True Story Real Life (Phone SMS) Sales Conversation with a Farm CEO client

I’ve written several articles in the past about the powerful sales boosting advantage of building a client and prospects/potential buyers contacts database/mailing list. You can over time grow and nurture, then ultimately MINE it for “gold” i.e form or money from sales you make to buyers on it!

This is what I do, and I do it at low to zero cost because I make smart use of PC and Internet Technology, while selling mainly digital products and services delivered by the web.

The true story you are about to read, illustrates one of many ways in which I do what I do, to make money even on public holidays or weekends – sometimes while lying down or playing with my kids :-)

The ideas I offer here can be successfully adapted for use by any interested persons, using a little creativity regardless of your field of interest or specialization.

SMS Conversation Starts…

Me: Tomorrow’s Sunday…and I’m in the spirit :)

Get a FREE copy of my Excel-VB Church Records Manager (N50k value). See your email! [NB: Offer Expires @ Noon]

Client: Did you say freeeeeeeeee?

Me: Go read your email first – 12 noon no far O. Ahem: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me..” Take action while it lasts O loool!

Client: Lol! Óyá! Take am sharply sharply. His-emall-address@gmail.com

NB: I found it intriguing that he actually thought he needed to supply me his email address, since I had always had it from the very first time he called months ago. Indeed I have email and phone lists for clients and prospects that I regularly send offers to!

So I sent him this teasing reply:

Me: See you dis man. Me I don send you email since b4 I send my SMS lool

Client: You are blessed by the Most High.

Me: Pastor (name-removed) lool!

By way of interest, here’s the email offer I sent him, in which I wrapped a FULL PRICED offer of my new audio podcast product (on Biafran Alternative Feed Formulation Ideas) around the FREE gift of my Church Records Manager app built 9 years ago:

*********************Email Starts******************
Get a FREE personalised copy of my Excel-VB driven Church Records Manager (N50k value)

Tomorrow’s Sunday…and I’m in the spirit :-)

Get a FREE personalised copy of my Excel-VB driven Church Records Manager (N50k value) when you buy my new Audio Podcast titled “Amazing Story: How Biafran Scientists Innovated Low Cost Animal Feed (During the Civil War) Using Zero Cost Local Ingredients”. See http://tinyurl.com/biafratest |

Price = N2.5k

Pay to bank or like some buyers do, send airtime to a mobile number I send to you.

Reply YES to claim it.

NB: Offer expires 12 noon today, 17th Sept 2016.

Enjoy your weekend!

Tayo K. Solagbade www.tayosolagbade.com

*********************Ends******************

Profiling your clients will make it easy for you to up-sell to them later on, and make more money!

When a prospect contacts me online about products or services I offer, I ALWAYS ask him/her to CALL me on my mobile number, so I can ask 3 important questions that will guide me in:

A. Establishing that s/he is a serious inquirer

B. Responding later via email to his/her inquiry.

Anyone that refuses to call gets ignored. All my international buyers from across Africa, Canada, UK, UAE etc went through this process before they could buy from me, and I’ve found that it inspires mutual trust and respect.

So I knew from profiling the above mentioned client 5 months ago, when he called about and eventually bought my$375 USD priced Excel-VB Poultry Farm Manager app, that he worked as a Church “leader” in his spare time.

He was not the only one. I knew others on my mailing list, and had broadcast the offer to all of them.

But he had responded first and that was not surprising since he’d recently contacted me via Whatsapp after reading my article about the app.

Here’s what he said back then on Whatsap

Client: Hello Tayo!
Happy new year. ☺
…been quite busy with work.
I saw your mail w.r.t. Excel-VB driven Church Records Manager. I love its simplicity!

Well done [Sep 1 @ 10.41a.m]

Me: Thanks. That app was built > 8 years ago loool!

Client: …the video and download links aren’t active. Any clue?

NB: I respond by send an audio message saying the app is FREE for any persons who pay to join my Excel-VB club.

I add that there is no video and only the screenshots he’d seen were available.

I then type the following closing message:

Me: By the way, if you’re not interested in joining the XLVB club, you can still get the app via your membership of my Farm Biz Ideas club which gives you 40% lifetime discount on ALL products/services I offer. That means you instead of N50k, you get to pay N30k. As a gesture of goodwill, I’ll offer you N15k if you pay on or before 5p.m today. Call it my Solar Eclipse promo loool

I got no response from him and so moved on. But I make a mental note to “work” that angle by thinking up a new offer

That new offer is the one he’s responded to today – hopefully, he’ll not balk at buying the N2.5k audio podcast product, to get the FREE N50k app…lol!

Whatever happens, I’m sure you get the idea.

THIS is an example of how I sell – and I learned to think about making money this way 24/7 by studying ideas advocated by geniuses like Robert Kiyosaki.

