If you’ve been following me online before May 2014, you most likely will want to know why I moved my website to www.tayosolagbade.com.
My first online presence was located on the primary domain www.spontaneousdevelopment.com. And I built it up over a period of 9 years to one that generated high value income generating sales leads that won me clients within and outside Africa.
On 1st April 2013, I began traveling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Multipreneur, sharing updates on this blog.
But on 4th May 2014, my 9 year old domain was taken over and made inactive by Aplus.net – a web host that I moved my website from 2 years ago, in protest about VERY base service and support they were giving me.
THIS (i.e. http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets – see screenshot), is the “reincarnated” Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog, to which I just successfully installed the MAIN database containing over 630 posts, on my new domain: TayoSolagbade.com.
So this was not the first time I was getting a raw deal from that company.
It’s taken a LOT OF HARD WORK, but I knew it would be worth it.
This is because I get to offer many busy Farm CEOs who’ve contacted me” a viable alternative to traveling down to attend the forthcoming LIVE workshop in Lagos, Nigeria.
And it’s a better option compared to even holding a webinar online – considering that in this part of the world, Internet connectivity is generally poorer and also expensive.
On my part, this home study package now makes it unnecessary for me to go through the hassles of managing the logistics of preparing for live workshops etc.
Indeed, I’m sure many people will appreciate being able to watch/listen REPEATEDLY, as compared to attending a live event and not being able to recall all that took place etc.
Now, to ensure maximum value is derived by buyers, I’ve decided to offer a COMPLETE package with this home study video series.
The fee for the complete package is NOW N50k(Up from N25k on 10th April 2014 at 05:30).
But all members of my Farm Biz Ideas club, enjoy a lifetime 40% discount on my products and services.
That means they only pay N30k (Up from N15k on 10th April 2014 at 05:30)..
So, each buyer will get a parcel delivered via courier (or s/he can pick it up), containing the following:
A. The FULL set of home video CDs that run for approximately 4 hours.
I use EACH page of the handbook as a basis for providing detailed explanation and instruction, on the theory and practice of Feed Formulation/Compounding.
2. Your personalized copy of the latest 2014 version of the Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator software, which auto computes ration formulas using the Pearson Square technique described in my Feed Formulation Handbook.
NB: This new version is actually a distributable EXE version which does NOT require enabling of macros, and is tamper proof. I’ll soon have a video put on my Youtube channel to demonstrate. It works in MS Excel, but behaves like a full fledged software application. All past buyers – regardless of whethere they buy this home study video series get it FREE.
3. Your personalized copy of the detailed PDF user guide for the Ration Formulator
7. CDs containing 8 video tutorals/demonstrattions of how to install and use the software
(NB: See list of the tutorial videos for users of the software, and what they demonstrate below)
7. Lastly, a PDF invoice covering the payment you made and listing the items delivered to you.
This extended version of the Ration Formulator stores 3 FORMULAS for easy retrieval (*Space for 7 EXTRA feed ingredients now provided in the table). And it allows you to export them into a separate worksheet outside of the application. I’ve sent it out FREE to every past buyer who requested it.
As a FULLY paid buyer, you get ALL future upgrades FREE. Your payment makes you a member of my Farm Biz Ideas club, so you get a lifetime 40% discount on ALL other products and services.
Eight (8) Demonstration Videos For Using the Excel-VB Driven Ration Formulator
Below is a screenshot showing the videos as they will be found in the “video demonstrations” folder on your CDROM.
Below, I offer short descriptions of what each video demonstration is about.
What to do to Watch the Videos
When you click the “Watch Videos” button on the CDROM’s autorun menu, click the name of the video you want, to watch it.
Video 1 – enabling_macros
How to Open the Ration Formulator in MS Excel
Video 2 – login_update_feed_ingredients
(Posting the names of your feed ingredients and their nutrients composition into the software’s nutrients composition table)
Video 3 – ration_formulation
How to Use the Ration Formulator to derive a balanced ration formula – part 1
video 4 – ration_formulation2
How to Use the Ration Formulator to derive a balanced ration formula – part 2
video 5 – 2013-FREEUPGRADE Version
Features of the new, free upgrade version introduced in January 2013
Video 6 – 2013-FREEUPGRADE Version
Space Added For 7 Extra Ingredients, in free upgrade version introduced in January 2013
Video 7 – Copying the files to your PC
Demo created for Yakub – a past buyer. Useful for others
Video 8 – copying data from MS Word to Feed Ingredients Nutrients Composition Table in the software
Demo created for Yakub – a past buyer. Useful for others
What to do to Watch the Videos
When you click the “Watch Videos” button on the CDROM’s autorun menu, click the name of the video you want, to watch it.
Below: Screenshot of the autorun CDROM containing the Ration Formulator, and videos, sent to a Farm business CEO buyer in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Below: Screenshot of shipment tracking report for the parcel I sent to the Farm business CEO buyer in Uyo, Akwa Ibom. As at 9a.m this morning (Thursday, 12th March 2014, it arrived their Portharcourt office.
In 2002, I apprenticed on Muyiwa Adediran’s Belewo specialised fish rearing farm for a period of about six (6) months. This was in line with my plan to acquire skills and knowledge to eventually startup my own Integrated Fish Farm later on. During this time I would come in on specified days (usually Sundays) to work full time – 7.00am till 7.00pm – as a farm hand.
Learning By Working As A Farm Hand
In 2002, I apprenticed on Muyiwa Adediran’s Belewo specialised fish rearing farm for a period of about six (6) months. This was in line with my plan to acquire skills and knowledge to eventually startup my own Integrated Fish Farm later on. During this time I would come in on specified days (usually Sundays) to work full time – 7.00am till 7.00pm – as a farm hand.
My daily activities included cleaning the concrete ornamental fish breeding tanks, checking the tanks containing paired male and female ornamental fish (Gourami’s and Paradise mostly) for floating bubbly masses of fertilised eggs etc.
