Marketing is the soul of any business and if it is not done deliberately and effectively, the business will not succeed. It is also one of the most difficult aspect of business. Anyone can produce any product or start a trade or services business, however, getting customers and consumers to buy the product or services is not very easy.

To succeed in marketing, you need to know the tips I will be sharing with you in this article.

What is Marketing ?

There are many definitions of marketing. However, simply put, marketing involves all processes carried out by an entrepreneur to attract, keep and continuously satisfy customers or consumers to buy or use his products and services.

16 Marketing tips for entrepreneurial success


1. Marketing should not be left to chance - It should be deliberate. Entrepreneurs who have succeeded in marketing didn’t achieve it without a deliberate and concerted approach.
If you are not achieving the right sales and patronage, it is possible that you are not giving the right attention to effective marketing. As an entrepreneur, begin to give more time and resources to marketing and you will see more positive results in your business.

2. Marketing should be the responsibility of every member of your team, not just for the marketing department - It is good to have a marketing department, but every member of your business should see themselves and act as marketers and brand ambassadors of your products.

All members of your team should have adequate information about your products and services and the benefits your products and services can give to the consumers.
They should be loyal to your products and company and be willing to defend and speak good about your products at all times.

When you recruit new employees to your firm, ensure to carry out adequate on boarding and orientation for the new staff so that they can be abreast with the company’s products and services.

3. As an entrepreneur you should be the chief marketing officer and chief brand ambassador of your company and products –The best person to market your products is you the entrepreneur and CEO of your business. You should use your products, you should talk about it anywhere you go, your business card should be always with you always, your car can be to bear your company details.

Everything about you as an entrepreneur should speak about your business and everywhere you find yourself should be an opportunity to publise your business and products.

4.Carryout market survey and develop annual marketing plan for your business – A market survey for your product should be done before you start a business or develop the product. This should be part of your business plan.

Also, for existing businesses, each year a marketing plan should be mapped out for your products. Your annual marketing plan should contain your marketing goals, strategies and budget for the year for your business.

5. Use multiple means to advertise your products - For your business to succeed, you need as much customers as possible. Various kinds of customers are attracted to your business through various means of advertisement and if you don’t incorporate the various means of advertisement you will not be able to reach out to those customers.

Incorporate as much avenues of advertisement as possible. Use the word of mouth, flyers, bill boards, radios, television, social media etc
Incorporate as much avenues of advertisement as possible. Use the word of mouth, flyers, bill boards, radios, television, social media etc

The internet gives you the opportunity to reach thousands of people beyond geographical boundaries. Creating a website for your business is one way to do this.

Through a website, you can showcase your goods and services to the world and people can buy from your online shop without physically meeting with them.

6. Provide communication and feedback avenues for your customers and consumers – Your customers should have a medium where they can express their satisfaction and complaints regarding your products and services. You can do this by providing them with an online forum for your product reviews or by having dedicated customer care phone lines or email address for your customers.

If you don’t provide your customers with a medium for ventilating their satisfaction and complaints about your products to you, you won’t get the right feedback regarding your products so as to make the necessary improvements. Also, if you don’t address your customers complaints, they may discourage other consumers from buying and using your products.

7. Keep contacts details of you customers – When you have the phone numbers and email addresses of your customers, you can notify them by sms or email about new products and services. Doing this will encourage return purchases from them.
You customer list should contain the names ( optional ) and contact details ( phone and email address) of your customers. This list should be updated always to include new customers that you get.

Some customers may be reluctant to give you their phone numbers or email address but if they know that you are actually using the information for the purpose of notifying them about your new products and services, they will release the information to you.

8. Carry out periodic customers satisfaction surveys –Customers satisfaction surveys are ways by which you seek to know how your customers feel about your products and services. If helps you to know whether or not you are meeting their needs effectively.

You can do that by giving them a survey questionnaire to complete or send online surveys to them. There are several online survey platforms you can use. An example is the survey monkey.

9. Don’t produce or sell what you want, but what the customers or consumers want –This is what many startup entrepreneurs fail to understand. What really matter is not what you want but what your customers want and that should be your business focus. You are in business not for yourself but for your customers.

If you are going into trading, while starting out, don’t just go and buy large quantities of the goods you wish to sell. Instead buy small quantities of several related products so as to observe the goods that your customers like the most. After some period of observation, you can then buy more of such goods that your customers want.

10. As your business grows you should have a business development or marketing officer and a marketing team –The function of a business development officer is basically centred on effective marketing of company’s products and getting more business deals for the company.
The business development officer and the marketing team work together in developing and implementing effect marketing strategies for your business.


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Make sense, good job @OP.

What are other marketing strategies and methods that entrepreneurs in Nigeria and Africa can implement in their businesses to succeed ?

Please add yours to the list above.

Here is an additional tip:

11. Develop a means of measuring your marketing progress – You should track how many customers that patronize your business by each means of advertisement. You can do this by finding out how your customers got to know about your business and products.

You should measure and track your percentage sales when you are implement a new means of advertisement. Tracking your marketing progress will help you to know your most effective marketing and advertising avenues. This will also help you to pay more attention to those marketing means that produce greater results.

MARKETING and SELLING are that most difficult and most strategic part any of business.

Anybody can start a business, but not every one can make it successful.

Success in marketing leads to success in business.

Now let's continue the lesson.

Here is the next tip:

12. Always appreciate your customers for their patronage – This is important. Thank your customers for buying from you. They could have as well bought from your competitors. Therefore, you should let them know that you are happy that they bought from you. This will encourage them to always buy from you. Saying, ” Thanks for your patronage ” to your customers does a lot of good to your business.

One of my friends bought something from a shop, and the seller didn't say anything "thanks for your patronage" after he paid for the goods.

My friend adviced the seller to always thank her buyers for their patronage. However, she responded by saying " no one tells me "thank you "for buying from them, how then do you expect me to tell you thank you for buying from me?"

My friend vowed not to buy from that seller next time. That was how the seller lost a customer!

FrankTalk1:
Now let's continue the lesson.

Here is the next tip:

12. Always appreciate your customers for their patronage – This is important. Thank your customers for buying from you. They could have as well bought from your competitors. Therefore, you should let them know that you are happy that they bought from you. This will encourage them to always buy from you. Saying, ” Thanks for your patronage ” to your customers does a lot of good to your business.

A fair product with excellent marketing will sell better than an excellent product with fair marketing.

Do you agree with me?

Most business failures are basically marketing failures.

FrankTalk1:
A fair product with excellent marketing will sell better than an excellent product with fair marketing.

Do you agree with me?

Effective sales and marketing grow a business and increase revenue.

Every entreprenuer who wants to make a success of their business should see HOW TO COMBINE SALES & MARKETING TO INCREASE YOUR REVENUE.

You are not producing for yourself but for your customers.

Therefore, produce or sell what your customers need, not just what you need.

Do not rely on only one means of marketing.

Use multiple means of marketing for optimum success.

Now number 13:

13. Give discounts to your customers – Find a way of encouraging your customers to buy more from you. Customers like discounts. Give price discounts, special offers and promotions from time to time.

You don’t lose when you give discounts. Instead you are sowing a seed for continuous patronage and increased sales

As am entrepreneur, you should see every place you find yourself as an avenue for marketing your business.

Be always ready to promote your business.