All posts by Tayo Solagbade

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 organisations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners). Tayo is the author of the Self-Development (SD) Bible™, the popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook, and developer of its accompanying Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator - as well as the increasingly popular Monthly Poultry Farm Manager app. On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, writes and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, in the French Speaking Benin Republic on the first lap of his slow travels 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). 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 previews of paid issues of The Farm CEO™ Newspaper (www.thefarmceo.net), in addition to his FREE Weekly Public Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter - which he uses to promote Burt Dubin's Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts across the African continent. Visit Tayo's Flagship Performance Improvement website to download over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity. Join Tayo's international community of fans on his Flagship MS Excel Heaven Facebook page (click here). You can also connect with him via Twitter (@tksola).
Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, General, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

[RECOMMENDED] Fake LinkedIn profiles used by hackers | Facebook Now Automatically Detects Imposter Accounts

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If you’re like most people you would welcome invitations from more people who want to connect with you on various social media platforms you use.

But – as recent experiences of many continue to show – if you indiscriminately say “YES” to such invites, sometimes some of those “people” may end up being “fake people” – using phony accounts.

Most of us know this can happen on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but only few of us are aware that it ALSO happens on LinkedIn – and has been with increasing frequency over the years!

The challenge, for you, will be how to detect such imposters and avoid accepting them into your network, so they do not cause you major pain or worse, down the line.

I’ve compiled a listing of articles that share expert tips and strategies for detecting these fake users and protecting one’s self from them.

Below I publish preview of a feature article, ending with a link to the full piece as well as links to several others articles on the same theme:

1. Fake LinkedIn profiles used by hackers

Mr O’Brien had some tips for LinkedIn users worried that they might have befriended a hacker.
“You can do a reverse image search by dragging and dropping the profile picture into Google Images and see what it brings up.

“Copying and pasting the job information in Google can also reveal whether it has been taken from somewhere else.”

Iranian hackers
Twitter and Facebook also have problems with fake accounts but LinkedIn seems to be particularly attractive to hackers, said Mr O’Brien.

“It reveals the greater sophistication of cyber-criminals that they are prepared to play the long game by gaining information for future attacks in this way,” he said.
It is not the first time that researchers have pointed out the dangers of fake LinkedIn profiles.

linkedin-fake

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34994858

2. Facebook Now Automatically Detects Imposter Accounts

A feature that will automatically alert you if someone is impersonating your Facebook profile is the latest security enhancement for users of the world’s largest social network. Approximately 75 percent of Facebook profiles are now automatically alerted when imposters use their profile photo and user name to create a fake account, Mashable reports.

If an imposter is detected, the system automatically alerts the real user account. That person can then flag the profile as an impersonation, and Facebook’s security team is notified to delete the account.

Impersonation is not a widespread security threat for Facebook users, but women in particular are vulnerable to imposters who create fake profiles to harass them.fbk-fake

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/272961

Below are links to other educative pieces, written by competent experts, that I recommend you read, to be informed and armed to protect yourself against these phonies!

1. Fake LinkedIn accounts want to add you to their professional network

2. 3 Stunningly Good LinkedIn FAKE Profiles

3, How to spot a fake profile on LinkedIn

I’m on a mission to compile and feature as many informative and educative articles as I can find on this subject to help any interested persons.

Apart from the fact that it is the right thing to do, I also do this because I want to help others avoid the needless waste of time and effort those who do these silly things cause otherwise serious minded persons – like myself – to incur online.

Indeed, over the past few weeks I’ve had a rash of pranksters and prospective hackers try various ways to get at me, and it’s been most irritating. But I often know enough of what to do to protect myself. Yet I never stop taking up opportunities to learn more (hence my efforts to research and study this problem). I recommend you adopt a similar mental attitude.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

Proven 6 Step Formula You Need for Successfully Monetizing Your Expertise [Hint: Identifying Your Best Skill to Sell for Money]

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“I have long taught: if you can’t make money without money, you won’t make money with money either. And if you’re going to back somebody, pick an entrepreneur who has proven that he can survive without adequate capital” – Dan Kennedy (Millionaire Entrepreneur/Author of “How to succeed in Business by breaking all the rules”)

The above quote is one that has guided me well since I first read it over a decade ago.

