Archives: Publications

Deur David Malherbe   –   Gepubliseer in Drakenstein Gazette – Vrydag 28 Februarie 2014

Ek ry vanoggend van die Paarl af Wellington toe en sien verskeie plekke waar druiwe van pars- waens afgeval het.  Dit veroorsaak gladde, nat kolle op die pad en ek besef dit is een van die tekens dat dit parstyd is in die Boland, soos Sias Reynecke in sy liedjie gesing het.

En dadelik dink ek daaraan dat ons as entrepreneurs ook insig nodig het om die tekens in die ekonomie raak te sien en te verstaan.  ... continue reading

By David Malherbe   –   Published in Drakenstein Gazette – Friday 21 February 2014

What makes Apple (Computers etc.) such a strong brand worldwide?  Their products are way more expensive than any of their competitors’ products, yet almost everybody would like to have one.

I can assure you that trying to sell products cheaper than their competitors is definitely not part of their marketing strategy.  Many business owners spend a lot of energy and planning on what they can do to sell their products or services cheaper than everybody else.  Unfortunately ... continue reading

Deur David Malherbe   –   Gepubliseer in Drakenstein Gazette – Vrydag 14 Februarie 2014

Nadat ek die vorige twee weke oor stygende rentekoerse en skuld geskryf het, het ek heelwat navrae van lesers ontvang wat raad soek oor hoe hulle hul skuldprobleme moet hanteer.  Daarom het ek besluit om hierdie week nog ‘n bietjie stil te staan by skuld en krediet.

In die eerste plek glo ek dit is baie belangrik om te onthou dat as jy enigiets op skuld koop, gaan jy heelwat meer daarvoor betaal as wanneer jy dit ... continue reading

By David Malherbe   –   Published in Drakenstein Gazette – Friday 7 February 2014

In last week’s article I called on readers to be cautious when taking on new debt because of the possibility that a raise in interest rates may be at hand; and before the newspaper hit the streets the interest rate went up by a half a percent.

But in the same breath we are warned that this may only be the beginning of more rate hikes over the next year and a half.  The hike in interest ... continue reading

By David Malherbe   –   Published in Drakenstein Gazette – Friday 22 November 2013

You cannot handle a service beforehand like a product to inspect the quality thereof.  So customers will not know what they’ll get before they have bought it.  Therefore consumers usually rely more on word of mouth than on service-firm advertising.

This intangibility of a service makes it a lot more difficult to market a service business than a business that sells products.  Other characteristics of services that make it more difficult to market, are that it cannot ... continue reading