BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTER

SME BusinessLink Community Newsletter 08-15 August 2012

http://smebusinesslink.com

August 8, 2012Authored by: Phillip Chichoni

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BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTERSME BusinessLink Community Newsletter 08-15 August 2012

ContentsWHY NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO START YOUR BUSINESS.........................................3HARNESSING THE POWER OF INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO ACCELERATE YOUR

GROWTH-DVD AVAILABLE........................................................................................7NEW BOOST FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS CLUBERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.BUSINESSLINK PUBLICATIONS ON SPECIAL OFFER.................................................9THE IMPORTANCE OF STAFF TRAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.......10IS YOUR BUSINESS A GIVER OR A TAKER?...........................................................13UNLEASH THE HERO WITHIN..............................................................................14BRANDING STORY, SHOW DON’T TELL!..............................................................16FORTHCOMING EVENTS......................................................................................17CONTRIBUTE YOUR ARTICLES AND PROFILES TO BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTER......18BUSINESS PROFILES.........................................................................................19

This free weekly newsletter is sent to subscribers on the BusinessLink mailing list. If it has been sent to you in error, or you no longer wish to receive it, please reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line. To subscribe please visit our website or just send an email to marketing@smebusineslink.com with SUBSCRIBE on the subject line. Please pass on this newsletter to those in your network.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to grow your businessTo list your profile and / or advertise your products in this newsletter and on the BusinessLink

Community website, please see the back page.

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Let’s grow the BusinessLink Community togetherPlease send me your thoughts and feedback by

email or post your comments at www.facebook/smebusinesslink or on our website. Invite your friends and contacts to subscribe to the free newsletter and also participate in our activities and accelerate each one’s growth! Best wishes in 2012.

Phillip Chichoni –PublisherCopyright © 2012 Admiral Business Systems (Pvt) Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Why now is a great time to start your business

By Phillip Chichoni

Mary decided to start a business earlier this year. With a capital of $10,000 that she got from her husband she went to China to order her initial stocks, consisting of family clothing, shoes, domestic electrical goods and some cosmetics. She knew these were fast moving products as she had seen her friends selling good quantities daily at the Avondale flea market. If all goes well, she thought, I will double my

investment in a couple of months, as Jennifer her closest friend said she had done.When I met Mary at a business event recently, I asked her about how the business

was doing. First she told me her story and the frustrations she has faced so far, especially due to the current liquidity crunch which has hit consumers and is resulting in dramatic dropping in sales. She wanted to know my thoughts about the current recession, if was going to end soon before many small businesses collapsed. Her biggest desire was to find a faster way of making money; some product that she can supply and sell faster than her current slow moving products. She said she was otherwise regretting going into the flooded clothing market.

Mary’s scenario is the moment of truth that many entrepreneurs are facing in this environment, marked by low cash flows and reduced consumer spending. These are typical manifestations of a serious recession. The rest of the world has been experiencing it since the financial markets collapse of 2008. Before that there was one in the early 80s; prior to that there were serious economic slumps in the 1920s to 30s, 1950s and 1970s.

But the history of entrepreneurship around the world is flowered with success stories during serious recessions.

Motorola was started in 1928, a year before the great depression began. Disney was founded in 1923 Hewlett-Packard started in 1939. One of their first customers was Disney

Studios. Xerox began in 1906 during the post World War I recession. Ryder was founded in 1933.

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Revlon began beautifying women in 1932 with opaque long lasting nail enamel. Converse was founded in 1908 during the Banker's Crash that started in 1907. Interstate Bakeries (makers of Twinkies) began in 1933. Sports Illustrated began in 1954 at the tail end of a recession. More recent examples include FedEx and Microsoft - both founded during the

Stagflation of the 70s. CNN, USA Today, and MTV all started in the economic slump of the early 80's

Wikipedia was born during the post 9/11 recession. Econet was started in Zimbabwe in 1998 in the midst of serious foreign currency

shortages and fierce resistance from the authorities.

These notable companies became great successes. But that doesn’t mean there were no failures. There were thousands of companies that were started but failed to make it past the infancy stage or to make a significant impact on the market. The difference between success and failure is not necessarily a matter of timing.

Times of recession are both a renewal and a restructuring of the economy, which present great opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs see opportunities among problemsSuccessful entrepreneurs solve problems. What do you do when you face a

problem? You look for solutions. When you have a headache you look for painkillers. Successful entrepreneurs create painkillers for other people’s headaches. The bigger the problem you solve, and the more people it affects, the more money you will make.