Among other things, it helped me to dig in and LEARN how to leverage my genius/talents to make money when I lacked it. And over time as I gained proficiency in doing it, my confidence grew, such that I explored newer and smarter ways to do it, to earn more, with less effort and in less time.

This is not the first time I’ll be writing on this subject. Some of my past write-ups on this theme are linked further down, in this piece.

In this article however, I offer ADDITIONAL experience based ideas about strategies anyone can use to make money when s/he has no job or capital – by monetizing his/her expertise.

Now, one critical step to increase your chances of succeeding has to do with choosing the right “expertise” to monetize.

It’s one thing to feel you’re good at doing something; it’s quite another thing to demonstrate the level of competence that makes people willing to pay YOU to do it, because they BELIEVE you’re good enough!

I realize not everyone is capable of self-tutoring in this regard, and so you may, not be able to do it for yourself, like I did for myself.

That’s why in this article, I enumerate, with examples a 6 step formula for narrowing down to specific competences you can successfully monetize

To paraphrase Napoleon Hill in his timeless classic – the book titled “Think and Grow Rich” a person who lacks material resources, connections and capital can only hope to make money by selling of “personal services”.

I like to use the Yoruba slang expression “Fejerun” – which translated literally means “that which runs on blood”. In other words, something that ONLY needs you to be alive to DO IT successfully.

What I describe in the rest of this article is consistent with the theme or past articles I’ve written on the subject of making money without money.

Now, if you’re based in my part of the world – Africa, it’s likely you will find that some of the best opportunities for monetizing one’s expertise are to be had online – but most may NOT be available to you…because of your geographical location.

A good example is the linked page below, which announces a monetization opportunity for users of Sound Cloud,

http://blog.symphonicdistribution.com/2017/02/make-money-soundcloud/

You will see from checking the above link, that the territories covered by that opportunity exclude Africa.

But I have learned over the years to defiantly go after my goals, starting where i am, with what I have – and the WEB as a whole offers LOTs of alternative opportunities to the person willing to think creatively and be persistent.

That’s why I sell digital content (audios and videos as well as PDFs/Excel apps) without using PayPal – and instead getting people to send me money via Western Union, Guaranty Trust Money Transfer (GTMT), and bank transfer (for persons in Nigeria).

There are 2 other ways I use to get paid that are VERY unconventional. My determination to get paid made me think them up. I recommend you do same.

So how do you get started “Identifying Your Best Skill to Sell for Money”?

Well, maybe you’re good at telling entertaining stories in form of comedy skits usable on radio/TV, and you think that’s likely to make you some good money with the right packaging and promotion (?)

It would not be a bad idea to simply go out and start with THAT…

However, to make more productive use of your time, effort and resources (including your “blood”), you might want to put a little more thought into making that final choice(s).

Indeed, if I were you, I would start by sitting down in a quiet place and THINKING back to ALL the times anyone has EVER paid me for skills/abilities/knowledge I possess.

1. Write EACH one of them down on a separate line, and put in front how much you got paid, when it happened, who the client was and how the money got into your hands.

2. Keep listing out every single instance that this happened for as far back as you can recall

3. Make comments about what you did that ATTRACTED and WON OVER the client to pay you

4, Check which are the top 5 earners among the skills/abilities/knowledge you got paid for

5, Ask yourself honestly, which ONE of them you most enjoyed doing, and that you would NOT mind doing endlessly even if you were not paid for it. Note the next 2 after that first one.

6. Does the creation of stuff like the comedy skit fall into ANY of the top 3 earners you most love doing? If YES, then I strongly recommend you adopt the use of the web to monetize it like I do.

I could go on, but I’m sure you understand well enough, now, what you need to do – and how.

Otherwise you may wish to signup as a member of my Web Marketing for CEOs club, so I can develop a web Marketing System (WMS) for you, which comes with FREE coaching on how to use the WMS to:

(1) cut down time, effort and money it costs you to promote what you sell

(2) generate sales leads of pre-qualified prospects/potential buyers.