If I found any, I would quickly remove the male(s). If I noticed hatched fries in a tank, I would use a hose to siphon them into a plastic jar, which would be used to move them into glass tanks in the nursery section of the farm.
I also checked the water quality and level in the concrete ponds holding adult catfish – making necessary water changes and topping up with fresh water where necessary. Then there were the wooden vats containing catfish fries, which I checked for dead fries or fingerlings, removing any that I found. Over the course of the day, I would prepare and add appropriate feed to the different fish groups in the respective sections.
Putting What I Learned To REAL-LIFE Use
Not long after I completed my last week on that farm, I began preparing marketing flyers offering aquarium building services to individuals and business. One Friday afternoon, I visited the business premises of a well known and highly successful alternative medicine practitioner.
During my presentation, I explained how my natural aquariums NEVER go green with algae growth, due to the balanced ecosystem I am able to establish by taking advantage of natural processes like the Nitrogen cycle. That process deliberately cultivates friendly bacteria (in a gravel bed), along with live aquatic plants.
He got curious and asked if the same principles could be used to “clarify” the water in the waterfall/fish pond at his house, which had gone so green that the fish in it could no longer be seen. I responded in the affirmative.
He invited me to his home, the next day (Saturday), where he commissioned me to do an evaluation of the problem, and propose an action plan. Realising that I lacked the field experience to successfully carry out a project of this scope on my own, I promptly contacted Muyiwa Adediran, briefing him on the problem, with a view to enlisting his help towards doing a competent evaluation.
Muyiwa was able to find time to go to the site with me, and with his guidance, I prepared a report for the client, stating the findings and proposing possible lines of action to be followed to correct the problem.
Below, I offer highlights of the ideas contained in the report, which you may find useful for application to your own situation:
The report was titled “ELIMINATION OF ALGAL GROWTH/WATER DISCOLORATION PROBLEM”
During the Preliminary inspection visit conducted, I made the following observations:
a. That the water in the fall’s “basin” was colored by green algal growth. As a result, transparency/visibility was severely impaired making the fish difficult to observe.
b. That the sides and bottom of the water fall “basin” were also covered by algae.
c. That there was floating debris (appearing to be mainly leftover fish food) on the pond water surface.
The findings of the MAJOR/ROOT CAUSE of the algae growth and water discoloration were given as:
Green algae proliferation caused by excessive light entry into water in basin. This was deduced especially because the waterfall was located in an open area, where the wind-transported spores of algae could readily gain access to it.
Other Possible contributors that could be investigated were also mentioned viz:
a. The type of fish food used; the feeding regime observed and also hygiene practices employed. For instance, I asked what happened to residual food not eaten up by fish in the event of overfeeding.
b. The nature/source of water could also contribute to the problem. I suggested that it probably had high amounts of essential plant nutrients favored by algae. (The report however emphasised that this could only be verified AFTER aquatic plants had been introduced to compete).
The SOLUTION proposed: The following were proposed for mitigation or possible eradication of the problem:
a. The base/sides of the water fall “basin” to be covered up with epoxy-resin layer of a thickness to be specified. The objective was to create contrasting underwater background that would enhance water transparency, and fish visibility.
b. Dense luxuriant growth of live aquatic plants like Vallisneria spiralis (Water Grass), Cabomba Caroliniana (Water Fan), Lagarosiphon Muscoides (African Elodea) etc to be initiated. The plants introduced will mostly be fully submerged. (Measurements had already been taken during the preliminary inspection)
The upper layer of water in the “basin” would be left free of vegetation to allow for easy sighting of ornamental fish varieties present. The luxuriant plant growth would filter out some of the light, while simultaneously consuming most of the essential nutrients in the water, so that the green coloring algae could be “starved” and their growth drastically reduced.
c. If fish food type or feeding regime/hygiene practices were identified to contribute to problem, necessary recommendations/guidelines would be given as appropriate.
d. The client might wish to consider incorporation of underwater lights to better accentuate waterfall beauty/fish visibility – especially at night. In this regard, the concept proposed was similar to that used in swimming pools.
e. The client might wish to consider applying gloss paint to the railing/walls that run around the waterfall. This would make cleaning of those surfaces (due to its proximity to wet soil) easier if/when need for it arose.
Summary
It is important to note that the report presented to the client proposed adoption of a NATURAL solution to the identified cause of the problem. Other options were considered. But none were evaluated to be as reliable, affordable and long-lasting as the natural method.
I offer the above report content summary as possibly useful reference information for persons who may encounter a similar problem in the course of managing similar water based facilities – including their aquariums.
Do you run a farm business, or plan to start one? If yes, adopting the ideas below can save you time, effort, and lots of money – in the short, and/or long run. This article is based on transcripts of my video explanation, using a mind map, of key components of a Best Operating Process Management System(BOPMS)™.
What Does a BOPMS™ Entail – and How Can It Help You?
If you’ve been reading my writing a while now, you’ll know I often advocate adopting best practice systems.
As a result, sometimes I get phone calls from farm owners, especially poultry layer operators. They often want to know what exactly the BOPMS™ I talk about entails.
Some say they’d like to have it done for them.
It has a number of components – see the boxes in the mind map below (3 yellow ones, and 2 uncolored).
VIDEO: MIND-MAP BASED EXPLANATION OF BOPMS™ FOR FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT– BY TAYO K. SOLAGBADE
Click here to watch a screen shot video in which I use a mind map to explain the Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS)™ for Farm Business Performance Improvement – based on its components [Note that www.thefarmceo.net displayed in the mindmap used in the video has since been retired and replaced with www.iff.tayosolagbade.com]
Basically those descriptions in the boxes refer to the key components of a BOPMS™
I came up with the concept myself – based on Best Practice World Class Process Management principles. And what I do basically is to give prospective clients 2 major options, in terms of implementing it.
It’s either they…
1. Develop and Implement an Enterprise Information System (EIS)
This option is a simpler alternative. The 3 yellow boxes are relevant to this option.
