The Marketing Paradigm

Idea really is to hire brand ambassadors at virtually no cost to expand the brand name and presence across the society and get access to those areas where establishing a franchise would be ineffective and a financial burden when compared to benefits. And since there is no fixed sum of money for the services they’ll get from students, Zong will be saving big lot of operational cost that otherwise makes the fixed salary part of their sales people.

Program will work well for Zong though, in more than one ways:

• Saving operational costs, they may even consider sacking some of their salespeople based on the success of the program
• Brand Awareness – Zong can use the large number of students’ pool to enhance their brand visibility and explore new areas
• Customer Loyalty – More of Zong affiliates or so called “Entrepreneurs” will at least eventually become loyal Zong subscribers
• Lucky Grabs – Some of “Entrepreneurs” might actually be able to sell 100+ Zong sims to earn the “huge” amount of money worth PK Rs. 10K to 20K.

Entrepreneurs???

What the ….! Does this make you an entrepreneur? It would be among the cheapest of definitions of Entrepreneurship. It can be called an entrepreneurial idea though, on Zong’s part, luring the youth to become part of corporate marketing efforts in the name of entrepreneurship, for sake of pocket money rewards. The word “entrepreneur” here is the emotional bait, rather an effort to rename “Recycle Bin” as “Control Panel”. The program should rather have been named as “Student Pocket Money Program”.

Earning Potential

So if you sold 1 sim per day, you’ll get Rs. 1800. Given that the initial investment is Rs. 1000, this will earn you “massive” Rs. 800 which you think is worth of your time?

And What About Studies?

Zong Student Entrepreneurs Program is open to Intermediate, Bachelors and Masters level students. Not to mention the harm that this so called entrepreneurship opportunity can bring to their studies, it should be looked at as an unnecessary attempt to involve the youth in easy money making.

Grand Offer!

Oh and wait! There’s also an incentive plan for achieving the impossible. On sale of 100+ Zong sims, a fiat that even a seasoned Zong salesperson will achieve once in a lifetime. Here goes the chart:

There’s no doubt that Zong is the ultimate winner here, they’re giving you 5 sims for a sum of PK Rs. 1000 to start with. And when you sell the 100 sims, you get the profits and rewards and blah blah! But when would that be? Selling 100 Zong sims, are you kidding ME?? This is a crap of opportunity guys; don’t bother wasting your time. Rather work on a better business idea, for that is what makes you an entrepreneur and contributes to your personal development.