Category Archives: Farm Biz

Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Potentially Useful Books, Website URLs, Software and Ebooks on Broiler Farming and Feed Formulation for Poultry Farmers

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It happened about 2 hours after I sent out issue 126 of my Weekly Public Speaking Ideas newsletter on Monday. The title was “True Story – Public Speaking on the Road(Why You Must Always Be Prepared!)“. I got a call from a gentleman based in Portharcourt, Nigeria, who excitedly told me he’d been (as he put it) “enjoying” my emails for over a year.

He then said “after reading your newsletter today, I decided I had to speak with you and find out how I can get some of your farm business products.“

Monday (that’s his first name) said he found my approach to farm business communication quite appropriate for Nigeria’s mostly smallholder farming population.

Then he asked “So how do we get started? I’m thinking of starting with Poultry.”

I promised to get back to him, as I had to get down to the bank to get some cash.

At the bank, I discovered a long queue, and slow connection problem. So I sent him an SMS asking for his email address, so I could send him links to some web pages from my Blackberry in the meantime.

He promptly responded, and I sent the email. By this time, it was well past 6p.m, so I decdied to call him the next morning.

At 11a.m the next day, we spoke for about 10 minutes during which time I asked him key questions to ascertain what his needs were. Using what I learnt, I promised to send him an email with recommendations on purchases he could make from me, and other resources he could get elsewhere.

The next day (Tuesday i.e. yesterday p.m) I sent him the promised email, with a 3 page PDF attached.

Below: Screenshot of The First Page of the PDF I Sent to Him (Followed By 2 Pages of Compiled Information)

creenshot of The First Page of the PDF I Sent to Him (Followed By 2 Pages of Compiled Information)

After sending the email, I dispatched a bulk SMS message to his mobile alerting him that I’d sent it, and briefly stating the email’s highlights…

Hi Monday,

I’ve just emailed you the promised document with information and my recommendations based on answers you gave to the key questions I asked to ascertain your exact needs and interests.

2 highlights:

a. I advised that you find and purchase a copy of “Poultry Production in Warm Wet Climates (Paperback)” by Prof. J.A Oluyemi. I’ve owned a copy since 1989. It’s a classic.

b. I supplied the download link to a PDF “Broiler Management Guide” PDF published online, that you can download and study.

See your email for more…

With kindest regards,

Tayo K. Solagbade

===End of Bulk SMS message====

Below: A Web Version of Potentially Useful Resources I Compiled for Him on the PDF

1. Book: Poultry Production in Warm Wet Climates (Paperback)

I’ve owned a copy of this book since my days in the University of Ibadan, as a student of Agricultural Extension Services. I graduated in 1992. Over 20 years later, that SAME copy of the book remains with me.

A little worn on the outside, I’ve held the covers together with cello tape, but the insides remain well preserved. That should tell you just how much value I place on its contents.

Take it from me, NO OTHER publication I have come across since buying this one, comes close to offering the same quality of information and education.

I assure you it contains probably the most practically and theoretically ready-to-use information you need as a poultry farmer – and it covers all major classes of poultry – layers, broilers etc.

www.walahi.com below offers to deliver the book to the buyer’s doorstep.

http://walahi.com/product_info.php?products_id=1016&3dCsid=rklnpvsh

WARNING: I have no experience of buying from them, so I cannot confirm that they deliver on their promise. In other words, do NOT take my listing of the website here as an endorsement of its services. It is NOT! Do the necessary due diligence in relating to them and transacting with them.

ANOTHER WEBSITE OFFERS ACCESS TO THE BOOK:

http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19811410413.html;jsessionid=434EB05B5F8A00B7C3FA84CFE3C87827

In Nigeria, you may find it useful contacting the library in the University of Ibadan bookshop to see if they have physical copies you can pick up. I’d also suggest checking with the University of Agriculture Abeokuta – at least the name suggests it would be a good place to find such useful publications – possibly in their library.

Just a thought. Good luck!

2. Website: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/

The name is self-explanatory. This website is a gold mine of information. Any Poultry Farm owner will find it a valuable resource. Be sure to register to join their mailing list so you can receive new content updates. But also bookmark the website itself, so you can pay repeat visits to explore the massive library of content it offers.

The only concern I have is that a lot of the information offered is not necessarily directly applicable to the situations prevailing in the tropical climate/region, in which African farm owners have to operate.

That concern was what led the authors of the book mentioned in 1. above, to author it. Managing livestock under different climatic conditions often requires application of different systems/practices. The realities faced by farm owners can often be very unique – with respect to feeding etc.

Keep the above in mind as you read the contents of this site and others like it.

Sections on the website, that owners of Broiler Farms may find of immediate interest:

a. Broilers – The Poultry Site

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/categories/13/broilers

b. Harvest Broilers Without Catching

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/30156/harvest-broilers-without-catching (copy and paste link into your browser…do NOT click: link is broken!)

c. Breeding Broilers for a Sustainable Future – The Poultry Site

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/31141/breeding-broilers-for-a-sustainable-future (copy and paste link into your browser…do NOT click: link is broken!)

d. Broilers Articles from ThePoultrySite

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/cat13/broilers

3. Products/Services on Feed Formulation

During my conversation with you today, you expressed interest in learning about:

(a) Practical feed formulation for poultry

*Products/Services You Can Order Now…

i. Feed Formulation Handbook (PDF) – N8,000.00

ii. Excel-VB Driven Ration Formulator spreadsheet software (N12,500.00)

iii. Practical Feed Formulation Training (N35,000).

Some Farm CEOs travel to meet me in Lagos for 4 hour training on Practical Feed Formulation.

Such persons get a physical copy of my Feed Formulation Handbook FREE (i.e. they do NOT pay N8,000.00 for the handbook. It comes FREE).

They also get – on a CDROM – the PDF copy of the handbook, and also a PDF version of my Annotated Pictorial Introduction to Feed Ingredients report.

A Purchase Entitles You to 40% Lifetime Discount on Future Purchases

See the email I sent you yesterday for more on this

Joining my Farm Business Ideas club (by paying making an N8,000 or more purchase), gets you a lifetime 40% discount on ALL my products and services.

(b) broiler production and marketing: You also told me you wanted information on broiler production. See the PDF(Hubbard – Broiler Management Guide.pdf) attached to this email.

You’ll find some of the information in it useful.

Note however that it’s based on broiler production in the temperate climate.

That’s why the book “Poultry Production in Warm Wet Climate” by Prof. Oluyemi is one I strongly recommend you focus on acquiring and studying.

(c) Preparing Farm Records/Accounts

You can purchase the less expensive mini version of my Poultry Farm Manager Software. I’ve almost finished testing it – following requests from Farm CEOs from Cameroon, South Africa, USA, Canada, Nigeria etc. Price is N25,000.00.

See video of original Poultry Farm Manager at:

http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/pfmgr.html

(d) Ideas for recycling poultry waste to reduce effort, time and money expended in disposing it:

We’ll discuss later on when you’ve joined the club.

That’s it Monday.

I hope the information supplied comes of some use to you.

If you wish to take this further by making the recommended purchases, get in touch with me.

Tayo

Final Words: Serving Farm Business Owners is Something I absolutely LOVE doing!

I believe todays farmers needs best practice support to run their operations more productively and profitabley. One key ingredient for makign that happen will be smart Extension Services provided via intelligent use of PC and Internet technology.

This is why I use the web the way I do.

But it would be a mistake to assume I’m not familiar with what happens offline, because I use the web so much!