Mary’s problem, as she admitted, is that she followed what she thought was an opportunity, when in fact the opportunity had already passed. Any market that has many players and has little barriers to entry is not an opportunity; it is a commodity market. Commodity markets are notorious for product flooding, low margins and price cutting as supply is greater than demand and customers easily shift to the lowest price supplier.

To succeed, you have to ask yourself if the business you want to start presents a real and profitable opportunity. What consumer problem does it solve and how many people are affected?

Take time and think. Research the market. Study your competitors. Sometimes great opportunities present themselves without too much thinking. For example one mother in America, Nicolle Donnelly, was having a problem with her daughter’s diapers. The baby was having a recurring rash and it needed fresh air to heal. But she also wanted to keep her baby warm. In a moment of inspiration, she snipped the feet off of a pair of socks and fitted her daughter from hip to ankle with these new "leg warmers." They not only kept her daughter warm, but also made diaper changing and potty training easier, and protected her soft knees while crawling.

Soon, she was selling them to other mothers out of the back of the diaper bag. Baby Legs was born. By the time baby Sarah started kindergarten, Baby Legs had grown to be a multi-million dollar international business. (Source: www.cbsnews.com)

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The best businesses make a meaningful differenceIn good times and in bad, the best companies are those that deliver the best value to

their customers. As Peter Drucker in The Effective Executive admonishes, replace the quest for success with the quest for contribution. The critical question, he says, is not, "How can I achieve?" but "What can I contribute?"

Most of us started small businesses to make a living, maybe after losing a job, failing to find employment or not being satisfied with the low salaries being paid by our employers. As a result we were more interested in making a living rather than making a difference. To really succeed in business, we need to shift our way of thinking.

When I started my business consultancy and training service firm, (Admiral Business Systems) I thought business owners would rush to benefit from the knowledge I offered to improve their businesses. After two years I discovered that my approach was not working so I changed it. Instead of telling customers how good my services were, I began focusing on how I could help them solve serious problems they were facing and contribute to their business growth: like how to get their loan applications to succeed, how to get more customers and how to become tax compliant and get tax clearance. These were tangible benefits, which made meaningful differences to their business. The growing number of new customers proved that this was the better approach. The customer does not care about your skills or qualifications, all he cares about is his urgent problem and how it can be solved. So focus on making a contribution.

They never play aloneArsenal football club player, Dutchman Robin van Persie, is one of the best strikers in

world. Last season he scored 30 goals to become the highest scorer in the English Premier League. Not only did he score, but he provided nine assists- direct passes which led to another player scoring- more than any other top ten scorers except Emmanuel Adebayor, who had 17 goals and 11 assists.

A business, like soccer, is a team sport. Even if it doesn't include employees, it requires other team members such as customers, suppliers, vendors, sales and marketing people, bankers, accountants, lawyers, mentors, advisors, community organizations, etc. These are people who you have to play with in order to win. You will never win if you go it alone. Find people who can help you grow your business and work with them. Bottom line is that winning businesses have winning teams. Success is, in large part, a result of the quality and quantity of relationships.

So, as you get started on your new business, remember these tips.

What have you found to be the most important factors to your business success and growth? Let’s discuss. Post your comment at our website or on the SME BusinessLink page on Facebook, or send me an email: chichonip@smebusinesslink.com. Don’t forget there are always new business resources you can read or download at our website http://smebusinesslink.com.

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Need a Shelf Company or New Company Registered or want Tax Clearance Fast?Call Phillip Chichoni now on

0777 774 007Find out about our easy payment plan for new companies today!

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Harnessing the power of Internet and social media to accelerate your growth-DVD available

If you missed the breakfast meeting in July and wish to benefit from the presentation, you may get the DVD for only $5.00.

The DVD is available at Crayseal Trading, 5th Floor, Hungwe House, Jason Moyo Street, between 1st and 2nd Street, Harare. Ask for Lloyd.

Forthcoming events: Wednesday 22 August, 2012: BusinessLink Essential Finance for Business

Owners workshop. Accurate costing, price determination and business risk and profitability analysis.

Thursday 23 August, 2012: BusinessLink Inbound Marketing Half-day seminar. Holiday Inn Harare. How to make use of internet, websites, blogs, social networks and viral marketing to accelerate your growth.

