How to build relationship with customers and keep them coming back for more

Finding a new customer and turning them into loyal client is one of the biggest dreams of any entrepreneur.This is one of the major challenges facing every business weither be it a small scale or large scale business.
It is no surprise that customers are the forefront of your business's success,one of the surest way to enhance your business's growth is by retaining both new and existing customers.
Here are some of steps you need to take in order to find and maintain a loyal customer:

1.Sell quality product
   This is one of the best way to retain any customer,selling quality and genuine product should be come to your mind,source for products that are reliable and durable,that can meet your customer's need and satisfy them.Dont trade "quantity over quality".
   I do think there is alot of potential if you have a compelling product and people are willing to pay a higher amount for it.Why do you think 'Apple Product'is one of the largest and mostly used across the globe irrespective of the price?Because they offer the best quality product to their customers.
   I personally have come across some products which didnt meet my needs after i was fully convinced by the merchant,believe i never went back to that store to purchase any product of any kind.So selling quality product will not only help you retain customers but will also build a good reputation for yourself and around your business.

2.Ask for the feedback
   Getting reviews about your product from your customers is very important in every business,if your customers tell your a negative review about your product,doesnt make you look or feel like a bad or un-genuine as an entrepreneur but rather it creates room of re-adjustment and better recommendations.

3.Regular Communications
   Get in touch with your new and old customers either by collecting their emails,phone numbers or getting to know their residential address.
   You can decide to send a short messages to them in order to create an awareness if you have a new product in store or maybe you are rewarding customers with discounts or giving out gifts.

4.Be Realistic and Genuine
   This one of the best way to keep attracting both new and existing customers.Be very realistic and transparent when discussing the value of your product between you and your customer,tell them what the product has to offer and also what they dont.
   It will be un-wise decision if you start telling customers some un-true facts about your product in the essence of telling a customer the value your product has to offer whereas it does not.
   Try to be as genuine as you can be when a customer is purchasing your product,if it satifies and meet their needs,this will surely make them build their trust in you,remember no customer wants to be sold.

5.Never neglect old customers 
   As an entrepreneur,you dont have to forget about your existing customers and start looking for new ones.One proven fact in business management is that trying to retain existing customer is more cost-effective than trying to get new ones.
   Creating a bond between you and your customers should also be like that of the ones you create with your family members,the relationship will stay for so long.
   Asking about their welfare is one of the fastest proven ways to draw customer's attention nearer to your business and probably on the long run,they might introduce their families and friends to patronize your business.

6.Go Extra Miles for Your Customers
   As a business owner who wants to create a lifetime relationship with your customers,as well as going above and beyond customer's expectations is very paramount to guarantee your business's success.
  Here are are few things you need to note:

• Know your customers 
• What do they want that am yet to offer?
• Do i need to look for another source to get those their desired products?

  If these questions are well answered and re-strategise then you are taking the right decision to build a build and retain loyal customers.

7.Give Discounts 
   Yes,this point is very important in every business,giving out discounts will make your customers keep coming back to your store.Discounts dont only help your customers,it also enhances your business success.
   Before you take a decision on giving out discounts,you need to take a look at the level of your business's growth.For instance if your business is experiencing low sales,i dont take this the best time  to offer discounts to clients.Take a strategic plan untill your business is financially stable so as to avoid having negative effects on your business.

8.Be Polite
   Politeness really going a long way in your business,you might have come across two types of customers the 'Gentle and Rude',getting over rude customers can be very difficult if you are the type that is quick to anger,no never try to pick a fight or quarrel against them if your customer speaks in an in-polite manner rather create a friendly and peaceful environment between you and the customer.
   Try as much as possible as you can to keep your cool,play it real nice and speak with a friendly and soft voice with them.Have tried this on several occasions with customers have come across with and it worked out perfectly well,you too can depending on the way you approach them!
 

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How to choose a profitable business idea

How will you feel having a profitable business of your own, giving you the opportunity to leave the life you have ever wanted to live? The difficulty which many people experience is selecting the right business opportunity which has the key attributes to guarantee its success.

Owning your own business can give you lots of different freedoms and choices that you will never have as an employee.Often, one of the hardest things about starting your own business is sifting through different business ideas and developing a focus.

There are many different ways that you can choose a profitable business idea, some of them will work better for you than others depending on your skills and situation. Business ideas that work must fill a demand in the market place that people are willing to spend money on.

If you do a simple search on a search engine there are several websites that will offer many ideas about businesses that you can operate. This can be a good place to start if you are unsure about what type of business you want to open. It may also spark fresh and original ideas that you had not previously considered.

So, how can you identify and choose a profitable business idea? Here are 5 tips to help you do that;

1.It Must Be a Passionate Business

   What is your passion? Sometimes the thing that you love doing most could be the door to your destiny. What makes you look forward to a new day? If these are your reasons for starting and building your home business, chances are that you would persist doing the business even when the going gets tough. That's why it is important to work on something you love it makes you feel comfortable.

2.The Product's or Service's Demand

   Before diving into a particular business idea, make sure that the business’s products or services are in high demand in the market you choose to sell it to.

Focus on a niche where demand is well-built to guarantee the profitability of your business. Find a market with products that sell well and pay well. Keep in mind that when the demand for the product is high, the better for your business.

This is a very important tip. If there is no demand for what your business is offering, then it will be impossible for you to make any sales or profits. Whatever the product or services you will be delivery, it must be a product or service in demand.

3.The Business's Profitability  

   No matter how passionate you are about the business you want to venture into, make sure it is a profitable business. Choose a profitable business that is liable to earn a larger percentage of profits per sale. Whatever the business you decide on, you can start by charging fair prices and quality products.

Once you have some ideas about the kinds of business ideas you are potentially interested in, you can begin analyzing them and evaluating your chances of success.

With excellent customer service, your customers will remain loyal, then consider raising prices slightly, hence making profits. As a business owner, the higher you promote your business, the higher the customers and profits and so the better for your business.

In choosing a profitable business, you need to watch your cash flow.

4.Low Cost Start-up

   This is also important when choosing a profitable business idea. You must choose a business opportunity that has minimal start-up capital. When starting a business, people do not normally have a lot of capital.

It is therefore to your advantage to start a business that has minimal start-up capital. You will need some budget for promoting your business website and other promotional things, so it is important that you allocate enough money for marketing the business.

5.Compensation

  There are a few questions that you must ask yourself as a business owner who want to run a profitable business:

• What return do you look forward to from your home business?
• How long will it take before you start earning?
• Is it a long term or short term investment?

These are questions you need to give honest answers to for clarity purpose in your proposed business idea.