See a mind map based explanation of what I mean by a WMS at www.tayosolagbade.com/uploads/wms-mindmap-writers.pdf

Like I said, there are FREE self-help resources on the web that one can study to make this happen. Google is a good place to start.

I offer FREE articles on my blog as well. Just type “TayoSolagbade.com: web marketing system” – that’s ONE of several strings that should bring up some of my articles.

See the Google search results page at: https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=TayoSolagbade.com%3A+web+marketing+system&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Note that I also talk about monetizing your expertise by creating Digital Cash Flow Generating Assets *DCFGAs”.

That’s what I’ve done for years and I believe you can do the same with your creative content – if you are willing to do the hard work and persist till the sales come in.

Here are links to some:

1.How You Can Create Income Generating Assets Without Having a Job or ANY Money! (True Story)

http://excelheaven.tayosolagbade.com/?p=404

2, The Best Way to Make Money (True Story)

http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/the-best-way-to-make-money-true-story/

The ideas I’ve shared above are what you can put to use without needing my direct involvement.

And that’s why I’ve offered them.

However, you can fill/submit this web form if you need to get my support if you need help.

1 Hour Talks, Career Development, Clients, Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Parenting, Podcasts, Public Speaking, Recommended Websites & Articles, Self-Development, The Farm CEO, Writing/Blogging

[RECOMMENDED] Purchase my Farm Business Support Software & Information Products FOR LESS from these Affiliate Partners of my Best Practice Farm Biz Support Centre (FBSC)™

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On the page linked below, I provide names and preliminary contact details of Affiliate Partners, from whom you CAN purchase ANY of my underlisted products at LOWER rates than their standard prices/fees.

Affiliate Partners

You will fill and submit a form linked on the page to contact the Affiliate Partner of your choice.

NB: The special discount concessions enjoyed by my partners  makes it possible for YOU to get more pocket friendly prices – from them – than you would get from me.

PPS: To learn how you can become an Affiliate Partner, fill the form linked on the Affiliate Partner page to request details

Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, My DN Travel News

Part 3 – How I Built My Automated Cash Book/Bank Reconciliation Software” [Building the Imprest Cash Book by Using TRANSPOSE Function to Add Auto-Updating Expense Heads/Cost Centre Titles]

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Last Sunday, I was unable to send out this update to members of my Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation club, due to continuing connectivity challenges that caused a backlog of tasks.
 
This week, in part 3 of the step-by-step video tutorial…..I demonstrate how I Built the Imprest Cash Book in this Automated Cash Book, by Using TRANSPOSE Function to Add Auto-Updating Expense Heads/Cost Centre Titles tapping from a SETTINGS table I created before hand.
I just NOW sent out the video along with the example workbook used in the video, to all members via email – so see your inboxes.
 
Below: I commence constructing the syntax for the TRANSPOSE function

imprest-cb-transpose

Below: I highlight the vertical range of cells (holding Expense Heads/Cost Centre titles) in the SETTINGS table to complete construction of the TRANSPOSE formula

imprest-cb-transpose2

Watch the video to see how. Let me know if you have questions or require clarification.

Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Recommended Websites & Articles, The Farm CEO

The FARM CEO (Issue 88): Making Africans Believe “We” Can Also Do Artificial Intelligence and Deep Technology in Africa [Moroccan tech entrepreneur/Former Microsoft Employee (Badr Idrissi) Reveals Greatest Obstacle to Selling Drones He Builds to Combat Illegal Fishing & Poaching Is Getting Fellow Africans to BELIEVE He Can Do It Like It’s Done in the USA!]

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Last week, crazily erratic connectivity stopped me from sending out the Farm CEO issue’s interesting feature titled “Moroccan tech entrepreneur (Badr Idrissi) has a solution to combat illegal fishing”

Here is it now…

Beyond the impressive feat Idrissi (who once worked with Microsoft) achieved by developing drones to track illigal fishing and poaching, the highlight of that news report, for me, is the paragraph reproduced below:

“The toughest situation we find ourselves in today is making Africans believe that we can do artificial intelligence and deep technology in Africa – and that we can do what is done in the US. Many people had doubts about whether we could do it or not… We face those questions. So yes, the toughest situation we face is when talking with public figures and they say something along the lines of this not being something that people like us can do in Morocco or Africa.” – Badr Idrissi, the Morrocan tech entrepreneur interviewed in the news report.