The most important lesson I learned from is how to print my own money by creating Cashflow Generating Assets – in my case, with a focus on digital delivery platforms.

Several of my past articles on this blog (like this one) offer ideas you can use to do that.

I create and sell information products in book form, as videos, or in audio form directly downloadable or delivered offline via courier on my branded DVDs etc.

With regard to custom Excel-VB solutions, I have a growing range of popular apps bought by business – especially farm operations.

But I also have many more apps I built for all sorts of clients from my decade long pavement pounding past that are just lying idle on my disks.

This is because I’ve narrowed my focus to serve what I’ve identified to be my most lucrative niche market.

But rather let them go to waste, I constantly review potential opportunities to sell such otherwise obsolete apps, or to bundle them with other in demand products/services as deal-sweeteners.

I share this story to illustrate the power of building relationships to facilitate selling to total strangers, regardless of geographical distance.

It is only when you profile a potential buyer that you will more accurately understand their felt needs, interests and preferences.

This is what I’ve done for years, selling to buyers in and out of Africa in a manner that’s helped me build valuable high quality lasting friendships with clients I’ve yet to meet in the flesh.

It goes without saying, as can be seen from the conversations shown above, that selling this way can be a lot of fun. You should be able to enjoy yourself in doing a business you love and making money in the process.

Adopting the ideas I’ve share here can help you do just that.

Send me a message if you need help.

Related Articles

  1. The Best Way to Make Money (True Story)
  2. How You Can Create Income Generating Assets Without Having a Job or ANY Money! (True Story)
  3. Spontaneous Coaching™ Program: Monetize Your Expertise to Make EXTRA Money With LESS Effort by Creating Cash Flow Generating Assets (CFGA)™

[Podcast] Real Reason Why Well Schooled People Commit Fraud (Tayo Solagbade’s “Difference Between Schooling & Education” Series)

Why do people who have acquired decent levels of formal schooling, up to tertiary level (and even beyond) keep getting caught engaging in fraudulent acts in their personal/work lives?

What makes such otherwise intelligent people stoop so low as to engage, for instance, in (what Fela once called) “pen robbery”, tax evasion, taking/giving bribes and other forms of financial misconduct?

You could say GREED, but that would only be scratching the surface. It goes MUCH deeper than that!

This audio explains the root cause of this strange self-destructive behaviour exhibited by people who by their exposure to formal schooling would have been expected to know better.

If you have ever wondered why all those gurus in the banking industry indulged themselves in abuse of their positions to access customers’ funds for personal enrichment, then you want to listen to this charged half-hour presentation.

Disclaimer: Tayo Solagbade’s “Difference Between Schooling & Education” is a no-holds barred audio podcast series.

In each audio recording, I mince no words in speaking what I consider truths to make my points.

If you know you’re sensitive to hearing a person speak harsh truths with brutal frankness, on issues you feel strongly about, then do NOT request that I send you this FREE sample audio.

I’ll however say this:

Any person who listens to these recordings will come away with life transforming real world relevant insights that s/he can apply to advance financially in life – and also teach his/her kids.

Do you want that?

If YES, you’ll love THIS maiden podcast in my educational series titled “Real Reason Why Well Schooled People Commit Fraud“!

Format: AMR Audio = 2.2MB [MP3 = 6MB]

Duration: 0.5 hrs

Price: FREE [Let me know if you want MP3 or via Whatsapp]

To get it, send your full name, marital status, email and phone number to me via +229-66-122-136 on Whatsapp – and I’ll send you the 30 minute audio in return.

Alternatively, simply signup for the “Difference Between Schooling & Education” series (and others to come) by requesting access to Tayo’s School of Mental Emancipation and Personal Achievement on Facebook.

To Succeed, You Need to be a Problem Solver [True Story: Real Life Problem Solving Email Conversation With New Buyer of my Excel-VB Ration Formulator App]

Finding buyers for your products/services can be hard, but what is even harder is GETTING and KEEPING those buyers satisfied, so they do NOT feel what is called “buyer’s remorse” and demand their money back, or refuse to give you repeat business.

Having said the above, let’s be clear about one thing though:

You CANNOT please all your clients. There will be those with whom you simply will not be a good fit – and it will be NO FAULT OF YOURS. When that happens, you must be ready to let such people go. NEVER make the mistake of assuming you have to keep all clients at all costs.

In other words, client attrition is a necessary evil (I call it a blessing) that ALL of us will have to deal with every now and then.

What is crucial however is that you ensure that you keep it as low as possible, and ensure it does NOT happen with those you know are your ideal clients i.e people who fit your target audience profile.

In my case, I learned YEARS ago that NOT all buyers deserve to be my clients, so I’ve developed a screening system to identify and keep such people out of my network of potential buyers as much as possible.

With that system in place, I then go all out to use my marketing arsenal to rope in those who remain, and ultimately sell to some of them.

However, once a sale happens, I DO NOT go to sleep!