For those who are interested send me an email, and I’ll send you a list of articles that talk about this in more detail.
You Can Run Your Farm Business Without Tears…and LESS SWEAT!
But basically we’re talking about having an automated system for tracking the performance indices on your farm. This would enable you not have to stay every second on the farm monitoring what your operatives are doing.
To do that you need to have a specific kind of process record form designed, based on the manner in which you run your farm.
So basically I normally have to visit farms to find out how they operate, and then I design a form that enables them capture the relevant records.
Some of these indices can be quite useful in predicting, or anticipating, or proactively determining things that are about to go wrong.
For instance, a drop in Hen Day Production percentages could tell you a lot of things. Depending on how long your birds have been in lay, values should be about 70% or higher.
Feeding Rates should hover around 100 to 110 g/bird: Too low would suggest underfeeding, with consequent impact on egg laying performance. Too high would amount to over feeding, with implied needless waste of feed (reflected in lower number of eggs per bag fed i.e. egg to feed ratio). Neither is good.
When you don’t collect the records on the record forms, and post them into a software that trends them in form of charts, you may not see that.
When you collect eggs and manually record your numbers in a book, such subtle trends will not be readily apparent to you.
I say this based on over 20 years of developing applications for process monitoring and control.
Just last week, I got two farm managers nodding vigorously in understanding, as I coached them to post their data into the application I built for their farm.
As the data for each cage line was punched in, they saw the various KPIs appear. And when we began generating the report tables with charts, the plotted lines per cage and per pen for each day, week, and month we chose gave revealing trends.
This instantly triggered a discussion amongst them, as they tried to come up with accurate explanations of the variances noticed.
One of them said “Ah, this software will be quite useful.”
I had no need to say more.
The interesting thing is that to some extent, most farm owners can use MS Excel, by themselves, to track the KPIs too.
However, where my apps add value is their use of complex and elaborate formulas and functions, and as well as vba automation.
Then of course there’s the ready-to-print report formats.
But you can always start with the basics. That would be better than doing nothing – which would amount to working blind!
A Word of Warning About GIGO – Garbage In Garbage Out
You could have a software that your personnel make entries into.
But how can you be sure data hand-recorded on the forms used to post entries into the software are real or accurate values?
We talk about GIGO when it comes to computers. And never has it been more applicable than when it applies to farm operatives – who can get so busy they “forget” lots of things.
When that happens, some may try to remedy the situation by recording “guesstimates” – which could over time produce unreliable results.
In fact many farm owners often get surprised (unpleasantly) by their farm businesses.
One day the birds are doing very well, laying at 82% HDP. Next day you get a 55% HDP report, and you don’t know what happened in between.
Now, that‘s why you need to have Standard Operating Procedures.
In the Mind map Box Titled “Workplace Organisation/Best Practice Management to Entrench SOPs”, you’ll see I have in red two phrases: “Workplace Instructions” and “Job Descriptions”.
Those are powerful instruments that could be written out, and then training provided for your people to use them to produce uniform output consistently..
Such best practice training – among other benefits – ensures they know the importance of sticking with laid down procedures to achieve the farm’s goals.
There will be things that you will be able to monitor, that will help you determine whether or not your people are doing that.
Of course, no one who is NOT competent to be on your farm, in terms of following the established guidelines, will be allowed to operate in the process.
There’s an aspect of what I’ve said here that has to do with your ability to reduce your costs of operation.
More often than not, you cannot aim to increase the prices at which you sell.
Instead as a smart business owner – especially one running a farm operation – look for ways to reduce your costs of operation.
Specifically, your variable costs.
That means you will develop, and commit – on a long term basis – to looking for ways and means to reduce the cost at which you turn out your farm produce.
And that again has to do with the best practice SOP.
Exploring Variable Costs Reduction Initiatives (Ideas You Can Use)
There are so many ways you can reduce your operating costs.
Now this has to do with teaching your people and yourself how to think up ideas – new ideas and better ideas for running your operations.
For instance, a lot of people are exploring using complementary feeding ingredients. Others are exploring using Indomie noodles waste, and even cooked chicken intestines.
If you just want a simple approach to it, that can still help you, look at the 3 yellow boxes in the mind map e.g. Tracking your expenditure and income; having KPIs in place, and using a software to track them in charts and in form of data.
Those would help you go far in monitoring your farm operations and getting the best results.
FACT: In business, and life in general, doing what this title proposes is sure to lead you to attract long term recognition and success to yourself. I employ it in dealing with every person I encounter – both online, and off the web. I strive to do it no matter how brief our interaction is. And I continually reap useful progress as a result.
This article offers 2 ways you can do the same thing and reap similar or better rewards.
1. In Business – Give Potential Clients Value Even When They Have NOT Hired YOU
This can be hard to remember, and do. I say this from experience. But I urge you to invest time and effort in doing it. Believe me, it works!
When searching for buyers for your products and services, do NOT focus on what you want (You’ve heard – or read – that before I’m sure!).
Instead, actively explore ways to immediately add value to prospective clients – using what you know, or can do.
Specific example: I always give practical ready-to-use ideas on web marketing to potential clients during discussions or meetings we have. I even create marketing resources (e.g. downloadable PDF they can give away to capture subscribers, or generate leads).
There is magic in this. Psychological magic.
It makes you look bigger in their eyes, because you come across as having so much that you confidently and readily give free samples without fear of loss.
They’ll often be impressed by your willingness to give of yourself in that manner. And that can actually attract or influence them to buy your products or services, or tell other about you.
But even if no apparent benefits seem forthcoming, do it anyway.
It will pay off eventually.
2. In General Life – Add Tangible Value to Others Even If You Have NOTHING to Gain
If you’re like me, with a passion for what you do, your personal and work life are probably difficult to separate
But all the same, distinctions exist. Sometimes you’ll have to relate with people you do not consider potential buyers of whatever you sell.
