Category Archives: My DN Travel News

General, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Self-Development

The Nigerian Fascination With Religion (Perspectives Of A “Troublemaker”)

Leave a comment

I suspect that this article is going to get me into "trouble" – BUT I am convinced that if I do not put my ideas regarding this subject on paper, I will not be able to rest easy, as they say! So, here goes. [NB: This article was first published online – on 6th September 2007 – as part of my Self-Development Academy’s Social Change Information and Education Service. 7 years on, its message remains just as relevant as it was back then].

If you know me personally, I advise you put whatever you think you know about me aside, and read the contents of this article with an open, unbiased mind. That is the only way you can fully appreciate what I am saying, and possibly learn a thing or two.

There is a rabid form of religious discrimination pervading this country – and it is destroying lives on a daily basis.

If we could all start doing the right thing, Nigeria would be better off for it. There is a saying in Yoruba land that goes thus: "Enu mi ko ni won ti ma gbo pe iya teacher ku!". Translated literally, this means: "It will not be from my mouth that news of the death of the teacher’s mother will be heard".

Obviously, in my case, I have chosen to do the opposite of what the wisdom of that saying suggests.

I hope I will be forgiven – even as I also hope those religious people guilty of acting in the ways I have described here can truly MEND their ways for better.:-))

Every society that wishes to lay claim to being PROGRESSIVE, must afford every one of its members an INALIENABLE right to believe whatever s/he wants.

Therefore let each person respect the Civil Liberties of the other!

Let me also add that in discussing religion here, I do not aim to cast aspersion on any religious group or movement.

All I am trying to do is point out where I believe many of us might not have gotten the “purpose” for practicing religion “just right, just yet”.

Note also, that I have NOT written this piece to challenge the existence or otherwise of God or any other being that different religious groups worship.

Four(4) Groups Of Religious People I See In Nigeria

I believe that people who practice various forms of religion in this country, fall into 4 main groups viz:

1). Those who do not really understand why they practice their religion(e.g. born into a family that practices it, and simply adopted it but not convinced);

(2). Those who are doing it with ulterior/negative motives (e.g. may.see an avenue to make easy money etc);

(3). Those who are doing it for the wrong reasons (e.g. think it’s popular or are afraid of being criticized by others if they do not do it);

4). Those who are spiritually convinced about WHAT they believe and WHY they believe it. (THIS, in my opinion, is where every religious person NEEDS to belong).

In essence a large majority of religious people(Groups 1 to 3) do not have SPIRITUAL conviction as the MAIN reason for practicing their religions.

And this affects the way they behave among themselves and to others who do not belong to their groups. Many times their behaviour(Groups 1 to 3) leaves a lot to be desired. I give examples as we go on.

It’s The Impact Of What They Do On Children That Concerns Me the Most

I am not really concerned about the adults who may be guilty of doing some of the things I will highlight here.

It is the young people and children who are affected, impacted or influenced by these ideas, practices and habits that I worry about. Whatever adults do often affects children/youths.

Therefore when adults engage in the serious business of religion without properly defined purpose, then chances are that children who look up to them will do the same. The resultant cycle, which can be quite vicious, has a large potential of continuing–as is already becoming obvious in our society today.

So, What Do I Mean By Nigerians And Their Fascination With Religion?

I will start by inviting you to turn with me to page 17 of The Guardian newspaper of Tuesday February 11th 2003.

On that entire page is published, the third and concluding part of an engaging address delivered by Bashorun J.K. Randle (Chairman and Chief Executive of KPMG Nigeria, and Vice President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria).

That address was delivered at the 2002 Harvest Fundraising Breakfast of All Saint’s Church, Yaba, Lagos.

A pullout quote from the text of the address goes thus:

“My own understanding is that Nigerians love to parade themselves gloriously decked out to attend churches and mosques. However, the moment the period of worship is over they almost immediately erase whatever lesson has been preached and revert(straight back) to their evil ways where wickedness and violence reign supreme. It is now common knowledge that arms and ammunition are being imported into the country in such huge quantities that even the security agencies are compelled to raise an alarm – because they know that once arms gets into the wrong hands, they will not remain idle for long” – Bashorun J.K. Randle.

That’s one notable person and his opinion on how Nigerians practice religion.

Please bear with me, as I refer to ideas on this same issue from another notable Nigerian,who incidentally is a powerful man of God himself.

Hardly is there any adult who has not heard of Winners’ Chapel in Nigeria talk less of the overall head of that rapidly expanding Christian ministry – Bishop David Oyedepo.

In the October 2002 edition of Success Digest, Bishop Oyedepo’s writing on “MIND” were published in part as follows:

“It is the use of the mind or brain that will make the world to mind you. When your mind is not in use, the world will not mind you, because nobody minds a mad mn. But the productive use of the mind is what leads to success, causing those around you to mind you. Christianity enhances dignity, it doesn’t bring people down. The reason many Christians are suffering today is because they suspended the use of their minds when they gave their lives to Christ, thinking that it was no longer needed. They think that the use of their minds for reasoning is contrary to faith. But they can’t be further from the truth. The use of your senses is what enhances your results. You require more smartness than strength to be successful in life” – Bishop David Oyedepo.

Now, the two quotes I have supplied were recorded as far back as 4 years ago.But anyone living in Nigeria today KNOWS that the same issues raises by the two individuals quoted persist up till today!

Nothing has changed.

In fact, going by the reports we get on the news, where religious leaders are shown being prosecuted in court for setting members ablaze as punishment for "sins" etc, things have really gotten worse.

The "unholy fascination" with religion continues unabated.

In relation to children, the truth is that parents/adults in Nigeria do not give children the opportunity to decide what they want to believe.

I know some Nigerian parents, who are near-fanatical about making sure their 2 year old kids go to marathon revivals and night vigils etc with them. Sometimes I summoned the courage to point out that the child at that age was unlikely to understand why he/she was there and the benefits to be had. But the parent would reply that it was better than not taking the child there.

In other words, no matter how bad the economy is, no matter how tough our finances are, we still go all out to provide our children indoctrination in the religions we profess faith in. But is this approach GUARANTEED to work – or FOOL PROOF?

A Quick Test To Determine If Your Child Believes YOUR Religion Is Good For Him/Her

Let me tell you what I believe is an excellent litmus test for to ascertain whether you have successfully indoctrinated your child to permanently accept the religion you have exposed him/her to from birth.

The following questions require a Yes or NO answer:

1. Will you readily release the child to go away for one month to attend a retreat on philosophical ideas and religious self-discovery?

2. Would you be comfortable with your child keeping a best friend who is a self-proclaimed atheist?

If you said NO to either or both of those questions, then I can tell you that you have NOT yet succeeded in making your child CONVINCED that the religion you practice is the one s/he NEEDS.

If you had, you would NOT be AFRAID to let him/her go ANYWHERE and/or be with ANYONE, at anytime WITHOUT YOU. And that’s because you would be sure that s/he could hold her own, and KNOW enough not to stray from the religious path you have pointed out.

Problem is in the process of trying to get him/her to that level of conviction, you could – if you push too hard – actually make him/her develop a "dislike" for YOUR type of religion.

Most of us know of many very UNRELIGIOUS – but highly successful – adults who are/were offsprings of deeply pious parents.

Examples that readily come to mind include Fela Anikulapo Kuti (whose father was a Reverend) and Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.

Incidentally, I will point out that both men I have just mentioned can be quite accurately described as being legends – achievers of very high note – in their respective fields of endeavour.

Which implies that their lack of religious bias – if we can call it that – did not prevent them from excelling in the vocations they chose. And that’s contrary to the myths some religious people try to perpetuate! (I say this at the risk of incurring the greater wrath of my religious friends…)

Have You Ever Been To Heaven Before?

If you have not, and neither has your religious leader, how come everyone seems to be sure that what is written in the Bible, and Quoran will get them to see God/heaven when they die?

The answer is that they BELIEVE.

If my understanding is right(and I KNOW it is), any adult with full control of his senses can take the DECISION to believe in Jesus/Mohammed etc.

