Self-Devpt. Nuggets™

One day in September 2006, I walked into a large Lagos hospital in Akoka area, and asked for the accountant. The receptionist got him on intercom. Using my elevator speech, I explained that I provided MS Excel-Visual Basic automation services to help business users get their work done faster, and with less effort – giving examples.

After a few questions, he asked me to pass the phone to the receptionist, and told her to send me to his office in the hospital penthouse at the top floor.

Our meeting lasted just over 15 minutes!

He was really business-like. I had hit on his VERY exposed “felt-need” nerve. He asked to see demos of past projects I’d mentioned. I showed him the “Cash Inflow & Outflow Tracker” I built for business centers, and a “Restaurant & Bar Manager” app I built for a restaurant in Gbagada (whose owner is today serving a second term as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly).

Those two were apparently enough to convince him.

Wasting no time, he took me to a computer used by his assistant.

Then he called up what turned out to be a number of manual MS Excel workbooks used to manage their Cash Books for various purposes. (E.g. tracking receipts and payments for the main hospital, and also movements to/from the different bank accounts.)

He told me he felt – from looking at what I had already done – that I would be able to help them automate their manual Excel Cash books to make them (as his Medical Director would later say) “more friendly“.

“So how much will it cost?” he asked (a question that often tells me the prospect is to be taken seriously. If a prospect asks you that, consider it a good sign. Make sure you’re ready to answer.).

I told him.

We negotiated and came to a compromise.

Then he ended the meeting by asking me to send in my proposal with a quote. I did that a day later, and went on to other business marketing tasks with other prospects.

I did NOT hear from him for nearly two months subsequently.

Some weeks after my last meeting with the accountant, my other marketing efforts led me to win a project to build an automated records management system for a medium sized hotel located on the busy axis leading to the airport.

It involved working closely with the hotel account, and the auditor, to build an automated Cash Book that generated a trial balance etc.

As I approached completion of the hotel project, I called the hospital accountant in Akoka, to inform him that I had since gone on to build an automated cash book for another client.

(I often do this to help clients move closer to taking the decision to buy, as it gives them more verifiable PROOF that I can deliver a solution that meets their needs).

He told me they had someone who was working on an alternative, and as such he would only call on me if the alternative did not work.

I thanked him and ended the call

[Tip: Never object when you hear such things. Leave the client to decide whether or not to get back to you. Pushing will only “weaken” your negotiating power, and most likely will make you come across as desperate. Maintain a dignified air, and go do MORE marketing!]

Three weeks later, I got a call from him on my mobile. He said “Mr Solagbade, this is….. from …..hospital. We want you to come and build the automated cash book we discussed about. When can you come and pick up your cheque?”

I went on to build a fairly different type of cash book from that used by the hotel, to match the format used by the hospital’s accounts department. But the logic was still the same, so I was quite at home with it.

But there was another opportunity soon to follow…

On 5th Feb. 2007, I won a much larger paid project with another Lagos hospital by using the above cash book for my business marketing demo to them.

I was engaged within days after my first meeting/demonstration to build a custom automated Excel-based software to handle this hospital’s general accounts preparation.

It covered routine data recording of from cash office receipts, and report generation of all kinds, including year-end Profit and Loss reports/balance sheet auto-generation.

Still It Did Not End There…!

On 12th March 2007, I got a call from the accountant of another large hospital to pick up a 100% advance payment cheque to build an automated cash book(and a Payslip Generator) for his department.

That made it the third time in 2007 that I would be asked to build that kind of application for a hospital! Each time I had used the more recent version to “sell” my services to the next prospective client.

And I continue to use this strategy till date, even here in Cotonou (as recently as yesterday afternoon!), to win new and repeat business from profitable paying clients!

Final Words: You can achieve similar results – BUT be ready to assert yourself, and to persist!

All you need to do is be confident in speaking about what you offer. It’s important to be able to say it in the first 10 seconds or so, because most times, that’s what will ensure you don’t get told “Look I’m busy, come back tomorrow.”

You have to speak of benefits that will GRAB the serious attention and interest of busy decision makers. Notice I always dealt directly with top people who could approve PAYMENT to me.

Always insist on speaking with the person in charge, who can often sign the cheque or convince the person who does that. Don’t squander your time trying to get to the decision maker by going through the subordinates.

My experiences, especially in the Nigerian market, indicate that if you fail to assert yourself in that manner, you’re going to get sent on many wild goose chases, and have lots of your time wasted…PLUS possibly get harassed for gratification of all kinds.

So, instead tell the receptionist or whatever other “gatekeeper” you meet, him that you’d like an appointment with the boss.

Do not take no for an answer.

Ask if you can come back at another time. Tell them what you have to say will only be said to the boss, and that you assure them s/he will find it very valuable.

For your sake, I hope you’ll be able to back up that claim if/when you get the opportunity. Make sure to ascertain the true benefit of your offering to your target audience, BEFORE you make such pronouncements.

Good luck!

PS: This article is based on excerpts from a write-up originally published online for the first time by Tayo K. Solagbade on 7th April 2007 via www.excelheaven.spontaneousdevelopment.com, and later Ezinearticles.com

Below: Video Demos of Some of my Popular MS Excel-VB apps built for offline clients and now sold online

Having written so much above about different apps I built for different companies, it only makes sense that I give you an idea of what exactly those who hired me, got for their money.

So, here are some video demos from my Youtube channel, which show what some of those apps look like and how they work.

0. Start-Up – Excel-VB Ration Formulator.avi

1. Updating Nutrients Table – Excel-VB Ration Formulator

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

3. Upgrade Version of the Excel-VB Driven Ration Formulator

4. Advanced Payslip Generator DEMO 1 : Modeless Data Entry Form

5. Advanced Payslip Generator DEMO 2 : Modeless Data Entry Form

6. Membership Records Manager – for Clubs, Associations, and other Groups

7. EXCEL-VB DRIVEN POULTRY LAYER FARM MANAGER

8. General Accounts Manager (With Powerful Automated Cash Book Driven By Modeless Floating Dynamic Data Entry Form)

I’ve put up an “offer” page (click here), of some of these apps as a bundle, for a give away price.

You may want to check it out. If you need my help developing custom MS Excel-VB driven apps, or learning to develop powerful apps like the ones I create, click here to send me a message.

As far back as 1995, I began developing bullet proof automated spreadsheet apps (starting with Lotus 1-2-3 before adopting MS Excel) for business users at the highest decision making levels.

This began right from my time as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria, when during a 7 year I built a variety of apps officially adopted for management reporting).

Since becoming an entrepreneur in 2002, I’ve developed smart solutions for a wide variety of individuals and businesses. Some of them you have seen above. But there are so many others!

So, one thing is certain: I can help you. Click here to get in touch with me now.