Always realize that everything you do still links back to building credibility for yourself. So, explore non-manipulative strategies to turn others into your raving fans and advocates.
We all know that people generally prefer to buy from persons they know – and trust.
By aiming to leave everyone you meet better off than when you found them, you effectively build a reliable store of goodwill for yourself.
Sooner or later, you will harvest the rewards – sometimes including positive gains in your business.
One Specific Example (A True Story)
Years ago, while working in a large multinational, I used my spreadsheet programming skills to create an automated MS-Excel-VB driven application, for use by a senior colleague in the engineering function.
It enabled him produce his complex graph based engineering reports within minutes, instead of the hours it normally took him.
I did it without his asking, while off duty from shift brewing.
Some years later, I quit the company to become self-employed. Among other services, I offered spreadsheet programming services to potential company clients.
One day I got a lengthy email from this former colleague. He had moved to a well known multinational oil service company in a top position.
He wrote asking me how much it would cost to build, for him, a similar application to the one I’d built back when we worked together.
In that email, he wrote something as follows (not exact words):
“Tayo…I know you can help me with this because I’ve seen your Midas touches from when we were together in (company name)”.
NB: If I had not used my skills to add value to him years before, it’s unlikely he would have developed this deep level of trust and confidence in my capabilities.
We eventually had two meetings and followed up with emails and phone calls. Although he was eventually unable to get funding to pay the fee I quoted, it was still a useful experience for me.
This was because our discussions had given me an insider view, of areas in which I could add value to companies in the market place.
I went on to use that knowledge in winning projects from 2 medium sized hospitals later on.
Final Words (Watch Out for Wolves!)
What I’m recommending in this piece is simple.
Aim to get even people who DO NOT buy from you, to be grateful or glad that they met you. You can do this using abilities (or knowledge) you have, that can be of use to them.
Make doing this a habit, and many good people will love having you around. They will sometimes even go out of their way to help you, should the opportunity to do so arise.
Be careful however. Don’t let yourself get exploited while doing this. There are always wolves out there!
It may take some work, but for best results, you MUST learn to use your gut level instinct to identify WHO to offer yourself to in this way.
Not all those you meet will be sincere. Some insincere people will try to exploit your “generosity” to get you to work for them without (decent) pay.
The truth is however that such people will rarely be hard to detect – especially if YOU are sincere.
Just pay attention to your sixth sense. Listen carefully to YOUR FEELINGS, and you’ll know!
Speaking a foreign language can help you in paid employment as well as in business. I have had the unique priviledge of experiencing the amazing benefits derivable from being able to speak a foreign language, on both sides of the fence.
Below I outline 3 powerful rewards you can expect to reap repeatedly, from being able to speak a foreign language:
1. Unsolicited Support/Assistance – Often When You Least Expect It
There’s nothing quite as exciting and fulfilling as having obstacles that most others are unable to surmount literally get removed from your path by total strangers.
And that, simply because they discovered you can communicate in their language!
Be it in your country or abroad, there will be times when what you seek may seen impossible to get.
Then suddenly you hear the person in charge answer a phone call, or speak to a colleague in a foreign language that YOU, unlike others present, can understand.
Suddenly you realize there’s a chance you can connect with her (or him) on a different level.
And things go beautifully from then on.
The others, lacking similar abilities, are left wondering how you pulled that off!
This has happened to me, more times than I can count.
Out here in Benin Republic, my ability to communicate in French has endeared me to many who meet me.
For instance, finding rented accommodation like I did, at a quarter of the going rate happened not because I’m an expert french speaker(far from it!), but because (as many tell me) they appreciate the work I’ve done (and continue to do) to improve myself.
It apparently inspires those keen to learn english to keep at it.
2. Greater Opportunities for Friendship & Learning
While acting as Production Manager for a 5 week period in 2001, I initiated a series of trials to see if brewhouse output could be improved by increasing the quantity of “grist” (milled maize and sorghum) loaded into the old model mash filters used in the brewery.
Now this was not something that could be done arbitrarily.
Certain loading capacity calculations needed to be done to ensure the best possible results were obtained.
The problem I faced in implementing my idea was however that I could not find anyone who could give me reliable details of the formula for estimating loading capacity for the kind of grist we used.
The manufacturer – Meura, a Belgian company – originally built the plant to handle malted barley based grist(as you may know, French is spoken in Belgium).
But luckily for me, I remembered that a technical representative of the company had flown in few months before I got nominated to act as Production Manager.
At the time, I was his host in my office as Training & Techniaal Development Manager(TTDM), and while chatting he’d discovered I could speak, read and write French.
From then on, our relationship stopped being formal. By the time he left I’d learnt a lot about the filters and how they worked.
And that was why when my surprise nomination to act as Production Manager came up, I readily explored ways to use what I’d learned to improve the filters’ performance.
Realizing that I did not have enough information to competently modify the loading of the filter, I decided to write to my friend.
Starting my email in French (first paragraph) with pleasantries, I made my request known.
24 hours later, a reply arrived from a colleague of his, who explained my friend was away on leave.
But he went on to supply the exact filter loading formulas for our grist type, which they had derived based on extensive trials.
It was just what I – and any Production Manager – needed!
Little wonder that the substantive Production Manager (upon his resumption from leave) and other managers in the technical function, requested copies of that formula as soon as I announced that I had it, in a post secondment report I published after successfully completing my acting assignment!
As you can imagine, the above may probably never have happened if my French speaking skill had not enabled me get closer to the Meura rep.
3. A Foreign Language Gives You a Uniquely Powerful Competitive Edge
Again I say this from experience. Personal experience.
Living and working in a society where a very great majority of people do not speak French or any other foreign language confers a unique advantage on those who can.
And if you can also read and write in that language, your chances get even better.
In a past article, I shared the story of how I got massive career boosting recognition at senior management level while attending an international workshop in Hotel Aqua Palace, Douala Cameroon.