The issue he raised in the above statement reflect the predominantly NEGATIVE mental attitude that many creatives in this part of the world (Africa) have to deal with from most of their fellow Africans – not just the public figures.

I say this as one who has been at the receiving end of it countless times from various quarters – and that regardless of the supposed level of education or exposure of the person(s) I had to relate with!
Africans generally (even some of those in Diaspora who’ve seen enough to know/act better!) often find it so hard to BELIEVE that a fellow African can be so good as to INNOVATE and CREATE at the same, talk less higher level to that done by people in non-African advanced societies.
Only when the particular gifted individual is “lucky” to get his/her work “endorsed” as good by non-African, often white skinned others recognised as expert authorities, do our people generally accord that individual any significant respect or recognition!

That negative mental attitude is what holds us back – since it prevents our GENIUSES from getting the support they need from us to create solutions that can DEVELOP us!.

This needs to change – especially in our agriculture industry, where we have so much we need to improve and our problems are so unique that foreigners cannot evolve solutions suited to our needs as well as WE CAN do by ourselves.
This is why we struggle to find software from “abroad” that fully meet the unique needs of our local agribusinesses!
I say this as one who had my work put down for YEARS mainly/firstly by those who knew me, and were closest to me, and then later in larger society – BEFORE I used my stubbon persistence and blind faith to literally create a lucrative marketing for my Excel-VB software Development and Web Marketing Systems Development support service.
If we change our attitudes to the efforts by gifted people among us to introduce groundbreaking innovations, our continent will develop to match others in no time at all!

Moroccan tech entrepreneur has a solution to combat illegal fishing by on’10 July 2017′

Badr Idrissi

As a young child growing up in Morocco, Badr Idrissi would regularly take apart his household’s television or VCR in an effort to understand how it worked – often to the frustration of his family.

His love for technology later drove him to complete a telecommunications engineering degree, and work at global giants such as Microsoft, Nokia and Siemens.

Idrissi is a 2017 Innovation Prize for Africa finalist for developing pioneering artificial intelligence software to manage the operations of environment-defending drones. The venture was inspired by his concern about the environmental and ecological threats (such as illegal fishing, poaching and deforestation) facing many African countries. For instance, a large percentage of fishing activities off the West African coast are illegal, resulting in huge economic losses.

Continue reading…

https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/moroccan-tech-entrepreneur-solution-combat-illegal-fishing/59150/

Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, The Farm CEO

Proven Secrets for Converting Your Facebook Page LIKES Into Money (Based on True Stories) – Download this FREE Ebook + MP3 Audio Podcast Bundle!

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“I have a facebook page with 2k+ like and the niche of this page is……, this page has average likes of 150 everyday.I would like to ask…how to convert my facebook likes into money.”

The above is a question many Facebook business page owners would LOVE to have ANSWERS to – for obvious reasons.

My new ebook/audio bundle announced here, describes experience based strategies anyone can use to make money from Facebook.

Get this ebook & MP3 audio FREE when you pay N10k ONLY to join my Web Marketing for CEOs™ Club. Click the link below to get signup details or text “MMFF” with your email address to +234-803-302-1263

http://www.tayosolagbade.com/contact.htm

Offer Expires Noon 14th July 2017 | Only 10 Slots on 1st Come 1st Served Basis

Below are highlights…

Tayo Solagbade & SDAc’s Creative Business (CB) Solutions PRESENT…

Proven Secrets for Converting Your Facebook Page LIKES Into Money (Based on True Stories)

“It’s NICE to see people LIKING your Facebook page, and even complimenting you on your posts, photos, videos and other content. But your business NEEDS to make sales (money) to be profitable. You therefore need to find a repeatable and reproducible way to turn those fan LIKES, SHARES and COMMENTS into MONEY! This ebook & audio bundle describes zero cost tried and tested strategies YOU can start using TODAY, no matter where you are in the world!”