In conclusion, when you have worked down your list of profitable business ideas, you should begin to look at similar businesses and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself, what can you do differently to the businesses that already exist that will convince customers to use your service instead of your competitors'?

Many businesses fail because the business owners have not taken the time to select their niche market carefully or assume that people will flock to their business just because. You need to have a solid start up action plan in place to ensure that you know exactly who you want to be and are going to be your customer base.

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10 questions to ask yourself before starting any business

One of the biggest mistakes that aspiring business owners make is overlooking the importance of digging deep into what their true motivations are for starting a business and if their life is truly ready for this change.

They get so busy in trying to figure out the logistics involved in getting their idea off the ground that they don't pay attention to some of these very vital aspects that are crucial before you launch your business.

If you're thinking of starting any business, then there are many different things that you will want to consider. Starting a business isn't a simple task, and jumping in without doing the necessary research is never a good idea. So, before you decide to start a business, be sure to ask yourself the following ten questions.

1.What type of business would you want to own?

   This is the first question you need to ask yourself before starting any business. There are typically two types of people who want to start their own business: those that know exactly what they'd like to do, and those that don't have a clear idea of what they want to do.

In order to ensure success, you need to have a clear, definite idea of the type of business you'd like to run. Otherwise, you risk getting in over your head and being unable to define a clear path for your small business.

2.Who are your target customers?

   Choosing your target market is extremely important, as it will help you to figure out how to approach marketing and actually selling your product or service. Consider what your target customer wants and what they are like. It's important that you enjoy working with the type of people in your target market.

3.How Passionate do you feel about the Business

   Your desire to escape the typical office setting is a good motivating factor to start a business that you can call your very own. However, that desire is not enough to help you to withstand all the challenges that you may encounter as an entrepreneur along the way.

You need to truly love what you are doing to be excited about the business that you are going to start. Even if you love to design dresses, you cannot assure yourself that you will love running a boutique. They are absolutely different categories.

You don't have to be passionate about the product. What really matters is that you have to be passionate about running the business for it to become a success.

4.What Services or Products will you be Selling

   This should be one of the first things that you should figure out before beginning to launch your business. Figuring out what you're going to offer goes hand-in-hand with determining who your target market will be

5.What is your UPS?

   USP stands for Unique Selling Proposition. If you are entering a competitive market, your product or service will need something that will distinguish itself from its competitors. This USP is what you will ride on; what will help you sustain the initial costs and also what will help you make profit.

However, it does not take very long for competition to catch up, and you will have to keep thinking up new USPs or revising them all the time. Your USP should be your competitive advantage.

6.How will You fund your Business

   This is another important question you need to find an honest answer to. Every business needs start-up capital. How and where will you get yours? Will you dip into your personal savings or get a loan from the bank or somewhere else?

It takes a year or two, sometimes even more, to start bringing in money. It typically takes twelve to eighteen months to break even, and two to three years for profits. Do you think you are financially prepared for this? Do you think you are ready for giving up a steady check?

The amount that you'll need to start up your business depends greatly on the type of business you want to own. Will you need a store, or can you work out of your home?

Will you need employees, or can you do it on your own at first? Carefully evaluate exactly what you'll need financially to get started, and then determine where these funds will come from.

  Read also:How to raise capital for your business

7.What is Your Growth Potential?
   Do you see yourself making expansion plans, adding services and products, diversifying? If you wish to sustain and compete, you will need to keep growing. Some businesses do make it big doing exactly what they did when they began but these are very rare.

And also, it takes the main purpose out of business - Growth. It is essential that your venture be such that can expand in many directions; that you can build on. This is what will give you a competitive edge all the time.

8.What Strategies and Tactics Will You use to find Leads?

   More than anything, you need to hit the ground running. You need to find potential customers fast so that you can make deals happen. My advice is to delay building your marketing materials - including your website, brochures, and tools - until you know where and how to reach potential customers.

9.Are You good at Dealing with People?

   This itself is a skill that you need to learn if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur because not everyone knows how to deal with people.

10.Can you Handle Failure?

   Statistics show that within the first five years small businesses fail at a rate of 80% and only 20% of entrepreneurs tend to succeed in their undertaking. So, ask yourself if you will be able to live with failure since not everybody will have the luck to belong to the 80%. And also, will you still have the strength to start all over again?

If your answers to all these questions are positive, then go ahead and embark on a journey that would bring more cash to your bank account. Be an entrepreneur!

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How to start web promotion service

The whole world has gone digital. Everything you need is just a click away. Businesses have gone online and the issue everyone is now faced with is, how do I get noticed by a wide range of people online.

These days, business owners spend a huge amount of money and time on the web promotion of their services as well as products. This is because they have realized the potential that appropriate advertising carries.

Hence, almost all the online business owners prefer to hire an experienced web Promotion Company for promoting their products and services. Promotion of the products has become necessary for reaching the customers from all over the world.

Web promotion is a continuous process used by web designers, web developers and the likes to increase exposure of a website in other to increase traffic or bring more visitors to your website.

Everyone wants their website to be search engine friendly. After all, what is the need of getting your business online or a website running if you cannot get people to visit your site. Web promotion is not as hard as it sounds, it just needs a little bit of effort, thought and patience.

So, if you are planning to start a web promotion service for providing these highly in-demand services then here are a few tips that can be of great help to you:

1.Brainstorm about your target market

  When you brainstorm, try to think of specific markets you may target with your web promotion service. Consider your past experiences and your interests. For instance, if you have background experience in equipment sales, you may want to target online equipment companies as users of your web site promotion service.

If your background is in real estate, maybe real estate agents or real estate developers would benefit from your industry expertise and web site promotion services. If you don't want to
choose a niche market based on your past experiences, strive to generate ideas industries that interest you.

Choose the target market for your web site promotion service based on your interests, the characteristics of the market, and the competition.

2.Conduct a Market Research

  So that you won’t end up starting your web promotion service on assumption, it is very crucial that you conduct a thorough research on your chosen niche/market.

Conduct more market research to find out more specific information about your target market, your competition, and the feasibility of keywords to be used in marketing your web promotion service. You may want to research more than one market to determine which one is the least saturated.

3.Draw a Business and Marketing Plan

   You can’t just dive into the web promotion service business without first carefully drawing out a plan. Carefully craft a business plan and marketing plans taking into consideration the target market, your unique selling proposition, marketing mediums, marketing strategies, and budgetary allowances.

Another important aspect that you also need to consider in your plan is the source from which you plan to finance your business. Almost all the companies have start-up costs such as legal and office expenses. Apart from these you also need to keep provision for travel and advertising expenses.

You see why you now need a plan before starting out?