Friday 24 August, 2012: BusinessLink Networking Breakfast Meeting, with Mr. Sebastian Zuze, Quality Assurance Director at the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, talking about “How Standards Achieve Sustainable SME Development”. SAZ’s mission is “to increase the competitiveness of Zimbabwean industries while protecting the welfare of communities. The Quality Management Systems which they run are a game changer for the SMEs both in terms of Quality and price of their products. Don’t miss it.

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Will the real young entrepreneurs please stand up

By the BusinessLink teamFree Club membership to the most exciting potential entrepreneurs and an

invitation to the induction function on Saturday 22 September 2012.The concept of true entrepreneurship seems to be at a very low level in Zimbabwe.

Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur or "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response to a perceived opportunity. The most obvious form of entrepreneurship is that of starting new businesses (referred as Startup Company); however, in recent years, the term has been extended to include social and political forms of entrepreneurial activity.

What we are seeing in Zimbabwe is not entrepreneurship in the true sense. We are seeing lots of me-too businesses, with very little innovation or business acumen. Starting and running a small business, which the majority of the population is engaged in due to high unemployment levels, is not entrepreneurship. But that doesn’t mean that there is no entrepreneurial spirit in Zimbabwe. We at Businesslink believe there is abundant entrepreneurship in the country but it is not being germinated.

At BusinessLink we want to be a catalyst for true entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe. Especially among young people do we think we can discover and nurture great potential that can fosters changes in the business, economic and social environment.

To this end, we want to boost participation in the Young Entrepreneurs Club by giving free membership to young people with great desire to be true entrepreneurs. They must first

develop the entrepreneurial mindset, which encompasses:

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Business Plans that workCall Phillip Chichoni on 0777 774 007 or email

chichonip@smebusinesslink.com

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Innovation: creating new things, new ways of doing things and new combinations Resourcefulness: the ability to use available resources to produce products that can be

sold at a profit Responsible: accepting full responsibility for the outcome of their thoughts and actions. Business acumen: willing to learn and practice proper business management and

acquire skills they need to develop successful ventures Need achievement: being a person who is not happy with mediocrity but one who wants

to achieve greatness Risk taker: willing and able to take calculated risks in order to grow the business and not

afraid of failureIf you are under 35, whether in high school, college, self employed or unemployed, this is

your chance to find out if entrepreneurship is for you. Read more about the Club at our website (http://smebusinesslink.com/young-

entrepreneurs-club/). If you think this is for you, then complete the application form and submit it online. If we are satisfied with your submission, we will invite you to the induction function to be held in Harare on Saturday 22 September 2012.

BusinessLink publications on special offer

Between now and 24 August, you can get the following publications at half price:

Business Planning Simplified handbook $18 special $9 The Entrepreneurs’ Guide to Starting a Business in Zimbabwe $7 special $4 High Impact Low Cost Marketing Strategies for SMEs $8 special $4

Developing a 3 step strategic plan to grow your business $12 special $6

BusinessLink Starter Pack CD- containing the 4 books on PDF $9 special $4

Seminar DVDs: Accelerate your growth in 2012 $10 special $5

Breakfast meeting DVD: Harnessing the power of Internet and social media to accelerate your growth special $3

Get these publications and DVDs at Crayseal Trading, 5th Floor Hungwe House, Jason Moyo Avenue, btwn First and Second Street Harare.

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If you are out of Harare please call us on 0777 774 007 to arrange delivery.

The importance of Staff Training and Organizational Development

By Buhle TaodzeraIn our lean economy, many organizations tend to not place staff training and

development as a priority in the budget. Most companies have not yet realized the benefits that accrue to the company by having well trained and motivated staff. In this article, the advantages of staff training and development will be discussed.

Competent Staff: In the entrepreneurial environment existing in Zimbabwe, there are almost always several players in a particular industry. Therefore, to have a competitive advantage over your competitors, your company needs to establish itself as a cutting edge leader in the products or services that it provides, your staff team will need to represent their company with a competency and an efficiency that spells excellence and that is right up there on the level that your management team expects. In order to achieve this, you have to carefully select the people that work in your company, train them to the highest level possible and empower them to strive at a competitive level. You need quick thinkers, that are committed, enthusiastic and that have initiative. Motivated staff is one of the most universally challenging human resource issues in any company.