Or he/she might decide not to, and instead believe in Buddha, Orunmila, Sango etc. It’s all about what you know and what you are ready to believe.

The truth is that sometimes we believe certain things because we were brought up to believe them – or because we found a solution we wanted at the time we chose to believe those things. However if we went somewhere else, we might find it is completely unacceptable THERE to express belief in those same things we believe in.

Imagine if a born again Nigerian medical doctor with a passion for "winning souls" got a job in a hospital in New York City, USA.

S/he would not need anyone to tell him/her NOT to go about using a megaphone in residential areas at 5.30am the way it is sometimes done out here by some individuals.

They have stricter rules there about "public disturbance". Also, people out there with different religious preferences rarely take kindly to anyone who chooses to "push" his/her religion in their faces.

Not many people will like the analogy I have just used, but I’m sure deep inside them they KNOW I am right.

That’s why I like the approach of the Buddhists better in many ways – they seem more prepared to accept that others around them may not share their religious preferences. And they demonstrate this "tolerance" in the manner they interact with everyone they meet.

Maybe religious people belonging to Groups 1 to 3 earlier mentioned, in Nigeria, might want to borrow a leaf or two from Buddhists.

Do I hear someone shouting "I reject that!"? Well…it’s just a suggestion :-)

Some Religious Nigerians May Need To STOP taking Marriage Vows!

Anyone who has watched Nigerian home video movies is likely to have seen what I am about to describe happen – AT LEAST once.

I mean a case in which a wife (legally and traditionally married to her husband) found herself being literally driven out of her matrimonial home. For instance, because her husband’s relatives(and sometimes her husband too!) believed she was barren.

Many dramatised stories of this sort are a reflection of what happens in society.

Some of us have had personal contact with married but childless couples. The torment the wife has to endure can be devastating. Some husbands manage to remember they are supposed to be strong, and try to defend/protect their wives.

Others are too cowardly to even try.

In very many cases, when the man and woman were getting married – traditionally and/or legally – prayers would have been said by relatives from both sides.

And sometimes by the presiding priest and/or a legally authorised person. The couples themselves would have said their vows – ending it with "for better for worse, in sickness in health, for richer or for poorer, till death do us part".

They would have invited their creator etc to witness and "bless" their union. In fact these people would tell a couple who fails to get married by going through this elaborate process, that they are NOT yet fully married properly.

If the man is the one who defaulted by failing to meet some requirements, he would be told he has NOT yet "married" his wife.

Yet the same people who took part in the above process would turn around to DESTROY it all by separating the couple

And they would even bring in what they consider a "fitting" replacement "wife".

In the case where they do not succeed, they make life miserable for the one they consider "guilty" of not making the couple bear a child.

As I said before, it is usually the woman that has to endure most of the insults and abuse.

The question I ask is, how come these people who so loudly proclaim faith in God, find it easy to destroy what they asked God to join together for them?

Why do they find it so easy to forget his "words" as documented in the religious books they read. Books in which "UNCONDITIONAL LOVE" is emphasized and believers are admonished thus:

…."Love your Neighbors as Yourselves" and "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto YOU"…etc ?

What is the point of taking all those marriage vows if the fact that babies fail to come – or take too long in the opinion of some relatives – can provide enough justification to destroy a couple’s marriage – causing great anguish and pain to the husband and wife, the latter especially? This nonsense continues to happen daily. And I remain awed by the fact that there seems to be no class of people who do not exhibit these bad habits. It seems you can never be sure who will do it, until s/he is affected i.e. his/her child is married to someone and no baby is forthcoming.

That’s why I suggest such religious Nigerians stop taking marriage vows – or participating in the process.

At least that would make it easier to "scatter" the whole thing if/when anyone – relatives, friends or the couples themselves – feel it’s gone on for long enough! :-)

And Then There’s The Issue Of Religion Discrimination In Nigerian Business Practice

"Where do you fellowship?" Have you ever heard, asked or been asked, that question before?

If you are a Nigerian, the answer is likely to be YES (I think). In my case I cannot count the number of times I have found myself being asked THAT question by prospective clients that I met with in a bid to sell my services.

I always answered the question truthfully as follows "I do not fellowship".

Which would lead to other questions and eventually, I might earn myself a short sermon about why I need to give my life to… etc.

But that’s when I am "lucky".

I have had experiences in which I explained that did not fellowship, and that I did not feel a need to do so, stressing that I had a different preference regarding religion. The prospect suddenly became "coldly" receptive, and in most instances, I never made the sale.

Only on one occasion did I get past that problem. In that instance, after I gave my usual answer, the prospect asked if I belonged to the "other" religious group: "Are you a …..?".

I answered in the negative, to which he promptly said "Ah, because if you were a ……… there is just no way you could get this job".

I made a mental note of that statement in my head – it was serious enough to make an impression on me, even though I was not a ………

He then went on to tell me he would expect me to "convert" by the time I finished work on the first project they wished to have me do for them – IF I wanted him to give me the next job.

I told him I would think about it (but I already knew what my answer would be!).

The question I ask is : In what way does a man’s belief or unbelief in a particular religion make him LESS or MORE competent to do what he does for a living?

If we wanted to choose a contractor to build a bridge across the Atlantic or something as challenging, would we be looking at the RELIGION of those who submit bids for the job?

Or would we want to see evidence of their competence in form of past projects completed; client references etc?

I am sure everyone will agree that the latter are more relevant criteria than the former.

Yet in Nigeria, every SINGLE day, people take important decisions on behalf of their non-religious BUSINESS organisations/employers based on religious considerations.

The result is that mediocres and incompetents are awarded contracts/jobs while more qualified persons lose out because they do not profess faith in the same religion as the decision maker.

Is it then any surprise that some people who have lost out in this manner later decide to "pretend" to join the proposed religious group, in order to increase their chances of winning projects from such biased persons?

And is that not why so much insincerity exists today in many religious groups?

There is a rabid form of religious discrimination pervading this country – and it is destroying lives on a daily basis.

If we could all start doing the right thing, Nigeria would be better off for it.

In my case, I am VERY clear in my mind about what I believe and what I do NOT believe – and WHY!

If/when I feel my beliefs need to change, I will not need anyone to dangle a "contract carrot" in front of me to help me make up my mind.

After all, this is supposed to be a PERSONAL and SPIRITUAL matter – is it not?!

Final Words : At last, I’ve Said It…!

And who knows where they will be looking for my head now – considering all the "blasphemy" I have littered this page with :-))

But then nothing written here comes close to being inaccurate or untrue.

It just so happens that most "normal" people would rather not be the ones to be quoted as having SAID THEM!

So, I repeat what I said at the start of this piece:

There is a saying in Yoruba land that goes thus: "Enu mi ko ni won ti ma gbo pe iya teacher ku!". Translated literally, this means: "It will not be from my mouth that news of the death of the teacher’s mother will be heard!".

Obviously, in my case, I have chosen to do the opposite of what the wisdom of that saying suggests.

I hope I will be forgiven – even as I also hope those religious people guilty of acting in the ways I have described here can truly MEND their ways for the better.

Every society that wishes to lay claim to being PROGRESSIVE, must each of its members an INALIENABLE right, to believe whatever s/he wants.

Therefore let each person respect the Civil Liberties of the other!

PS: What I Have NOT Said!

One last thing. Even though it is obvious, I will like to state clearly that I have NOT said in this article that ALL religious Nigerians behave in the unsavoury ways I have described above.

As is the case with every thing else in life, there WILL AWALYS be exceptions.

So, let no one accuse me of making blanket generalisations.

I thank you in advance.

My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Parenting, Self-Development

Why Some People Dislike Reading

Leave a comment

It’s strange but true. A growing number of Nigerian adults DO NOT ENJOY reading. Apart from sports, politics, or entertainment, reading for more serious purposes (e.g. for personal and professional development) rarely interests them. Except when it’s related to some immediate monetary or other benefit.

In other words, adult Nigerians have – what is for the most part – an unconscious dislike for reading.

Most will however often explain this inadequacy away by saying they do not have enough “time”.

The irony is however that those who DO read, often tend to be busier and more productive than they are!