4.Get a Website

   You should know that you can’t run a web promotion service without you having a website. You have to create a SEO friendly website for your business. You should also hire a copywriter that can help with writing sales copy for your web pages.

A website is one cool way to promote your business by publishing good content that can engage potential customers to want to patronize your business. Make sure your website has a blog for consistent publishing of content and an email list too.

5.Do not Forget Social Media

   You should not be told about the influence of social media on businesses. You could generate lots of traffic or visitors to your website using content marketing to post interesting stuffs on different social media platforms with links to your website.

This is a step that is a no-brainer, as contents you post just have to be attractive enough for people to want to see or read more, thereby clicking on the link to the website.

Starting a web promotion service could be as easy as you want it to be by starting with the above steps. Market your web site promotion service consistently in accordance with your marketing plan.

Monitor the effectiveness of your marketing and performance for your web site promotion service. Be proactive and make changes to your business and marketing plan as needed in order to meet your projected income and grow your business.

   

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5 things to consider when importing foreign product into Nigeria

Importation has been verified and proven to be one of the most profitable and pleasant businesses if not the most lucrative of all. In Nigeria and the world at large there is a wide range of imported products whose examples include home appliances, clothes, cars, accessories, gadgets, jewelries etc. Carefully observing the trend, it is very easy to understand that Nigerians, in fact Africans largely prefer foreign/imported products to locally made similarities. Based on this, importers try to meet up with the unending demands for imported products and while doing this, their business finances grow
rapidly, this is just why Nigerian importers are known to be Elites.

If you'd like to join the importation system of business in Nigeria, here are a few things to consider

1... Consider a Market research
For every start up business in Nigeria, the very first rule of engagement is study and subsequent planning. A market research is paramount to establishment so that you do not set off on the wrong foot. Perhaps you'd like to import detergents and cosmetics from South America or Asia, you'd need to find out from the existing Nigerian Market how many similar South American brands are in the market already and how are people responding to such products. This helps you to avoid importing a waste product as a beginner.

2... Check relevance of your desired items to the Market
That's right, it's very possible that you already have an idea of what you'd like to import as you're about going into importation without a market research. With this being the case, remember you aren't the customer. For you to able to identify with your customers and make good sales, you too must place yourself in a position or the stance of being a consumer in Nigeria. The easiest way to achieve this is by visiting the market, your intending market and ask a few questions based on the product or products in question. It could be a new type of Maggi, seasoning, body care or hair cream. Dealers or sellers you'll meet in the market would mostly ask for a sample so you should have some handy. If your samples do well to impress them, then it's definitely a good choice you're making.

3... Establish concrete buyers
Now we do not want a situation where we'd have import stuff or items worth big money when converted but stuck in our magazines, warehouse or shop because we do not have buyers. We want a situation where goods would quickly be sold when they come in, cash retrieved, capital reinvested and profit deducted as quick as possible. For this to be attained within the shortest time possible, you need to locate buyers first hand and then retailers (that's if you do not plan to own a store of your own). If you plan to retail your items, then you still need to establish good connections for quick business to be done.

4... Weigh relationship between capital and profit
The products in question might be lucrative overseas perhaps because it's rampant over there already or people have grown much liking for it in those contexts but then if it's a new product in Nigeria, its likely going to take a while before it becomes a household name in Nigeria and that is definitely going to require good advertising and financial back ups. You'd need to consider the marginal difference between capital investment and profit for the products and items in question, if the profit would not be enough to run the business and sustain the business, do not hope things would get better, your probability of going bankrupt no sooner than later is high unless you're very certain of other financial assistance to run your business profitless for a while until profits start coming in when you're finally set. Also, for the types of products that are already known in Nigeria and well bought, ensure that your buying source isn't on the high side, else you'd only be living from hand to mouth.

5... Are there possible problems to encounter?
Lastly, there are always problems with every business, there are real challenges to to face and it gets very much overwhelming and intimidating when you're not aware of these pending problems and as such you weren't prepared for them. From your research, find out what existing problems are associated with your intending line of importation business and how experts in Nigeria have been managing and overcoming them. It puts you in a better position to scale through even unknown problems that are still possibly yet to come.

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How to choose a financial advisor

The archaic way of handling business and business organizations with the idea of the "kind of" Sole proprietorship where owners feel they do not need any external assistance as per advise on business management has long and long been done with. It's 21st century and the need for having public assistance and private aids from professional finance ventures on finance advise to enhance businesses and boost productivity is becoming more and more obvious today. Many business owners in Nigeria now assimilate the idea of having a financial advisor as attached to their businesses in order to receive regular professional counsel and advise from these experts. The difference is clear, companies running without the assistance of a financial advisor usually go bankrupt more often than not or require external loans every now and then for the survival and continued existence of their businesses while those

who have active financial advisors rarely have economic problems nor financial crisis because their financial management system is strong and company finances remain buoyant.

However, choosing the best financial advisor for your business in Nigeria isn't that a very easy thing to do, many do not know how to go about it and a couple business owners ended up with the wrong persons. The most obvious effects of working with a bad financial advisor in most cases are summed up in "Bankruptcy",  "Retarded growth" and "Stagnation". Let's discuss how you can achieve the aim of choosing a good financial advisor for your Nigerian Business.

1... Compare records
While or before settling for a good one amongst three similar items that are being suggested to you by someone, you would possibly have to check records for these stuffs to see if they have public acceptance, to see if they have proven efficiency and the reality of what they promise to offer. Similarly before deciding on a financial advisor to employ or work with in Nigeria while you have a long list of possible persons to hire, you would have to do a background check to get some background informations about them. Perhaps you could ask them to state or mention to you other companies and firms they have worked with, when they do, it would be nice to write to, call or visit these said organizations to ascertain their view of such persons in terms of competence. Also you could do a general assessment of the companies in question in the aspect of how successful they've grown to be and how financially buoyant they are. If answers come out positive, then you don't have a problem, you're definitely hiring the best person for the job.

2... Verify certification
It's true to some extent that "examination isn't the best test of knowledge" but at the very same time, "Knowledge without examination is void and null". Academic qualifications are necessary because they prove that such a person has actually been specifically trained for the field in question. It would be wise to in a polite sense try to ascertain what academic quantifications your aspiring or current financial advisor has in terms of economics and finance or financial administration because these two trainings are necessary and in fact compulsory for every and any financial advisor in Nigeria to have undergone before taking up office. You can imagine what jeopardy a company would be facing if it's financial advisor rather had an MSc in Mechanical Engineering. Wrong course!