Farm CEOs who interact with me often discover I’m very much in touch with what’s happening in the industry offline…especially on real life farms. Apart from keeping in regular contact with farm CEOs, I also do my own share of research on ideas for improving farm practices and operatrions.

In the process I discover areas where gaps exist, and sometimes I’m able to develop solutions to fill those gaps. Examples are the items available today on my website e.g my Feed Formulation Handbook, the Ration Formulator software(that accompanies the handbook), my Pictorial Introduction to Feed Ingredients (that every handbook buyer gets free), my new Poultry Farm Manager software etc.

When a Farm Business Owner or enthusiasts contacts me, I feel over joyed.

For me, it’s often an opportunity to help one more person make smarter progress towards achieving his/her dreeam of running a profitable farm business entreprise. And that implies adding to the food generation capacity of the community, and ultimately, the nation.

The idea that I’m a part of such a good thing makes me feel fulfilled.

So, if you’re a farm business enthusiast, and need help or information, do NOT hesitate to contact me.

It would be my pleasure to help – just like I did for Monday above…

And it will NOT matter if you never buy anything from me ;-))

PS: I’m getting serious levels of attention from Farm Business Owners within and outside Africa, using my writing.

It’s been amazing. And yet, I must say that I did not decide to adopt writing as a marketing strategy all on my own.

It was an article written by Burt Dubin that opened my eyes to the wisdom of doing so!

That article is titled “Why and How to Get Published“. And it is one of the main reasons I’ve gotten where I am today in terms of the name recognition and credibility I enjoy as an expert in my field of interest. Every serious minded business owner should read that article and apply the ideas Burt advocates in it. The results you get, will make you very glad you did!

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Do You Want a Trial Version of my Excel-VB Driven Poultry Farm Manager Software?

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I returned to Cotonou from Lagos, this past Saturday (18th January 2014). While holidaying with my family, I’d continued writing and coding 😉 It’s been hard work, but I’m now almost done building the pocket-friendly mini version of my increasingly popular Poultry Farm Manager Application.

In light of the number of broiler farm owners contacting me, I’ve decided to build in an interface for posting broiler farm data separately, from the layers. That way, a farm owner who has either or both groups of birds can make use of the same application.

Like I said it’s been hard work. But I continue to be inspired by the growing number of enquiries I’m getting for this new application. I never expected (even though I sensed people would find it potentially useful), that it would attract this much interest this quickly.

Just this morning, two new enquiries came into my mail box. One was made via the contact form on this blog. It was from the CEO of a farm in Canada.

The other came in via the web form on the page hosting the videos of my Poultry Layer Farm Manager and an explanation of my Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS) ™ for Profitable Farm Management Mind Map.

This second enquiry (from a US based farm business owner) is what prompted me to write this article:

She specifically asked if I had a trial version of my app that she could try, and also wanted to know how much the app cost in US dollars.

Sadly, I Do Not Offer a Trial Version of My Excel-VB Driven Apps

That was not the first time I was getting that request. And each time I’ve had to say I offer no trial version – for now.

I wish I could oblige people who ask. But the realities make it impossible. At least for now.

The platform of Excel-Visual Basic is not secure enough to allow that. In truth, the averagely savvy Excel user, who knows how to follow instructions freely available on Excel support solutions sites, can find ready-to-use information, even code, to hack into any app.

In other words, someone like me who creates a new breed of customizable apps could easily have others basically hacking into it, and modifying it to suit their own purposes, which would most likely include selling it, without my being aware of it, or getting any benefits whatsoever.

My apologies. But my experiences in my part of the world make it necessary to operate this way..

In dealing with my international audience I’ve chosen to be cautious. I know other people sell their Excel apps and offer trials of some kind. However the type of applications I build are a bit unique – and the market I serve is quite narrow: farm business owners.

So it’s not like I have crowds of prospective buyers from which I can reap volume based profits even after I let a few “pirates” get in the door :-)

Once, while still based in Nigeria, I had a hotel client engage people he assumed to be competent experts, from Lagos’ Ikeja Computer village, to try hacking into the hotel management app I built for him.

He did this to try avoiding paying me the required fees to make changes he wanted.

Unfortunately for him, those he brought in were just typical CD pirates/vendors who take installation CDs/DVDs for different software programs and mass duplicate them for sale.

They did not understand how to deal with an Excel Workbook that had controlling code in a VBA interface.

When it became obvious they could not give him what he wanted, he sent for me. I only got to know the details of what transpired because a “bird” among his staff, whispered it to me after I arrived :-)

But that incident reinforced my belief that I must do my best to protect myself and my work from exploitation. In doing so, I also protect the investment of sincere others who choose to buy from me.

Think about it. If you paid me the required fee (e.g. N12,500 for my Ration Formulator), and later found that your friend simply copied it off your PC and easily made changes to use it for his own farm PC, would you not feel like you wasted your money? You most likely would!

Over the years I’ve developed code, designs, and procedures for my work and my apps, to minimize chances of my apps being exploited in that manner.

I realize, of course, that an intending hacker can come to buy directly from me, pretending to be a farm owner.

Indeed a real life farm owner could choose to buy from me. Then after confirming that it works well, s/he could choose to invest time and effort in hacking it, so as to sell it for profit by him/herself.

In my part of the world I have no doubt that this has crossed the minds of some people. They could even be doing it already. I would not know. And even if I did know, I would not be able to stop them.

But for buyers who stay with me, I plan to reward them with lifetime FREE upgrades and other benefits

Buyers of my Excel-VB Ration formulator will confirm that I’ve always sent them the latest upgrades. I am driven by a continuous improvement focus. In January 2013, I sent out an upgrade version.

Before getting my international agribusiness research paper (which featured my Ration Formulator) published, I’d begun working on a new version.

It will do least cost feed formulation and handle multiple amino acids balancing, to make it suitable for use by farmers who rear pigs, rabbits and other animals with more sensitive amino acid balancing needs. Each past buyer of the Ration Formulator will, again, get this new version free.

Instead of Trial Versions, What I Offer are Video Demonstrations and Very Detailed PDF Screenshot User-guides

Many of the sales of my Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator have happened after the buyer watched the video demonstration on my Youtube channel.

I’m keen to connect with as many farm owners as possible.

They will be my partners, and by using my application and giving me feedback, they will enable me refine the software solutions I create. In that way, I’d be able to get the apps to a point where they would have most, if not all features and functions that make them potentially useful for farms in any part of the world.

By then I would convert the app to an EXE application. This would be the safest way to offer a trial, that hackers would be least successful with.

If you buy my app and want changes or modifications made, we can talk about it.

My apps will work as shown in my demo videos, or I give you your money back. That’s one thing you can be sure of. So if what you’ve seen in the video is what you need, then have no fears…make payment for the real thing and get started using it. If you experience any issues, I WILL ALWAYS be availble to support you, till you get happily up and running :-)).

The fact that many of my past buyers remain on phone and email “speaking” terms with me today, even though we’ve never met, I believe indicates that I deliver what I promise.

I’ve Been Using Video Demos to Sell My Ration Formulator for Years

I began that journey in 2004. Since then many buyers and users within and outside Nigeria/Africa have provided me feedback and also made enquiries, which have helped me improve it.

Soon, I believe I’ll be ready to launch the full fledged EXE app. But the Excel-VB driven version will also remain available.

I’m using the same approach for evolving my Poultry Farm Manager app.

Experience has taught me that the farm owners will help to identify relevant improvements the app needs to make it meet their important needs.

My vision is therefore to have a base of buyers/users that will be part of my Farm Business Ideas club.