Instead, I stay alert for ANY issues that may be raised by the new buyer – even as I keep close contact (via periodic email, Whatsapp and phonecall “Hellos”) with even older clients.

If s/he (or any of the others) raises ANY issue with the solution provided, I instantly click into my accelerated Support Service Provision mode.

During this phase, I draw on all my knowledge and experience, as well as information from past client interactions, to help the client get the desired outcome in using the solution delivered to him/her.

I’m proud to say that 95% of the time time, I have succeeded in addressing raised issues, earning myself the client’s subsequent appreciation

In many cases, that ended up opening the way for more up-selling opportunities in the future, and at some point a real lasting friendship with him/her.

The screenshots and email transcripts reproduced below, illustrate a real life example in which I employed the strategy described in this article, very recently, to solve a problem for a “newly minted” buyer of my Excel-VB Ration Formulator app.

========

BELOW: His email informing me of the difficulty he was having, getting the app to run normally…

=========

Sep 15 (2 days ago)

Good morning
I was so busy during the Salah break that I was unable to down and run the RF app. However I was able to download the RF-Exports.xls , data-appended.xls and the zipped folder that contains the picture guides. And also the 4 YouTube videos. It seems these 2 excel files are not the main app for the ration Formulator because I could not find the login screen in order to use the password you provided in your email. Thanks

Sent from my iPad

am-64bit-shot0-start

==================

BELOW: I send him a reply, after speaking on phone with him – adding URLs to a video on how to enable macros etc….

=================

The video shows how. The 2 articles offer additional information and education

1. Start-Up – Excel-VB Ration Formulator.avi – YouTube | 23 Nov 2011 | Tayo Solagbade shows how to enable macros (in Excel 2007) to run his Excel-
VB …

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z8B1yX8e-GY

2. [Tutorial 01 – ExcelVB Coding Tips & Tricks for Accountants: How to Enable Macros in different versions of MS Excel I.e 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2013! | SD Nuggets™

http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/tutorial-01-excelvb-coding-tips-tricks-for-accountants-how-to-enable-macros-in-different-versions-of-ms-excel-i-e-2003-2007-2010-and-2013/

 

3. Protect Yourself from Macro Viruses [Potential Dangers of Enabling Macros in Excel-VB Workbooks From Unfamiliar Sources] | TayoSolagbade.com

http://excelheaven.tayosolagbade.com/?p=604

I will call you.

Tayo
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTNam-64bit-shot0
=====

BELOW: The above turns out to have been correctly done by him and NOT the issue he was having. So I send him ANOTHER reply, after speaking on phone with him – this time I add 2 PDF files, with explanatory notes about how their contents may help solve what I suspected to be the likely issue he was having

=====

Tayo Solagbade <tayosolagbade@gmail.com>

AttachmentsSep 16 (1 day ago)

to aliyu, Tayo
Hi Aliyu,

See attached file named Aliyu-PFM-Login-Screenshots.pdf

My conversation with you indicates you’ve most likely got this covered…but I still include it because of the details I added regarding the Mac OS

Excerpt: If you’re having this experience while trying to run it on your Mac then it’s understandable/expected. Like I told you, my apps are built using Windows based MS Excel version which uses VBA code syntax that’s not fully compatible with that in the Mac OS version of MS Excel.

My advice is that you run the app on a PC that runs Windows for best results.

However, below are 2 articles I’ve written to offer information, education and basic support for Mac users who have bought from me:

1. http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/you-need-this-zero-cost-app-for-trouble-free-use-of-excel-vb-windows-based-apps-in-excel-for-mac/

2. http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/useful-question-answer-email-conversation-with-a-new-farm-ceo-user-of-my-excel-vb-driven-poultry-farm-manager-pfm-software/

====

NOW, here’s another possibility to consider:

I just recalled that a past client (by name “Ekene”) experienced a problem (for another of my software – The Poultry Farm Manager) which was due to a compatibility conflict between my app (which was developed for 32 bit MS Office) and 64bit MS Office installation on his system.

I’m not sure if this might be the case with you. The attached PDF explains how to check which of the 32 or 64 bit MS Office versions you have on your PC.

However, as long as what you have on your PC is a licensed version of MS Office, the instructions in the attached PDF will easily resolve the conflict for you.

Otherwise, you may need to reinstall MS office and choose to install the 32 bit version this time around.

Full details of how you may have ended up having the 64 bit version installed for you is given in the attached PDF – based on information I compiled from the Microsoft forums.

I’ll call you once I send this email off to you.