3... Observe your business growth intently for a few months after choosing one
Now, you possibly have settled for an advisor after he or she has shown proof of academic qualification and a record of good dealings and competency. However, there could still be loop holes. Finance remains finance everywhere but then to be on the safer side, do not just relax after employing or hiring one hoping that everything is perfect already and they already know. No! You need to keenly observe the marginal growth of your business from the very first day of hiring to a given period of time, if the growth graph curves or drops drastically (which may likely not be the case)  or drops gradually and keeps dropping further, there's definitely a problem and if you keep at it, you'd be loosing everything you've ever toiled for, you need a replacement asap. On the other hand, if there's a gradual increase in company's profitability and productivity no matter how little it might be, be it 10% or less, its most definitely a very good sign that there's progress and sure there's going to be continuous progress.

4... Experiment
This throws a few more light on the point number 2. There's really nothing bad if you have hired a total of 10 advisors in 12 months, you're after your success and should fight for it at all costs. If the first person proves incompetent, hire the next person, if the next person still doesn't fit in, change him! You keep changing until the difference becomes clear to the point where it is now possible for you to project your progress from a given standpoint. Good financial advisors are hard to find because in Nigeria today, almost everyone is just about the certificates these days and as such do not take Time to learn the practice.

5... Involve them in every situation

In every financial situation or decision you're about to take up, ensure that your financial advisor is aware and in support. The more they are engaged with these actions helps you to see what you really need to see. You'll get to see if their advises are effective or not, you also get to establish if they really are experts as they claimed they are. However, you should also use good judgement while carrying out this process of "determining value" so that you do not end up loosing millions of Naira because of an advise from a bad financial advisor, it has actually happened to many. Just be cautious until you finally arrive at your desired best advisor on finances.

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How networking can help build up your business

Networking simply means connecting successive dots or interlinked chains for a business goal. I'm most certain you've heard about or even belong to some of the my numerous networking companies floating around in Nigeria and world wide, that's right. The system of operation for these businesses is a kind of system where success with the business solely depends on continuous patronage or chain of people joining everyday, that is to say old members are paid, settled or compensated with monies from New members. However, the benefit of such networking ideas practiced by these companies is to create a circle, a chain of like-minded persons who are solely working together to achieve one goal and a definite goal.
In a similar sense, networking can actually help build your business if you view it from the right perspective.

1... It creates an endless chain

If networking is done rightly and for the right sets of things, a long chain is created and this chain continues to grow even in your absence. For instance, when I got into bitcoin mining, almost every week I was purchasing bitcoin for my investments from a colleague who always bragged he has more than enough to sell, with my regular purchase I also introduced a couple other persons to what I was doing and also referred them to my friend when they needed bitcoins to buy, surprisingly one day I needed bitcoins and I contacted him to buy from he as usual, he replied to tell me he has zero stock and that my networking has finished his bitcoins. We laughed over it but it was true he was out of stock, credits to the other people I referred to buy from him. In a nutshell, networking creates an endless chain which is fundamental to the success of your business.

2... It ensures that the right persons are coming to you

This particular point cannot be left undiscussed. Taking the popular Mmm Nigeria as Case study, almost everyone added to mmm Whatsapp group chats are people who have love for the investment community, this means that only the right persons are attracted to the group or facebook posts of such. In a similar sense, networking attracts the right persons to you because the long chain created is a chain of people with a specific purpose, Uni goal-oriented and as such any new person joining the chain or wanting to join the chain, have no doubts about purpose and goal of the chain.

3... Referral purchases are multiple times more than direct purchases

Let's assume Mr A is your direct customer and every month he purchases items worth of N100, 000 from you. Depending on the customer service satisfaction he has, this same Mr A refers about 10 of his friends to you as the best dealer or seller of a particular brand or categorization and these 10 friends of Mr A each on the average purchases N25, 000 worth of merchandise you deal on or services you render every month. In a sum up, you see that these referral friends are even buying more than the person who referred them and this is how this referring continues to stretch. So networking is really good for your Nigerian Business.

4... It serves as a success gauge

If you keep records and if you're intent at regular check, with the amount of active referral buyers you have patronizing you, you can be able to ascertain how impressed your clients are and how vast your business or brand is spreading. This demands good management, when a direct client of yours has referred over 10 friends of his in less than 1 year to become your customers too, it's obvious that this client in question is very much impressed, also it shows how loyally committed they are to you which in turn demands some sort of  compensation no Matter how little.

5... It helps you to introduce a new product to people with little efforts

When you have a large active business network  already, you would not be afraid to import an entirely new product into the country, even when people around see things differently, you'd be very confident that your existing network would do the magic. To use your network for this, simply introduce the new product to a couple of your most active clients, tell them of a nice compensation plan perhaps "make 50 sales and earn 1% on each unit sale", you'd be surprised how much more larger your network would grow. Believe me, people love networking when they're very certain there's something in it for them.

Cheers!!!!!

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How to raise capital for your small business

Many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria panic on how they could raise capital for their business and in this post, I will show you how to raise capital for that your small business.
It is obvious that even as an established business, you will still realize that capital is always an issue.
Your business needs a start-up capital that involves the pre-open expenses, initial operating expenses and opening stock.
Here are some guides that would show you how to raise capital for your small business.
How To raise Capital For Your Small Business In Nigeria

1.Have The Right Mindset
How does having the right mindset relate to how someone would raise money for his small business in Nigeria? It relates in everything, many leading entrepreneurs be it Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) portray a mindset of success in whatever business they indulged in,, you would definitely see it in their success story.

It also applies here on how you could raise capital for your business, because whether you like it or not, no one can easily give you cash to startup a business in Nigeria, that’s why there are very few successful entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs had a mindset to succeed, so you must have that first.

2.Apply For Loans
You just want to start a small business in Nigeria ? Then you have to apply for loan, applying for loan through a commercial bank in Nigeria requires you to have a well presented business plan that would attract the lender of the loan? In most cases some of the lenders turn down the offers of small businesses, but you just have to keep trying out other alternatives to fund your business.
You can also apply for government loans and grants.

3.Get Money From Associations
Associations in this context could be any organization you relate to, it could even be your church, as long as you would refund the money you collected from them, since your business is just a startup, they may encourage you by giving you something to jump start your business.

4.Ask Friends/Families To Lend You Money
It’s actually a small business you want to start, so you can inform your friends and families about your plan and if you are lucky, they may help you, but most of the times they may laugh at you, and some be like  “where does this one think he is going”, then they would quote you “please borrow me money to start my small business, my foot”, but whatever result you get, you have to take it in good faith.