By using my app, farmers will accumulate farm operations data from which they will derive various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Eventually, we would be able to produce industry level KPIs, which would enable us compare farm performance across farms and markets internally (within a country, state, region) or externally (across countries or continents).

That way, a farmer will know what the trending industry standard is, compared to what he’s getting on his farm, at a point in time. This will guide him/her to make needed adjustments to get better results.

For those considering my Poultry Farm Manager or any other apps I build, the above is what I promise…

That is, to support you by customizing my apps to meet the needs you specify.

Once you buy one or more of my apps, you automatically become a member of my Farm Business Ideas club. and get a lifetime 40% discount on ALL other products and services I offer.

If you believe above benefits make up for NOT offering a trial version, I look forward to hearing from you.

Contact me, to make your enquiry or request.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

A Pocket-Friendly Poultry Farm Manager Software for Profit Conscious Farm Business Owners

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A growing number of smallholder poultry farmers are impressing me with their drive to achieve best practice improvement in their farm businesses. The increasing rate at which they contact me about purchasing my Excel-VB driven Poultry Farm Management app, is how I know.

That’s Why I Deliberately Bear The Cost of Calling Them on Phone – Both Locally and Internationally!

Yep. That’s what I do. I now make up to 2 calls per week on the average, in response to web based enquiries from farm business owners about that app.

Every time I’ve done it, the Farm CEO has often been taken by surprise.

It never ceases to amaze them, that I can readily make such an expense of effort, time and money, even when I’m not sure any sale will come of it.

Like I’ve told each and every one of them, I do this because I have a vision I want to accomplish.

Smallholder farmers in many countries tend to be limited in terms of resources they can access to really take their businesses to the next level. One key area has always been the dearth of customizable software well suited to the unique needs of the respective farms.

As a result, most have had to improvise using conventional solutions existing in the market.

My vision is to establish trusting relationships with willing smallholder farmers, to equip them to use low cost PC and Internet technology, for running their farm businesses more productively and profitably.

The more they are able to plan for and manage their farm operations in a way that minimises setbacks and delays, the better their fortunes will be.

By proving that I have ability and resources to help them achieve the foregoing, serious minded farm CEOs are likely to regard me as a potentially useful solution provider, to keep around for the long term.

The first step of course, is to get them to give me a chance to show what I can do.

Those who are already members of my Farm Business Ideas Club, have seen that I can truly help them. A good number purchased my Feed Formulation Handbook, and the accompanying Ration Formulation Software.

Most have never met with me in person, yet they have continued as subscribers to my newsletter for over 3 years. Some have become good friends, with whom I share great phone conversations regularly.

But like I said, most of those I have in my network have come based on their interest in finding feed formulation solutions.

Recently, a new group of Farm CEO enquirers has begun to demand my attention

In the past, their enquiries were very few and far between.

This group is interested in my Best Operating Process Management System(BOPMS)™, which advocates use of low cost customizable software applications for proactive farm operations performance monitoring and control.

In several past articles, and also on the Mind Map I created for the BOPMS™, I refer to such applications as Enterprise Information Systems (EIS).

These new group often watch the video presentations I’ve recently put up on my website, and also on Youtube. Then just as I anticipated would happen, the attractive benefits of the featured software solutions and Best Practice System make them submit the web contact form provided on the page.

Up till that point, everything goes according to my projections.

However, when I eventually call them up, I have noticed, consistently – but not surprisingly – that most are not prepared for what I tell them.

Apart from the deliberate profiling I do via question asking, to be sure they are the right fit for my software solution, most are not able to fit the required investment for the app, into their budget.

The Farm Business CEOs that have, so far, reached out to me regarding the Poultry Farm Manager software, include persons from Kenya (2 of them), Cameroon, USA, South Africa etc

By way of interest, one person did get across to me from Iran, but when I called him up, he said “I no speak English. Please send email.”

That was odd, considering he’d filled the web form in English to make his enquiry. Looking back however, I imagine he had a basic understanding of English, and on seeing what the app could do in the video, desired it. Then he probably used translate.google.com to word his enquiry :-)

I should add that due to habit of checking the websites archive of past enquiries, I discovered the same chap from Iran had sent in an enquiry about my Feed Formulation Handbook in 20!0!

All of this goes to further underscore the fact that the web marketing system I use delivers powerful, and lasting/long term benefits.

Tailoring My Poultry Farm Software Solution to Meet the Budget Needs of Small Farmers

Since I really want to help these farmers, I’ve decided to offer them an alternative solution.

Yesterday I told a Cameroonian Farm Business owner who has 1,000 broilers on his farm, that I’ll build a scaled down version of my Poultry Farm Manager, for persons with limited budgets/needs.

He expressed great relief on hearing that.

I promised I would get back to him in one week. But he’s not the only one I’ll be offering this Mini-Poultry Farm Manager to.

All the other smallholder farmers who’ve reached out to me will get an special offer to buy this lower priced, less sophisticated version of my app.

Are a Profit-Conscious Poultry Farm Business Owner?

Do you desire a pocket-friendly priced and ready-to-use app to help you better manage your farm operations, proactively and profitably?

If yes, I urge you to fill/submit the form on this page.

Do so now, to get yourself served my special offer, once the mini version of my Excel-VB Driven Poultry Farm Manager Software is ready.

Believe me, you’ll be glad you did!

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Quit Your Job? (Some Web Marketing Ideas for Your New Business)

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So, you finally bit the bullet and resigned your appointment with your employer after years of meritorious service, to start your own consultancy? And you did it while the ovation is still loudest? Good for you! Most people rarely get rich working for others. No matter what service you want to offer, the web can boost your expert status so people feel more confident hiring you.

I propose the following:

1. Setup a proper website in your name using a Content Management System (Joomla or WordPress) – that will make it easy for you to manage the site yourself (just like you use MS Word or Facebook). See an example I did for a Cameroonian client (a Legal Consultant) in Cotonou: www.nanaarnold.com

This means you will purchase a domain name – e.g. www.yourname.com (long overdue!!) – for $10 approx – for ONE year.

And you would also purchase a hosting account – from $40 approx – for ONE year.

2. Once the site is up, you must use it to get people to take action to contact you. That requires writing new content regularly, and using preferably zero cost channels to promote it. That’s where the work will be.

My method is to use writing to attract visits via the search engines. So, I recommend you have a blog where you’ll publish your new articles and other reports. The purpose will be to establish yourself as an authority in your field or interest or expertise.

As your “content” volume increases, those who encounter it online, who fit your target audience profile, will be won over by it.

They will come ready to engage you. My blog has been central to my webmarketing success:

http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets/

Like mine, everything you do on your blog will be automatically linked to your Facebook outlet and your website. See my Excel-VB Solutions page www.tinyurl.com/tksexcelheaven. It has 95% membership from overseas. They talk about my works in their network i.e. free promotion! No wonder I’m getting more foreign enquirers about my Excel-VB driven farm business software.

You will also need to setup a promotional email newsletter which you will publish regularly, to  subscribers. It will boost your expert status.

Note that this approach will SAVE you a lot of marketing expense, and eventually boost your generation of quality sales leads.

It does not yield success over night. BUT it always works! You just need to persist.

If you could have served as long and successfully as you did with an employer before quitting, I believe you will be able to generate the QUALITY of content that will make people who need your services see you as a preferred provider.

Over time, they will seek you out by themselves. You will have less need to reach out to potential clients. But even when you do go out, this system will bean instrument you will use to win clients over with less effort, in less time and at less cost.