The short conversation I had with the expatriate Managing Director of Guinness Cameroon, in the hotel bar, took place while other delegates from Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, Kenya, etc looked on.
This is the third and final part of “Why You Need A Web Marketing System (WMS)” – a 3 PART EDUCATIONAL SERIES. This installment ends with links to other articles that describe key components of a WMS. It’s titled “A Passion for What You Do, Will Help You Use A Web Marketing System to Get New/Repeat Business At Close to Zero Cost”. (Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here).
A WMS enables a business dramatically reduce marketing expenses, while increasing marketing reach and impact. In this final article, I explain why a business owner NEEDS undiluted PASSION to successfully use a WMS to acquire those benefits.
The key message here is that to get the best results from using a WMS, you must be in a business you thoroughly love!
Many People Fail To Follow Their Passions in Business
The phrase “having a passion for what you do” is one that I first came into contact with as a young manager in Guinness Nigeria Plc. This was in October 1994, when I was recruited along with 11 others as a new set of Graduate Management Trainees.
This happened after a rigorous selection process that ended with a grueling selection board discussion session, involving shortlisted candidates.
I believe strongly, that my exposure to best practice operations in that company, made a tremendous difference to my ability to function as a human being, at the highest levels of performance possible.
And I believe honestly that the culture of striving for excellence perpetually, which was promoted within that organization, helped me to really discover who I was, and to go after anything I want in my life.
Having a passion for what you do, is crucial to your ability to excel. I think a lot of people fail to get involved in vocations and businesses that they have a passion for. And that explains why some of such people so readily settle for cutting corners, in trying to achieve their business goals.
When you have a passion for what you do, you will not have a problem continuing to strive, till you achieve your intended business goal. And you will prefer to do so with integrity.
Only a Lack of Passion Will Make You Accept To Give a Bribe to Succeed In Business
Imagine if somebody tells you, as a Fashion Design expert, that you need to grease his palm, to make him submit your designs for consideration by a panel of decision makers.
Maybe they need an official designer for an international event – and you want that exposure.
If you accept to bribe that person, it shows that you don’t know who you are. Don’t start a business you only enjoy doing because of the money. Once the incentive of income disappears, you’ll find it hard to persevere with honesty and integrity.
Without a passion for what you do, you cannot know who you are. A lack of passion will make you willing to accept any conditions given you by others – even if that means cutting corners.
So let me put it the other way around. When you venture into a line of business that you see other people seemingly making big money from, without knowing what fundamentals will help you succeed in it, you set a trap for yourself.
This is because you do not have a passion for it. When things get tough you’ll crack under pressure. And things do get tough: in every area of life, in every line of business, there will always be hard times.
Without passion, you will find it difficult to keep going during hard times, because the inner drive will not be there.
You’ll start looking for quick fixes and short cuts. And that’s when you become crooked. And when you become crooked, your work will likely become crooked, because then it’s no longer about quality, it’s about surviving!
If You Will Struggle To Continually Think Up New/Useful Things to Say to Promote Your Business, Don’t Bother With a WMS
So, when I talk about using a WMS, as a complementary alternative to spending money wastefully, in traditional media like newspapers, TV and radio, especially as a small business person, that’s what I mean.
You’ve got to first of all be passionate about what you do. That way you will not have a problem adopting this alternative method, because this alternative method requires that you have no difficulty whatsoever, continuing to do the necessary things to make it work.
If you’re going to have a problem thinking up new ideas to talk about, in relation to what you offer your potential customers…
If you’re going to have a problem thinking up a new topic to write about, that will be used in promoting your work to potential customers…
…Then don’t bother trying to use a WMS!
Just go back and keep looking for money to pay the newspapers and the TV stations and the radio stations.
Then you sit back and wait for magic to happen. God help you. Hopefully, magic will keep happening. And hopefully, there’ll always be big money for you to spend on it.
Also, hopefully, you’ll also have enough profits to make it worth your while
Final Words – A Web Marketing System Will Keep Your Marketing Going (Even When You Sleep) Till You Succeed
However if you want to be able to beat your chest that you get business on merit, and that the value you deliver is actually what gives you the patronage you are able to show off, then I believe this is the time for you to consider using a WMS.
If you have a passion for what you do. If it’s something you wake up at 8am and are ready to jump into the streets and get started doing it all over again like you did yesterday, last week, last month or last year…
If it’s something that you don’t mind keeping at, even when you’ve not had a meal, since morning, and you’re working on it till 12 midnight and never get tired…
If it’s something that you never get bored with…
…then you can use a WMS to succeed in your business marketing.
This is because it is your passion that will help you make your WMS give you the results you want i.e. MORE sales leads or potential customers!
What you have just read is final part of a 3 part series titled “Why You Need A Web Marketing System (WMS)”.
There is a lot more you need to know. This series is available as a keynote speech, a half-day or full-day workshop – or request for audio/video version.
You can also contact me if you would like me to send you a report that breaks down what a WMS comprises, and how to get started with yours within the next 24 hours. E-mail tayo at tksola dot com with “Re: Why You Need A Web Marketing System” as the subject.
Further Reading: Components of a Web Marketing System (WMS)
The articles listed below describe key components of a Web Marketing System that I always recommend that my clients adopt for use. Read them and apply what you learn to started with yours.
This is part 2 of a 3 PART EDUCATIONAL SERIES. This installment is titled “Understanding How (Routine/Repeated) Use of Paid TV, Radio & Print Media Short Changes YOU ”. (Click here to read Part 1). If you run a business in Africa, the ideas offered in this series can help you. Any 21st century African business that depends more on paid traditional TV, Radio and print media for business promotion, is wasting money. Indeed, if you’re not using the ideas on offer here to find new clients and customers, YOU ARE LOSING PROFITS. I elaborate below…
Invite Me To Speak: If you’re reading this after 31st March 2013, I would have begun travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Entrepreneur. If you’re in West Africa click here to invite me to speak to your members or group on this topic.