5.Fund Yourself:
At least even if nobody wants to help you, you should be able to help yourself, it’s your business, start with whatever you have.
 Successful entrepreneurs tried to fund their own business at one time or the other when getting external sources of income failed and it paid off.
 You don’t have to give up simply because you went to your local commercial bank to ask for loan and turned you off, then you let your business dreams die, NO it does not have to be so, and you might even go to your friends and families and even your “RICH” uncle or closest friends and they may not assist you or they may even be jealous or just having the mindset that you can never succeed, do not give up.
 Gather the little money you have that would be able to make your business take-off and start from there, with time you will find external sources of income.
 So one of the ways you can realistically raise capital for your small business in Nigeria, is by funding the small business yourself.

6.Work For Your Capital
Let’s say you want to start your small business and you have tried to achieve all that is listed above, you can actually do jobs that would be able to help you fund you business for the mean time, that’s what I mean by working for your capital.
 Even if you have a 9 to 5 job, you just have to retain it and operate on that your small business from time to time and when you see that your small business is gaining grounds, you can quit and enter into the business full time.
This is smart and you would actually succeed in your business, because there is a sure source of income. Many business men and women, so even if you are working in an organization and you have a business plan, you can work your capital and make sure that your business has all it takes to stand on its own, not for you to quit and then when you face your business squarely you begging to see difficulties in getting funds and then your business crashes. That would be a bad scenario, so you just have to be patient until you see the limelight of your business.

 With these tips , you should be able to raise capital for your small business in Nigeria and grow it to become successful.

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How to choose a good business partner

Image credit:Shutterstock

Are you a business owner or an entrepreneur?Do you wish to know the hidden secret when choosing a business partner?This post gives the detailed qualities you should look out for in a business partner.
You could have the most promising business concept ever to have been conceived,but it's unlikely to work if you have got the wrong business partner on board.
These are the 10 qualities you should look out for when choosing a business partner:
1..Experienced
  They say 'Experience is the best teacher'is not an exception when choosing a business partner,the person must have all the experience needed to run your business.
Have a look into his work history and ask questions about his or her previous roles and success maybe from the people he has worked with to give you a better clue to know whom you are partnering with.
2..Good communicator
A business partner whom you want to work with must be accessible at all time in times of personal conversation or friendly communication with your potential customers.

3..Must be passionate
The business partner that you will be working with must love the business same way you do,your business will be at a greater loss if you choose who isn't willing to work hard or do whatever it takes to met the goals you set.
It will be worthless if you employ such person because he or she wouldn't make the business their top priorities.
4...Trustworthy 
 Your business partner must be trusted in every aspect of your business must especially when it comes to monetary terms.
Try to find an honest and trusted business partner who has a stable source of income to avoid mismanagement of your business funds.

5...Must be a good motivator
As a business owner setbacks are certain in relation to business.You'll make errors and face demanding situations as you move along and you might fail generally earlier than you discover solutions that works
That's why is of intense essential to discover a business accomplice who's a motivator,who can motivate you when you are feeling heart damaged,having setbacks or running out of funds.

6..Have some sales marketing skills
 The business partner must have all it takes when marketing the value of your product with new or existing customer for a better insight about what you sell and what the
product has to offer.

7...Shares same goals and vision with you
   You have to make sure that the person whom you are considering as a business partner has business goals that are aligned with yours.In other words you both should have the same target.
 Working with this type of business partner will work out best in other to reach your company's goal
8

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5 reasons why your business needs insurance

We all need insurance because we do not know exactly what tomorrow holds, similarly you cannot tell precisely and accurately what the future of your business could be like. Every business needs insurance, every entrepreneurial activity needs to be insured against uncertainties and mishaps. The basic definitions of Business in almost every definition reflects an idea of risk. In fact, one business dictionary categorically defines business as a risky activity! Business is all about risk taking, taking risks with decisions that may or may not turn out positive. With insurance, depending on which type exactly, you're covered, most of your risks are secured and covered. Successful businesses in Nigeria are mostly insured and this state of insurance has really contributed to their successfulness in so many known and understandable ways.

Let's take a concentrated look at 5 good reasons why your business in Nigeria needs insurance to survive now and then and just how this can contribute to desired sky-rocketing!

1... IT GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE
A business company running on an insured platform develops some sort of boosted confidence and imbibement for it's owners. Such owners are able to take sensitive and calculated business decisions without fearing uncomfortable outcomes, they're able to take compelling risks to move their business to the next level without having too much worries like "what if" and "what if not". Yes insuring your business is one sure way to success because, you become more equipped as an entrepreneur and you become very much aware of the many investment opportunies existing around you as business aids which probably were veiled to you previously.

2... IT CATERS FOR UNCERTAINTIES
There could be an accident and severe damages to certain equipments or facilities helping to run your business effectively could result, there could be a fire outbreak at your business place, there could be death on the part of the owner, so many uncertainties could arise as well as negative effects of such happenings, having an insurance for your company guarantees that your business would continue to run efficiently without no quakes because from what I know, good insurance companies step in to assist greatly whenever there is a specific problem with their client business as long as these problems are in line with the stated and agreed insured category. Just like how an insurance company gets you a new and similar-in-worth car when your previous insured car gets an accident with irrepairable damages and you're found guiltless.

3... IT INCREASES YOUR CHANCES FOR LOANS AND LEGAL GRANTS
Certain amount of bank loans or very high amounts of business loans and other types of sensitive loans are only and strictly made available to Companies with insurance. Legal grants are also easily accessible to registered companies who are insured to a large extent. This is to say that, insuring your business increases greatly your chances of receiving public funds for your business should in case you require such loans because banks and lenders really do not want to borrow money to a company whose future is uncertain and who's prolonged existence is merely perceptional. Insurance clears way for better business relationships.

4... IT ATTRACTS INVESTORS
One of the first few responses partnership representatives give to applicants is questioning the insurance state of the company and demanding prove for it.  Official investors would always want to know firsthand how insured is your company before investing any dime with you, so they ask to know and believe me if your answer isn't satisfactory or you do not have an insurance for your company, you're standing on a long thing, the deal is as good as dead. Like I said previously, no one, yes no investor in Nigeria would deem it fit operating with a company that has no plans for mishaps or a business running aimlessly. Yes, aimlessly because without insurance, technically your business has no future in Nigeri
Want or hope to attract angel investors to your business? Then think insurance and get insured right away!

5... IT ENSURES THE SUSTAINABILITY OF YOUR BUSINESS
The sustainability of your business in Nigeria so much depends on risk management. Being able to manage associated risks means that your business would thrive and grow amidst disturbing conditions in the country. Insurance affords you this risk management. With insurance, you look more professional, your workers/employees feel more relaxed to work for you wholeheartedly as long as they understand that insurance covers them, they would not fear to take risks to see your business succeed even in your absence and believe me, when your employees and partners are very much committed to their work naturally without being forced or coerced to, the best recipe for success has just been found!