Job Interview Limitations: “At his job interview, John really impressed the panel with his easy going, confident personality. He showed a great deal of knowledge about the industry and frankly, he seemed like an individual who would fit right into our system and have a positive impact in the sales department. Three months down the line, he has not brought a single sale into the company and seems to struggle with basic administrative tasks.” Disappointed Supervisor

As a manager, you may be familiar with this scenario where the candidate fails to deliver on the expectations he/she raised during the job interview. Although the employment interview process is supposed to filter out deadbeats and

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Have you enjoyed or benefitted from any of the

BusinessLink publications or events?

Please post your comments on Facebook

(search for SME Businesslink).

5 winners will get free to the next Networking

breakfast meeting on 24 August, 2012.

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leave you with the best person for the job, things do not always work out that way. Very often, an individual interviews extremely well but for all intents and purposes proves to be quite unprepared when it comes to actually doing the job. Also, most potential candidates are experienced in the art of making a good impression. Some have gone for so many interviews; they know the questions you will ask and the ideal response! This is why it is extremely important that you have an internal training program and that each and every one of your staff members be trained to do the job that you have hired them to do.

Establishing Corporate Culture: When it comes to corporate culture, the more driven and ambitious your company is, the more likely that management will strive to establish an attitude amongst staff that strongly lines up with their vision. It is of key importance that employees are aligned to the overall objectives of the company. This prevents everyone working for individual and sometimes conflicting objectives. Internal Training Sessions are the company’s opportunity to impart established corporate values into those that work for and will represent the company. As a manager, you may feel that you are not fully equipped to spearhead such a program in your organization. You can contact one of the many HR Training and Development Consultants who specialize in training and equipping managers to fulfill this role in their respective organizations and companies.

Regular Training Seminars: Staff training should take place on a regular basis. If you are consistent with providing continual training, your employees will very soon grow to expect it and they will develop the value of wanting to reach for higher goals and to strive beyond their current position. By providing regular training opportunities you will offer your staff chances for growth and opportunities to move forward in their careers. Employees that feel empowered to grow in their careers and that are encouraged to look forward to promotion tend to be much more motivated. In contrast to those that feel that they are stuck in dead-end positions. If you are hoping for excellence among your staff, do not allow them to grow stagnant. You will very quickly find that through providing training and growth opportunities your most driven members of staff will naturally rise to the forefront.

Who to Train: Some of the training courses in your organization should be compulsory. Others should be optional and only for those that are directly involved and motivated to grow. When it comes to training on corporate culture, accepted standards and company values, all staff should be required to attend. Training sessions that involve training on corporate culture and corporate values will obviously be in-house affairs. However more specialized skills training will often need to be done by another organization. It is important that management keep their eye open for training opportunities, conferences and workshops for staff to attend outside of the company as well as internally. This will keep your company competitive. It will also help you know your competition, as they too will be participating in workshops and conferences.

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Hiring from Within the Organization: When strategizing the growth of your company and making changes to the organization of the company, it is important to hire and to promote from within your organization whenever possible. Staff in entry level positions should be able to see others in the company moving through the ranks. They must be able to believe that they too can achieve in the same way as they are seeing others achieve. This is another reason why internal training is so important. From a management perspective, promoting from within is the most economic way for your organization to hire people. Not only will you get a return on all that you have invested in that employee up to that point, but their transition into their new position will be much smoother than introducing an outsider. This is simply because an existing employee will already know the organization, be familiar with standards and procedures and will have a better understanding of how their new job fits into the larger picture of the company. This prevents you from having to start training from scratch and also saves on the training budget.

Increasing Staff Morale: For training to be effective, it has to be planned properly. Haphazard training where employees or managers just sign up for courses without a specific training plan is just a waste of resources. Training sessions should be tailored to the job itself and the employee’s strong and weak points within that job.

Also, training should not end with the training session. Employees need to see the tangible value of attending training sessions. This can be done by promoting. Good managers train their subordinates to take over their jobs eventually. Promoting from within not only improves the morale of the person promoted but it also increases the morale of all staff that witnesses the promotion as well. Increased staff morale may not be considered a tangible by management but without a doubt it is of extremely high importance. It affects everything when it comes to the way in which your staff team performs for the company.

In conclusion, while training and development may put a dent in your budget and cash flows and may not always show immediate results, it is an investment worth making for the growth of your company.

The author, Buhle Taodzera is the Managing Consultant of All About People HR & Recruitment Consultants. For feedback on this article or any other queries, please contact her on appconsultant@gmail.com or 0773 974 669.