The cause of this aversion for reading is that those affected were not taught to read in the proper way. And that’s due to our educational system traditionally encouraging learners to “memorize” rather than “understand”.

That’s why the “look-say” method of reading is more common in our schools. However, as is normal in life, there are exceptions where some schools teach reading using phonics, in part or fully.

How do people learn?

I’ve read several very enlightening write-ups on this theme, written by seasoned academic professionals. Those works helped me realize why I’m such a successful reader, and why people who are not, struggle.

It has to do with how each of us was introduced to reading, from our early years in school!

Learning using the whole word approach is not the best way to learn. This is because people who use that approach have to employ a lot of guessing and memorizing. And that makes them inefficient learners, which later affects them negatively in life.

A person taught to read using phonetics will often be able to pronounce a strange or new word without help. But one who did not learn using phonetics will tend to struggle to pronounce complex and unfamiliar words.

And that’s why I’m keen to help my kids develop their phonetic reflexes as well.

As the author of one of the papers I read noted, English is a phonetic language.

And he explained that phonetics is a more efficient method for learning to read, because only 44 sounds need to be memorized.

On the other hand those who choose to learn reading by using the whole word approach, have to recall correctly (i.e memorize) 1 million words.

This latter approach is similar to what people learning to read in a picture language like Chinese or Japanese, need.

But we know that most countries that have phonetic languages do teach using phonics.

The author also pointed out that kids learn to speak by listening to and imitating sounds, which they combine to form words. It only makes sense therefore that they learn to read the same way they learned to talk.

Certain symptoms are common to people who do NOT learn to read using the phonics system:

Among others they tend to be slow readers, and often demonstrate poor comprehension. They readily get tired from reading, and will often display poor spelling skills.

All of this results in their deriving little or no pleasure for reading.

The symptoms listed above in my experience based opinion, are easily noticeable in many Nigerian adults!

I say this with every sense of responsibility.

Please stop and think for a minute because this may just help you appreciate how our traditional educational system has affected even you!

In truth, our schools are turning out sight readers!

It has been said that the phonetic reflex developed by phonetic readers, is what makes them read and write effortlessly. And that makes them mature into “independent readers”.

In contrast, a sight reader (who does not read phonetically) must depend on memory recall of individual words, and also contextual interpretation to correctly identify the word. This latter approach is naturally prone to error, and is naturally cumbersome and less pleasurable for the reader.

This is not surprising, since the “look-say” method favoured by sight readers, was originally developed for teaching deaf people!(as explained by Sam Blumenfeld)

No wonder its use for teaching perfectly normal children to read has been so unsuccessful!

So, why do we still use it – especially in Nigeria?

Maybe most of our educationists do not yet know this fact. Also, our experts could be waiting, as is our practice – for the Americans or British to stop before we do the same thing! (Actually in most cases they already have, at least compared to us, but we are never really up to date on such issues are we?)

Again, it could be because we think it takes less effort to get majority of children to learn via the "look-say" method.

Most teachers/schools want to “teach” as many children as possible in as short a time as possible. Particularly here in Nigeria, where the turnover in each class is directly correlated with the ability of the school to pay teachers leaving a “profit” for the owners.

Sounds nasty doesn’t it? But it’s the truth in many cases here in Nigeria.

That’s why when a child is identified to have difficulty learning using this traditional method, s/he get quickly labeled as a dunce and dumped or stigmatized etc.

What’s worse is that some parents, rather than try to get close to their child and understand her, instead also apply pressure to get her to be like those other kids.

The result is often a child lacking self-esteem, introverted in addition to having poor learning skills, also developing an intense dislike of learning generally.

I was lucky to have a mother who worked as a very keen practicing educationist

She took time to help me – and my siblings – learn to read and write via the phonetic methods.

Later in life, using books like those written by Tony Buzan, I would rapidly build on that comparatively advantageous foundation to become a much faster reader and comprehensive learner than most others around me.

Today, using the techniques I learned from Buzan’s book about Speed Reading and Mind Mapping, my productivity in reading/learning as well as creative thinking and writing has grown in multiple folds. And the evidence can be seen in my seeming ability to do many useful things simultaneously.

The foregoing is what has led me to become a multi-skilled entrepreneur (multipreneur) today. Just like I was a highly successful multi-skilled manager back in my days in Guinness Nigeria Plc.

Final Words: When a child gives teachers problems, poor reading skills could be the cause…

Based on what has so far been said, one begins to appreciate that when a child finds it difficult to understand what he is being taught, s/he may "protest" by being uncooperative.

Unfortunately, since majority of other children like him/her may not have similar problems (or have learnt to be docile and submissive), s/he would be the exception in the class.

This would naturally make the teacher feel the child is not "normal", or is being naughty.

S/he would consequently simply ignore the child (as I learnt happened to my younger sister in Nursery school, until my mother took her up for a week) or worse, s/he may decide to sanction the child.

It is instructive to note here that this same child, prior to starting school, would probably have shown no signs that s/he could not learn like others her age.

In fact, history has shown that children that give teachers problems of this kind, often tend to end up extremely successful in life later on.

A good example is Albert Einstein – who famously denounced the traditional schooling system for its heavy emphasis on rote learning (or memorization).

Learn more (References):

1. Read the full article by Sam Blumenefld: Dyslexia: Man-Made Disease found on the official website of Practical Homeschooling Magazine:

http://www.home-school.com/Articles/BlumenfeldDyslexia.html

2. Tony Buzan’s Speed Reading Book” provides illuminating evidence/explanations…

It was written by Tony Buzan who is regarded as a world authority on the brain, memory, creativity, and speed reading.

Buzan is also the inventor of the world-famous Mind Maps© taught in management/ training institutions like Lagos Business School among others in Nigeria.

Get a copy of Buzan’s book. It offers information and education every parent needs to help his/her child learn more successfully.

Visit the Buzan centre at www.Mind-Map.com.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Public Speaking, Self-Development

FREE TALK: Profitable Buyers for Your Farm Products at Zero Cost!

Leave a comment

Happy Workers’ Day to you!

A representative of an organisation serving a large farmers group in Lagos yesterday indicated interest in inviting me to give my FREE 1 hour talk to their members. I just published the flyer on my SD Nuggets blog.

The offer is open to farmer groups across Africa.

See details in the flyer below – click the JPEG image version to download the PDF.

The offer is open to farmer groups across Africa. See details in the flyer below - click this JPEG image version to download the PDF.
The offer is open to farmer groups across Africa. See details in this flyer – click this JPEG image version to download the PDF.
My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Parenting, Self-Development

Prepare Your Kids to Succeed Despite Society’s Ills

Leave a comment

If you’re a parent in Nigeria, you really – and I mean REALLY(!) – need to read the story told by Ayodeji Adeyeye, about the traumatizing JAMB examination centre experience, his 2 daughters had during the recent 2014 exams.

Unless you’re like one of the adults he says orchestrated the massive exam malpractices he described, you’ll be just as outraged as other right thinking adults who have read it.

Click to read

Adeyeye had no reason to tell a lie. He had nothing to gain…

What’s more, I have access to comments by another responsible adult, from a different Facebook discussion thread, which lend credence to Adeyeye’s claims.

That, and the testimony of other Nigerians living in Nigeria, was enough to convince me this was the truth.

In his Facebook post, Adeyeye narrates how, that fateful morning, he gave his young girls N2, 000 naira each, for refreshments at the exam venue.

He however noted that their older brother who was taking them down, had pointed out that the money he’d given them would be inadequate.

Being he, being uninitiated in the new ways of doing things at the exams, had argued that the money would be more than adequate for their needs. After all, they would only need to buy snacks to eat!

How wrong he turned out to be.

As I read the story, I could almost not contain my outrage!

Adeyeye said his girls were first of all met with a request to pay what was called “Marching Ground” to enter the exam hall.

The fee was N500 (Five Hundred Naira).

But that was mild…

The demand for N5, 000 (Five Thousand Naira) to get them connected to an “aide” via mobile phone who would supply answers to the questions, which followed soon shook them up!

The girls could not pay the requested fee. So the invigilator’s put marks on their papers meant to indicated they were caught engaging in exams malpractice!