In this 2nd part, I use a real life example or analogy to illustrate how the typical traditional media organization asks business owners to pay to share their expertise. This is an arrangement that benefits the media house, but rarely helps the small/medium businesses.
A Real-World Relevant Analogy
Consider this. A typical newspaper outfit. They come to you and tell you: Oh Look, We’re doing this special thing. We’re going to feature your company in our newspaper. We give you half a page, one page and you get to give us a little speech or talk about something you do, or share your expertise in our medium, and potentially you have the opportunity of getting read by millions of our wonderful readers all over.
And so you ask them: Right, if I do this, what’s in it for me?
And they say: Oh, you’re going to get read by so many people and they’re going to call you. And all of that.
You ask them: And I’m going be the one that supplies the content?
And they say: Yes of course, you put in your content, basically anything you want. If you want an editorial, we’ll let you do that. And so on.
Then you say: Well, that’s nice. That sounds good. When do we get started then?
And they say:Oh, there’s one thing: you’ve got to pay.
That stops you dead in your tracks.
You ask:Oh, I thought I was going to share my ideas and expertise. And I thought that would be in exchange for exposure through your medium?
They quickly reply:Well you see, everybody else pays to use our medium. This is the way it works. We’ve got to charge you because that’s really the marketing space or slot we have.
So you ask: Okay exactly how much are we talking about here?
They reply: From N200,000 (i.e. $1,500).
You say: What? That much – even though I’m offering my expertise?
But your friend – maybe he is more familiar with these things – tells you: Oh yes, that’s the way it’s done really. You see it’s a national newspaper, and you’re going to get a lot of exposure.
So, You Agree. And You Pay.
And they put this beautiful write-up you’ve done in the Monday edition (Monday being the day that maybe a lot of people like to look at real estate, and you are a real estate expert. So they tell you it’s going to get by a lot of people who are passionate about real estate).
Problem number 1:
On Monday, the paper comes out, and it’s about 150 pages thick. And your write-up? Yeah it’s in the real estate section alright. The challenge is that the average reader on a Monday is busy, and probably won’t have enough time to flip long enough to find that page – except he knew about it ahead of time, and was looking forward to it.
Problem number 2:
By the end of that day – I would say 10pm, some would say 12 midnight. The point is, by the next morning, the Tuesday edition is out: Your N200,000 would be gone!
The truth is more often than not, you’ll probably get a handful of phone calls or emails – if at all you get any responses to your ads that is.
It doesn’t make any sense!
What I’ve found out is that apart from a few leads which mostly fizzle out eventually, all you end up with are bragging rights that you had the means to place an ad in that kind of medium. But your target audience more often than not could not care less, if it does not add value to them!
If you’re a big company, there’s a budget for it, and you do have the cash flow to cope with it – probably because of your size, you get a lot of customers. And so, maybe it won’t matter much, you won’t feel the pinch and the returns would be tangible.
But if you’re a small, medium or micro business owner, the last thing you want to do is give that kind of money to advertising or marketing in a medium that has a shelf life of 24 hours! That’s just too volatile.
I say this from years of personal experience struggling and falling flat on my face for years, actively exploring cost-effective ways to get high impact long term marketing exposure, to the right people that are interested in my products and services.
Instead, You Need To Think Smart!
$1,500 can do a lot of things for you for a much longer period of time, and you’d be able to measure the returns. And those returns more often than not would pay for the money you spend in marketing in that way.
I have just done this analysis to help you put in perspective, the way you spend your money on traditional advertising or marketing media in your local market.
You want to give yourself an opportunity to reach out to as many people as possible, so as to find those who would be willing to pay the kind of money you want for your quality products and services.
I’m placing deliberate emphasis on quality because I’m assuming that the person reading this now is the kind of person that is not involved in selling anything that is substandard…or low quality…or cheap.
In order to benefit from the ideas I offer here, you’ve got to be somebody that has, on offer, products and services that command respect, and that appeal to people who are discerning in their tastes, and in their preferences.
If you’re not someone like that, you’ll not be able to use the ideas I offer here. But if you are someone like that that, then what I’m saying I’m sure will make sense to you. For every naira you spend, you must seek to extract at least an equivalent return in terms of marketing reach and impact – marketing mileage you achieve.
There is a Better Way to Do It
The channels of radio, TV, newspapers, flyers, bulk SMS and all that, can work in conjunction with, and can be complemented, by this other method that I’m talking about.
I cal it the use of a Web Marketing System. I will explain it in detail in my next article. This article you’ve just read was written to demonstrate, in practical terms, how the current and more familiar marketing and advertising media cannot really help you to cost-effectively achieve the kind of reach and impact you need in an economy where money is not as available as it used to be.
People are getting more reluctant to spend and need more reasons to do so, therefore making it more difficult for the man who wants to sell products and services to find customers. Therefore, everyone needs to be smarter. The WMS enables you to be smarter in spending your money, and smarter in getting returns, tangible returns, that add to your ability to make sales. That’s what a WMS does for you.
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What you have just read is part 2 of a 3 part series titled “Why You Need A Web Marketing System (WMS)”.
Part 3 follows tomorrow (I’ve decided to dispense with the plan to publish according to the weekly schedule, so readers can find all 3 parts close together).
There is a lot more you need to know. This series is available as a keynote speech, a half-day or full-day workshop – or request for audio/video version. You can also contact me if you would like me to send you a report that breaks down what a WMS comprises, and how to get started with yours within the next 24 hours. E-mail tayo at tksola dot com with “Re: Why You Need A Web Marketing System” as the subject.
This is part 1 of a 3 part educational series. If you’re an expert running a business in Africa, the ideas offered in this 3-part series can help you. This installment (Part 1) is sub-titled “Why You May Need To Change The Way You Find Buyers for Your Products and Services”. Any 21st century African business that depends more on paid traditional TV, Radio and print media for business promotion, is wasting money. Indeed, if you’re not using the ideas on offer here to find new clients and customers, YOU ARE LOSING PROFITS. I elaborate below…
Invite Me To Speak: If you’re reading this after 31st March 2013, I would have begun travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Entrepreneur. If you’re in West Africa click here to invite me to speak to your members or group on this topic.