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Is your business a giver or a taker? By Brendan and Sally Palmer

Is your business giving you what you want OR is it taking what you want? (Time? Money? Freedom?)As my connection I wanted to let you know our BIG news because what we have done is destined to be included as a part of the success story of every business and business leader that learns what we share...Sally (my wife and "the Boss") and I have just finished filming our video training

program that shares and teaches a combination of the world’s best openly kept "secrets" on how to achieve true success in business and life.

For the last 12 months, we have been completely and utterly focussed on intensively researching what makes people successful in business and in life with the intention of producing a product that is easy to follow, provides valuable information, impacts people’s lives and makes sense to normal people like you and I.

We have now done it and it is ready for the world! To make sure that what we share in our program, called "The Sabre Success Plan", is valuable to you we have three FREE videos that you can watch online to test if you like our style and content. The free videos will help you define exactly where you are going in life and in business, show you

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how you are going to get there and help you identify and overcome the obstacles that you will face on your journey to success.

If you are interested in learning more, simply sign up to receive the 3 FREE videos at www.sabrebusinessworld.com/sabre-success-plan-home

Do not be discouraged from watching the videos because they are free, our intention is to provide you with a "taster" or a test drive if you like. If you were going to buy a car (which is something that will change your life) you expect to take it for a test drive first, right? Well that is what this is, and with this program you get to take a test drive to wherever you care to imagine.

Enjoy and we hope to see you in the videos.Website www.sabrebusinessworld.com, Phone +263 772 354 840http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabre-Business-World/215174481874896www.twitter.com/sabrebusinessw, www.youtube.com/sabrealive Subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.sabrebusinessworld.com

Unleash the Hero WithinBy Milton Kamwendo

Inside every struggling person there is a great hero and winner struggling to be unleashed. Inside every struggling organisation there is a global business struggling to get out and be celebrated. Heroism is everywhere and abundant. It is a state of mind and of heart. It is a commitment to some worthy ideal regardless of the available and enticing rewards. There is a hero inside all of us, just waiting to be awakened. For centuries the postage stamp has always held mystery and legend. The whole world of philately still struggles on today under the assault of social media and electronic mail. I also used to collect stamps and what wonder and marvel they were. Cursed be email for destroying the magic world of stamps and slaying philately. The value of a stamp is in its ability to stick to an envelope until it reaches the letter’s destination. To me this is true

heroism - sticking to a goal until one reaches their desired destination. A Magnificent Obsession

Skin deep commitments never yield any heroism. Greatness starts when we crystallize our goals and turn them into a magnificent obsessions. Until your goal absorbs you, you

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will never pursue it with all you have got. Half-hearted efforts never yield any premium. Until there is commitment, all there is cheap talk, clever arguments and soul-less debate. There are no half-hearted champions in any field that is worth pursuing. For you to be a hero you have to sleep your goal, wake up hugging your goal, dream your goal, and see your goal all the time, eat your goal, walk your goal, pursue your goal and talk your goals - it must be an obsession you are willing to embrace and breathe all the time. Is this some form of insanity? Yes, there is no person who would ever achieve anything worthwhile without taking some insane action and having some insane and radical focus. Lukewarm commitments never yielded any stellar achievements.

Relentless ActionIt is easy to take action when it suits us and when it is comfortable to do so. Easy convenience is not a cousin of greatness. True greatness is revealed when the stakes are high and you dare take action relentlessly when you would rather quit. Quitting is easy and most people do. Giving up is easy, and most people do. The true hero is one who can stick to the knitting against all odds. Who can take action despite the sting of opposition? The key to greatness is action, relentless action, undying action. Without action there is nothing else. Behold the mighty tortoise who makes progress when he sticks out his head out of his shell.

Calvin Coolidge was full of insights into the anatomy of heroism when he wrote: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

There is no silver bullet to heroism except persistence: stick-to-itivenss. Certificates, impressions, history, pedigree and anything else we may dare parade can never take the place of persistence and relentless action.

Talk Your WayThe victory is in your words. You never get to the palace talking like a slave, and you never achieve heroism talking like a victim. Greatness is in your mouth. How you talk determines what you become. Losers talk like losers, Winners talk like winners. To change your exploits, change your dialogue and words.

For the hero it is not so important the words one says to others but what one say to oneself. As you speak so you become.