I call it the Development of a Web Marketing System.

TOTAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED (If I do it for you):

1. Domain Registration (1 year) and Website Hosting (1 year) – N7,500.00

2. Setting up your Web Marketing System (comprising your website, your blog and your promotional Facebook page) – N100, 000.00

IT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF

This approach will save you lots of business promotion expenses, and also help you win MORE paying clients. As an expert in your field of specialisation, you can also approach international organisations to write papers or even speak at conferences (for a fee too!).

An updated/quality content, online presence will make those you contact choose you over your rivals!

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

How Much Should Your Start-up Farm’s Business Plan Cost? (Real Life Email Conversation)

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I get email requests and enquiries of all kinds from visitors to my different websites:

1. Self-Development Education. 2. Best Practice Farm Business Support. 3. Freelance Writing/Web Marketing Systems Development . 4. Custom Excel-VB Driven Software Development

But MOST of the enquiries come from my Cost-Saving Farm Biz Ideas/Support Service website located at: http://www.iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com.

Initially, most of the enquiries were about my feed formulation handbook. Later, when I put my Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator software online, farm business owners began writing in to ask how they could purchase it.

******** Start of Message ********

Subject: Re: Your request for my poultry feed formulation handbook

Hi, You need to purchase the handbook.Click here to read full details of the required investment, the steps you need to take, and what you will get subsequentlly.

Let me know if I can help you further.

******** End of Message ********

With time, visitors began to enquire about my other products and services (e.g business plans, feasibility studies, research papers etc).

Some have emailed and even called me, to know what it would take to have my Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS) implemented on their farms. A growing number have been writing and calling about my Excel-VB Driven Poultry Layer Farm Management Software, which I recently decided to make available online. A few others have written in with special custom software development needs they wanted me to tackle for them.

As you can imagine, this presents a constantly changing range of requests I have to attend to. And many times, only a few ever mature into actual sales. The reasons for this vary. Sometimes it’s the price attached to my product or service. At other times, it turns out the enquirier is just price shopping, or simply curious.

In the earlier days, about 4 years ago, I actually had a rather high proportion of the enquiries coming from phony prospects. People with no serious intentions, who only derived fun from playing mind games.

It was this latter group that taught me the importance of using carefully crafterd autoresponder messages and other tools to protect myself, and save my limited time and energy for those who really mattered. My strategy has worked quite well, and today, I can say less than 5% of enquiries I get could be said to be from “phony” prospects.

Usually When They Don’t Buy, It’s Because They Have a Limited Budget, or They’re Not Ready

For instance, reproduced below is a web form submission by a guy (a Nigerian who said he was based in Canada), who wrote saying he wished to startup a poultry enterprise in Nigeria.

Like others before him, I was not sure he was to be taken seriously when I saw his web form request. See submission below.

——————————–

> kaffo2@xyz.com wrote:

>> name = SEGUN KAFFO

>> interest = Feasibility Study

>> comments = i am interested in comissioning a feasibilty study/business

>> plan for a start up poultry farm and feed mill.

——————————–

Below is the response I sent to him…

—– Original Message —–

From: “Tayo K. Solagbade”

To: “segun kaffo”

Subject: Re: Feasibility Study

Hi,

Your request will require a meeting with me.

Past experience (right into 31st Dec 07) has made me decide to require ANYONE who wishes to meet with me pay N2,500 for that to happen. This amount will be 100% deduducted from the actual fees I eventually charge to carry out a project for him/her.

If however it turns out that after meeting with me s/he decides for any reason not to take it further, only 50% of that amount will be refunded. My apologies for this seeming self-defeating approach, but I have had too much of my time wasted by many people who were merely “curious”.

If/when you are ready, please call me on 0803-302-1263 for further details.

I encourage you to browse through every page on my IFF website (http://www.iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com/) to learn more about what I offer. Call me to clarify any areas.

Regards

Tayo Solagbade

He would go on to call me on my mobile

We spent about 20 minutes discussing, after which he said he would send a formal email specifying his exact needs.

Then Kaffo sent his formal/detailed service request(after we had spoken on phone):

===Email Startss===

Subject: Re: Feasibility Study

From: “segun kaffo”

To: “Tayo Solagbade”

Priority: Normal

Hi Tayo,

It was a pleasure having a prelimary discussion with you. I am contemplating a poultry project of about 7000 birds in 4 cycles. That is about 28000 for the first year. In the second year, I expect an expansion to about 15000 to 20000 birds per cycle or 80000 per year. It will be a broiler operation.

I plan to site the poultry in the vicinity of Epe. My starting point is to determine the viability of the project. This is where you come in. I need a feasibilty study which will assist me in determining whether to proceed.

This should cover the total capital cost, operating cost, land area required, feed cost/conversion, acquisition of day old, equipment etc.

Before you proceed, I would need to have an idea of what your charges would be – just a ball park figure is sufficient. If the amount is reasonable then I would comission you to proceed. This way I do not waste your valuable time. I propose to pay 25% of your fees to start.

When you are about halfway complete, I will pay another 25% and the balance on completion and receipt
of the study. I hope you will consider this as fair to both of us. Some element of trust is inevitable and I am willing to set the pace with the mobilization payment.

You should be able to e-mail me the work as you proceed. I will pay you by Western Union. Please let me know if you find the above arrangement suitable.

Regards, Segun

===Email Ends===

I did him a response in which I specified my fees for preparing the document, among other details…

===Email Starts===

Subject: Re: Feasibility Study

From: “Tayo K. Solagbade”

To: “segun kaffo”

Priority: Normal

Options: View Full Header | View Printable Version | Download this as
a file

Hi Segun,

Your original submission via my website form refers below:

——————————————
>

comments = i am interested in comissioning a feasibilty study/business
> plan for a start up poultry farm and feed mill.

——————————————

I noticed you left out the “feed mill” in the project details you sent
in(see excerpt above from your original web form submission). Was that an
oversight or did you decide to leave it out deliberately? I ask because
inclusion of the “feed mill” has implications for “costing” of the study
preparation.

Ball park figure to prepare the study is N200k. If you choose to include
the “feed mill” then it will be N250k.

As for payment terms, 50% advance and 50% on completion is preferable.You can be sure of getting regular updates thru a restricted (login) access page that I will update with FULL details of progress.

The finished report will come with an automated Excel-VB driven
spreadsheet application that allows you as the “owner” to do what-if
analyses to mimick possible changes that could affect the farm biz plan
costings. For instance if a change in major feed ingredient prices occurs,
projected costs for feed compounding would be affected.

The spreadsheet software containing your original startup data/projection
could be updated in relevant places with the new prices to automatically
generate revised estimates that guide decision making.

This is a critical element in farm planning and management especially for
poultry entreprises that are so capital intensive and RISK-prone even as
they are potentially highly profitable.

I prefer (as I believe most biz owners should) to see the feasibility
study &/or biz plan as a business management tool that can be adjusted as
the project is implemented over time to reflect changes/realities of the
day. Making it “dynamic” is a good way to make effective use of it to
achieve the biz goals one desires.

Hope this helps.

Regards, tayo

===Email Ends===

The above took place in 2008. I have NOT heard from him till this day.

Maybe that’s because I told him what he wanted would cost N150k (divide that by 140 to get the dollar equivalent), payable 50% in advance.

There have been similar others. I guess they were just not convinced it should cost them so much to get the type of solutions I offer.

Maybe by the time they go ahead and startup their farm businesses without the benefit of guidance from the kind of tools/resources I offer, and they end up “struggling” endlessly to be/stay productive and profitable, they will be ready.

