still feel like there’s a way out. Just think about the difference between making a dinner reservation and buying a movie ticket. So, if you’re selling a service, like a Spa Treatment, see if you call sell Tickets rather than taking bookings. #ticketsales #reservations #sellingtips

Seth Godin has said that data without a narrative is really just noise. We, as humans, simply aren't programmed to process data. Instead, we relate and react to stories. We need not look any further the current COVID-19 outbreak for a prime example of that. The data suggests that the face masks that we're all wearing will not prevent you catching the virus. Yet still, we insist on wearing them. Why? Because the narrative is stronger and more compelling than the data. BTW - Seth is running a Storytelling Workshop. Here's the details... https://thestoryskillsworkshop.com/ #storytelling #data #narrative  

Many will tell you that, as a new brand, you need to have a narrow focus. It helps you as the brand to not spread your resources too thin and it also helps the market better understand who you are and what you do. Part of that is your brand name. The more literal it is, the easier it is to communicate what you do and what you stand for. But what happens when you decide to change direction or to expand into other areas outside your initial focus. At times like this, a literal brand name may just be a liability. Just look at what's happening over at Dunkin' Donuts - now called simply Dunkin' #brandname #branding #brandstrategy

Using public transport in any city always provides fascinating insights into human behaviour. Riding the rails at this moment in time is an interesting study in how the COVID-19 is impacting people in their daily lives. Yesterday in Bangkok, just about everyone on my train was wearing a face mask...and busy on their mobile phones. So I start wondering, what would happen if it was announced that the COVID-19 virus stick to mobile phone screens and anyone using a mobile phone has a 90% chance of catching the virus. Would that be enough to break our habit of using our smart phones at every single chance we get? I wonder... #habits #behaviourchange #humanbehaviour

Remember back in October last year - in Ep. 699 to be exact - I told you that Asia Spa Magazine was closing it's doors at the end of October? Well, they did. But now they're open again! Yes. That's right.  AsiaSpa Magazine is back! The first edition of the new print magazine is coming out in May 2020. To find out more, go check out the AsiaSpa website... https://www.asiaspa.com/ Big Congratulations for all the folks at AsiaSpa. And best of luck! #spa #magazine #printmedia

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog post about how all brands and businesses should focus on telling their unique stories. Here's that post... https://www.trentmunday.com/spa-marketing-5-simple-storylines-for-every-spa-business/ Perhaps the easiest and most impactful stories of all are the ones about our people. The folks at the Mandara Spa Bali Office have done a great job and telling our story through our people. Here's now they do it... #storytelling #brandstory #storiesmatter

Brandless launched in 2017. Raised almost $300 million in funding (including $240 million from SoftBank's Vision Fund). Now, they have shut down. The vision of Brandless was to sell plain label products at a significant discount. The discount coming from the fact that there are no expensive branding costs built into the pricing, as you would have with the major FMCG brands. No doubt the failure is due to multiple factors. Regardless of the reason, it is a lesson for all future brands, that just being an 'anti-brand' is not enough. All brands need to have a purpose. If not, their future is tenuous. A great example of plain label brand that does have a purpose is Thank You. Here's a link to their story. Please do check them out. https://thankyou.co/ #brandpurpose #brandless #brand