Can you believe that?? Those who did NOT do wrong being given punishment meant for those who did?? Unbelievable!

Now, if you’re wondering where the policemen were, when all this was going on, Ayo tell us that they dutifully came in, collected their “allocation” of money and left.

And the invigilator’s…?

Well, they were the ones coordinating all of the action, from the front……while the parents of the candidates, we are told, monitored and controlled proceedings from right outside the examination hall!

Click here to read Adeyeye’s original narrative.

What many who read this story may not immediately appreciate…

You see, there a lot of damage being done to kids who are exposed to this kind of experience – on both sides…

a. For those kids like Adeyeye’s whose parents challenge them to study diligently, and take exams without cheating, frustration is bound to be their lot.

For instance, they are likely to get negative attention from invigilator’s, and peers who play the game…

b. For the kids whose parents have coached them to cut corners in this manner, they are bound to develop a warped sense of right and wrong.

And hard work or honesty will certainly make little or no meaning to them.

What’s more, since they’ll see their parents actively conniving with unscrupulous others to help them cheat in exams, such kids will grow up expecting such support all through school, and even life!

And they will in turn teach their own kids to be the same too, since they would not know better.

But that’s not the worst…

You see, society will gradually feel the negative multiplier effects of such happenings – as in today’s Nigeria. That;s why so called graduates cannot speak comprehensible English. It’s also why most of them are incapable of meeting the lowest employer standards for recruitment.

CEOs of multinationals in Nigeria have often cried out in frustration, after interviewing supposed First Class and Second Class Upper degree holders whose performances call their credentials to question!

The irony is that the misguided kids go around feeling they deserve to get the best jobs and opportunities. And their crooked parents (who often got where they are through similar methods), often help them open the needed doors.

But anytime they meet the kids of upright parents, crooked people feel threatened.

It happens all the time…

The crooked person whose credentials are phony naturally feels threatened by competent others. S/he knows given a level platform based on merit, such persons will outdo him/her.

So s/he will go out of his/her way to bring such persons down, so they not longer constitute a viable threat to his/her ambitions.

In other words, if YOUR child meets such a crooked person s/he would instantly be perceived as a threat to be eliminated (I’m assuming here that YOU, are one of the good guys…like I AM…)

So, no matter how nice your child tries to be, the fraudulent kids and their parents will never be comfortable around him/her.

As happened to Adeyeye’s kids, who now have to look forward to next year’s exams through no fault of theirs, your child may therefore be doomed to failure within the existing social setup in Nigeria.

My argument is that if you are not prepared to go crooked like those mentioned above, need to HELP their kids prepare better for the REAL world.

You will do this by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to flourish regardless of attempts to use existing systems to derail their progress.

By this I mean, rather than send them abroad (which I do not subscribe to, and many cannot afford), you can deliberately prepare your kids much earlier for LIFE outside school.

Formal schooling today needs to include life skills coaching.

Fewer jobs await school leavers at any level. And that’s why more and more people are finishing schooling and finding cause to launch careers in various vocational fields.

Today, it’s best that kids are introduced much earlier in life, to knowledge and skills they can use to earn a good living.

This does not stop a child from finishing school.

But it makes him/her better prepared to deal with the real possibility that formal schooling may NOT be enough to achieve success in larger society.

Take it from me, dear reader. Nowhere is the above statement truer, than in Nigeria.

No matter how intelligent your child is academically, today’s world makes it imperative that s/he acquire the know-how to earn EXTRA income using a variety of skills, within and/or outside paid employment.

You cannot foresee what is in store for your child. But you can prepare him/her better to deal with challenges that life and society will throw at him/her.

I’m doing that for my kids.

In past parenting articles I’ve shared several true stories/examples e.g. how I taught them to use pineapple peels to make a drink and cakes (baked without using an oven) which they sell.

You can do the same too.

Prepare yourself, by paying attention to what INTERESTS and TALENTS your kids have. Then learn how to match them with what WORKS in the real world, so they arrive adulthood with income earning abilities to succeed in spite of the antics of society’s "bad guys"!

Your kids are your most valuable investment in life.

Do NOT let society’s bad guys make you lose them!

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

You Do Not Need Direct Access to 2 Million Buyers For Your Farm Products!

Leave a comment

Many small business owners hold grossly misguided views about marketing. Most do not track Cost of Customer Acquisition (COCA) – a crucial parameter that determines profits! Smallholder farmers in Africa are especially guilty of this. That’s why most will question this article’s title. And it’s also why they rarely find profitable buyers!

FACT: You Do NOT Need  Direct Access to a Database of 2 Million “Buyers” For Your Farm Products!

Today, I made over 15 “sales” phone calls. Most lasted at least 5 minutes. One actually lasted over 15 minutes.

But about half of those calls involved respondents calling back – when they saw my missed call. Not just that, they readily let me tell them why I’d called – even though I was doing so on their dime.

However, being the dignified professional that I am, I always insisted they hang up, so I could call them at my own expense. Despite my best efforts though, the erratic networks on two occasions terminated my call before I could finish.

Both times, the person I was calling promptly called back at their own expense, and encouraged me to finish telling them what I’d called about. And it’s not the first time this has happened.

1. So who are these people who are so nice to me?

Well, they were/are my clients.

But I have NEVER met any one of them in person. And this is despite transacting business with them for upwards of 4 years in some cases.

2. Why do they relate with me in this manner?

I believe it’s because they value their relationship with me. They do not see me as a guy just trying to sell stuff to them.

Most are subscribers to my newsletter. Even when I’m out of the country, I make social phone calls to them. We share jokes and exchange information.

Indeed, some call ME, to ask for my help in finding employees for their farms.

Others ask that I refer them to suppliers of items they need for new ventures they are launching.

For instance, I recently sent contact details of  a client in Kano (who has links to manufacturers of packaging for livestock feed) to a new Farm CEO in Uyo who asked for it.

All of this happens because I enjoy the trust of these business owners.

And I built that trust through the Web Marketing System I used to attract them to me in the first place.

Most of them are past buyers of at least one of my farm support products. And they’ve found it worthwhile staying in touch with me since then.

My point is that I have this highly RESPONSIVE group of people who have connected with me, because they want what I offer.

But I do not have one million of them.

And I doubt that I need a tenth of that number to achieve my business goals – financially or otherwise.

The truth is that the solutions I offer are NOT meant for mass distribution.

Instead they are targeted at Farm CEOs operating at a certain high profile level.

That’s why I do not subscribe to mass advertising channels to promote my products and services.

This is what many smallholder farmers do not understand. As a result they end up (figuratively speaking) fishing in over sized ponds with sparse – and starving – fish populations.

Little wonder they tend NOT to reap bumper harvests in their marketing.

Look, as I type this, I’m talking to about 4 clients about having them share “costs” with a new Kano based CEO who has asked me to develop a Ration Formulator for Ruminants™.

This new application will allow use of concentrates with locally available ingredients of the farmer’s choice.

For instance, it will be used to formulate balanced low cost rations for Horses, Beef Cattle, Dairy Cattle (lactating, pregnant) and other ruminants.

We discussed on Sunday (he called me) for over 30 minutes, and we agreed on a tentative scope of work for development of the app.

Being a member of my Farm Business Ideas Club, he is entitled to a lifetime discount of 40% on ALL my products and services (with the exception of my Feed Formulation products).

So, of the required investment of N150,000 (One hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), the Functional Requirement Specification I sent him stated he would only pay N90,000 (Ninety Thousand Naira).

But I also offered another incentive: If he pays 100% in advance, he gets an extra 10% discount.

I sent him the FRS on Sunday afternoon, and he acknowledged receipt.

I sent him the FRS on Sunday afternoon, and he acknowledged receipt.

But since sending it to him, I’ve been thinking it would be useful to bring others on board, so they can split the development costs, making the cost per head much less.

And that was why I began calling up my other clients. I did not have to, but I chose to, because I like to help my clients make the most efficient use of their funds.

I believe in protecting my clients, because it effectively amounts to protecting myself!

