Nigerian Businessmen and women and Nigerian entrepreneurs are about the most dogged people I have encountered across most nationalities I have met. My judgement was based on my interactions with them and how they handle their business pitch.
This article is to outline 10 Marketing skills I have observed and learnt from them.
1. Be prepared for the opportunity: the average Nigerian entrepreneur on the street has his eyes opened and focused on what he wants to get per time, I mean opportunities. “After all we must survive” that’s the popular saying on the streets. They are smart to spot opportunities.
2. Don’t lose that opportunity: there is this popular saying “opportunity comes but once”. It means take hold of what you can see now, it might not be available the next time. Even though I differ a bit with this kind of thought, I agree that it’s important to take advantage of opportunities for good but not at the detriment of others. You can strategise for the right opportunity. Nigerian entrepreneurs know how to convert a potential customers to an active customer.
3. Be conscious of competition: competition is like a roaring lion ready to take you potential customers before your even get to know it. So they know who their competitors are and are prepared to compete with them.
4. What we offer is different: even though we might be offering the same service or product, there is something always different; this might be how we offer it or the packaging.
There is always something that will differentiate you, and this is always in the quality of your service. Perception is everything.
5. They always have options: when you encounter them they will give you all the available options and eventually help you make decisions. That way they would have closed in on the customer who is left with no choice but to buy and sit with the seller instead of going around window shopping. They so much believe in themselves.
6. They always close the deal: they close the deal even before you make up your mind, Lol. You hear words like ” Nkechi please put the stuff for madam in the bag she has bought it’. Then you remember you haven’t even negotiated the price.
7. Price is the last thing: they know that pricing will be negotiated but the customer must find the product or solution appealing or be convinced to buy before he/she parts with his money. So we talk price last as we can always reach a compromise.
8. They are good negotiators: except you are a Nigerian you will think they are doing you a favour at the initial price they offered, don’t be deceived that’s just the starting point of negotiation. So they make the maximum profit or margin from that sale. Remember even when you don’t have enough cash they advise you of alternatives for payment, most of them have electronic options of payment, even joining you to the ATM for cash.
9. They are good business partners or collaborators: it doesn’t matter if what you want is not in their store, they have it in the other store., actually the other store they refer to is not theirs; it means their neighbors’ store. At least they have given you that impression and also earn small income for making that sale.
10. They know how to ask for referrals: when a sale is made, they don’t just leave the customer, they ask you for referrals, they follow up with it. They know referrals are the easiest and most productive type of marketing or getting repeated sales.
Thank you for reading, will like to get you feedback or experience. Drop a message for me.
Lawrence Obi
@Law_obi