Cheers,

Tayo
PS: Note that the PDF was prepared based on error reports sent me by Ekene, which differ from yours. I’m however not sure if they may be due to the same root cause. So I recommend you read all 3 pages carefully, then follow the -prescribed steps from pages 2 to 3.

am-64bit-shot1

=======================

BELOW: He replies to confirm my suspicion that the second possibility (regarding 64bit MS Office) turned out to be the cause of the problem he was having

=======================

 

11:42 PM (15 hours ago)

to me
Good evening I just got back home and finish reading your mail. Both the pc and the Mac are running 64 Bit operating system. I think that is the cause of the issue am having. Thanks a lot

Sent from my iPad

am-64bit-shot2

Final Words

I share the above true story to give the reader a real world relevant example of how to use the ideas I advocate – and to provide proof that I practise what I preach – so s/he can feel inspired to do the same.

[Recommended] Download The Secret to Winning at Life & Investing [Why I’m Giving You a No Cost 10 Minute eBook] – by Robert Kiyosaki

The reason I started Rich Dad was to be an educator. To develop a way for people like you to learn about finances since it wasn’t being taught in school.

When I was young, my poor dad wanted me to go to a good college and get a good job. To him, that was the path to security. To him, that was being rich. What I actually learned was that his advice would prepare me to be an employee. I had to learn how money worked so I didn’t have to spend the rest of my life working for it.

This brings me back to why I started Rich Dad, because being able to give you something that I know will play a major role in helping you reach independence is what brings me the greatest joy.

Today, I get to do just that!

Now…there’s something for you to do too.

We all have friends and family members in our lives who are struggling to reach their goals in their life because their mindset has been programmed to think like the poor or middle class.

Please share this eBook with them. It’s no cost and takes 10 minutes to read, but could change their life. Success is meant to be shared, pass it along.

Share with a Friend or Family member now >>

http://www.richdad.com/promotions/2016-The-Secret-to-Winning-at-Life-and-Investing.aspx.

[Recommended] Messaging app “Telegram” now has the one feature you wish WhatsApp had

An exciting messaging app called “Telegram” that I learned about today is going to save my “Smartphone usage life”.

I have a new member of my Excel-VB Automation club (Aliyu Muhammed) to thank for letting me know about it.

He wrote as follows:

Hello
There is a good app that I think that will interest you and your members. It’s called Telegram. It’s actually an advanced what’s app messenger and Facebook messenger together. It’s free and it’s accessible through the phone tablet pc and Mac. It’s very versatile and robust. And best of all its cloud based all the messages, PDFs, audio and video are automatically archived on the cloud. It’s also support a large group up to 5000 members unlike what app that can only accommodate mere 250 members in a group. Simply search for it App Store and you will be blown away.

And that’s even though the key benefits I see it giving me are a bit different from those he highlighted as potential justifications for me to adopt it.

[Hint: It does stuff Whatsapp can’t or won’t e.g like running on ALL platforms including Blackberry into 2017… and beyond! ]

You see, I like the fact that this app (called Telegram) works across all platforms

That’s so unlike Whatsapp which made me buy 3 Lenovo smartphones recently for myself, my wife and my kids after persistent notifications from the developers that Whatsapp would not work on our Blackberry devices.

So despite my preference for my BB, I have had to join Android bandwagon – reluctantly, unlike the rest of my clan, who have been ecstatic lool!

For me, doing so meant I would have to use 2 smartphones – and that was not an idea that appealed to me.

Then in came, this morning, a message from Aliyu Muhammed with news about this app that threathened to drive away my Whatsapp-Android requirement annoyance.

Through quick online checks, I soon discovered the app is not just a viable alternative that works on BB Smartphones, but also one that offers superior features and functions over and above those Whatsapp and similar other apps boast of.

See this review article to see what I mean.

=

Title: Messaging app Telegram now has the one feature you wish WhatsApp had

URL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/05/16/messaging-app-telegram-now-has-the-one-feature-you-wish-whatsapp/


=

So, in less than 24 hours of taking up a promo offer to buy my Excel-VB Ration Formulator, and join my Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club, Aliyu Muhammed has added value to my work in a significant way.

That, to me, is a sign that he’ll be a useful person to have in the club, and for that reason I’ve decided to make him another promo offer as my way of saying “Thank You” if it interests him.

I decided to pay it forward by sharing the news about the app on this blog, so others can learn about it.

PII 031 [TRUE STORY!] Growing Weeds Can Help Farmers Lower Animal Feeding Costs

The phrase “Useful Weed” understandably sounds like a contradiction in terms, since a “weed” by definition is an unwanted plant.

However, that expression perfectly captures the revised status of a onetime notorious weed, which today has been established by farmers/agronomists and animal nutritionists as a reliable alternative source of plant protein for use in livestock feed formulation.