Traditional Media are Not Bad – They Just Cost Too Much For Too Little
Capital is not easy to come by, for business startup or expansion in Africa. Very few can access funds adequate to start large enterprises or multinationals. That’s why African economies depend heavily on micro to medium businesses. If these smaller players can find buyers faster, with less effort, and at less cost, they would become more profitable. And that benefit, would create positive multiplier effects across the African economy.
This article explains why intelligent use of Low Cost Web Marketing Systems can help them achieve that goal faster than paying for access to traditional media.
What I’m trying to do in the African market is to get as many business owners as are willing to listen, to understand that there are other ways they can get customers or clients interested in actally paying good money to get their products even if the market is down.
The Web Marketing I propose will complement and not replace whatever methods you already use. However, over time you may find it worthwhile to reduce your use of the latter, if/when it becomes obvious that they cost your more money, time and effort.
Two Questions You Need To Ask Yourself About Your Marketing
It’s time people began to think of the fact that obvert hew last 15 to 20 years, they’ve followed the same trafitional; methods of marketing and advetixing, spenting quaite a lot of money on a daily, weekly, monthly basis, to get customers to come and pay for their products and services.
Over trhe years, we’ve found thayt there has been a new market, or let me say a new method of markeing that allows you to get probably the same or even beytter results, without spending up to half of what yopu currently spent.
First question. You spend money on newspaper adverts, TV and radio jingles, and then you waith,. 9 times out of 10 people who do these kinds of things say “Oh, that’s what everyone else does.”
The question I ask is this; If every othewr person is doing it, can you afford to do what they’;re doing? Will you get the same results they get? And will the resuts you get, be satisfactory, for you, in terms of your bottom line, your profits, how much you get to keep in your pockets, after you take out all your expenses?
At the end of the day, if you find thayt you are not able to account, for a significant increase in your profit margins, then that method of marketing is not doing as well as it should, and you need to think of other ways.
What You Need To Do
I believe one of the smartest ways to do business is to find customers at little or no extra expense over what you are already spending.
So first of all, I say you have to do what is called a Mind Shift. Change the way you think about your marketing. Begin to consider that you can actually find peiopkle who will pay good money to get your products and services without seeing one expensive ad by you in any of the traditional media – be it radio, TV, newspapers or what have you.
Secondly: Consider a method of marketing that makes it possible for you to stay visible, to be noticed, and followed and contacted by potential customers, year in year out, without your having to spend one extra kobo, or naira, or dollar – depending on where you;’re living or where you’re based. That’s what I’m talking abvout.
A Web Marketing System helps you to leverage those kinds of marketing channels to your advantage, and make them work for you even when you’re asleep.
What you want is a situation where, every now and then – and with an increasing frequency over time – people who need your products and services pick up the phone at 8.00am in the morning and call you and say:
“Hello. I found out XYZ about you while I was doing ABC somewherw an dI’d like to know how much it would cost to get ABCD that you offer”.
And this guy would be talking with you obviously in a state of mind that shows that s/he is ready to pay good money to get what it is you offer, because your WMS would have done its job of getting him or her to that level of decision making readiness.
Final Words
What you have just read is part 1 of a 3 part series titled “Why You Need A Web Marketing System (WMS)”. Part 2 will be published next week.
There is a lot more you need to know. This series is available as a keynote speech, a half-day or full-day workshop – or request for audio/video versions. E-mail tayo at tksola dot com with “Re: Why You Need A Web Marketing System” as the subject.
Picture below is of a guy I named “Cameroonian Micheal Jackson”...Your child is likely to see unique and exciting sights like those in the pictures below, if s/he travels and explores beyond the world she already knows.
This enterprising chap was doing an impressive version of Michael Jackson’s moon walk in Douala’s Marché Mokolo (Mokolo market). Hundreds gathered to watch him for over 10 minutes. I’m not a dance expert, but I think he did a great job of it!
Marcel Bich (now late) was the manufacturer and cofounder of the cheap, disposable Bic pens, razors and lighters. I once read an interview in which he revealed that travelling with his father really provided him an education that schools could never have given him. This insight apparently served him well – considering that he built great wealth, by creating cheap but highly desirable products.
1. Travel Helps You Demystify Life In General
In 1982, as a 12 year old, I began playing competitive handball for my secondary school and over time got invited to the state team (but always got dropped before most major competitions!). This was in Ilorin, Kwara state.
Moving to the university in Ibadan in 1987, I secured, from my first year a regular first team shirt on the varsity and hall teams. As you may know, travel to and from competition in different places happens a lot in sports.
It was during these formative years that I developed my passion for taking photographs and traveling.
When I eventually became a brewer in Guinness Nigeria, Benin City, most of my colleagues knew that about me. After completing my 3rd night shift in a row (earning 3 days off), I would take off on a trip to a state I’d never visited before, just to see what it was like. I was restless and hungry to explore and discover and learn. I still am.
At 3.00a.m in the morning I’ve walked the streets in different cities during my crazy travels as bachelor (mostly when I was off shift duty, or when I was on annual leave).
I once travelled by night across the border from Ikom in Nigeria to Ekok in Cameroon. Then I took another bus headed for Douala. But we had to stop (and sleep in the bus!) at 1.00a.m in Kumba. Then at 5.00a.m when the driver said it was safer, we resumed.
While in Cameroon, I moved around Douala and Yaoundé on foot and by car – mixing with the locals, to practice my spoken French, in the hope of becoming fluent. My hosts sent me to stay with a family friend at Mendong – a rural community – where I got a real feel for something close to the village life there. It was exciting (see photos below).
