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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.tayosolagbade.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. 128: Using Location Independent Multipreneuring to Achieve Public Speaking Success
I began my “Location Independent Multiprenuring Travels” across West Africa, on 1st April 2013 – about 10 months ago. The amazing successes I’m achieving (some described below) convince me one MUST be willing to take greater risks, to move to higher levels of achievement.
If I’d remained in Nigeria, I doubt I’d have achieved this much by now! (Want to know why I chose to relocate to Benin Republic? Click here).
This is why I share my experiences on my website. I want people to learn (from reading about how I use myself as a “guinea pig” of sorts) what they can do to advance towards their goals in life.
Thanks to a New Facebook Friend for Asking Me a Question
This issue of my newsletter is an update of sorts about my Location Independent Multipreneuring, which is taking me “slowly” across West Africa.
If not for a new Facebook friend that I’ll simply call D.M, I’ll probably not have gotten round to writing it. She sent me a Facebook message asking:
“So, are you still travelling across Africa?? What are you up to?”
Her enquiry, as I told her, came in as I was contemplating writing an update on my blog about my travels. So I decided to kill 2 birds with one stone…by writing to answer her, and at the same time end up with a new article update to publish under the “My DN Travels” category on my blog.
Yes I Am Still Travelling…Across West Africa…But Slowly…
I’m working to deliberately achieve name recognition and promote my products/services to more members of my target audience, in West Africa, who may not yet be so web friendly.
And they are many – especially business owners (for some strange reason) – who are like that.
My strategy is to use what I call my Public Speaking for Business Marketing System (PSBM)™ – which I conceived/began using in Nigeria back in 2002 – to get their attention and interest at zero cost.
I’m actively creating awareness about what I can do to help groups and organisations. And I’m doing it in a way that, over time, MOVES them to invite me to contact me.
From there, as has happened in the past, some may engage me to do deliver my products and services.
Here are some of the activities I’m focussed on…
1. Zero Cost Book Publishing Information & Education for Writers
For instance, I’m trying to get the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) in Ghana, to bring me in to speak to/coach their members.
This is with respect to using web based Print On Demand Publishing to get their physical books published and delivered to a global paying audience at zero cost.
I’ve been selling physical copies of my own flagship Self-Development manual, using web based zero cost Print On Demand publishing, since 2005 – when I met with the PAWA president during a 2 week stay in Accra.
He’d been quite excited by the idea of not needing to pay hefty fees to traditional publishers to get books in print, for sale locally or abroad.
But he wanted me to send a physical copy of my book which I’d shown him online. A few months later, I sent a copy through a friend that I stayed with in Accra, who worked with a bank.
I never heard back from him, but I mentally resolved that I’d follow up at the right time. I believe that time is now here.
See my self development bible which is physically shipped worldwide on sale www.lulu.com/sdaproducts.
2 months ago (December 2013), I also got paid for writing a 4,000 word agribusiness research paper for an international organisation. Apart from visiting Nigeria to conduct a questionnaire survey, I only had to sit down and write based on what I knew!
A few days ago, I got email notification that my 500 word short story titled “The Deadly High School Students Street Fight” did NOT get selected for phase 2 of an international competition I entered it for.
I sent in my submission from the competition website on the night of the very last day for entries – 31st December 2013 (while others were watching movies).
Many such online (free-to-enter) writing contests exist. A Google search will yield useful links to follow.
I argue that any writer, who feels s/he is good, and lacks “funds”, can start by entering for such contests.
There are cash prizes (up to $3,000 USD) to be won by finalists. If/when you win, you can channel such earnings to boost your writing career.
Many writers across Africa don’t know it’s possible. Even today. Yet most complain of “lack of money” to get their book ideas published/sold, or to support their writing dreams.
I aim to help them out through their organisations.
2. Farm CEOs Benefit From Connecting With Me Too!
I also use variants of the above approach to promote other solutions I offer to farm business owners (e.g. my popular Feed Formulation Handbook and Ration Formulator Software).
To get my foot in the door, I aim to visit and become familiar with the different cultures in each country. [NB: I’ve visited some in the past (e.g. Ghana and Cameroon), and I’ll be exploiting contacts made back then to achieve my goals.]
Then based on unique insights I gain from my interactions and observations, I use my writing to offer them new ideas, information and education.
Lots of real life story telling about experiences I had in places like Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, and here in Benin Republic, is done, to “sell myself” as credible and authentic, AND therefore worthy of trust.
Over time, this and other approaches, make business owners and organisational decision makers discover me, and they often go on to connect with me.