******************************************
The Facebook messenger chat in the screenshots below, ended in a sale to my page’s fan.
******************************************

He wrote in with a compliment;

“Good day sir I sent you the link to your article as a reference. I really enjoy your articles even though I have not yet bought any of your products yet. I love your thinking I wish more Africans can think like you not just Nigerians. Best regards.

P. S. thanks a lot for the wonderful articles. Keep it up”

wm4ceo-descr-aliyu

I replied with thanks, but ended with a low price offer of a new audio product, to which he replied as shown below

“Yes
This I can afford at the moment
Pls send me your Gt Acc # or if you have Diamond Bank it will be easier for me”

wm4ceo-descr-aliyu2

**************
Full story in the ebook & audio
**************

 

mmff-cover-flyer

Get this ebook & MP3 audio FREE when you pay N10k ONLY to join my Web Marketing for CEOs™ Club.

Click the link below to get signup details or text “MMFF” with your email address to +234-803-302-1263

http://www.tayosolagbade.com/contact.htm

Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, The Farm CEO

Market Your Agricultural Lands to REAL Farm CEOs, As a Real Estate Solutions Provider (RESP)™ Affiliate Partner of my Best Practice Farm Business Support Centre (FBSC)™

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The new opportunity I announce in this post will interest YOU, if…

1. You seek safe and cost-effective opportunities to buy landed property for agricultural purposes.

2. You offer safe and cost-effective opportunities to acquire agricultural lands – as an authorized real estate solutions provider.

NB: If you’re NOT already on my mailing list, click here to signup now, so you can get notified about updates on this subject.

I serve a growing base of (mostly small) business owners as clients within and outside Africa – of which Farm CEOs in Nigeria/Africa alone make up over 70%.

In addition to that number, I also have in my website newsletter mailing list database a considerable number of aspiring farm business owners who visit my blog and receive my weekly email broadcasts.

Over the years, I’ve had conversations via email and phone with members of these 2 groups, who periodically ask for my help in various areas relating to starting or growing their farm businesses.

Every once in a while, some have asked for guidance regarding SAFELY and COST-EFFECTIVELY locating and purchasing agricultural land to use for their farm businesses.

Through my online Farm Business Support Centre (FBSC)™ I aim to offer them a one-stop-shop of solutions to their needs.

For this reason, I seek to establish collaborative partnerships with expert providers in various fields.

It is to this end that I’ve thought up the offer below for Real Estate Solutions providers:

How It Works Is Simple: I do a due diligence evaluation of your agricultural land offerings you have, and if I’m convinced they are safe, cost-effective, and meet my client/subscriber’s requirements, I will offer you a partnership slot, which you then signup for. I WILL NOT demand or accept ANY sales commissions from you, in the event that one or more of my clients buy. In other words, if ANY of them decides to buy, you KEEP 100% of the money they pay to you – and deliver to them what is agreed upon. My only role will be to protect my client’s interests, by following up with you, on their behalf, as the need may arise, AFTER I send you their initial enquiry in response to your marketing offers on my WMS!

So, here’s a summary of what is on offer to real estate solutions providers who have agricultural lands for sale [Click here to download the PDF flyer]

As a RESP™ Affiliate Partner, you get…

  • Your agro-land banner adverts/offers published in my weekly email newsletter broadcasts to subscribers
  • My personal written endorsement of YOUR agro-land offers to MY clients/subscribers – with no strings attached

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO      

Fill/submit the form at www.tayosolagbade.com/contact.htm to begin.

If you PASS the REQUIRED due diligence evaluation, you will pay N15k to signup for 3 months partnership, N25k to sign up for 6 months or N50k to sign up for ONE YEAR.

You can opt out ANYTIME.

I will neither demand nor accept ANY commission on sales you make.

My PRIMARY role will be to follow up with you, on EACH Farm CEO’s behalf, as the need may arise, AFTER I send you his/her enquiry or response to YOUR offer.

Fill/submit the form at www.tayosolagbade.com/contact.htm to begin.  

resp-affiliatepartner-flyer

Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, The Farm CEO, Writing/Blogging

PII 074 : Use Branded Marketing Videos to Convince Prospects Your Product or Service Can Help Them

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If you want people to buy from you more readily, find a (low to zero cost) way to SHOW them that doing so would be the right thing to do, and they are more likely to do just that.