Best Regards

Written by Ogbaragu

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5 income generating ideas for student

Are you a  student looking for part time businesses to do for little income?

Do you as a student wish to augument your allowances by engaging in petty business?

Would you like to know just what businesses are available for students to do?

Search no further! I've got on-camp businesses for you which aren't farfetched.

Nigeria has too many business opportunities for willing persons and the most interesting part of the whole thing is that anything you pick up as an engagement in Nigeria has great possibilities of success as long as you put your mind to it and exert the right efforts to enhance productivity.

Today let's discuss 5 Businesses that are best fits for students in Nigeria.

1... LADIES' WEAR
Ladies are well known as fashionistas, most definitely college girls are best targets. They love changing wears daily in order to keep up with their seduction grip on male counterparts on campus and off campus, so anything nice to don attracts them. Commencing a small shop where you deal on feminine items is great a business to do. They come trooping in and out of such places, especially if it's located close to the campus or on campus. Another interesting part of this business is that, their wears are quite expensive or high above male wears in pricing on campus except for their "footwears". So, it is easy to make huge returns with this, you'll just need a good supplier or a good market where you can get the items cheap.

2... MOBILE PHONES
In a world of technology where almost everyone wants to be trendy and up to date with technology advancement. About 93% of college students have phones or hand held devices and a reasonable number of them sell up their phones at the end of each semester to afford them transportation fee back home because this is usually the time when pocket money runs down to zero. This is the best time for buying these phones from them because for sure, they'd sell at cheap rates since they need money urgently for their conveyance. Buying these phones and selling back to different individuals when school reopens is a perfect and ideal business.

3... BLOGGING
Most students I know are bloggers or should I rather say most bloggers i know are students. Some of them became bloggers overnight, they ran into the occupation when they discovered it to be a lucrative business and not necessarily for passion. Who cares about passion anyways? You just need a good web designer to design and develop a purposeful blog for you, blog and then work on monetization. Blogging is really paying. Linda made all her millions via blogging. You might decide to develop this as a full-time profession or just let it sustain you through school. It depends on what you want with though.

4... TEXTBOOKS RETAILING
It is quite easy to get neat and clean old textbooks from passing out students or students moving to subsequent classes. Some students do not have money to purchase brand new textbooks from the store so you might be offering them a service they would be appreciating by selling these textbooks to them at affordable prices. It's also another lucrative one. You can find so many to buy and with the right marketing strategies, you can also find so many to sell to within a short space of time. This even allows you time for other businesses as well.

5... PUBLISH A REGULAR SCHOOL MAGAZINE
You can organise a team of writers and common journalists with the intent of scouting news and information in and around the school and publishing regularly to keep students posted and informed while selling it off to them at affordable and fixed prices. You can decide to publish weekly or monthly. Granted, it may require some substantial capital and deep level of commitment though but certainly it's very financially rewarding. It doesn't really matter if there are existing magazines of such already as long as you create and maintain a unique brand...

Was this helpful? share your views!

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How to become a successful business owner and entrepreneur

Being a successful entrepreneur is not as simple as it sounds,it takes time,dedication,commitment and steadiness.

Do you wish to know the shrouded insider facts behind each effective business owners that you know,i will impart those intense mystery to you:

1...Get support

The most vital angle some portion of successful entrepreneurs is that they interface with different business partners and other long haul business
individual that impart your aims.Get yourself snared to those business partners and tap from their thoughts.

2...Look for a mentor
A mentor in a business can not by any means imply that
the individual will do likewise kind of business with you,you can get one possibly a companion or relative who has been successful in business for years,he can help you with administration of money,business
thoughts/arranges and less expenditure.They have more experience and this to be an individual experience they have experienced.

3...Focus on one business
You can abstain from being made up for lost time in
each business open doors that you go over with.It is
better you ought to be regent or great at one rather an amateur in 3 or 5.Once your entire consideration is centered around one business,you will without a doubt turn into an expert,trust me on this.
4...Be coachable
   You must be a coachable business visionary as in you need to take activities of what to do and

things not should destroy you your business.

5...Work with like-mind people
You need to get great and keen individuals that will fill in as a group, individuals who are intelligent,hardworking,committed and shares the same vision with you.
  Picking a group is exceptionally crucial,so pick wisely.

6...Enjoy what you do

The key point is that you must appreciate what you do
regular as an entrepreneur since that works out best.If you are not energetic about your business,how would you be able to anticipate that clients will draw in and be enthusiastic about what you do?
Have a bona fide excitement for what you offer,believe in what you do and your clients will as well.

7...Be marketable
As an entrepreneur and business person you require showcasing to develop your business furthermore
extend your brand.Marketing as far as correspondence amongst you and another clients with the point of offering your item or rendering any service to them.Communicating the
estimation of your item or administration is the primary part of marketing,to attract individuals nearer to your brand.

8...Accept risk
This additionally one of the real issues business owner face,they fear going out on a limb one
reason you ought to go for broke standard danger as well as computed dangers reason since they are un-anticipated business open doors in risk taking.

9... Hold steadfast clients.
It is nothing sudden that customers are the forefront of your business' success. Business people
allude to pulling in and holding clients as a basic check in the accomplishment of their business in the
principle years. What are your customers' needs and is your association's vision aligned to those
needs? Look at your product and your delivery and dispersal channels. Perceive reasons
why your customers pick your business over your
adversaries. Match your qualities and inadequacies
with conditions. Having an all around understanding
of your customers and the business focus in which
you work can help you address the
issues of your customers and develop a whole deal
relationship with them

10...Spy on your competitors
Business competition is about the survival of the 'fittest'.So how would you checkmate on those
contenders who are in the same sort of business with you?Very simple,pretend to be a potential
buyer,spot those their promoting methodologies and their weakness.
This will give you a more noteworthy chance in setting a upper hand against them

11...Be disciplined
   Every one needs discipline but an entrepreneur needs more discipline,being disciplined in business
means the practice that help a business grow.A business owner can help to ensure success and
business growth over the long term by creating a plan before the launch of an idea.
   Such disciplines enables an entrepreneur establish a clear vision regarding the enterprise,set goals and create an action plan.
12...Have a business plan
   This part is almost the same with the previous one,every business needs effective business plans,setting out a business plan is an important first step in setting your objectives and reaching them..By finding out your goals and strategies,you will get a
clearer picture in your business,competition,strengths and weakness.
13...Be a fast forward thinker
   Most successful entrepreneur see matters a lot in a different way than the general public do. where humans see issues,they see possibilities. The maximum a hit
marketers all started out with a remarkable concept but most
importantly had the attitude and vision to peer that idea
through. They're thinkers, innovators and doers that
blaze
a trail.Most of the successful entrepreneur are the most formidable and
innovative human beings.
14...Invest in yourself
   Working an enterprise is physically disturbing and
mentally annoying. sure, it’s additionally a quite extremely good experience,but simplest in case you maintain the stamina to put in lengthy, high power days. if you are on the pursue of becoming successful business owners take out time to re-energize and refuel through such things as exercising, healthful consuming, and rest, as soon as you’ve been doing this for some time you begin to recognize that the time you invest in those kinds of things will pay some quite hefty dividends in phrases of productiveness.

