One of my strategic objectives as a Performance Improvement Specialist is helping business owners develop and implement low cost web marketing systems and strategies that will increase their marketing mileage, while lowering their expenses.
But in doing this, I have noticed the following trend amongst many Nigerian business owners and decision makers. Please note that those I refer to here are people whose businesses lend themselves naturally to marketing via the web right here in Nigeria.
1. Denial:
Many are rather defensive when approached about using a website or adopting web marketing adapted for the Nigerian environment. They often say they don’t need either, or that “Nigerians’ don’t use the Internet” to the extent that makes it worth investing in marketing to them through that medium.
I say, even if that were true (which it is NOT), you would be better off being one of the first to use web marketing to promote your products/services to Nigerians, since that would make you stand out, and get you noticed. Isn’t marketing ultimately about “creating awareness” about what you offer, at least in the initial stages?
It’s a pity some Nigerians feel they must be able to physically “touch” what they invest in for business!
2. Lack of Understanding:
Some do not understand, and refuse to be bothered. They can afford to be like this, because their competitors are either the same or like those in 1. above.
But here’s the danger: One day, one or more of those not bothered today, will suddenly “discover” the power of marketing intelligently to Nigerians via the web, right here in Nigeria, and begin to use it – gaining a competitive edge, and possibly driving the rest under.
What I find most amusing is that many of these decision makers usually readily say they have websites, and that it is working for them.
But you never see their web addresses displayed anywhere on their company premises, or even signs. In many cases, they even place adverts on radio/TV and even newspapers without including the URL of the website they spend money to keep online annually!
Believe me, I do not exaggerate. I once found myself having to ask a client why he had left out his website address from a – far from being cheap – quarter page advert he had placed in a national daily!!
In essence, I am saying “Your Website Needs To JUSTIFY The Money You Spend” on it.
Basically there are two ways to confirm if it does.
You will check to see if it either
(a). Saves you money/time or
(b). Helps you make more sales or – even better – if it does both.
Now, to get your site to do the above, you need to adopt an intelligent Web Marketing System like the one I use, and which I customize for clients.
Below I provide two examples of businesses that would benefit greatly from active use of intelligent website marketing systems:
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Example 1: Bookshops
These are perfect candidates not just for website ownership, but more importantly for intelligent web marketing.
If you own or run one and do not use web marketing to complement your offline marketing, here in Nigeria, YOU ARE LOSING GREAT potential customers, and SPENDING MORE THAT you need to.
Think about it for a minute: All those books, videos, tapes by great authors, with wonderful messages on various powerful subjects of interest.
If you were to do a publication that reviewed different book titles periodically to a list of opt-in subscribers, you would over time build interest in some of them, to call in and place orders.
Call me and I will tell you how you can go about it
Example 2: Estate/Properties Management
Any decision maker in a company engaged in sale and management of properties, especially where so many companies compete, NEEDS to look for NEW, and unique ways to separate hers from the crowd.
Think about it. These days, most of these companies use similar looking flyers, banners, bill boards, cars, and even (for those who bother) websites!
Yet EACH one wants busy potential customers (with little time to “explore” every “good” offer in making up their minds) to see it as offering better value than the others.
The truth is most customers simply go with their instincts – or a friend’s suggestion.
However, if they had the opportunity to get MORE detail about what each company is about, what it offers etc, over a period of time, they could end up choosing a different company!
Such details could be obtained via subscription for instance, to a website newsletter; and/or a PDF report on “Choosing the Right Home or Property”; and/or an electronic course on “How To Value Property” etc.
Any company that offers the above, and actively uses intelligent web marketing to promote them to win new customers, greatly increases its chances of getting found by new customers who will ultimately take action to do business with it.
Final Words: Your business can spend LESS than it currently does on marketing, if you adopt intelligent web marketing systems of the type I advocate
There is a WAY to make this happen. It’s not just about writing something and sending it out. And it’s not about getting a super graphic web designer to put all the flash designs and animations in the world on your website!
You NEED the know-how to do it right, and make it work.
Like I tell a lot of people, Google.com, in my opinion is the ugliest (or “blandest”) site on the net. Yet, it makes billions of dollars through people who keep going back to it – and it’s not because they get to see fancy graphics on the site! Get it?