The saying “Seeing is believing” reflects the above. “A picture is worth a thousand words” is another.

So, if you want to convince a buyer to choose you, a photo would help.  But the truth is that a video (properly made) would do much more for you than any photo possibly could!

When it comes to selling products or services therefore, it only makes sense to find ways to use videos.

Evidence abounds that proves this is true. On the web especially, the data available confirms it. One wonders therefore why more people do NOT use videos.

I use videos, and they have made me record way more success selling online than I would ever have gotten, without them!

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

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

Monday 10th July 2017

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.

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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 074 : Use Branded Marketing Videos to Convince Prospects Your Product or Service Can Help Them

If you want people to buy from you more readily, find a (low to zero cost) way to SHOW them that doing so would be the right thing to do, and they are more likely to do just that.

The saying “Seeing is believing” reflects the above. “A picture is worth a thousand words” is another.

So, if you want to convince a buyer to choose you, a photo would help.  But the truth is that a video (properly made) would do much more for you than any photo possibly could!

When it comes to selling products or services therefore, it only makes sense to find ways to use videos.

Evidence abounds that proves this is true. On the web especially, the data available confirms it. One wonders therefore why more people do NOT use videos.

I use videos, and they have made me record way more success selling online than I would ever have gotten, without them!

In the rest of this piece, I use real life examples from my own experiences selling custom Excel-VB software to buyers in/out of Africa, to explain why videos are powerful tools for recruiting potential buyers and clients.

And I end by noting – among other things – that if you’re NOT using them, or you lack the know-how to use them effectively, you’re effectively shortchanging yourself.

Let’s begin with THIS statement of FACT: No matter what you sell, videos can help you better promote them to command the positive attention, interest and desire of your preferred target audience.

But you need to know HOW to use videos, if you want to get such results.

I say this as one who has spent many thousands of hours creating and promoting my video marketing content to my multidisciplinary target audience.

One truth I always point out to those I coach is the fact that if you want to LEARN how something really works in ANY area of endeavor, you simply cannot be in a hurry.

You must be prepared to not just be patient, but also to work hard and long to carefully investigate and identify what will work – for you.

It is instructive to note here that what works for others may NOT work for you, or the same way for you.

This is why it is always wise to repeatedly TEST any strategy you are considering, before fully adopting it for use.

With regard to the use of videos to sell, I’ve learned from over 10 years of doing it, via trial and error, for myself and my clients that myriad options exist for doing it.

Ultimately, it is your understanding of what you sell, and how to communicate the benefits to your target audience, with massive amounts of creativity that will drive the success.

One mistake many make, is to assume that their skills in use of technology (e.g. proficiency in use of video creation software, especially adding bells and whistles) will make up for NOT putting painstaking intellectual effort not creating COMPELLING content.

That is content which draws viewers in and increases the chance of viewers “feeling” like doing what the creator of the video wants, or that will at least make them take special notice of the solution offered.

Let me share 2 examples from the library of videos in my YouTube channel…

There are many ways to create and use branded marketing videos to sell.

In my case, I spent years reading about and testing various ideas. Over time it dawned on me that my custom Excel-VB software products could be better marketed using DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS i.e. videos that show – in an easy-to-follow manner- the features, functions and/or benefits of the product.

Today, I can tell you that 2 of my videos (shown below) have been responsible for over 80% of the sales I make online.

  1. Computing 30% Protein Content Feed Formula – Excel-VB Ration Formulator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YWbqmh0MpA

pii74-rfapp-video-shot

This video went LIVE in 2011 (the app was first built in 2006) and has since been followed up with a 4 part version (click here to view it) that prospective buyers now get referred to.

But as you can see from the number of views it has gained, it’s enjoyed a massively successful run at over 25k views.

Note that I rate my video’s performance by my standards in terms of the performance of other videos I have – most of which hover under 100 to about 500 views.

When I noticed the rate at which this video was getting viewed, I knew it was a sign that it would generate sales leads. So I updated the description page for it,  to guide interested persons on what to do, to get details from me about how to buy.

Not surprisingly, I’ve gotten hundreds of phone and web contact form based enquiries from prospective buyers, some of who are today clients/users of the app.