I mention several names of this “useful weed” (Scientific, common, and local i.e. Igbo, Yoruba etc) in the first bonus publication on my website, sent to buyers of my new AUDIO titled Useful Ideas for Low Cost Animal Feed Production Using Local Ingredients – based on Civil War Experimentation by Biafran Scientists

 

SCROLL DOWN TO READ FULL ISSUE

 

Tayo Solagbade's Performance Improvement IDEAS(PI Squared) Newsletter

Tayo Solagbade’s
Performance Improvement
IDEAS
(PI Squared) Newsletter

Monday 12th September 2016

Logo - Tayo Solagbade's Self-Development Academy


NB: This PI Squared newsletter will be published weekly, on Mondays, in place of the Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, starting from today – 15th February 2016.
I’m reinventing my Monday newsletter content and theme, to accommodate my vision of serving the growing audience of serious minded individuals and organizations reaching out to me, with information, education. news and research findings designed to help them do what they do better.

**********

View Tayo Solagbade's video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsJoin the SD Nuggets community on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google PlusConnect with Tayo on LinkedIn.com

PII 031 [TRUE STORY!] Growing Weeds Can Help Farmers Lower Animal Feeding Costs

The phrase “Useful Weed” understandably sounds like a contradiction in terms, since a “weed” by definition is an unwanted plant.

However, that expression perfectly captures the revised status of a onetime notorious weed, which today has been established by farmers/agronomists and animal nutritionists as a reliable alternative source of plant protein for use in livestock feed formulation.

I mention several names of this “useful weed” (Scientific, common, and local i.e. Igbo, Yoruba etc) in the first bonus publication on my website, sent to buyers of my new AUDIO titled Useful Ideas for Low Cost Animal Feed Production Using Local Ingredients – based on Civil War Experimentation by Biafran Scientists

In that 1.5 audio narrative, I describe pioneering work done by a motivated team of Biafran scientists who narrowed down on the plant after many failed attempt with other potential sources, in their bid to find viable ways to produce animal feed locally, to grow livestock that would serve badly needed protein based meals to the Biafran masses and soldiers during the 1967 to 1970 Nigerian Civil War.

After the war ended, key figures involved in developing those innovations got absorbed into the larger Nigerian society, and their knowledge was shared with others.

But this did not happen in any systematically organized manner. Instead, most of it has be haphazard, leading to loss of what would have been invaluable Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

It is for this reason, especially given the severe feed formulation challenges facing Nigerian livestock farmers in today’s economy, that I have launched my audio product, along with the FREE bonus publications, the second of which is due to go LIVE in a few days.

But, as I explain in the bonus notes, I am not alone in talking about the massive potentials of this particular weed, which happens to grow LUXURIANTLY virtually everywhere in Nigeria, regardless of season or weather condition.

Indeed, as my extensive review of available literature/publications has revealed (and I share the URLs leading to example PDFs and WebPages in my bonus notes), modern day researchers in our own universities and outside Nigeria/Africa have also been excitedly exploring the obvious potentials of this weed – and others like it.

Beyond talking about it however, they need to challenge farmers to use the above mentioned research findings to begin making practical use of this weed, and other locally available viable alternative feed ingredients, to experiment on a new range of animal feeds – just like the Biafrans did.

Weeds are called by THAT name because they grow despite the fact that we do NOT want them and therefore refuse to NURTURE them like we do plants we consider useful.

I argue that given their ability to flourish when NOT cared for, farmers can deliberately begin to cultivate “useful weeds” they identify, on special plots of land, giving them nurturing to make them grow even better.

Why?

So as to be able to “harvest” them in the quantities required for the purposes that they have been found useful.

In other words, I believe this “useful weed” discovered by the Biafrans (and which I’ve seen university research publications confirming to be a proven alternative protein source for Poultry Layers feed preparation), can and should henceforth be deliberately cultivated for use in the various ways it has been found relevant.

Click here to read a testimonial by a buyer of my new 1.5 hour audio podcast in which I narrate the story about how Biafran scientists first discovered the animal feed making potential of this weed under war-induced pressures.

Related Articles

  1. [Get Audio FREE via Whatsapp] Useful Ideas for Low Cost Animal Feed Production Using Local Ingredients – based on Civil War Experimentation by Biafran Scientists
  2. THE FARM CEO (Issue 59): Useful Ideas for Low Cost Animal Feed Production Using Local Ingredients based on Creative Civil War Induced Experimentation by Biafran Scientists
  3. A Buyer’s Feedback About my Audio on Biafran Scientists’ Animal Feeding Innovations!
  4. Protected: Biafran Alternative Feed Formulation Ideas AUDIO Podcast: FREE Bonus Downloads for Buyers [Part 1]

SDN Blog™

New posts from last week*

Monday:

[Tuesday]:

[Wednesday]:

[Thursday]:

[Friday]:

Knowing How to Code Is NOT Enough for Spreadsheet Programming Success [MUST READ: FREE PDF Introduction to Excel-VB Programming by J.Latham]

[Saturday]:

N/A

[Sunday]:

Protected: THE FARM CEO (Issue 60): How You Could Easily Raise Fish Indoors for Food & Profit, No business is better than fish farming, [PDF] Catfish culture in Nigeria: Progress, prospects and problems

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Best Practice Farm Business Support Specialist & Founder of the MS Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club and Competition

Mobile: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic)

http://www.tayosolagbade.com

Tayo K. Solagbade is a Location Independent Performance Improvement

Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others.

Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organizations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

Tayo is the author of the Self-Development (SD) Bible™ and the popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook. He is also the developer of its accompanying Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator™ and the Poultry Farm Manager™ software.

He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods and others.

In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.

His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years (October 1994 to December 2001) as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer to Training & Technical Development Manager, and later acted in senior roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

In addition to constantly challenging the status quo and influencing positive work changes, he built a reputation for using self-taught spreadsheet programming skills (starting with Lotus 1-2-3, and later moving to Excel Visual Basic) – in his spare time – to develop Automated Spreadsheet Applications to computerize manual report generation processes in the departments he worked. Over four(4) of his applications were adopted for brewery level reporting.

Tayo holds a B.Sc degree in Agricultural Extension Services from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, having graduated top of his class – with Second Class Upper Division honors – in 1992. He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy (SDAc).

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes The Farm CEO Weekly Newspaper (sent via email to paid subscribers) and his Weekly Performance Improvement IDEAS newsletter.

You can connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.

====
[IMPORTANT NOTE:====

On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.

Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.

But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts

he’s published.

If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.

Click “Tayo, What Happened to

SpontaneousDevelopmentDotCom ?” to read a detailed narrative about how the above event occurred :-))

Here’s an article Tayo wrote, to inspire others to defy adversity, and bounce back to even greater reckoning at what they do EVERY time:

Succeed by Emerging from Adversity Like a Phoenix

(TayoSolagbade.com launches extra Hosting plan with FREE Web Marketing!)

And he wrote the one below, to explain why losing a domain name, no matter how old, NO LONGER determines your online success or otherwise:

A Proven Strategy to Find Profitable Buyers Regardless of Your Domain Name
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Knowing How to Code Is NOT Enough for Spreadsheet Programming Success [MUST READ: FREE PDF Introduction to Excel-VB Programming by J.Latham]

[NB: This is a non-password protected educational piece for members of my Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club]

In 2007, it cost my brother-in-law (Segun Ogunlana) about $34 USD to buy me a copy of the 1st edition of Professional Excel Development: The Definitive Guide to Developing Applications Using Microsoft Excel, VBA, and .NET

Today, given the crazy Nigerian Naira Exchange rate of N430 to $1 USD, that US dollar sum comes to approximately N15,000 (Fifteen Thousand Naira).

Now, even though this Excel Bible offers a lot more than the FREE Excel-VB PDF learning resource I will talk about further down, added to the fact that it is not really for beginners, I believe (and I explain why, below) getting the PDF ebook I recommend here for FREE is really a bargain!

Below are screenshots from selected pages of this PDF

I should add here that the author got my attention the most when I saw the effort he made to provide examples of how to use FORMS(intelligently enhanced with ActiveX controls) as data sources in automating MS Excel – (as can be seen from the interfaces in my apps – click here) for the ease of use it affords users, especially those who are novices or not Excel savvy.

pdf-intro-xlvb1

pdf-intro-xlvb2

pdf-intro-xlvb5

I’ve never believed in reinventing the wheel:
Just knowing how to code, no matter how good you are, is not enough.

It’s important to establish a guiding philosophy to steer you right in doing what you do, if you want to succeed for the long term.

My background in Best Practice and Continuous Improvement based Performance Improvement has always helped me stay focused on what matters, which is GETTING NEEDED RESULTS and SOLVING PROBLEMS in a way that meets felt needs, resulting in progress for my clients – and, by implication, me.

Being skilled is only one dimension of the requirements for succeeding in any field.

Excel-VB Programming is no exception.

I say all this to impress upon you the importance of having the right mindset and orientation to deliver Excel-VB solutions that work for others.

A sound understanding of the experience based insights I share here can make a less skilled Excel-VB expert achieve greater success in terms of solving client problems as well as making money, compared to a rival who is more gifted at coding, but lacks these insights.

To put it simply, you will be all about using your know-how to solve user’s problem and NOT to impress or intimidate them. In otherwords, no attitude issues – which is a challenge some gifted programmers tend to have!

My understanding of the above, is why – In coaching others to program MS Excel using VBA – I regularly point them towards resources, on and off the web, that they can take advantage of, beyond whatever I may offer them, to become more proficient in VBA Solutions Development.

As I explained above, I belong to the school of thought that one must avoid falling into the mental trap of placing too much emphasis on programming or coding for the sake of it.

Instead, especially for those of us engaged in use of MS Excel to develop custom apps for busy users with unique needs, we MUST NEVER lose sight of the fact that solving the problem of our “user” is why we exist as providers.