Now, even though those I spoke with said they did not have an immediate interest in or need for the app, 2 of them promised to speak with contacts they believe may be interested.

Past experience assures me they are not making idle promises, as I’ve had many referrals from these CEOs over the years.

One example: About 30 minutes after my conversation with one of them, he sent me an SMS saying “Sorry I forgot to ask you the cost of the software development.”

One example: About 30 minutes after my conversation with one of them, he sent me an SMS saying 'Sorry I forgot to ask you the cost of the software development'

So, I use my existing base of serious buyers of my products/services, to reach out to others like them.

It’s a high quality Pre-Qualified Sales Leads Generating System that enables me achieve a low Cost of Customer Acquisition (COCA) = higher margin per sale.

PLUS, I get to make sales at premium rates to ready buyers, convinced about the value of what I offer.

In contrast, vendors of so called databases of millions of potential buyers often offer less value.

Especially in my part of the world.

I’ve said this many times to those who use such platforms.

Little or no profiling of the mobile phone numbers and email addresses in such databases is done.

As a result, those who choose to “advertise” to those audiences are basically shooting in the dark and hoping for the best.

They rarely know what kind of people they are sending their marketing messages to. No demographics or psychographics of ANY sort.

The vendor does not tell them how s/he got the phone numbers. Indeed, many vendors don’t care. They just offer you the “opportunity to advertise to millions”.

For a farm business owner looking for serious bulk buyers, this is not a smart way to advertise.

The fact that everyone eats farm products does NOT mean you will make more sales by marketing to everyone!

Not unless you have an outlet like a hotel or restaurant through which you can do so. For instance, selling your catfish or chicken meat in form of special dishes served with drinks or for home delivery.

If you do not have that, sending adverts to millions of phone numbers makes little sense if many are individuals who may only want a few units of what you sell.

Depending on their location, they may find the market in the neighbourhood a more convenient source, compared to your farm, no matter how gre4at your products are.

Also, there is the important matter of stress arising from attending to hundreds of small buyers over 2 weeks, for instance, compared to dealing with few bulk buyers who buy you out in a few days.

Sadly, even when it’s pointed out to many smallholder farmers, they seem unwilling to save themselves the hassle.

It  would appear they prefer the “easy” way of throwing “advertising” money at millions of phone numbers and emails, then crossing their fingers, to THINKING of smart strategies to connect with high value prospects looking to buy bulk farm products.

If you’re ready to step up your game, and operate at a superior level of sales and marketing, then you want to adopt the approach I’ve described in this article.

And it is to help interested Farm CEOs, that I’ve launched my new Farm Products Sales and Marketing Support Service.

To give you an idea of what you’ll get by enrolling for this service, click here to download my PowerPoint Show offering details.

You will be able to book a 30 minute to one hour Needs Analysis Session with me. 24 to 48 hours afterwards, I will prepare and send you a ready-to-use PDF Sales and Marketing Action Plan.

When we talk, I will explain to you (among other things) why…

1. People in Your Farm Neighbourhood Are NOT Likely to Be Your Best Buyers

2. You Will Rarely Be Able to Afford the Service of Competent “Sales Agencies” for Your Products

3. Your Best Bet Will Often Be to Take Ownership of Your Own Marketing!

There is so much I can tell you that will make you more effective in the THINKING you employ towards finding buyers for your farm products.

Enjoy MORE successful Farm Products Marketing & Sales.

Email me via tayo at tksola dot com TODAY.

PS: What You Get When You Signup

1. A step-by-step Marketing Action Plan: that you can implement to start attracting high profit BULK buyers for your farm products.

2. My DVD: containing the full Sales & Marketing Coaching Video

3. Access to my Sales & Marketing Support Service: in which I help you develop and implement strategies to find long term and profitable bulk buyers using my contacts, and access to relevant networks.

See my PowerPoint Slide Show

4. And I’ll also add your farm products and services to my new online directory’s exclusive listing of Farm Products Buyers & Sellers in Africa (terms apply).

Email me via tayo at tksola dot com for details.

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

No. 139: Make Your Competition Obsolete!

Leave a comment

Over a decade ago, I read an article about Bill Gates, in which he said that he saw his software business as a big bus, with no brakes, no clutch, and no rear view mirror.

The bus however had an accelerator pedal, on which was placed a very heavy weight to ensure that it continued moving at top speed, never slowing down, talk less of stopping!

SCROLL DOWN TO READ FULL ISSUE

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

Publication: Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Newsletter

Date: Monday28th April 2014

No:139

Title: Make Your Competition Obsolete!

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

Have You Downloaded Your Gifts?

Ten Ways Self-Development Bible

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

Click here to view the download page:

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 :-)

**********

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

No. 139: Make Your Competition Obsolete!

Web definition of 'obsolete'

Over a decade ago, I read an article about Bill Gates, in which he said that he saw his software business as a big bus, with no brakes, no clutch, and no rear view mirror.

The bus however had an accelerator pedal, on which was placed a very heavy weight to ensure that it continued moving at top speed, never slowing down, talk less of stopping!

The moral of his analogy was that since his competitors were always trying to get ahead of him, there would be no point looking (in the rear view mirror) to see if anyone was coming; neither would there be a need to slow down (using brakes), or change gears (using the clutch).

The only thing to do was therefore to keep going FORWARD at full speed!

Little wonder that Microsoft continues to lead in its market(s), with introduction of new, and innovative products/services.

What Bill Gates Said Amounts to Making One’s Competitors Obsolete…

When you look at Microsoft today, and its long term future focussed domination of its market, it becomes obvious that Mr. Gates knew exactly what he was talking about.

Now, if you would just begin to think of yourself (or your business) as that bus described by Bill Gates, then you would never have to worry about anyone “catching up” with you in your area of expertise or market.

Constantly work towards improving yourself in every aspect of your knowledge or skill and you’ll find that you’ll ALWAYS have something new and useful/relevant for your market than your rivals will.

By implication, buyers looking for real world relevant solutions in the market you and your competitors serve, are likely to conclude that what others offer is/are obsolete compared to yours.

That’s not all.

When prospective buyers/clients see the rate at which you create new solutions that meet their needs, they’ll conclude that it makes more sense to connect with you, than with others who are less innovative.

It’s just simple common sense. A no-brainer, like the Americans would say!

In Nigeria, we would say “Who no like better thing” i.e. Pidgin English for “Everyone loves a good thing”.

But What If Your Competitors Choose to Play Dirty?

Not all competitors or rivals will be gracious and fair minded.

Quote by Tony A. Gaskins - Not all competitors or rivals will be gracious and fair minded.

The above is a reality we all have to face from the day we arrive this world. Some of us came without the gift of sight, with incomplete body parts etc. Yet they applied themselves to succeed in spite of all that!

So, life is never fair. If you have issues with that, I urge you to get over it, and learn to deal with those who attack the good they see in you.

Some competitors will be resentful and mean. And they may try to destroy what you’re building.

So, if you adopt the Bill Gates formula describe above, be prepared for the possibility that some guy may try to (figuratively speaking) deflate your tires; mess up your paint job; smash your windscreen etc.

In other words, rather than let you outshine them, by leading your shared market with your innovative efforts, they will seek to bring you down.

What should you do to protect yourself from mean spirited competitors?

Well, first be sure to arm yourself by acting with intelligence and discretion.

Since you know it can happen, you need to be alert – and sensitive – to their words and actions.

Unless you’re really dead to the world, you WILL detect the subtle acts of insincerity.

They WILL give themselves away. You see, people with bad intentions often cannot help themselves – they give off an aura that a pure soul will not fail to detect.

When you “detect”…let what you discover guide your interactions with them…and you WILL be OK!

The foregoing implies you cannot hope to protect yourself against those who wish to hurt you, if you’re also guilty of doing the same to others.

So, start by purging yourself of such thoughts, and avoiding such actions.

The second thing you can do is to fight back.

And the best way I’ve learnt to fight back is to let my work speak for me.

If a guy (or group) go(es) announcing you’re a fraud at what you do, how do you think s/he will look, if each day that passes (or every month), you turn out something new, and original, that boosts your credibility as an expert in that SAME field?

