For almost a decade now South Africa has been lagging behind first world countries like the US and UK when it comes to internet connections speeds, download capacities and the ability to transfer large amounts of data via a website or email to clients and business partners. After much talk of infrastructure investment and undersea cables, the post Soccer World cup South Africa is much better of and much better connected to the world. Google even launching their ‘Street View’ technology in June, making South Africa the first African country to have this technology. The time now has come for businesses large and small to start transforming the way we use the Internet and technology to start and grow our businesses
Other countries in Africa have also started to take advantage of their new online infrastructure with web-cams being sent up in Namibia at the country's world famous Etosha National Park. With such technology being harnessed, businesses are now able to market themselves on a much smaller budget. For hotels and other areas of the hospitality sector, not to mention any other business, they can now place themselves to be seen online allowing potential customers to view, representatives including Phumlani Mohoil, CIO of the FIFA World Cup 2010 Organising Committee, Hennie van Wyk, Group Head of Technology for ABSA Bank, George Munyua, General Manager for Equity Bank Limited and Morgen Mufowo of Econet Wireless are already announcing their plans to increase revenue while taking advantage of a pre set infrastructure.
Despite objections being raised about the technology around invasion of privacy, there are mechanisms for users to remove their information from these websites. In addition, for countries that depends on tourism for most of their foreign currency earnings, but do not have significant marketing budgets. Being able to view a hotel or national park online provides an equal opportunities marketing platform for small and large businesses alike.
The benefits of Africa being connected to the rest of the world will be one of the topics discussed at the CIO Africa Summit (hosted by GDS International). Today CIOs need better business insights. Now they have been provided with the Business Intelligence tools and processes to deliver reliable, current, and secure data and accessible information they wish to discuss real tangible strategies that will help develop more effective performance.
With the installation of a new undersea fiber optic cable and an infrastructure securely in place, now is the time for Africa to truly embrace business online in order to bring down costs while boosting employee efficiency and innovation.
So are we still thinking with old limitations as a precursor when creating our business plans or looking toward new markets, or have we started to embrace the possibilities and opportunities presented to us by this new, bandwidth rich information and technology infrastructure?
Showing posts with label starting a new business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label starting a new business. Show all posts
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Making sales online
The rookie mistake of many entrepreneurs when starting a business online, is not knowing how to make sales. Many entrepreneurs seem to practice the, If I build it they will come, approach, assuming that f the website is up and running and providing information on a certain product or service, then the sales will look after themselves. Just as well really otherwise competition online would have been much tougher. The fact is that you still, and maybe now especially so, need to be sales orientated. Product and sales delivery is important, marketing is important, SEO is important, but more important that any of these, depending on your business model of course, is sales. You don't make the sales, your business does not make money. Its really as simple as that.
When should you ask for a sale and when should you just focus on helping? Few bigger questions are asked by professional marketers. While there is no absolute method for reaching a single prospect, as each seller is different and each buyer is unique, here are some useful strategies for increasing marketing response. Cultivate Prospects You get a lead not to sell, but to help. If you focus on gathering the right kind of leads, you stand a better chance to get valuable information about them to help you turn them into prospects. In general terms, leads are what you start with, prospects are good leads that have the potential to become buyers, and buyers are where you profit. On the web, cultivating prospects has never been more effective. You can send so much value in a simple email and coupon code, increasing sales in a matter of hours. You can post a new product launch on Facebook, get responses, and watch the traffic to your business blog double.
Build Relationships The best strategy for building relationships with your buyers is to personalize your business. Rather than focusing on selling more and more, help a particular buyer more and more. If you ever get emails from businesses you’ve bought from before, look over them and see what is offered, especially by the bigger companies. Amazon, a marketing and brand icon online, sends out individualized emails to its buyers. If you buy a certain kind of book, you may get an email explaining the author has a new title out. This is a perfect way to build on a relationship: I know you liked this, so you might also like this product, which happens to be on sale. That is the way to ask your client for another sale.
Listen Sometimes you just have to open your ears to hear problems and their solutions. By listening, we are not being subjective. You might get a few complaints from some buyers via email, or someone might ask for a new product on your blog or maybe some Facebook fans will tell you about this other store that’s having a massive sale and that you need to compete. Listening is not only a great way to build relationships, but also trust. It can give you unique ideas on what to market and sell next. If a buyer sends you an email about your product – happy or angry – read it over and see how you can solve any mistakes. (Even better, do your best to rebuild this relationship.)
Ask Asking for a sale should be the final step in marketing response, not the first. If you walk up to someone in the park and ask him or her to buy your car (even if it’s really a great deal) what is the likely out come? The best way to ask for a sale is when there’s already a relationship and value established. For our concerns, keeping prospects and customers happy is about first, avoiding SPAM and second, knowing how often you should ask. Do not be forgotten, but avoid being ignored because you make too much contact. This is called the contact strategy. Plan for how you will show value to all clients, with different goals for each of them, from the smaller buyers to the clients who keep you in business.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect formula for turning leads into prospects. Some leads will practically sell themselves where others, no matter how great a relationship you have established, will never commit. Every buyer is going to be little bit different, but the hope is that you increase your marketing response rate by building better relationships with your prospects.
When should you ask for a sale and when should you just focus on helping? Few bigger questions are asked by professional marketers. While there is no absolute method for reaching a single prospect, as each seller is different and each buyer is unique, here are some useful strategies for increasing marketing response. Cultivate Prospects You get a lead not to sell, but to help. If you focus on gathering the right kind of leads, you stand a better chance to get valuable information about them to help you turn them into prospects. In general terms, leads are what you start with, prospects are good leads that have the potential to become buyers, and buyers are where you profit. On the web, cultivating prospects has never been more effective. You can send so much value in a simple email and coupon code, increasing sales in a matter of hours. You can post a new product launch on Facebook, get responses, and watch the traffic to your business blog double.
Build Relationships The best strategy for building relationships with your buyers is to personalize your business. Rather than focusing on selling more and more, help a particular buyer more and more. If you ever get emails from businesses you’ve bought from before, look over them and see what is offered, especially by the bigger companies. Amazon, a marketing and brand icon online, sends out individualized emails to its buyers. If you buy a certain kind of book, you may get an email explaining the author has a new title out. This is a perfect way to build on a relationship: I know you liked this, so you might also like this product, which happens to be on sale. That is the way to ask your client for another sale.
Listen Sometimes you just have to open your ears to hear problems and their solutions. By listening, we are not being subjective. You might get a few complaints from some buyers via email, or someone might ask for a new product on your blog or maybe some Facebook fans will tell you about this other store that’s having a massive sale and that you need to compete. Listening is not only a great way to build relationships, but also trust. It can give you unique ideas on what to market and sell next. If a buyer sends you an email about your product – happy or angry – read it over and see how you can solve any mistakes. (Even better, do your best to rebuild this relationship.)
Ask Asking for a sale should be the final step in marketing response, not the first. If you walk up to someone in the park and ask him or her to buy your car (even if it’s really a great deal) what is the likely out come? The best way to ask for a sale is when there’s already a relationship and value established. For our concerns, keeping prospects and customers happy is about first, avoiding SPAM and second, knowing how often you should ask. Do not be forgotten, but avoid being ignored because you make too much contact. This is called the contact strategy. Plan for how you will show value to all clients, with different goals for each of them, from the smaller buyers to the clients who keep you in business.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect formula for turning leads into prospects. Some leads will practically sell themselves where others, no matter how great a relationship you have established, will never commit. Every buyer is going to be little bit different, but the hope is that you increase your marketing response rate by building better relationships with your prospects.
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