Marketing is about building relationships . Lasting relationships . You want to ensure your clients always have you at the top of their minds and can advocate for you to others . That only happens if a relationship is much deeper than a simple purchase . That means you need to keep engaging them in ways beyond a simple social media advertising push .
organising virtual and physical events with her small and loyal community . Depending on what you are selling , there are enthusiasts who either have or seek community . Jump into existing social media communities . Have talks , organise brunches , lunches , or fun days , and have virtual engagements like Q & A sessions .
In the case of Rosa running a children ’ s clothing store , it could be virtual events with paediatricians or special needs practitioners who can give insights . And with that , you move from just a clothing store for children to a parenting community .
Location , Location , Location
When I look at the location of Rosa ’ s store , it is in a building on a relatively cosmopolitan side of Nairobi . But she is located on the building ’ s second floor , what ’ s wrong with that , you may ask . The ground floor stores tend to be expensive . Yes , however , there is no signage or directory of stores on the ground floor of the building . This means anyone walking into the building for the first and only time will never know there is a store selling children ’ s clothes .
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Marketing is about building relationships . Lasting relationships . You want to ensure your clients always have you at the top of their minds and can advocate for you to others . That only happens if a relationship is much deeper than a simple purchase . That means you need to keep engaging them in ways beyond a simple social media advertising push .
Suppose you run a retail store in a building like this that doesn ’ t have a directory of stores on the ground floor . Investing in display tables on the ground floor and advertising in lifts , stairwells , or even simple roll-up banners with information in the entryway makes a difference .
Don ’ t assume that just because you exist , people will be interested in your hustle . Humans are bombarded with information and are saturated with growing life demands . You are not their number one choice . The only way to make people care you exist is to proactively make yourself known .
Mind your language
While talking to Rosa in her store , she told me they deliver to any corner of Kenya .
“ Even if you are based in Turkana and purchased an item for 200 shillings , we will deliver .” She gleefully noted with a nod . I was a bit sceptical .
“ That makes no business sense , that blows your overheads through the roof , or do you factor it in the cost of your clothes per item ?” I retorted .
“ No , you pay for the delivery ,” Rosa smiled . And with that , I quickly pointed out the deception . And that is the challenge for most Kenyan businesses . We always leave out the terms and conditions . You need to be very careful of your claims . We are in a relatively small consumer market compared to more established Western and Eastern markets , but making unfounded claims makes you liable to meet them . And if you don ’ t , you will get sued .
In 2012 , the manufacturer of a famous international household bread spread , Nutella , was sued by customers for US $ 3 million in a class action suit for wrongful advertising . Contrary to what the commercials said , when customers picked the product off the shelf , the ingredients contained high caloric content contrary to the advertising promise of “ healthy ” and “ nutritious ” food .
It is not just big corporations at risk ; all it takes is for your startup , small shop , or medium enterprise to be listed on a social media page like “ Buyer Beware ” to get blacklisted . So be very wary of what you say . Always state things without hiding information from your customers . It can come back to haunt you .
That means if you say you deliver in every corner of Kenya and don ’ t inform people they will have to pay an additional cost on top of the amount paid per item , you owe it to them , to deliver it at your cost . That ’ s a promise you keep or lose customers .
Be Smart about social media
Many people use social media to market their products , but it doesn ’ t always translate to an immediate win for business . First , you need to know where your target audiences spend time seeking what you offer . For some that may not even be on the conventional Facebook and Instagram , maybe you would need to focus more on LinkedIn , WhatsApp , or completely offline .
You also need to understand the psychology of your market . People tend to be very excitable and entitled on social media . Relying on constant giveaways will always find you attracting a demographic that may not be what you intend for your business . You need to understand that social media should be one of the many tools you engage in growing that customer relationship mentioned earlier .
When running a social media campaign , be clear on who you are targeting , what kind of community and values you intend to build to draw in the right audience and how to maintain that relationship beyond a simple one-off promotion .
And this is where the storytelling component comes in . Remember , you are building community ; don ’ t just tell us about your product . Tell us about your staff and other things you care about . For example , you may be a toilet paper manufacturing company - show us your factory , walk us through the recycling process , and give us the back story of the foreperson on the factory floor . How long have they worked there , and what keeps them going ? People are drawn to real stories of real people and never buy into shiny branding all the time .
This approach helps your customers invest in you emotionally , which is a stronger and more sustainable brand patronage .
Consider these simple pointers to start building your brand name and offering .
Rose Odengo is seasoned Strategy and Communication Consultant . You can commune with her on this or related matters via email at : Ask @ roseodengo . com .