One very important aspect of a business in Nigeria is the promotion. When you promote your business, you make it appealing to your target audience. You make it look attractive to the potential customers.
For you to successfully market your business in Nigeria, you need to be able to give it all the promotion it needs.
Today, we are going to be discussing a comprehensive list of practical things you can do to promote your business in ways that will make it win the Nigerian market and give birth to success.
Choose a name for your business that is not obvious but let it be simple to pronounce. Let your name create curiosity in the mind of anyone who hears it. Let it cause people to be anxious to know your business more.
Design a logo that will represent what you stand for and leave a great and memorable impression in the minds of members of the public. However, let it be simple. Simple logos like those of Closeup toothpaste, MTN, Indomie, Blueband, Dettol, Eva Water, and so on have stood the test of time. Let it not be cluttered. Let it be simple but really creative and attractive.
Situate your business in a suitable place. Depending on the type of business you do, you have to situate it in an appropriate location for the kind of operation you carry out as well as give the customer easy access to it, without constituting any environmental havoc.
Print complementary cards for your business and brochures for your business and make sure they carry your name, logo, the things you do, where you are situated, how you can be contacted, and some of your products. Give them to your workers, family, friends, colleagues, business partners, and so on and let them give them to others.
Create a good working environment for those working on the business. Cultivate love, trust, friendship, team spirit, and deal with conflicts and intimidation such that everyone feels a sense of commitment to the business.
Create a good business relationship with the public. The first people who will try to patronize what you do are those around where you do your business. They may eventually turn out to be the first persons to promote and market the business, if they are well treated. You need to honour them. If possible, get your workers from the environment where your business operates.
Provide standard quality products and services to customers. Customers are after quality and standard. You should never have a reason for giving them anything less. They need high standard products with high standard services. This will promote your business.
Deliver your goods and services at the right time without any disappointment. Time of delivery is also part of your service quality but because of how crucial it is. You will be killing your business if you cannot be reliable enough to deliver your products when needed just at the time expected. Work on this and let your customers know you for timely delivery.
Saturate the environment with your brand image. Place your name and logo on your business stationary, business cards, calendars, T-shirts, email signatures, brochures, merchandising materials.
Build an online presence for your business/product. You could create a dynamic website for your business or market it on websites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, or run a blog for it, or go to popular and interactive websites like football and fashion websites, and make comments that promote your business. However, be intentional about marketing your business on these sites.
Attend business and network meetings and introduce yourself by the name of your business. In fact, get to a point where your family and friends would easily remember the name of your business than your name.
From time to time, during some particular seasons, organize exhibitions and promotion programs to exhibit your products and give them out cheaper than normal. If you are into hair-cut business, try something like organizing a back-to-school special service during the back-to-school period of the year. Provide cheaper services for one week.
If possible get 1000 phone numbers of potential customers, from friends and families as well as co-workers. Send bulk sms to them once a month. You could also get so many emails and send mails to them about your business. You will be surprised that you will increase your sales drastically.
Offer to speak in seminars, on areas you are knowledgeable about and don’t miss the opportunity to introduce yourself by your business identity, if you are allowed to introduce yourself. Take permission from the organizers, to spend the first 3-5 minutes of your time, talking about your business/products and if possible, showcase a few. You could also organize your own seminars.
Do a good video of your business/product and put it up on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Organize and promote activities that people love. Anything that you are sure will pull a crowd. Sports contests are very good. Although you may spend some little money, it will be worthwhile. During such programs display your products and talk about them. Give them out at promotional rates. This will go a long way to promote your business.
Use print and audio-visual media to advertise your business. Make sure your adverts are humorous enough but are on point. Adverts play on the psychology of people a lot.
By now, I am sure you can see how opportunities to market your business, abound everywhere around you. You have no reason to be stagnant in business. Make use of the opportunities and your business will grow in leaps and bounds.
If you are thinking of advertising in Nigeria, please contact PoiseMedia Communications at www.poisemedianigeria.com or check our contact at the bottom of this blog. We can help you identify your market and reach them. We apply both BTL and ATL strategies to project our clients’ brands to the right audience. We can do same for you at very affordable price.
Lilian Izuorah
Business Development Officer
PoiseMedia Communications Ltd