It IS a slow process. But it works. And it Has a Very Long Lasting Marketing Reach and Impact
For instance since starting my travels on 1st April 2013, by coming to Benin Republic, I’ve had many more prospects readily make enquiries (and sometimes purchases) of my Ration Formulator software from in and out of Africa. E.g. Tanzania, Cameroon, S/Africa, Kenya, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Canada, USA.
It’s been amazing to see how writing about what I do DAILY, on my blog, with periodic reference to my travel experiences is making more people connect with me.
I’ve had buyers from all over Nigeria (east, west, north and south).
Just yesterday I fulfilled another N12,500 order for my feed formulation software.
The buyer called my Nigeria mobile line just as I boarded a bus headed to the Benin Republic border, from Lagos (where I’d gone to attend my Dad’s 80th birthday anniversary celebration).
The best part is however that I now get email and phone requests from Nigerians in Diaspora
They often request my advice (often making it clear they’re ready to pay or offer “ownership”) on market opportunities in Nigeria/West Africa, for business ideas they’re considering investing in e.g. fish farming, milk importation etc.
A few days ago, I made a recommendation to one such group that contacted me via Facebook. If they adopt it, and choose to have me implement it, I may be going across W/African markets to conduct a survey of imported milk products, towards writing a feasibility study for the decision makers to consider.
3. Farm Products Based Micro Scale Business Development Coaching
Then locally here in Benin, I’ve developed a pineapple peel based drink and cakes range, which has gotten me noticed at the Nigerian embassy here in Cotonou.
For instance, see www.tayosolagbade.com – where my on-demand talk about using peels from pineapples (and 9 other fruits) to make drinks that can be sold.
The subject interests people here, because pineapple is a national product, sold and consumed everywhere – daily. The tonnes of peels/rinds get thrown away.
What I have done proves it can be recycled. That has significant income generation and job creation potentials/implications.
I aim to get support to travel the region giving my flagship talk and training to interested groups.
A Beninese professor was at the Nigerian embassy, when I showed the bottled drinks to a top officer back in September.
He insisted on driving me to his home (hours away) in Kasato, outside Cotonou, to meet his entire family.
After I gave a brief overview of how I began making drinks using the peels, he scolded the kids who were students in the university saying: “This man only got here a few months ago, and look what he’s already doing in our country! Why can’t you do the same?”
Later I was treated to a sumptuous meal. And when he dropped me off that night, he told me he would want me to come give talks to his students at the national language centre.
This year, I believe we’ll be able to make something happen in that regard.
The Chamber of Commerce Administrator for a certain Francophone nation here in Cotonou, has been one of my most fervent advocates.
After eating the 50% pineapple peel cakes I took to his office in December (he’d tasted the drinks 2 months before) he told me to send him all my promotional materials in French.
I’ll get around to that soon. I’d proposed going to their country to give talks on the subject.
4. Public Speaking for Business Marketing (PSBM) & Web Marketing Coaching
I’m using 1 to 3 described above, to build up to THIS number activity…
Back in June 2013, I developed (and have since begun selling on CDROM) Part 1 of a Quick & Dirty Guide to English Language for French Speakers…and to French Language for English Speakers. There are 9 other chapters planned.
I’m now convinced that I can offer live “English public/speaking conversation practise sessions” for people at the brew pub I plan to open. Sales of my language guide, and the practice sessions would attract patrons to events I organise in my pub.
Like I said, things (including ideas) just seem to fall in place over time…:-))
My various activities have led a Cameroonian (web marketing) client, who is part-owner of a Private University here, to request that I deliver talks to students in the institution.
Hopefully we’ll be able to agree terms etc.
With the successes I now have under my belt, I’m certain this aspect of my plans will take off in 2014.
Final Words: What You Can Take Away…
That sums up the latest update on where I am in my work/travels, and what the near future looks like ;-))
But here’s something I’d like you to take away from all this…
You see, I did not start out knowing what the future held for me.
Yet I took the step to begin the journey, after realizing I needed to change my “environment” to succeed better.
Then I made sure that I never let a single day pass, without taking firm action to progress my plans.
What I found, over time, was that other things I needed began falling in place. I just had to proceed with faith and persistence.
Some Would Say I lead a Charmed Life. That I was/am lucky.
The truth is however that I have paid (and continue to PAY) my dues!
If you think doing any of the above the way I do them is easy, think again.
But I LOVE what I do, so it comes easy to me.
Find what YOU love to do, and apply a similar approach to the above – with faith/persistence. You’ll eventually find yourself succeeding, seemingly effortlessly, no matter what anyone says or does!
Further Reading:
Why I Do What I Do, The Way I Do It (My Personal Philosophy paper – written on 2nd March 2003)
Have a great week :-))
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.tayosolagbade.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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