Since creating the FREE upgrade version of the app, for which I recorded a 4 part video demo, I’ve continued to log sales.

The best part about this arrangement is that the same 4 part video demonstration is what ALL buyers of the app use to get started with using it.

In other words, by creating the demonstration video, I ultimately ended up helping myself create a self-help learning tool for my buyers to use!

Here’s another thing;

My popular Practical Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook if often requested and purchased by most buyers of this app.

This is because, apart from making reference to it in the video demo, whenever they call me, I explain how reading the handbook provides the user a sound theoretical basis on which to use the app correctly to derive balanced rations for his/her animals.

In other words, your use of video marketing for a product can create upwelling opportunities for other products/services you offer. I have many such stories to tell in this regard!

  1. EXCEL-VB DRIVEN POULTRY LAYER FARM MANAGER SOFTWARE – VIDEO DEMONSTRATION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2OEhGPmd5Epii74-pfm-video-shot

pii74-pfm-video-shot2

This video went LIVE in 2013 (the app was first built in 2009), and it features the original ONE year reporting version of the Poultry Farm Manager. Today, it’s been replaced by a 16 part video demonstration for a Monthly Poultry Farm Manager I’ve since developed for the market.

Like the Ration Formulator video, this Poultry Farm Manager video has also ramped up massive views (13.5k) compared to others in my channel  [Common sense logic based on the Pareto principle made it easy for me, to focus on both of them!]

When I first put this video online, back then, within the first few weeks, I began getting calls from within and outside Africa – from as far as South Africa, and even the USA.

Poultry Farm CEOs looking for low cost customizable solutions reached out to me via email and phone from very early on. And they continue to do so.

Interestingly, and on a finale note, I must point out the fact that this second video has earned ZERO comments from viewers, compared to the Ration Formulator’s video which boasts over 45 comments – in which majority of the commenters requested the app be sent to email addresses they provided.

 

pii74-rfapp-video-shot2

 

pii74-pfm-video-shot3

I point out this difference between both videos to indicate the fact that the presence or absence of comments on videos like these cannot be used to conclude about their effectiveness or otherwise.

This is because both of them have earned me LOTS of sales, since I put them online. Many times the enquirer would begin by saying “I just watched your video and would like to know how much you sell the software”.

It goes without saying, therefore, that you must pay close attention to the RESULTS you get, from using the videos you create, and not depend on superficial indicators to decide if they are working well or not.

Today, I offer a video marketing support service for businesses, which is purchased by clients in various markets. Click here to request details of how I can build a branded marketing video for your business.

During the rest of this week, I aim (barring “connectivity” issues) to publish follow up blogs, to this one, based on branded marketing videos I have created for clients to show examples of what is possible.

[HINT; Erratic Internet connectivity from my provider has interfered with my blog publishing schedule in recent weeks. So much so that I’ve resorted to working overnight, when the connections seems to work better (calling the support center has yielded little joy, so I’ve stopped that). Hopefully things will work better this week lol!]

Excel-VB Driven Ration Formulator

Click to view larger screenshot

1. Click here to learn more about this app – watch demo videos etc

2. Click here to watch a 4 part video in which I demonstrate how to use this app to formulate rations using real life data sent to me by an Algerian PhD student.

Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.

EXCEL-VB DRIVEN POULTRY LAYER FARM MANAGER SOFTWARE

Click here to download a detailed PDF user guide and watch 15 screen shot user guide tutorials of the Monthly Poultry Farm Manager that I now offer Farm CEOs.

Click here to watch a screenshot demonstration of the Excel-VB Driven Poultry Farm Manager I built for a client farm business in Ekiti state, South West Nigeria.

Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.

SDN Blog™

New posts from last week*

Monday:

PII 073 : You Need Superior After Sales Support to Win Repeat Business & Unsolicited Referrals

[Tuesday]:

[RECOMMENDED] New York Times: A New Kind of Tech Job Emphasizes Skills, Not a College Degree

[Wednesday]:

[RECOMMENDED] Must read article on how our lives will change dramatically in 20 years by CEO of Mercedes

[Thursday]:

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[Friday]: 

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[Saturday]:

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[Sunday]:

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

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

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