That is, if it is not too late by then.

Final Words: In case you decide you want to contact me about any of my products or services, keep what I’ve said above in mind.

My fees will often be affordable, but rarely be cheap – especially for my services.

If you adopt a long term perspective to the matter however (afterall, it’s unlikely you’ll be running a farm business for the short term), it will become obvious making the required investment for my kind of products/services will be a wise thing to do!

NB: This article is based on excertps from Issue No. 31 of Tayo K. Solagbade’s Self-Development Digest Newsletter published on Mon 6th October 2008 at http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/news/sdacn_Mon_061008.htm

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

No. 123: Boost Your Marketing Success by Using the Web Differently

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The massive name recognition and marketing reach/impact I’m getting via my zero cost Web Marketing System baffles many. Most believe if you don’t spend on online ads in some media, you cannot get enough marketing exposure.

My achievements on the web disprove that myth.

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Click now to view the latest issue of Tayo Solagbade's Public Speaking IDEAS page

Publication: Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Newsletter

Date: Monday 6th January 2014

No:123

Title: Boost Your Marketing Success by Using the Web Differently

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [Tel: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic) ]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (E-mail version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

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As a subscriber to my mailing list, you get to access over 10 potentially useful books and reports.

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Login using the username and password sent to you during signup.

Can’t find it? No problem. E-mail me via tayo at tksola dot com and I’ll send you another. Not yet a subscriber? Click here to signup.

**** **********

NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

**********

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No. 123: Boost Your Marketing Success by Using the Web Differently

The massive name recognition and marketing reach/impact I’m getting via my zero cost Web Marketing System baffles many. Most believe if you don’t spend on online ads in some media, you cannot get enough marketing exposure.

My achievements on the web disprove that myth.

To boost your online self-promotion efforts in 2014 as an expert-who-speaks, adopt the mind set shift, and ideas/strategies I advocate in this article!

Using The Web Successfully Is Rarely About Your IT/Technology “Up-to-date-ness”

I like the sound of that…”up-to-date-ness”…:-))

I’ve found that some people think succeeding with IT depends on using the latest versions and models. Wrong! Anyone familiar with my elaborate online presence, will be surprised to learn that I use what purists would consider very outdated equipment and software.

For instance, I write and do all my Excel-VB coding on a VERY old Toshiba Satellite (at least by today’s standards. It was purchased 5 years ago.)

And I say this proudly. It gives me the results I want, and many times I deliver output that exceeds those of others who use more modern machines and software.

My philosophy is: if it’s not giving problems, and stilll produces the results I want, why change it?

That’s why you’ll find I have Windows XP installed on it, and there’s also a copy of MS Excel 2000 (that’s NOT a typo!) on it, in case I need to develop an app that’s downwardly compatible.

You should also see my Blackberry Pearl 9035.

It’s seen better days, as I’ve flogged it mercilessly since 2 years ago when I bought it.

Many times, I’ve had to teach clients using superior, newer models how to do what I do with my old horse e.g creating and publishing new posts to my blog, with graphics, and also using a blackberry as a modem for browsing via my laptop, saving over N4,000 monthly as a result.

So, it’s rarely about the “tools” and more about the competence, commitment and creativity of the user!

Think about it: Long distance runners from Ethiopia and Kenya who often start out training bare foot, without access to modern sporting facilities have for decades dominated World and Olympic competitions.

Their peers in developed societies, despite all their special diets and conditioning, with their aerodynamic running shoes and wears, are rarely able to match them!

It’s More About Your Ability to Find/Use The Right Mix of User-Friendly Tools and Resources

As an expert-who-speaks in 2014, the way you put PC and Internet technology to use will determine the degree of marketing success you achieve.

Too many of us still think we must get a “certification” in a particular vocation before we can consider ourselves competent to function in it. And we apply that same thinking to others we come across.

This leads to a bias that denies us the opportunity to benefit from the GENIUS of someone who, for example, studied Sociology in the university, but later discovered and developed his God-given talent for Web Marketing.

In trying to decide whose proposal to accept, we choose the person who sends a thick proposal endng with a listing of all sorts of IT qualifications. We tell ourselves “Aha. This person will know all there is to know about helping us use IT and the Internet to successfully market our products and services!“

We blind ourselves to the need to check for real-world relevance of each person’s know-how!

An IT graduate may NOT have a passion for creatively applying what s/he knows in a way that benefits his/her clients in the real world. In today’s world, technology makes it possible for anyone with the interest and willingness, to learn almost anything s/he wants to learn.

And that’s why today we have so many people achieving great successes in fields they did not formally study in. Look around you. I do not need to give any examples. They abound everywhere!

To me, that is a sign that we all need to pay more attention to verifying real world competence, instead of depending on academic credentials in isolation.

You, or Your IT Manager Need Not Reinvent The Wheel, to Market Online Successfully

I say this with confidence drawn from over 8 years of using the web to market physical and digital products/services to buyers within and outside Africa.

Knowing that my target audiences varied greatly in their familiarity with the web, as well as their purchasing power, I had to focus on low to zero cost ways to do it all, until I could be sure what worked best. Then using what I learned, I narrowed down to certain strategies, and this increased my rate of success.

Since I was short of funds, and of time, I had to find ways to do my online marketing faster and with less effort i.e. via Intelligent Automation. And I remain alert to any new opportunities to do that.

Around 2009, I discovered Content Management Systems(CMS). That marked a turning point in the way I used the web.

Before then, I’d learnt and used Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Flash, Adobe Photoshop etc to create my designs and web pages from scratch. Discovering CMS like Joomla! and WordPress opened my eyes to the invaluable opportunity to focus my attention on what really mattered: CREATING and propagating USEFUL CONTENT for my target audience!

It took time. It took effort. It took persistence.

But today, I know what to do and how – combining the CMS with other Internet resources, to achieve high impact marketing mileage at low to zero cost.

Whenever I speak to others who want to use the web, I alert them to the need to avoid wasting limited time, and resources, manually doing stuff that I get done automatically.

For example: In CMS like Joomla! they are called “Extensions”. In WordPress, “Plugins”.

On my blog, I have a plugin that allows me create all sorts of contact forms, with powerful automation features, without any coding knowledge, and within seconds.

Another allows me automatically choose posts on my blog, and compiles them into a book I can immediately publish. Considering that I have almost 500 posts to plough through, you can imagine that plugin will be a time saver for me, since I plan to publish ebooks for sale on some of my blog categories in the near future.

Without the plugin, I’d have needed a developer, and a hefty sum of money to pay him/her!

In truth, I am yet to have a need for a special feature or function to aid my marketing online that is not catered for by an extension or plugin already existing. (My experience also indicates that if you search long and hard enough, you’ll find a FREE one too!)

So, when I see some people sweating for months to write code to do something they claim to be important for their website or online marketing, I often get saddened. When I point out the mistake they’re making, they conclude I don’t know enough IT (e.g. like a friend of theirs, or an IT employee), to advise them.

A prospect once asked me to explain how a degree in Agric. Extension qualified me to advice him on Web Marketing :-)

That would have been be a valid question, IF I did not have a verifiable trackrecord of success in developing Web Marketing Systems that generate quality sales leads for clients. I tried to show him…he paid little or no attention.

So I asked him: “Which is more important? My academic credentials, or the income generating web marketing results I’m getting online in the real world?”.

He gave no answer, but his body language was enough.