I ate local meals like Bobolo (solidified rubbery cooked starch meal made into long fingers) with roasted fish, as well as Achu (a delicacy made from Cocoyam, popular with the Akum people).
Pix 1: Eating Achu with my host’s wife
(NB: I made these digital copies of the original photos from my 1999 visit to Cameroon using my Blackberry Camera before leaving Lagos last week. The phone’s video and picture recording has been acting funny since then. At the bottom of this post is the ONLY picture I took that I’ve been able to retrieve since getting here. It keeps giving an error message. I’m looking at downloading all my data and formatting the memory card. Gremlins…?)
2. And It Opens Doors to New Friendships, and Exciting Opportunities
Anytime I run into Cameroonians, we usually hit it off instantly because they are often pleased to hear me speak so knowledgeably about areas some told me they’d never been.
For instance, while in Yaoundé, I went on a trip to a place called “Oballa” where I attended a convention organized by a youth group supporting the Cameroonian president. I did it just on a whim. But it was a journey that took some hours from the city. When I returned at 10pm, my host was amazed to learn I’d gone that far. She’d never been there!
Pix 2: Standing in front of country house in Mendong
Looking back I sometimes wondered if I had not gone too far – but the thrill I felt from seeing what others simply talked about based on hear say, convinced me I had not. That exposure also taught me some people voice opinions about things they do not know.
When you travel – and you stay open minded (especially if you start at a young age) – you develop a flexible view of the world. Your views and opinions become more balanced because travel exposes you to the variety that the world has to offer.
It helps you realize that your small corner of the world is just that – your tiny little corner! Outside it, a much bigger world exists that for the most part operates very differently from the perception you have of your world.
Pix 3: One the road to Kumba – an SUV was stuck in the mud (imagine that!)
Like I revealed in my article about my journey across the Atlantic Ocean in 1999, I was to reap the rewards for my efforts at learning French the hard way in 2001. Guinness Nigeria selected me along with four senior managers to attend a one week International Coaching Conversations Facilitators’ Workshop held in Hotel Aqua Palace in Douala.
During that week, my colleagues would witness me speaking French with the expatriate Managing Director of Guinness Cameroon, who later announced to them that he was impressed. What’s more, during the course, when the possibility of having facilitators from Nigeria come over to collaborate with those in Cameroon.
The expatriate female course coordinator from the UK noted that if anyone from Nigeria was most prepared to play that role, it was me. I was already familiar with the place, the people and the language.
It goes without saying that going back in Nigeria, my senior colleagues with whom I attended the course regarded me differently. One actually announced that my achievement had made him resolve to learn French as well.
It did not end there. Maurice Diekem, a manager with Guinness Cameroon, would – at the end of the course – invite me over to his home and hosted me from Friday till Sunday. He took me round town in his SUV, to meet friends – and even arranged for me to visit those I’d stayed with when I
visited two years earlier.
And that’s what travel can do for anyone who indulges in it!
3. Your Creativity Is Stimulated By Exposure to a Variety of Worlds
Well travelled people – especially those who did it from when they were young – tend to be open-minded, and creative. My personal experiences indicate that extensive travel offers powerful educational benefits useful for achieving personal advancement.
Indeed many well schooled people who do little or no travel, will often be at an instant disadvantage when pitched against less schooled, but well travelled counterparts. I’ve actually seen this happen repeatedly in real life.
Exposure to a variety of experiences can be most enriching. Human beings learn best from experience. And when you have an opportunity to travel to different places, you get the unique privilege of seeing the way things are done in different climes.
Your brain gets greatly stimulated from discovering that different societies achieve the same goals using different methods. It makes you realize that beyond what the smartest people in your world know or think, there are equally smart (if not smarter) people in other places who know better ways to do the same thing!
The problem is when a society comprises mostly people who know no other ways of living, few, if at all any of them, will believe things can be done differently.
If progress is to happen, it starts with people thinking differently from the way they always have.
You/Your Child Can Travel Through Others – But it’s Best To Do It Yourself!
With the help of Tim Ferris, and others like him, many people are able to fulfill (to some extent) their dreams getting exposure to other worlds. The Internet itself makes that possible in many ways.
You could possibly do that – especially if your work and personal responsibilities leave you little room to do otherwise.
However, for the sake of your kids, you might want to do more.
I say this because ultimately, the best way to really do this would be to get out of your comfort zone and go where you’ve never been. And find ways take your family with you.
Get away from the safety nets you’ve put in place for yourself. You need to be willing become vulnerable all over again – like you once were as a baby – so you can learn to walk (figuratively speaking) all over again.
By the time you’re done, you’ll find you have a totally new, much smarter perspective of life and what it’s really about.
You may not even have to travel far. There are places within your country or region you can explore which will greatly enrich you.
Final Words: Let Your Kids Become Well Rounded Personalities
Some people only know the routes leading to and from their homes, office, church, clubs and other venues in their immediate neighborhood. You can do better than that.
This is especially important for your kids. Let them grow up to be well rounded personalities that others would enjoy interacting with for their balanced perspective and depth of insights.
Travel based education will give them that.
So, why not let them have that in addition to the normal schooling you’re giving them?
One Last Thing…
By way of interest, I still do the travel thing as often as I can. This time as an entrepreneur.
In 2005, I visited Ghana on an exploratory business trip for 2 weeks.
And this month (April) I launched a new plan to do it at a higher level – as a Location Independent Entrepreneur (who earns income from both online and offline activities).
Click here to read full details of what I’m offering to do to help Africa based professionals and business owners improve their ability to succeed.
Who knows…if you’re a decision maker in West Africa, you may wish to invite me to give one of my No-Fee talks to members of your group or organisation (?) I already have exciting stories of my experiences to share with audiences. I’d love to hear from you(click)!
Pix 5: Framed hand crafted map of Benin Republic bounded by neighboring West African states – displayed in the reception of a hotel.
…a multi-disciplinary blog for people passionate about reaching their goals!
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