20/08/2021
Azubuike Chinenye wrote:
We can't deny the fact that almost everyone on Facebook is selling something. Almost everyone!
But there is something that many of you do that somehow irks or I rather find irritating.
Forgive me oh, this is just my opinion.
Ehen, there is something many of you do that is not nice especially if you're a growing business. The worst thing you'll ever do to yourself as a growing business is to be copying every step of a big brand or a comfortable brand without copying their baby stage.
Five things many of you do that is wrong;
1. YOU SHARE ALOT OF POSTS;
I still can't understand the brain behind this. I can't. You visit a vendor's page and before you see what they're selling, you must have jammed more than 7 shared posts. Why? You share and share and cover your wall with shares making your wall look dirty. Or you do not know that is dirtiness?
It is better to copy and paste and credit the owner than share posts like a 9yr old learning Facebook.
2. YOU RECOMMEND A FRIEND'S BUSINESS THAT SELLS WHAT YOU SELL;
I know the sky is big enough for us. I know we all shout "love and light". I know we are trying to do "support each other".
My dear, please and please, you can never find Toyota advertising for Benz neither can you see Fendi advertise for Louis Vuitton. Which day have you seen Dangote recommend Ibeto? Or have you ever caught Rihanna recommend Victoria's Secret?
You know you're selling pant and bra. You'll now go and recommend another friend selling same pant and bra and say the sky is big enough. Yes it is big but your circle is small so protect it! Protect your future! Every business is a future and has a future. Guide it judiciously!
If others are doing it, must YOU do it? The sky is big yet you're not making sales.
3. BUSY LOOKING FOR BRAND INFLUENCERS;
Yes, we all need influencers and ambassadors. True. But you that is growing, why not grow until your feet is strong? Why not do the business alone until you've built enough customer base then you bring in influencers.
See, when you're not strong or mature, you have no business bringing in influencers. Forget the hype and noise. Why did I say so? When you bring an influencer, you might end up not knowing how to handle the crowd. You'll end up making alot of mistakes and lose them.
If you have been in business for 2yrs or even 5yrs trust me you'd have made so many mistakes. We all learn from mistakes. We all learn from failing. By the time you learn from both mistakes and failure, it is called Experience. This experience is your fuel to drive the business well. By the time you're experienced it means you have staff. Then you can get an influencer to promote your business cos you have both experience and workers to handle the crowd.
I hope I am communicating?
I am speaking to growing business owners oh. Do not go and copy Madam Silver who has money to pay influencers and has workers. Do not go and copy a rich housewife that has all the time to package goods when crowd comes. You that is growing and doing business as side hustle will now use your last card to be getting influencers.
Another thing is the selling power. After getting influencers and they promote your business, do you have the power to convert the crowd to sales? Do you have the integrity to maintain them? Do you have the manners to keep them? Cos many of you on this street lack manners. You have zero customer service and because you have lousy friends who will support you, you keep doing anyhow cos you have your clique. Clique that hasn't patronised your business or even gifted you a car is that one clique?
Or is it when the crowd will open your page and see different shared posts? Today you'll share different pastors, afternoon you'll share different jokes from pages, evening you'll share your goddess posts, night you'll share games and big brother naija. Haba!
God help you.
4. DO NOT FORGET YOURSELF;
Many of you used to be good writers, story tellers, fun people, gist people, creative people, I mean, you were something before business started. Guess what? You have forgotten who you were and doing only business. What does this cost you? Alot! Yes! It will cost you alot!
When you make your page all about your business, it becomes boring. Nothing gets me attracted to your wall cos it's filled with business. Allow people know your name cos of who you are. Allow people search you. When your name is on their lips, your business automatically stays on their lips.
Keep being you even while selling market. If you're a fun person, keep doing fun and post business like twice. Cement your business in their mind by being yourself.
5. MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE;
See Facebook is not about drama all the time. Those who are very popular for dragging, can't you see all of them are now selling something? Why? They've realised that the years they spent on dragging fetched them Nothing but followers and most times "broke" followers. They didn't make money. Nothing! While their mates have started buying cars and houses from Facebook, they were busy dragging and doing drama. Their mates now got married with kids then they woke up and started business.
See, we have buying followers, giveaway followers and broke followers. It is not a crime to be broke, do not misunderstand me pls. But, when you're always in drama, you end up attracting people that will never buy. People that will never patronise. People that will even tell you that the product is sold 500naira at their backyard. Those people are only there for the drama and violence. Nothing more!
What do you do? Make yourself visible! How do you become visible? Visit popular pages and drop sensible comments. You can choose to be funny, witty, sarcastic or neutral but do NOT be found insulting, body shaming or dragging someone. That thing puts a customer off. Yes! You will say you're living your life but sis you're damaging your brand!
We have petty customers. These people react to little things and most petty customers actually have money. You'll go and do something or talk anyhow and they'll go.
Please become visible. Let your comment stand out. Let your presence be felt. People will click on your wall and when they see your lifestyle and see your business, they'll be drawn. Even if they do not buy immediately, THEY ARE WATCHING! PEOPLE ARE WATCHING! They might not react or comment but THEY ARE WATCHING!
Before you say my post is too long, let me stop here with hopes that you have learnt 1 or 2.
I wish you all the best in your business and may you get good customers that will recommend more customers. May your village people too not allow you chase them away with bad character.
I still remain your girl, Ugogbaola 1.
●Azubuike Chinenye.