I felt so sorry for him, as I often do for people who let petty biases deny them valuable growth opportunities. The programming done on us from school can be that strong!

A Few Years Later, His IT Manager Requests My Advice on Real-World Use of IT/Internet Technology!

If you’ve been reading my writing a while, you know I do NOT share this to brag. It’s just an example I feel effectively drives home the point I’m making.

What follows below is an abridged version of a Facebook chat conversation session I once had (in 2010) with a young IT manager. He worked with the above mentioned CEO I’d discussed providing web marketing systems development service with.

Like him, and his boss, if you and/or your IT personnel fail to take heed of what I’m saying, your company may be unable to develop an effective online presence that delivers the results you want.

Take a few minutes therefore and read – it could save you a lot of wasted time, effort and money in future!

———–START of chat————-

8:19pm is online : Hello Sir

8:19pmMe: Hi

8:20pm: I suppose u remember me?

8:20pmMe: You work with the real estate company I visited

8:21pmMe: Yes? No?

8:21pm: not real estate, IT company

8:22pmMe: My apologies – I do over 10 sales visits each day. Sometimes gets hazy. Your pix looked familiar, so I accepted your friend request

8:23pm: <types company name + address here>..remember now?

8:24pmMe: Yes – I do. Spent quite a while with your boss that day…

8:24pm: I’ve been trying to learn PHP & MYSQL bt it`s kinda tedious for me…So I was wondering if u could help me out

8:27pmMe: I told your boss – coding PHP and MYSQL are not competencies one needs to dwell on to deliver the kinds of solutions I offer – except you want to go on an ego trip…I use content management systems that make developing web solutions cost and time efficient. In using them, I only need to know how to TWEAK php and mysql code where necessary.

8:30pm: I don`t understand wat u mean?

8:32pmMe: For my work, there is no need to really “know” PHP or mysql in depth

8:33pmMe: What you need mainly in basic knowlegde of html, php, etc that will allow you make adjustments to the code produced by powerful content management systems like Joomla (which is php based)

8:35pm: really?

8:35pmMe: Today what is needed are expert developers of solutions that work, not expert programmers who know how to write program code.

8:37pmMe: The problem is Nigerians believe they must write code. My focus is on helping clients develop web solutions that do what they want. Go to joomla.org and LEARN what it means to use CMS like it (there are others) to deliver web solutions for the most sophisticated client needs you can encounter

8:38pm: so how can I be getting the codes since I don`t know how to write??? r u serious?

8:40pmMe: Once you understand basic html, you are well equipped to learn how to develop web solution using the NEW generation of tools like CMS. The world has moved on. Programmers are a dime a dozen (common). They have automated the process using CMS. Learn how to use CMS to solve problems, and you will become relevant

8:41pmMe: Forget about becoming a code writer or programmer. It would be a waste of time. What you want to code is likely to have already been coded out there into a powerful all-in-one software like a CMS. Find that software and save yourself the hassle. Then spend quality time THINKING of how to USE that new tool to serve clients, and solve their problems

8:45pm: u mean I would be able to develop database driven sites like WAEC, JAMB and all that???

8:47pmMe: Please go to joomla.org, then read and learn. The world has moved on. Nigerians need to learn to do more THINKING. We need to stop trying to prove we are good at writing code. It is NOT about writing code. It is about SOLVING real life problems. Just like GSM phones have replaced the dial phones, so have CMS come to remove the drudgery from development of dynamic database driven websites!!! (This was sent as a message, when his net connection broke off)

(May 29 at 9:26pm) Replies via FBK message :facebook chat is really messing up dat`s why I`ve to resort to mailing u…….

I really appreciate ur help…….u r the right man I`ve been looking for all these while. Pls I need u to enlighten me on these CMS and JOOMLA u are talking about. I also need ur phone no. and ur yahoo messenger id so we can chat better. I`m into networking, engineering, I also do web design but I really wanna develop myself in the web engineering part. I`m studying computer science in UNILAG. I`m only doing some sort of part – time work in that company where we met. These are some sites I designed: 

So basically, I want to go into web engineering. I want to be developing database-driven sites(PHP & MYSQL) and all that. This is why I need u to show me the way as to how to make use of CMS and JOOMLA.

Thanks.

(May 29 at 9:32pm) I reply via FBK message : I would encourage you to search using Google for many of the very useful resources for learning how to use CMS like Joomla, Drupal and WordPress. In my opinion Joomla and WordPress are the ones you should focus on learning – and I learned to use them FREE online. Just search using “where can I learn to use Joomla” for e.g. Believe me, there are hundreds of manuals and videos available online FREE

…May 29 at 9:33pm I send another FBK message : If I have to teach you, I charge an hourly rate of N3,000. I am not sure that would be a cost effective way for you to go about it. Though you are likely to learn faster.

———–END of chat/FBK messages————-

Final Words: Change Your Thinking About Using the Web

In 2014, I challenge you to change your thinking and begin to use the web the way it’s meant to be used: CREATIVELY.

That is the first step towards achieving web marketing success.

I have supplied a few tips to help you in this article. If you need help to progress further, get in touch with me.

Good luck!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

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

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing  zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Multipreneur.

He’s presently based in Benin Republic, where he’s preparing an English-French Language Guide, City Travel Guides, and a Commercial Rabbit Farming Guide.

He earns multiple streams of income providing clients with performance improvement training/coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

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

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

For a limited time, Tayo is available to speak to your group or organization for a moderate fee. Send e-mail to tayo at tksola dot com. You can also visit www.tksola.com to learn more.

Connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

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

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THEY WROTE…

“(Tayo Solagbade) is amazing and I think he is going to produce some impressive results online…” – click here to read full comment by Patrick Meninga (US based 6 figure income blogger who gained fame for building a $2,000 per month adsense website and selling it for $200,000).

—————————–

“Tayo, I honestly believe you are one of those who will succeed at anything he does. Your commitment and effort has been outstanding….Thanks for all your hard work since I’ve been here – you will be sorely missed. I don’t need to wish you good luck, you have the ability to make your own luck. – Andy”(R. Jones)*

*Operations Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc Benin Brewery, December 2001 (Handwritten comments in farewell/xmas cards sent to Tayo Solagbade following his resignation to start his own business).

———————–
Click here to contact Tayo… 

SD Nuggets Blog™

 New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking

[Monday]:
No. 122: You Need Mastery, Innovation and a Problem Solving Focus

Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:
A Quick Guide to 100% Pure & Natural Shea Butter – by Femi Solagbade
Self-Development [Wednesday]:
NEW YEAR Day: Meet the Best Agricultural Radio Program for 2013: Alhaji Luqman Ibidunni’s Global A.I.M.S

Career Development [Thursday]:
Can You Be Trusted to Keep Private Information “Private”?
Parenting [Friday]:
Teach Kids With True Stories and Demonstrations

Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:

Cost Details of My Poultry Layer Farm Management Software (Attention: Farm Business Owners/CEOs!)
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Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Cost Details of My Poultry Layer Farm Management Software (Attention: Farm Business Owners/CEOs!)

3 Comments

Dear Farm Business Owner,

Thank you for your interest in and/or enquiry about my Excel-VB Driven Poultry Layer Farm Manager software.

If I sent you a link to read this letter, that most likely means I have already spoken with you.

I have a habit of calling up anyone who contacts me on phone, just to be sure the message is not from a prankster. A lot of that used to happen in the past ;-))

The video you watched is of an app I built for a large poultry layer farm in Ekiti state, South West Nigeria.