The above takes us right back to what Bill Gates said.

In other words, by keeping your focus on doing what you, and doing it better, every time, you’re bound to eventually demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are who you say you are.

That is, an expert, with real world relevant competence, capable to continually developing innovative problem solving products and services, that the market you serve needs.

Indeed, you may never need to say a word in response to “haters” claims about you.

Quote by Amy Poenler

Instead, you’ll so saturate the “market space” with your value-adding offers that no one will bother taking note of anything they say.

And by that time they’ll have so badly damaged their own credibility in the process of trying to bring you down, that few people will take them seriously anymore.

You will have, in effect, succeeded in making them O-B-S-O-L-E-T-E!

Final Words: For Over 10 Years, What I’ve Shared Here Has Helped Me Grow My Success

What I’ve shared with you above is based on what I’ve done – over the past 10 years – as Performance Enhancement Specialist and Multipreneur with a bias for Best Practice Support of Farm Business Owners.

Below is a link to the article announcing my LATEST product/service, launched late last week:

Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success (Verbatim Text Transcript of Introductory Video)

Explore this blog, and my Farm Business Best Practice Support Service website for more.

You can use the same strategy to succeed better in your chosen field!

NEW: Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success (Verbatim Text Transcript of Introductory Video)

Tayo Solagbade's Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success (Verbatim Text Transcript of Introductory Video)

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

SPECIAL PRODUCT FEATURE

“Inside Speaking Business Success Secrets”

In this offer, Burt Dubin promises to show you how to generate PASSIVE incomes streams WHETHER YOU SPEAK OR NOT.

Plus, you learn a proven shortcut to top level speaking business success across corporate markets.

CLICK HERE to get full details of what it takes to make yourself a true speaking business champion in Burt's Boot Camp V: Inside Speaking Business Success Secrets

So, with with diligent persistent application of what you learn you’ll start (as Burt says)…”bringing home high speaking fees”…whether you speak or not…in a matter of weeks….

Sooner than later you’ll find you’re ready to go for Burt’s mentoring at Diamond or higher Inner Circle membership level.

The best part is: every cent of your fee to purchase this product counts toward your membership in Burt’s Inner Circle.

In other words, you effectively get to eat your cake and still have it!

CLICK HERE to get full details of what it takes to make yourself a true speaking business champion in Burt’s Boot Camp V: Inside Speaking Business Success Secrets

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

Have a great week :-))

Get Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring
for Africa Based Experts(PDF…Click!)

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.

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

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

Useful Resources for Speakers

Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters.

Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters. Click here to visit his website NOW and submit a contact form message telling him what challenges you’re facing, and how you’d like him to help you. Tell him I sent you, and you’ll get a pleasant surprise offer from him.

Burt Dubin’s monthly Speaking Biz Strategies Letter [Signup & get a 7-Part Email Course on “How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker“]

Get Burt’s mentoring at any of the 3 levels below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here]

2. Mid Range [Click here]

3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Publications

On Being a Master (PDF)...A Gift from Burt Dubin - Click now!

Burt Dubin’s latest book: “On Being a Master”

Download Chapter 1 Preview as PDF

Showmanship Strategems

177 Wow! Wow!

Showmanship Stratagems

Discover these secrets of making your programs more interesting and valuable to your clients and audiences now.

more information

Burt Dubin live

Burt’s Flagship Album

This is the product to own if you can own only one. Why? Because in it you discover principles of platform mastership available to you nowhere else at any price.

You hear performance strategies you can emulate. You shorten your learning curve. You see ways to engage and delight audiences with both content and stories . . . plus you experience a bit of fun.

With its Money back if not delighted Guarantee hardly any are returned.

Find out why

Presentation Magic - Speaking Business Success

Presentation Magic

A live example, including a complete audio recording of a program Burt created from scratch–on a topic he knew nothing about and never, ever presented before! See how you, guided by your personal Learning Guide, (Presentation Magic), can do this too and thrill audiences as often as you want.

Presentation Magic Manual with new pages added plus 3 audio CDs.

more information

ProgramManual

How To Create a Great Program Manual

Discover how you can produce a precious memento of you and your program. Capture over 44 model pages you can easily adapt for your use. Engage proven principles that add value to the experience of sitting at your feet and learning from you.

This is a reprise of the historic presentation that launched the Speaking Success System.

No copy of this 2 CD program and 50 page Learning Guide has ever been returned.

more information

 

Smart Exercising Will Keep You Fit, Healthy and Alive - Click to read
Click to read article titled: 'Smart Exercising Will Keep You Fit, Healthy and Alive'...and ONE other. 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. 

 

Using MS Excel® Solver for Least Cost Feed Formulation Can Be Easy - But Also Dangerous (How to Protect Yourself) - Click to downloadDownload above PDF

NEW PDF - 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Feed FormulationDownload above PDF

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[Tuesday]:
No. 138: Use Constant Innovation to Achieve Authority Status

Entrepreneurship[Tuesday]:
Succeeding In spite of Poverty (3 Tips You Can Use)
Self-Development [Wednesday]:
Insights from BBC’s “Doing Business in Nigeria” article, vs New Income Opportunities I see for Farm Business Owners

Entrepreneurship[Thursday]:
How to Attract Profitable REPEAT Buyers for Your Farm Products – at ZERO COST!
Entrepreneurship [Friday]:
Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success (Verbatim Text Transcript of Introductory Video)

Writing/Blogging/Entrepreneurship [Saturday]:

What Client Product Development Request to Take Seriously?
Want me to write for you? Click here…

 

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

What Client Product Development Request to Take Seriously?

Leave a comment

When serious potential buyers show great interest in a solution, you don’t want to keep them waiting. Yesterday, I launched a new product i.e. my Sales and Marketing Coaching Service for Farm CEOs. And I’ve not been surprised by the serious enquiries I’m getting about it from old clients.

My interactions with them had told me they needed it…

Sometimes you need to listen to what people are NOT saying, just as much as you listen to what they do say to you.

What they leave unsaid may be a useful indication of where they need help.

The thing is you will not detect such needs unless you train yourself to be alert to their presence.

Years of experience has taught me to devote a good amount of time and effort to diagnosing the unstated needs of those I serve as clients.

And it’s turned out to be a very reliable way to boost the remuneration I get from my work.

Basically, I have now gotten to a point, in which solutions I offer are so value adding, that a growing number of my clients call me to ask that I do more for them.

Just yesterday, a recent Farm CEO who bought my Feed Formulation Handbook and Ration Formulator software, called me to ask for enhancements to the app.

Among other requests he asked if I could include an interface to generate the Phosphorous content of the derived ration.

He also asked if I could develop a version of the app that would enable ration formulation for cattle and other ruminants using concentrates.

We also discussed about having it generate Least Cost Ration Formulas, and also cater for more elaborate amino acids balancing.

I told him that apart from the aspect of catering for use of concentrates for ruminants, I had already commenced work on a much enhanced version of the app.

This superior version is to deliver all the features mentioned above.

But my work is always market driven i.e. I let the demands from my target audience determine what“solution” I accord priority attention, and effort.

Basically, I check for “popularity of” or “interest in” the new feature requested.

If low or poor, I let it go or wait.

If high, I put in the needed investment of time, effort and/or money to make it happen.

In the case of what the Farm CEO wanted, I noted that no other client had ever asked for it. Not one…even though I also felt it was something that would be useful to have…

And this was what made me adopt the currently leisurely pace I employ in working on it.

No matter how much I want to, I have to remind myself that I need to get paid for what I do – and profitably too (Otherwise, I might as well be running an NGO!)

So my efforts will be focussed on projects most likely to yield such rewards

With regard to the above, the Sales and Marketing Coaching service assured of ready interest, by potential buyers.

First of all there was the Akure based Farm CEO who’d contacted me via Facebook 2 years ago, and who I spoke with a few days back….

He’d expressed ready interest in purchasing such a solution if I came up with it.

In addition I had past experiences from working with clients who’d suffered at the hands of market women/other buyers.

The latter were often in the habit of holding the Farm Owners to ransom with regard to buying their eggs and catfish during glut periods.

