Excerpt from feature in Howwemadeitinafrica.com

Here is an excerpt on how to grow a business in Africa without government contracts.

Do you have effective lead-generation and -conversion systems in place?

In my experience, very few startups answer this question with a yes. Having started my own businesses, I know how hard it is to access and retain new customers. But there are a few steps that I’ve found help in developing a strategy for doing so.

Step 1: Define the market in which you can create the most value

First, identify who wants and is willing to pay for your product. Is your ideal customer a female corporate banker who lives 30km away from her office? Is she actively looking for a brand new vehicle? Would she rather own an SUV or a compact car?

Second, decide on what your message, positioning and differentiation will be. This is about defining what you do, but also what sets you apart from other similar businesses and demonstrates that you know your ideal customer better than they do. Are you the safer option? The cheapest? The one who delivers in 3 days?

Third, find a way to distribute your message and product to them. Some businesses use websites and social media, such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, to get their message and products to their customers. Other options are traditional retail outlets in good locations, and physical advertising such as billboards or flyers.

Read the rest at the link below

www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/grow-small-business-africa/55711/