[Watch the video on Youtube here or as a Shockwave Flash file presentation here

In 2009, I built a similar one for a 12,000 layer farm in Ogun State, also in South West Nigeria.

It has a range of useful, time and effort saving features. A novice PC user can learn to use it within a day.

The key features and functions are demonstrated and described in the video.

If you’d like to buy the full app “as is”, I offer it at N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), to ALL who agree to fill my questionnaire (ownload here).

You can check what that price comes to in US dollars using this website: http://www.coinmill.com. That’s where all who buy from me from “abroad” do their conversions.

Among other benefits, you become a member of my Farm Biz Ideas club, which entitles you to a lifetime 40% discount on ALL my other products or services.

See full details about the club at this page: http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/workshop_ffhb_ideas.htm

A scaled down and therefore less pricey version (which comes without the menu driven automated KPI charts) of the Poultry Layer manager can be made available for N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).

It would still have the capacity to handle data for 12,000 layers. You would use the tabulated reports of KPIs to monitor the performance of the birds.

However, there would be no accompanying charts.

Please note that that this Poultry Layer Farm Manager app is NOT an accounting application.

Yes, it does income and expense recording and reports weekly, monthly and annually as indicated in the video.

However it’s main purpose is to record daily operations data so as to auto-generate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for determining how well the animals are doing on a DAILY basis.

As data is punched in, the automated charts are instantly plotted for KPIs like feeding rates, Hen Day Percentage, Mortality Rate; Feed to Egg Conversion Ratio.

The trend of the charted data quickly tells you if there’s anything to worry about. And you can then take corrective action.

I call my applications of this kind “Enterprise Information Systems” (EIS).

[NB: For a broiler operation, feeding rate, feed to flesh conversion ratio, mortality rate, growth rate would be the KPIs to measure. The app would have to be modified to compute those indices.]

Next Steps I Recommend You Take:

I have a vision to help small holder farmers adopt intelligent and cost-effective custom software solutions to manage their farm business more profitably for the long term.

This is why I’m being deliberate in finding the RIGHT farm owners to work with.

If you’d like to take this further, I look forward to getting your responses to the requests below (along with any feedback you might have).

1. Please take a few moments to fill and submit the form on the page linked below (ignore the preceding message about Facebook):

http://iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com/contact.html

2. Attached is a workbook containing 3 worksheets:

Note that only the questionnaire and the Functional Requirement Specification (FRS) worksheets  in it (i.e. the first 2 – from the left) need your input. The FRS simply requires you to choose features you want to have in your app, by adding an X in the right column. The questionnaire is self-explanatory.

Feel free to ignore supplying any fields for personal information in the worksheets, if you’ve submitted the website contact form in 1.0 above. If there’s any aspect you do not understand, just skip it, and fill those you are clear about. Then SAVE the file and send back as email attachment.

The information you fill into the attached workbook, will give me a better understanding of the kind of farm business you operate, and what your needs are likely to be.

(For instance, there’s a daily recording form that will be printed/hand-filled with farm data, then later used for data  entry into the software. We will need to ensure the one I have will work for your farm. If not, I’ll modify it, with your guidance).

I will then get back to you with more accurate information regarding your request.

Thanks for your interest in my work. I look forward to being of service to you.

With kindest regards,

Tayo K. Solagbade  (Friday 3rd January 2014, @9.45a.m Cotonou, Benin Republic)

Performance Enhancement Specialist & Location Independent Multipreneur

PS: The above letter is based on a template I’ve been sending out to a growing number of enquirers regarding my Poultry Layer Farm Manager that I recently put up for sale online, after checking that it can be successfully customized to suit the needs of different farm business owners. Click here to visit my Cost-Saving Farm Biz Ideas website.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better

Meet the Best Agricultural Radio Program for 2013: Alhaji Luqman Ibidunni’s Global A.I.M.S

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Happy New Year to you!

And here’s one bit of news that will help you start up the new year perfectly – on radio. Especially if you’re a lover of agriculture.

Global A.I.M.S is a company specialized in providing agro-industrial information marketing services. And they are making BIG strides in agribusiness communication nationally.

Infact, their radio show recently won the “Best Agricultural Radio Program for 2013” awarded at the second Farmers National Conference.

Alhaji Luqman Ibidunni leads the team at Global A.I.M.S. And he is the show’s anchor on radio. He also happens to be my uncle…

You may recall I featured a PDF Sheabutter Guide published by my brother Femi Solagbade, yesterday.

Nigeria needs more of its university educated members to put what they learnt to practical and productive use, in ways that can improve the lives of others.

I’m not starting some family or nepotistic campaign here. It just so happens that at this point I feel these two people need to be brought to the attention of my own audience. That’s all.

Those familiar with my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas know I objectively discuss and feature anyone and anything relevant to the needs and interest of the farm industry stakeholders I serve.

Do you have news of an authentic achiever making things happen in agriculture?

Contact me via this blog or email tayo at tksola dot com.

I’d like to connect with him/her and see how we can tell more people about the great work s/he is doing. Please note that I said “authentic achiever”. I do my due diligence, and I will dig deep to find out if there’s any fluff, or falsehood, in there. Sorry. But we see too much of that in these parts :-))

In the meantime I suggest you visit the Global A.I.M.S at www.greenstudiong.com. You can also email them via info at greenstudiong.com or globalaims at yahoo dot com.

Catch the show on air Fridays at: 89.75 EKO FM from 8.30 – 9.00 p.m (in Lagos, Nigeria).

Below: A picture of the award plaque presented to them at the Second Farmers National Conference in 2013.

 

A picture of the award plaque presented to them at the Second Farmers National Conference in 2013.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Even When Too Busy, Don’t Stop Marketing!

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[UPDATE: 15 February 2025] NEVER STOP MARKETING! Why The Time To Do More Serious Marketing Is When “The Going Is Good”.

This piece was originally published as a blog post (see below) . It’s now republished HERE – today (15 February 2025) – as a PDF.

Never-Stop-Marketing

Click HERE (or the above COVER) to download the PDF version

 

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A badly managed company (or indeed country!) that still makes regular sales will stay “afloat”. Peter Drucker’s famous quote explains why:

“Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two – and only these two – basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are “costs”.

Serving Clients/Customers is Serious Work, but Marketing & Innovation are More Important

Why? Because anyone who’s been in business a while knows that there will be peaks and troughs now and then. Today, potential buyers may be chasing you around, but tomorrow you may be wondering where all the enquirers went!

The most seasoned business owners make continuous generation of good quality sales leads their number one preoccupation.

Ask a hotel owner. His/her focus is on percentage room occupancy, day in, day out. All other considerations are important, but that one stays right at number one!

That’s Why Marketing (Backed by Innovation) MUST Never Stop!

And you should do it through as many channels as possible too. Nothing is too much/little to consider. Sales people talk about keeping the sales funnel filled. At all times, take innovative marketing action to get more potential buyers clamouring to get your attention.

That’s the “funnel” concept. The more they are, the greater the chances that when you attend to one, another will simply pop right in as s/he leaves. Your sales people would be able to maximize time closing sales!

So, even if you’re overbooked now, the last thing you want to do is stop marketing! Instead THINK of ways to close more of those begging sales opportunities, now that they are within reach.

For instance, you could get one of the smart chaps working in another section to undergo crash training in taking orders. S/he could be added to as an extra hand to cope with the additional surge in demand, until it subsides.

If it does not subside, you’ll be making MORE money, and may be able to hire a new (or temporary/contract) employee to play that role.

If that’s still not enough, consider tactfully negotiating a longer response time with those yet to be attended to. Depending on what you sell, this may be a good way to avoid having people get upset.