   They you have it,14 steps needed to become a successful business owner and enterprise!.
 Please share this article with loved ones and friends!
 

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5 things to do before starting a business

Are you planning to commence a business? Perhaps you're tired with your white collar job and you think becoming an Entrepreneur is the best idea?
Congrats, you've made a healthy decision, one that would change your whole life and leave you feeling like its Magic for good. Entrepreneurship is the future of a sustainable economy and a more worthy adventure than being and remaining an employee and serving people build their empires all your life while you keep receiving peanuts.

An entrepreneur is a person who desires success and picks up substantial risks in his quest for success. Business is a risky activity but a far more profitable venture than profession.

However, before deciding on commencing any business or business related venture, there are a couple things that must be set in place to lay a solid foundation for your success. These things am about presenting to you are factors for general consideration to be checked as they apply to every business out there and any entrepreneurial activity.
  Also read :How to raise capital for your business
Here are 5 things to do before starting your own business...

1... STUDY YOUR PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS
As an intending entrepreneur, so many business ideas or opportunities might come your way, it takes discernment and good decision to settle for and prioritize one. Perhaps you like to deal on Automobiles or you would love to deal on clothes, well that's nice a few related factors after given due consideration would reveal to you which might be best two settle for in the two choices you have before you. The very first thing to do before starting a business is to have a careful and conservative study of the business in Question that is after deciding on what to do. Take sometime and understand the principles of operation of the said business.

2... GET ENOUGH EXPERIENCE
So next step would see you getting practical experience of your study. Perhaps you have a friend who is already into motor spare parts and cycle spare parts and this is what you'd desire to do. You might be taking a few shots from him by discussing with him of your plans and staying out a few times a week at his place to actually see how this business operates. How to deal with customers, how to attract customers, what strategies he's been using to combat business vices and how he manages his time and sales reps, also the accounting aspect of every business is vital to learn because every business does not have the very same method of preventing and checking internal theft.

3... COMPARE PROFIT PER CAPITA
How much profit should be expected for a start if you invest a certain amount of capital should you commence trading today in your prospective business? Love is blind but at the same time, passion can also be blind. Did you know that there are people into certain businesses today and they are regretting the choice they made because they joined the business out of passion without knowing the relationship between capital and profit? For instance, to me dealing on or trading on provisions is not a good business because inasmuch as it moves market or it has regular buyers, the actual fact is that it isn't and has never been lucrative. There is only a small marginal difference between cost price and selling price. So try to understand and compare this relationship for every business before investing into.

4... CHECK COMPETITION
So you might have to check for existing competition for the business risk you're about to undertake. How many people around you are into it already or in your prospective market or location, how many people would you be dragging customers with? Also check how many people actually have need for the particular product or products you intend to trade on? Is demand high? If yes, is supply meeting up with demand? If no, then it's a good idea but if yes, it carries on greater risk which means you might have to prospect another market.

5... UNDERSTAND THE RISKS
What are the bad factors affecting the business? Could electricity be a problem? This is a very crucial aspect! There are general risks affecting every business, there are also peculiar risks affecting individual businesses. For instance, a grocery store who also sells frozen chicken products has more need for electricity than a boutique though both need electricity to better their businesses but one has crucial need for it over another and if the light goes out for days with no auxiliary power source, these frozen products could go bad and money lost. So learn about associated risks and turn the red blue!

Best regards

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7 ways to stay out of financial debt

An individual for instance might fall into debt maybe they owe a mortgage loans,cable bills,utility bills and credit card debt.For an individual debt is a means of using predicted income and making future purchase in the present before it has actually been earned.
A person is more likely to to spend more than expected and get into debt either by using their credit cards or when a payment is made with cash.
Many people,businesses are still struggling with their finances in today's present economy,now why do people still have their debts  unpaid reasons because they have no structured financial plan.
On this post i will show you simple practice-able ways you can get rid of debt and start laying focus on the things that are of extreme important to you.

1.   Plan your monthly budget: what this does that it helps you to see tangibly what you are spending on each month in times of your inflows(income) to your outflow(expenses),it helps to monitor visually what you are spending on and also it serves as being accountable of all your expenses.Lets take practical example if you earn a monthly salary of $80,000 as a worker at least 40% of it should go in as your monthly budget or expenses.
2. Trim un-necessary spending:It could be you are spending a little bit too much money maybe on your grocery,cell phone bills,gym and entertainment cable bills, look for less expensive ones that will suit your needs.
3. Access your living cost:what i mean by this is to access what you are spending on as a monthly/yearly house rent and insurance,you need to downsize your apartment or you find a place a little bit cheaper than the one you are staying in if it is on the high side and rent the cheaper ones that will meet your needs.However,that you are not spending alot of money on your living cost,for example you live in a 3 Bedroom flat and you are still in debt try to look for a self contain preferably A room and parlor that is less expensive.
4. Make more money:This an option,sometimes getting a second job for par time job to get an extra cash,on the other side it will do you a lot of good if you have two jobs at the same time this will give you an extra money to easily pay your creditors and stay out of debt.
5. Be conversant with your creditors:Try to communicate with the people you are owing either by phone lines or emails,tell them about your current hardship and your present financial situation.Give them an assurance  that you will be able to pay back as soon as you are financially stable this one of the best way to avoid harassment from your creditors. 
6. Stop investing:How would you invest when you still have an un-settled debt?impossible i guess?this will only worsen that case,set aside those investment opportunity when you are fully debt free then you can consider those investments.
7. Ignore broke friends:Am not saying you should stay miles away from those your broke friends but try to avoid them when it comes to monetary terms if they ask for a lend make it clear to them that you still have some debt that you havent paid off.

            If you know any other means of staying out of debt please use the comment box!

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Business marketing strategies to promote your brand or products

So today we talk about strategical approaches to enhancing and boosting success for your Nigerian Business.

There are secrets to success and I know you've heard that before. Secrets as the word suggests refers to hidden ideas. Many businesses fail to succeed today, either because they're doing the wrong things rightly or doing the right things wrongly. To succeed and remain a mysterical success in your business, you must endeavour to do the right things rightly and at the very right time, additionally you must be a step ahead of your competitors, that is to say you must have strategies that though they may be open to the public, but definitely unique to you!