So, we simply cannot afford to fall into the mindset of (some) conventional programmers who tend to be rigid in the way they go about doing what they do, and who typically refuse to try interacting with prospective end users in a manner that makes it easy for the latter to influence the development process.

It is my considered opinion, that to succeed in using MS Excel programming, one must think and act like a SOLUTIONS DEVELOPER and not just as a PROGRAMMER.

To do that, you will need to remember at all times that showing off your coding skills is not needed. Instead, learning how to optimally utilize your knowledge of MS Excel-VB Programming, to produce results specified by your client or employer will be the key to your long term success.

Without the above understanding, anyone who ventures into programming, especially using MS Excel-VB is likely to encounter considerable difficulty giving clients what they want, in a manner that satisfies them.

The above mentioned philosophy has over the years guided me to make efficient and effective use of my time and effort in serving clients.

So, rather than obsess excessively over coding to impress clients, I have learned to identify smart and time/effort saving ways to deliver results my clients want.

Sometimes doing that actually requires doing LESS or NO coding, and instead exploring smart techniques for using the MS Excel engine itself to deliver the desired automation.

A good example is the powerful dynamic report generation template shown below, that I created for the National Distribution Manager of a Telecoms Multinational during a private coaching session I had with him.

Click below or here to visit the page where I use two videos to show this powerful report in use (scroll half-way down the page)

Screenshot of a tutorial workbook I created several years ago, for the National Distribution Manager of a large multinational telecoms company (The Logistics Department hired me) - Click to view larger image in new window

 

Without using a single line of code, and depending ONLY on spreadsheet based features and functions in Excel, I setup the above shown interface that enabled him generate ANY scenarios he wanted at the click of a mouse on a menu item or button.

This is what I mean when I tell those I coach that the right mindset/mental attitude or THINKING is crucial to succeeding in Excel-VB Solutions Development.

[RECOMMENDED] Programming In Excel VBA – An Introduction (.pdf File) – By J.Latham

The above explained mental attitude is what makes me keen to expose those who learn from me, to resources that I have found helpful in developing myself to function competently as required.

This week, I refer you to a useful PDF resource, which – though a bit dated – having been prepared based on an old version of MS Excel, still offers considerably useful information and education for Successful VBA Programming in MS Excel.

Not only does it feature useful techniques and concepts, it also provides real world relevant examples and illustrations of virtually every aspect of VBA coding you will need to know to function competently as a developer.

Most importantly, it offers references to other expert resources, in form of highly competent/recognized MS Excel -VB professionals whose works you can study.

Now, here’s the best part: Despite offering such a comprehensive body of ready-to-use practical tips and wisdom on Excel-VB Solutions Development, this PDF does NOT cost anything i.e it is 100% FREE!

And that’s why I recommend that you download and read this PDF. Click here to visit the author’s site, where the PDF and several useful Projects Workbooks (with project code visible in the Visual Basic Editor) are available for download and study.

Like I said, it is a bit dated, but I believe it still offers useful foundation that you can build on.

Indeed it is instructive to note that there are still MANY business users who still work in older versions of MS Excel, due to the fact that they feel their needs continue to be well catered for by those versions (say from 2003 upwards).

As a developer, you need to take pains to make your solutions reasonably backward compatible, to ensure you don’t alienate a section of your target users who may be using relatively older Excel versions.

Only people who use pirated versions of the latest MS Excel will find it hard to understand why someone would choose not to install the so called latest version of Excel on his/her PC.

In developed societies for example, where piracy is not widespread, most business users do a cost-benefit analysis in order to decide whether or not to pay what is often NOT a light fee to upgrade to the new or latest version.

So, any developer looking to build and sell apps to such users would need to make his/her apps adaptable to running trouble-free on old as well as new versions.

In the course of future tutorials, I will periodically refer you to the contents of this PDF, to facilitate your comprehension of project based exercises you will be doing.

Download and read the PDF here

Click here to visit the author’s site

Find Buyers for Your Products – Ideas for ANYONE to Get Started at ZERO COST [Featuring a List of 9 Resource Articles On How to Earn Passive Income Selling Your Artwork]

Quick Take-Away

I got inspired to write this piece after encountering several truly gifted artist expressing doubts about how to sell their wonderful art works.

So, this article features efforts of a real life artist to use social media to promote his works, as well as a list of 9 MUST READ Resource Articles On How to Earn Passive Income Selling Your Artwork.

It should however be noted that the ideas advocated can be successfully adapted for use in selling ANY other products, or indeed services.

It Pays to “Buy” Your Own Space On the Web – and Use It as a Launch Pad for Your Marketing

Over the past decade of using the web for business, I’ve learned that it’s smarter to have your own space, that you control, from which you then routinely publish and propagate your content on to any other promotional platforms.

Typically that means having – at least – a website.

I say this because time has shown that third party platforms, no matter how successful can always change how they work (or even fail) in a way that could disrupt the income earning system you setup on them.