That told me my new service would fill a gaping market place need.

Furthermore, when I told another Farm CEO client in Jos, who had bought my Poultry Farm Manager software, he promptly expressed interest.

And he even called back to remind me he was ready to call me to find out how to get it, if I so desired.

Compared to the “silence” that has greeted the many references I’ve made to my clients about the advanced Ration Formulator I’m working on, this new service is one that interests many.

And so, I put in the needed work to create and launch it.

Within hours of notifying the Akure based CEO, he responded as follows via phone SMS (see below)

Within hours of notifying the Akure based CEO, he responded as follows via phone SMS (see below)

Creatively presenting my offers using multiple presentation formats

Uploading the introductory video for the service, like I anticipated due to the periodically erratic connectivity we have out here, is taking a while.

I also recognise that this may affect the ability of many interested persons to watch the video as well.

It is for this reason that I’ve created the PowerPoint Slideshow version, which can be downloaded from HERE, and is now also published on Slideshare.net.

It is also why I’ve created an MP3 audio version of the introductory video – which you can request download links to via tayo at tksola dot com.

This will enable as many people as possible gain access to my offer message, and learn what they stand to benefit, as well as how to signup for the service.

As for the enhanced Ration Formulator, I’ll most likely be offering the Farm CEO asking for the customization, a paid service option to have it delivered to him…

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success (Verbatim Text Transcript of Introductory Video)

Leave a comment

[Verbatim Video Transcript Text] It’s taken me about 9 years of serving farm CEOs to decide to offer this service. During this period I have interacted with farm CEOs of all kinds. Some are part-time farm owners, employed in high profile jobs like Oil companies and multinational manufactures.

Both the part-time and full time farm owners have told me, that finding profitable buyers, on a timely basis, for their products, remains a major challenge they face.

I’ve however noticed that many of them lack even the most basic sales and marketing know how, to successfully find buyers for their products.

Most don’t even want to concern themselves with the marketing and sales process for finding buyers.

Instead they depend on buyers who come to the farm/who tell others to do the same.

They hope that over time the word will spread, and more people will come.

This approach works, but most times it takes too long, and can yield unreliable results.

Among others things, they cannot b e sure of the sales they will get, or visits that will happen.

Some Farm CEOs even go as far as engaging 3rd parties to market their products to buyers.

The problem with the latter approach however is often that paying attractive commission to retain the services of competent agents can be difficult for a farm business.

In addition, the profit margins they get can vary, since many times they need the buyers who show up to help them clear out market-ready products, so they can free up space, and avoid losses from spoilage or in the case of livestock, excess maintenance expenses.

Very often most of them claim they want to focus on what the do best.

I’ve heard this said often. And it’s not a bad thing. However, one must avoid extremes, and instead strike an intelligent balance in doing it.

In other words I’m saying even as you focus on doing what you do best, you must not undercut yourself e.g. by failing to put in place a reliable system to get your products into the hands of those most equipped to give you best returns for it.

The importance of knowing and controlling your Cost Of Customer Acquisition (COCA) cannot be overemphasised in this regard.

Every time you choose a 3rd party to handle marketing of your farm products, you diminish the moderate profit margins due to you.

And if you’re not careful, this can undo you over time as such “losses” accumulate.

Few farm products emerge with enough room for such approaches to work.

This is why I strongly advocate that farm business owners take more direct responsibility for generating their own sales and marketing leads.

Even group activities for sales (e.g farmer cooperatives, associations etc) will not always serve the best interests of all the individual members.

Like everything else in society, it will often be useful for each person to explore independent avenues to achieving his/her sales and marketing goals.

The coaching program I offer is designed to help ANY willing farm business owner, setup and implement a self-sustaining and reliable system.

If you really want to make profits in today’s world, you must give buyers a good reason to buy from you instead of the other farm or retailer.

Why should they come to you? Your marketing system is what will determine that.

These are the issues you need to look at if you want to sell – and sell PROFITABLY.

Therefore, this coaching program is designed to teach every willing Farm CEO, the techniques and strategies they can use to develop and implement a system, to endlessly and effortless attract ready buyers, who will pay them profitably, for every single farm product they turn out.

Like I said it’s not something that happens overnight. It tends to be a process.

That is why you need a system to manage that process. Because you need something that can work outside of you even when you’re asleep to make it happen.

And it’s going to be a mix of different but complementary and self-sustaining strategies and techniques.

Those are things I teach in the DVD and in my live coaching interaction with you.

But there are basic principles you need to first understand, and which you will put to use on a daily basis. I explain them also on the DVD.

The crucial aspect of what you need to know will be the implementation of whatever you learn.

So first of all you need the foundation. You need to understand the concepts.

You need to understand the thinking that will help you achieve the kinds of sales you want from your farm.

And this will happen w ithout you having to chase buyers, or have people dictate unfair prices to buy your products…because they know there’s a glut!

You can actually – as a Farm Business Owner – have your product taken off you, at greatly profitable prices, almost without lifting a finger, IF you do everything I teach you in this program.

However, you’ll most likely need to undergo a complete reorientation with regard to marketing your farm products to achieve that outcome.

What I teach is based on the successes I’ve achieved in marketing and selling my products and services to buyers within and outside Africa.

Many people request my help, to find buyers for their products.

One especially popular article I wrote few years back is titled “Producing Good Catfish is Important. Finding Good Buyers Is Imperative”. It’s been responsible for over 80% of enquiries I’ve gotten in this regard.

To take this forward, engage me in developing an action plan that you can put to use…

This is what I offer. That’s the idea behind launching this coaching program.

I’m not going to offer to do everything for you, including finding buyers. That would be impractical, because I’m simply too busy for that.

Even if I wanted to therefore, I could not do it.

Apart from writing and publishing new content on my website, delivering products and services to clients, I also travel.

As a Location Independent Multipreneur I am travelling slowly across West Africa.

In the past year, I’ve been based in Benin Republic’s Cotonou. In a few weeks from now, I’ll be moving on to another West African nation’s capital.

But I can be available to work with you in a support capacity.

I have a growing number of Farm CEOs in my Farm Biz Ideas club who regularly communicate with me via phone, email, Facebook and even Skype.

Many have been sending me payment for my products for years. Today, I relate with them more as friends than as clients.

If you signup for my sales and marketing coaching program you get to enjoy similar benefits to these CEOs…

This flyer announces the Introductory Video for my new Sales and Marketing Coaching Program for Farm Business CEOs: Click to download the PowerPoint Slideshow version

This video you’re watching now offers you details you need to make up your mind about my offer.

To proceed beyond this point, you’ll need to signup for my Needs Analysis session.

24 to 48 hours after the session, I’ll send you the Sales and Marketing Action Plan report based on my assessment of your unique situation.

In other words, the questionnaire I administer to you will help me find out you exact circumstance, the nature of business you run. And the resources available to you, the environment in which you operate, as well as key challenges you’ve identified to be limiting your marketing success.

After that you can purchase the DVD if you’re impressed enough by what you’ve gotten up to that point.

Now, the DVD will contain video presentations that elaborate on ideas you will implement.

I will itemize and outline them. Each of the ideas you will be able to put to use on your own.

So what this means is that first of all I will be educating you.

I will also do some research from my end, using my contacts and my networks. And using what I learn, I would develop the sales and marketing action plan for you.

If you request it, I will then work with you on a support basis,as you implement the plan. Anytime you get stuck, you will be able to reach out to me.

If you do it right, it will only be a matter of time before you begin having PROFITABLE buyers coming to you, on their own, in increasing numbers.

NB: If frozen chicken can be transported from producers in one country to buyers across the world, it goes without saying that YOUR farm products can be purchased by buyers from virtually anywhere.

This will however happen ONLY if you know how to get the serious attention and interest of such buyers.

And this applies not just to chicken or poultry products, but to ANY other farm products.

Indeed any product whatsoever.

As long as they offer benefits potential buyers will be willing to pay for, you can successfully get buyers to go out of their way to offer you good money for your products.

It’s just about how you present yourself, and how you intelligently inform potential buyers about what you offer.