Well, let's consider 5 strategies you could possibly integrate and implement into your business for better results.

1... SAMPLE THE BEST PRODUCTS
The best products are the best baits! This is a system of baiting your customers and prospective clients by placing the best products where they can easily be seen and appreciated. Understandably all your products can never be of the very same quality or branding, there are sure to be variations and difference in grading whether slight or large. Sometimes you may in addition to expensive or pricey products, have cheaper products as well because you're trying to accomodate people with little money, yes that's awesome but as a strategy, always place the best product samples before ones with lesser quality or pricing where they can be seen without much efforts, it has an attractive effect on prospects and clients.


2... HAVE SUBSTITUTES
This is another strategy to promote your business, brand or products. Always try to have substitutes for your brand or products available also substitutes for setvices rendered by your business would be an added advantage. For instance, you deal on cosmetics and body sprays. Having different types and numerous brand types of this category enhances promotion for your brand because when people come to you, they have more than one perfume or spray type to choose from, they have a wide array of pleasant scents to relish and select from and this means that every visiting customer would buy at least one or more of your products before leaving. But assuming you have just about 8 different types of sprays and perfume but in large stock/quantity perhaps due to its demand in the market or by clients, well that's a good idea, you'd make sales and your profit for each is already calculated and known moreover, people know that if they want just the perfume called "Chairman", they can count on you. But then, you'd be promoting your brand and making more profit plus doing your business more good if you have multiple stock of the same category or different stock types, people would definitely come to you for all such category because they know they can count on you and your brand or business gets more popular within and around you for this.


3... BE FLEXIBLE WITH PRICING
Well, it's good to have fixed pricing for your products, preferably tagged on each as supermarkets and mini marts do it, that's alright because it reflects some sense of professionalism. But if you really desire to promote your brand, gain quick recognition and make quicker sales, then you need to consider being flexible with pricing and sell at Client's pricing as long as you know you'll still make gain selling at that price. Its healthier this way because when people
understand your flexibility, perhaps a few bad nuts would love to price way far less than normal but reasonable ones would understand that you are one of the best few dealers they have around. Also with quicker sales, your turn over is more frequent and you can extend and multiply your stocking capacity which makes it obvious to people around that your brand is doing great, it gets popular with this and then more customers want to purchase from you.


4... GET CLOSER TO YOUR COMPETITORS
Okay so I'll discuss briefly on this. Your competitors shouldn't entirely be seen as enemies. Here's the strategy, try to get close to them, relate with them as friends with the intent of learning from them. This opens you up to their strategies which you can borrow, conservatively if you're a good observer, you can also learn their success secrets and feast on them. Modifying such learnt strategies to suit your business and thinking out ways to integrate them into your business is one other secret to making it big and creating a leading name for your brand.

Cheers!!!!!!

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How to market your business and increase sales

For a business to grow or become successful there must be an effective marketing that drives sales. Without marketing your business there’ll be no sales. Needless to say, sales is the lifeblood of any business.

No matter how life-changing your product is, if nobody hears about it, you are as good as dead. Hence, you need to get the words out there about your business.

Marketing is more or less those things you do to get as many eyeballs as possible on your business. The more prospects you’re able to reach out to in your marketing campaign, the more sales you’re able to close.

Whatever marketing strategy you choose for your business, it should consist of a message that makes the prospects willing and ready to buy your product.

This is why it is important to speak the language of your customer. At some point, you'd need to forget about all grammatical rules and speak the exact language your customers relate to.

Let us consider some proven methods to market your business and increase sales:

1.Know Your target audience

   The number one mistake many business owners and entrepreneurs make is trying to sell their product to everybody. Selling to everybody is literally selling to nobody.

Your product cannot possibly be for everybody.

The first step to marketing your business to increase sales is to know your target audience/market. Targeting the wrong audience is like trying to sell pork to a man in Saudi Arabia or selling hot coffee in Sahara desert.

Obviously, there will be little or no sales. Why would anyone spend their money on something they have no need of?

Never go to where you’re not wanted, you would only annoy others and wear yourself out. It is strongly advised that you niche down and focus on your target audience to get the most out of your marketing efforts

2.Discover the problem and offer a solution

  The aim of every business is to solve a problem. People are willing to pay you heavily if your business solves their problems.

It will be difficult to market your business to an audience if you don’t know what their problem is. As a business owner, your first priority is to make your clients happy by solving their problem.

Asking the right question and listening to your customers' complaints is a good way to discover their problem. Finding those problems and giving the solution requires a strategic approach.

The most successful businesses are the ones that identify customer problems and solve them in a way that is timely and affordable for the customer.

3.Leverage on the social media.

  The use of social media is not going down anytime soon. Hence, the importance of social media in marketing cannot be overlooked. Many companies and big brands have seen the importance of the social media, and so have joined the bandwagon.

According to Hubspot, 92% of marketers in 2014 claimed that social media marketing was important for their business, with 80% indicating their efforts increased traffic to their website.

In fact, you can’t talk about marketing without including the social media. Gone are the days when the social media was just a place to chat and meet with friends. Nowadays, many people use it solely for business. There are people who build six figure business from their social media account alone.

 So, to get the most out of the social media, you must be available where your target audience is hanging out. Build trust by giving them value before ever trying to sell to them.

Use the social media account that fits your business. Most people start with Facebook because it is cheaper to reach people through Facebook ad. There are also, twitter, Instagram, google plus and many others. Just go where your target audience is.

4.Use Word of mouth

  It is said that word of mouth marketing is the best form of marketing.  It is not only the best but also the cheapest and most powerful. If your brother or friend recommends a product to you, do you think twice before buying it? No! You trust their judgment and also believe that they can’t lie to you. That’s the power of word of mouth marketing!

To make your customers become your brand evangelist, you must solve their problem in a special way that touches their heart. When the solution you offer grips their hearts and literally move them to tears (yes, there are products like that), they can’t help but tell everybody they know about you.

However, there are lots of people who will not share their experience with your product to their friends, you can’t force them, you can only persuade them to share their testimony with others.

The first priority of  a business owner to his customers is to make them happy and satisfied. They’re the ones who will blow your trumpet and sing your praise.

Make a promise to rather lose money than displease a customer.

Ask your friends, family or colleagues who have used your product to give honest reviews and feedback about it.

Pay attention to every negative review and address it immediately. Use every feedback to improve your business. Ensure to under-promise and over deliver. 

   Hope this goes a long way in growing your brand and increasing your product sales!!!! 

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