If you have your own flagship website (e.g www.yourname.com), it becomes quite easy to modify references and URL on it to reflect such changes, with minimal disruption to your visibility or leads generation.

However, experience has also taught me that a website is not enough.

You see, to achieve optimal long term/sustainable leads generating marketing exposure, you need to harness a combination of web based resources in conjunction with your website.

[NB: I call it having a Web Marketing System (WMS). View a one page mind-map that I used to illustrate what I mean by a WMS here. Also click here to request access to my video explanation of the 9 key components of a WMS: I’ll email it to you]

But all that cannot be done overnight.

Indeed for most people who are good at what they do, but are not so tech or web savvy, doing it all – and doing it right – can be overwhelming!

I know this to be so from years of supporting gifted experts to implement WMS towards achieving improved name/brand recognition for quality sales leads generation.

That’s why I sometimes encourage such persons to start from a social media platform like Facebook e.g with a business promotion page.

For instance, if you are a painter/artist looking to make money, you can begin by setting up and featuring your artworks on your Facebook business page, with description, prices etc.

From there, you can link to a website(s) where your full gallery is on display.

Regarding use of free Facebook business page marketing here’s an example of what I have in mind(click this link): https://facebook.com/kolaartlinks

Regarding use of free Facebook business page marketing here's an example of what I have in mind(click here):

It’s a page setup some months ago by a young artiste based in Lagos.

I’d been seeing his paintings of famous personalities arranged on a church building’s wall along a major road for years, and knew he would get better marketing exposure if he leveraged the web the way I did/do.

NB: I earn over 80% of my income -passively – by selling PDF information products, custom Excel-VB software, audio podcasts and video tutorials, as well as my writing/web marketing services online).

So, one day when I came in from Cotonou, and ran into him at the neighborhood cafe, I told him what I had in mind, and got the needed information and graphics to kick-start the page.

The guy has not looked back since – and has been adding all sorts of enhancements.

His natural Facebook likes indicate he’s getting noticed.

But I notice he’s yet to begin doing the “connecting” with page members that I’ve challenged him to do. By this I mean writing new content to post, beyond sharing photos of products he wishes to sell. This is the key to attracting potential buyers to reach out to you.

Like I told him, all he needs is focused dedication to making creative updates to the page’s contents.

By sharing – for instance – the true story behind each product he showcases, and case studies of different client conversations he’s had, and sales he’s made (like I do on this blog), it’ll only be a matter of time before the inquiries begin to come in via the Facebook page.

The same applies to ANYONE else who diligently and intelligently makes use of the ideas offered in this piece.

You see, before people will buy from you with any degree of readiness, they first of all have to notice, like, and then trust you.

That process rarely happens instantly or overnight. And depending on what you’re selling, and who you’re trying to sell to, it can take a lot of time and work.

That’s why it’s best to do things that help to move as many of your potential clients as possible, towards TRUSTING you.

My success in getting total strangers send payment to me from in and out of Africa, at zero cost, is proof that using the content marketing strategy I advocate here, works.

 

PS: Like I said at the start, I wrote this article with artists in mind. So, if you’re looking for ideas about how to sell your artworks, here’s a list of potentially useful resource articles/pages you may wish to explore. I dug them up via a quick Google search

1.Sell Art Online – A list of the best sites to sell or promote your art

http://www.artonomy.co/creative-resources/sell-art-online-a-list-of-the-best-sites-to-sell-or-promote-your-art/

2. [UPDATED] 17 Ways to Sell Your Art Online

http://theabundantartist.com/15-ways-to-sell-your-art-online/

3. 2 Best Places to Buy and Sell Art Online

https://blog.dashburst.com/best-sites-to-buy-sell-art/

4. 250+ Places Artists Can Sell Online

http://www.artsyshark.com/125-places-to-sell/

5. Websites and Social Networking for Artists: Use Your Online Profile to Sell More Art

http://www.artbusiness.com/webworks.html

6. SPI 096: How to Make a Living Selling Your Artwork Online with Cory Huff from The Abundant Artist

SPI 096: How to Make a Living Selling Your Artwork Online with Cory Huff from The Abundant Artist

7. 10 Ways To Sell Your Art Online

http://www.moma.co.uk/10-ways-to-sell-art-online/

8. Selling Art Online: Information on Where (and How) to Sell Art on the Internet

http://emptyeasel.com/art-business-advice/selling-art-online/

9. Sell My ART! | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/SellMyArt/

ART Marketing for ARTISTS! … Sell My ART!, Dublin, Ireland. … Etsy is not known as a site for selling paintings but some artists do and make money doing so , here ….. Updated for 2016 with our top picks of the best websites to sell your artwork. …. Anyone interested in buying my art Please contact me Here is a sample Mara.

Hope you find them useful – and goodluck :-)

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