Of course if it’s an online sales model with a shopping cart, and credit card payment processing, none of this would be relevant.

However, I remain very conscious of the fact that my favourite people (Farm Business Owners) read my articles on Entrepreneurship.

So, the examples provided are sometimes given with them in mind. And for those who do not yet “get it”, I’m on a mission to make farm business owners in developing countries make more creative use of web marketing to promote themselves and their products/services locally and even internationally – for PROFIT :-)

Interestingly, if/when you have to tell intending buyers to give you time due to lots of orders you’re getting, that  can actually boost your image and credibility in their eyes.

They’re likely to think “Hmm. S/he must be good to have so much demand and be unable to fit me in!” Some could actually decide  to wait till you’re available – just because of that.

So you see, filling the funnel via regular creative marketing can end up helping you achieve a “celebrity” status of sorts. What is called “Authority” status…and why not :-)

Final Words: The Time to Do More Serious Marketing, Is When The “Going Is Good”!

Here’s an instructive historical anecdote…

An entrepreneur who achieved great success over many decades, reportedly often got worried if things were going too well for (what he considered) too long in his business.

Hmm? He got worried whenever everything was going right? Why?

Well, to him, it was a signal that some things were (probably) not working which he was missing.

So during such (seemingly) “good times”, he paid greater attention to every aspect of his operations.

It was through that habit of his, that the company achieved long term success!

It goes without saying that what he did included ensuring marketing and sales did NOT slow down – because only a company that made sales could last that long!

Sometime ago, I read a quote that said:

“A little dose of paranoia is healthy”.

I’ve made a little change to it for any business owners enjoying “good times” to consider:

“A little dose of marketing paranoia is healthy…especially when you’re making lots of sales!”

NB: All I’ve said above applies to every kind of business – including that of the writer/blogger!

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Sell Successfully Using a Mailing List

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[Quick tip: If you own – or run – an agro-based/allied business, the ideas in this article can REALLY help you. Trust me. I LOVE farmers – and would NEVER steer you wrong :-))]

Are you responsible for creating marketing awareness, and generating sales leads for your company? If yes, then building a mailing list needs to be your number one priority.

Why?

Because most times only people interested in buying will take pains to join such a list. Success in therefore likely to boost sales dramatically (and possibly take your career to the next level)!

However, You Must Do It Right, To Ensure The Right People Sign Up

You want to sell your products and services don’t you? Well then you must do something to make them give up at least their email address – so you can contact them again after their first contact with you.

Note here this “contact” may not only happen online. It can – and does often – happen offline as well. So do not close your eyes to the opportunities to “direct” such contacts to marketing material that’ll make them join your list!

But You Must Be Careful to Attract The Right People

Make sure you only use bait that attracts people likely to be willing to pay for what you sell!

It sounds obvious, but the truth is not everyone gets this part quite well. You see, you must develop a marketing instrument that touches on something that interests them, which is related to what you sell. Then somewhere in there, you offer access to even more – maybe some special ground breaking report or white paper. That what will make them feel a need to come over and signup to get it.

Now, one of the most effective “marketing instruments” with which to propagate the above kind of offer is a website.

On the website, you could have a blog and/or a web based newsletter. Through one or a combination of the foregoing (which are components of what I call a Web Marketing System), you can easily publish and distribute useful and interesting content for your target audience to read.

The key will however be to remember that what you’re doing is just a means to an end – AND NOT AN END in itself!

The profitable end you seek will always be to make as many of those who stop long enough to read your stuff, decide to join your mailing list – swelling it’s membership. To make that happen, you will regularly have new bodies of useful information and education packaged in different forms. Some will be directly access free articles. Others will be members-only articles or PDF reports/other documents that a prospective reader has to signup to get. Some could be available for a fee.

Ultimately, you want to have a situation where over time you are able to build your own community of potential buyers for your products and services. And you’d be able to periodically make them sales offers, while still serving them useful, free information via a your broadcasts.

One kind of downloadable document that can be used – in an article – to get people to join your list is called an “Educational Commercial” or “Edumercial”.

A good example of an Edumercial is my new report on “Using MS Excel® Solver for Least Cost Feed Formulation“.

The following are key objectives you will aim to achieve using an Edumercial:

1. Establish you/your company as an authority on the subject e.g. Shea Butter (if that’s what you sell)

2. Generate enquiries from potential buyers of your Shea Butter range of products

3. Stimulate interest in reader’s minds to tell their networks and contacts about you.

4. Generate visits from people fitting your target audience profile to your website to get more useful information

5. Make your website, and brand/name get picked up – MORE OFTEN – by Google and other search engines when people do searches related to Shea Butter.

6. Save you money, time and effort in promoting your products and services BEYOND the limits of your current marketing reach/influence and impact.

7. Gradually help you collect contact details into a MAILING LIST of potential buyers/sales leads, so you can send notices of new useful stuff you publish and/or announce sales offers of your products.

A mailing list of trusting buyers will not only come ready to pay, but will also tell others about anything you tell them in your email broadcasts.

Hopefully you see what is possible here.

Try to offer marketing content mainly from your blog – NOT just your website

Be sure however, to channel blog RSS feeds to the site. That way people who land on the website will still see the useful titles and click to the blog.

Except your website is already blog based, you may need to do this – especially you use a static html website. The reason is that a blog comes ready-to-use with the instruments for content syndication and archiving that Google/readers want.

And it also makes the process of updating content online quicker, and easier. You can install your blog within minutes, from your website’s CPANEL at NO COST. Just tell your website manager – or if you want, I can help (email tayo at tksola dot com).

You need not spend money on blog design – in my experience based opinion.

Thousands of professional templates are available for FREE, which can be perfectly customized to suit your needs. Later on you can get a paid one, if you wish. Just don’t let that stop you from getting started.

What is crucial is that you aim to generate content to publish regularly on it that will help you build a community of followers, many of who are likely to be in buy-mode by the time they read your stuff and see your good quality products.

Take a look at the number of sales enquiries still being generated from a single interview a Shea Butter expert from Abuja did on this post at NaturalNigerian.com.

And the orders were coming in from all over the world – because most people had been unable to find a RELIABLE source of 100% PURE Shea Butter.

See how this approach of giving useful information away free in the right place, to the right people can generate massive rewards?

As long as you also offer reliable quality of products and services, you can get similar attention from potential buyers. And it will make your company get more “name recognition” both online and off, locally and internationally.

Tips for Generating Your Content

Even if you’re writing from experience, read up on the subject periodically.

This will enable you enrich your articles with additionally interesting information. Where appropriate put in all the references you consulted. No matter how minor. It’s important to acknowledge the sources one reads. Make sure you do NO copying or plagiarizing.

Sometimes I simply write by drawing from past or present experience/observation.

But normally, the standard way I generate content is that I first read lots of material on the subject. Then I sit down and think of a useful angle to write from, that has not been covered by any of the sources I read.

And I try to make sure what I end up with adds useful value to the existing body of information. All of that is done using my own words. That way, my final write-up is free from any duplicate content.

Note that it’s always best not to create the impression you’re trying to “sell” in an edumercial! (Read through my Educational Commercial on Feed Formulation)

That tends to turn readers off. They must believe you’re offering the useful information to help them as a real public service.

That gesture, on its own, will make you appear as a more credible provider to go to as a result!

It’s a bit counter intuitive, but IT WORKS quite well for generating quality sales leads!

Try it. You will not be disappointed. And neither will your bosses/employer!