It doesn’t have much to do with your popularity. Instead it has more to do with how you reach out to people who can pay you what you want to buy your products.

And that’s what I teach in my coaching program.

Click here to download the Power Point slideshow version of my Introductory Video on this service. It contains additional details about how to signup for my coaching program.

NB: This article is a verbatim text transcript version of the Introductory Video for my new Sales and Marketing Coaching Program for Farm Business CEOs. It’s subtitled “How to Attract Profitable REPEAT Buyers for Your Farm Products – at ZERO COST!” (click to read article precursor).

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

How to Attract Profitable REPEAT Buyers for Your Farm Products – at ZERO COST!

Leave a comment

“Mr Tayo, Good morning. I’m greatly pleased with your advice and sale strategies given to promote increase in yields and low over head costs. Please kindly permit me to use this avenue to request every assistance you could offer in getting buyers for my cat fish. I live in Akure, in Ondo state. I really need your help in this regard. I appreciate your sincere efforts and anticipated response. Thanks. from Engr Taiwo <surname removed>. 080<phone number removed>”

Tomorrow, I launch my new “Sales & Marketing Coaching Program for Farm Business CEOs”

It will be a video DVD series coupled with an optional LIVE support service. Frequent requests for help from farm CEOs (like the one reproduced above) finally made me decide to offer this formal service.

What some of us take for granted, is like rocket science to others.

I think I was born with ready made selling skills. My mother once told me I am capable of persuading a person to do almost anything.

Maybe that was an exaggeration.

But I can confirm that this ability of mind is the key to my increasingly growing success as an entrepreneur – both online and off the web.

In developing and implementing my business marketing strategies, I have never attended any formal training.

Instead, most of what I do today I conceived on my own, sometimes after studying what other successful experts were doing.

Many times however, I followed my intuition and instincts to add my own unique twist in implementing whatever I learnt.

As a result, I have over time succeeded in using fairly unusually creative methods to successfully promote my products and services to specific target audiences.

The problem however has always been that I simply assumed that I only needed to hint at what I’d done, for others to learn how to do it for themselves too. I wrongly assumed others could easy learn how to do it themselves the way I did it.

So I’ve been writing many articles sharing my ideas, but without offering full details – be it free or for a fee.

The result has been that so many farm CEOs who read my “Smart Farm Business Marketing Ideas” articles keep calling me to ask if I can help them put them to use.

Most times I’ve simply replied that they try doing the needed thinking to make successful use of them – giving them additional tips on phone.

But then a few days ago I discovered the above email, that I surprisingly missed when it came into my Facebook message in box on February 5th 2012 – 2 years ago!

In fact, the same day I saw that email, I discovered 7 others which I also somehow NEVER saw when they arrived – during the past 18 months or so!

And they were from enquirers about my various products and services – from within and outside Nigeria.

What even made this more strange, was the fact that the messages ONLY appear when I check my messages in Facebook from my Blackberry.

Even now, when I check from my laptop, NOT one of them is visible! (If anyone has any clue as to why this happens email me via tayo at tksola dot com – I’d LOVE to know)

Anyway, feeling guilty, I decided to call the gentleman whose email appears above, because he included a phone number (I’ll respond to the others later on).

After I’d introduced myself, he told me he’d been unable to find enough buyers to offload his farm output, and not hearing from me, had decided to suspend his farm operations.

I then asked if he would be willing to resume operations if he could gain access to a reliable action plan for attracting profitable buyers for his products.

He responded in the affirmative.

Apart from his response, my review of marketing challenges faced by poultry farm business owners in some other African nations, also made me resolve to create my “Sales & Marketing Coaching Program for Farm Business CEOs”.

For instance, an article published in the Vanguard newspaper, a few days ago, had this title:

Nigeria: Plateau Poultry Farmers Cry Over Excess Harvest of Eggs (click to read).

In it, we are told the farmers asked the CEO of Grand Cereal and Oil Mills Ltd, producers of Vital feeds, to help them out by mopping up the excess eggs they were stuck with as a result of a glut currently being experienced.

For me, that request was not practical, since Grand Cereals is NOT an NGO, and the CEO needs to ensure spending done yields useful benefits, especially profits to the company. Buying more eggs than they have need for will therefore not really make sense.

Not surprisingly, the CEO advised the farmers to work towards marketing their products more effectively, even as he promised to help out a bit, by purchasing eggs for delivery to schools, as a public service of sorts.

Out of curiosity, I called up a new client who recently bought my Poultry Farm Manager software for use on his farm in Jos, Plateau state.

I asked him if the news about the glut of poultry eggs was true. He confirmed that it was.

When I told him about the service I plan to offer to help farmers facing such a challenge, he promptly told me he would be interested.

That’s what convinced me this would be a good thing to do. My clients very often tell me what new product or service to develop, that will interest them. And this particular challenge was one that I’d actually forseen that I would have to help out with. In fact, I recently published a fictional story about a Farm Business couple (click now) as a basis for sharing my insights on what can be done.

And I always listen!

If you’d like to learn how you can access this DVD program, and the optional support service I offer with it, click here to send me a message now.

PS: Related Article

Story: After Resolving Layers Feeding Problems, Selling Increased Eggs Output Became a Headache

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Public Speaking, Self-Development

Insights from BBC’s “Doing Business in Nigeria” article, vs New Income Opportunities I see for Farm Business Owners

Leave a comment

The BBC’s “Doing business in Nigeria” article linked below, went live yesterday, and is trending ferociously.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27081948.

Isn’t it amazing that a newspaper outfit run by a Pulitzer prize winning journalist could have failed in Nigeria, as described in the article?

That reminds me of Richard Branson’s Virgin Nigeria airline partnership that failed in Nigeria few years back, and Branson’s very unflattering comments about how institutionalized corruption killed the venture!

Kudos to the Article’s Author (Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani), and the BBC!

For me, I think it’s great that more people are now willing to write the truth about what it’s really like trying to run an honest and upright business in Nigeria.

All these years I’ve written about clients who literally attacked me for trying to do things right.

Many told me I could not make it in Nigeria. And some went out their way to make sure I did not.

Like I’ve explained in past articles, it got to a point that the Attorney General’s office assigned me a lawyer to respond to a phony petition by an abusive client who wanted to make me work without paying my fees.

That incident, followed by some others, coupled with a confrontation with the local branch of the power company, about bloated bills, made me relocate to Benin Republic

Now, with articles like this, fewer people in their right minds can accuse me of being unpatriotic, or of exaggerating the problem in Nigeria.

In relation to my part-time marketing of high profile solutions like Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking mentoring products and services(as sole agent in Africa), my deep understanding of the “psychology” of Nigerians – as illustrated in the article – is what convinces me VERY few of them with financial means will be prepared to purchase them.

The environment they live and work in operates on completely different rules, compared to the rest of the normal world.

The truth is years of exposure has trained the Nigerian majority to accept most of the absurdities as normal, just like the author noted.

Over a decade of personal experience as an entrepreneur in Nigeria, convince me this is true.

What’s more, some of the comments posted under the BBC article readily add credence to my above assertion, about the uniquely warped “reasoning” that Nigerians in Nigeria employ in doing business locally.

That’s why businesses with contrarian philosophies and strategies end up being stifled to “death” in this country.

Only groups like high profile farm industry players I work with can be influenced to adopt solutions like Burt Dubin’s and those I offer.

Farm businesses cannot flourish with corner cutting, mismanagement or disregard for best practices that occurs in some other industries.

Their owners know that, and that’s why over 80% of orders for my Cost-Saving Farm Business products and services are placed remotely/online by CEOs of farms across Nigeria!

But I see more income earning opportunities most of them do not know are available to them…

There are, for instance, many agricultural conferences and other learning events held across the world that they can aim to serve as experts-who-speak.

The thing is that most don’t know it yet. So I aim to show them, so they can see how the public speaking products and services I promote can help them.

Apart from groups like the above, my focus will also
be on experts in other parts of Africa and beyond, where normalcy still exists.

That’s why I’ll soon be moving to another West African country, after I return to Cotonou – in line with my goals as a Location Independent Multipreneur.