You’ve worked hard to build your business, or preparing that brand campaign strategy and you’re thinking, what’s next? There are a number of factors to consider before selling to ensure success. Selling a business requires serious preparation, and we prepared this list to help your plan.

See things to consider below:

Affordability

Loyalty

Ease of use

Add ons, but zero hidden charges

Storytelling draws attention

Celebrities are influential

Accessibility

Desirability

Reward systems

Solve problems

Unpredictability

Affordability

The dictionary meaning of affordability is the extent to which something is affordable, as measured by its cost relative to the amount that the purchaser is able to pay. Choosing appropriate product prices is one of the most crucial steps in creating a product – especially if consumer expansion base is paramount in your plan. Low prices attract more people. Cheaper products tend to have fewer features but sometimes outperform their more expensive competitors. Yet, if prices are too low, Nigerian consumers may question the quality and dump it for other products.

Nigerian consumers can be quite loyal

If there is a slight connection between a Nigerian consumer and your product, you are on your way to forming a bond with that consumer. We have seen that with many brands – even brands that have been slow with moving with the trends. You, as a consumer, think back to the last time you needed to buy milk. If you like Peak Milk, there’s a good chance you’ll consider them again. You’ve had a good experience with them in the past. You consider the product in a good light, and their customer service is great. Even if they are slightly more expensive than the competition – you’ll probably head to the store for Peak Milk, ignoring the others.

Ease of use

Ease of use always ranks highly when it comes to what customers want from a product or service. Whether it’s something they intend to use in their personal lives, like a mobile phone, or their work lives, like office equipment, simplicity is crucial when attempting to make your product or service stand out to Nigerian consumers. Think of Apple. Let’s forget that constant banter on social media may make iPhones, iPads and MacBooks as popular as ever – not necessarily because they are the best gadgets on the market. Apple has always made its products easy to use, with simple buttons, accessible screens and clear set-up instructions, meaning they have appealed to a wide range of customers over the years. A product like Ariel has become a household product such that when they show an ad, they just ask the Nigerian consumer to dip the clothing materials into the water, add Ariel and the work is done.

Adds-Ons, but stay on affordability

Depending on the business, an add-on may represent a source of significant revenue and profit to your company. Add-Ons can help a company establish a rapport with a customer. It is not a dirty tactic if it focuses on helping customers “win” with add-ons that will enhance their experience with the product. Remember how cinema enthusiasts are not bothered that the tickets may be higher than usual because it comes with popcorn and a drink? That is what we are talking about. Add-Ons make customers feel like they’re getting a steal.

Storytelling draws attention

The heart of every business is human connections. Storytelling has a clear and essential value in marketing, and no, it is not meant to bring in some fantasy into selling your product. Storytelling helps elucidate your brand’s past and, most importantly, its purpose. No one item has one brand selling it these days, so when things like price and quality are equal, Nigerian consumers judge brands by their purpose more than any other criteria. A good story makes you memorable. It engages and motivates people. It builds relationships and trust, thus inviting customers to return for more.

Celebrities are influential

Interestingly, Nigerian consumers are not easily swayed, but if you get can 2% sales from the campaign with a celebrity, that is surely a win. Whether it is a singer promoting soft drinks or a celebrity influencer showcasing products on social media, celebrity advertising is hard to ignore – especially not with a stan culture in place. Celebrities naturally command attention and that includes celebrity endorsement or celebrity branding. Featuring celebrities in your marketing campaign can grab attention immediately and enhance a brand, and for that reason, it has always been a high-impact marketing tool.

Accessibility

Product accessibility should not be an afterthought. Some businesses want their products to appeal to a small niche; others to a large market. But no business wants customers to be unable to use their products at all. Accessibility enables the maximum number of potential users to engage with products, increasing the total addressable market and avoiding frustrated customers from getting tripped up on accessibility shortcomings.

Desirability

Desirability is an important level of user experience that measures how much a product or brand is wanted by a consumer. Sometimes, high desirability may be expressed through a premium. Increased prices may evoke desirability. It relates to taste and aesthetics. When a product or brand is desirable, users are attracted to it. The use of bright colours in a product package already demonstrates this. Desirability is important because it keeps users engaged at the beginning, attracting them to interact with the product and find its usefulness and usability features.

Reward systems

If you don’t already know that Nigerian consumers like to be rewarded for being loyal, then you probably should not be selling. A customer loyalty program is designed to incentivize repeat purchases by providing its members’ discounts, unique offers, VIP events, etc. Rewards can and do build customers’ loyalty, and can accelerate the loyalty life cycle. Nigerian consumers have a variety of options. So, when a customer returns to you more than once, you have the unique opportunity to build a lasting and genuine relationship. Reward systems are a good way to keep them.

Solve problems, not just sell

Selling is about solving customer problems, whether those are problems customers are currently facing, or problems they will face as their marketplace evolves and their needs change. If you are going to deliver high value to your customers, the first thing you need to do is to solve their problems. That is why the tech ecosystem keeps expanding in Nigeria. For instance, payment systems solve more problems than ever and continue to attract even the most unlikely of users. These techies don’t sell, they solve. Sometimes people are forthcoming about their problems, but many times it’s up to you to ask the right questions; the ones that will uncover what your prospect needs or where opportunities exist.

Unpredictability

Ultimately, Nigerian consumers are unpredictable. So, don’t go about saying you know all about the Nigerian consumer and be stuck in one place for a long time. If you ask what s/he considers when buying a product, the response usually leans towards product function followed by price and features. But, if you ask again, it may be social media, peers, celebrities, family influencing their decisions. You only need to stay in touch with Nigerian consumers so you are not left behind.