Be a FighterThomas Watson Jr., the founder of IBM once said: “Make no little enemies - people with whom you differ for some petty, insignificant personal reason. Instead, I would urge you to cultivate “mighty opposites” - people with whom you disagree on big issues, with who you will fight to the end over fundamental convictions. And that fight, I can assure you, will be good for you and your opponent.” There is no heroism without some worthy fight

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and obstacle to overcome. It takes character to choose a fight and it takes character to fight on to the win. Many people would rather scamper than stand and fight.

Take massive action and pursue your goals until they are begging for mercy. Greatness is your portion and heroism is your lot.

Committed to your greatness. Milton Kamwendo

Branding Story, Show Don’t Tell!

By Max SoutterJust because you say it, doesn’t mean I believe it. In

fact sometimes, the more you say it, the less I believe it – all the more if your competitors are saying the same thing. You’re in business to make money, I expect you to say “highest quality”, “superior service”, “Most affordable”.

BUT how do I know you’re telling the truth?Listen Bob, this is where Small Medium Enterprises

(and some big companies) fail in their marketing. They assume that marketing is about saying “I’m the best” and hoping people believe it. Sure, if you’ve got massive credibility you can get away with that sometimes, but not for long.

So what to do instead?Show, don’t tell.Don’t tell me that your biscuits are of the highest quality; SHOW me a picture of the

Queen of England having them for her morning tea!Don’t tell me your product is the strongest on the planet, throw it off a high building

and show me it didn’t break!

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Don’t tell me you’re a hot babe, put on a mini skirt and a tight fitting top and walk slowly past me. Do that and I’ll tell myself that you’re hot (or not)!

And that last line right there – that’s the real secret to massive credibility in marketing. It’s not about what you say; it about what you can get me to say to myself about you, because of what you’re saying (read that again).

And credibility? What’s that for? Credibility means I believe you. I trust you. I believe that your product/ service can do for me what you say it can, is worth the amount you say it is and is better when I buy it from you, instead of your competitor.

Credibility (not just money) is the real difference between SMEs and Big Name Companies. Small Medium Enterprises in Zimbabwe (and everywhere) are throwing away the few pennies they have trying to tell the market. Big businesses got big, because they figured out a way to show, not just tell.

Showing is about telling a story. Telling is about reciting a few facts, which may or may not be true.

By the way, I’m available for hire again as a consultant. Want someone to come in and up the credibility, influence and profitability of your marketing? Let me come do it for you. Get in touch by email to maxsoutter@gmail.com. You can also contact Max Soutter directly on 0778 512 405.

 Forthcoming events :

BusinessLink Essential Finance for Business OwnersDate: Wednesday 22 August, 2012Time: 0830-1630Venue: To be confirmedPRODUCT COSTING AND PRICING-COURSE CONTENT1. Product and service costing and pricing of same

Cost elements- Direct, indirect and overheads costs Importance of distinguishing variable costs and fixed costs Margin and markup to arrive at selling price Elements of competitive strategies: Cost leadership or differentiation focus

2. Break even considerations(Cost, volume, profit relations) Basic elements of breakeven calculation Price sensitivity to volumes considerations Business risk aspects Price settings given certain broad market conditions and expected profit

Facilitators: Joyce Tanga Shumba (Chartered Accountant –Zimbabwe) Founder of Tanga

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Shumba & Associates Phillip Chichoni (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators-

Zimbabwe) Founder of SME BusinessLinkFee: $45 (BusinessLink Gold Club subscribers $30) Covers course tuition, materials,

handouts, teas, lunches and refreshments.Booking: Please call Christine on 0772 854 301 or email marketing@smebusinesslink.com .

Please book early so we can adequately prepare the logistics.

BusinessLink Inbound Marketing Half-day seminar

Date: Friday 24 August, 2012Time: 0830-1300Venue: Holiday Inn, HarareOBJECTIVE OF THE SEMINAR: To equip business owners with knowledge, skills and

ideas to implement Inbound and Social Media marketing strategies that will accelerate their business growth.

AFTER THE SEMINAR: Participants will know all the basics about the internet, websites, social media and how to use available tools to in their marketing strategies in interacting with customers, getting more customers and creating viral marketing campaigns that will positively impact on the bottom line.

SEMINAR CONTENT1. Introduction to the internet2. How internet has changed the way business is done in the past two decades3. How the internet is being used in marketing4. Introduction to social media5. Why social media marketing is the new frontier for SME entrepreneurs6. How to map and implement a successful social media marketing strategy and

make customers find you at a low cost7. Case studies: How entrepreneurs are successfully utilizing Social Media to grow

their businesses around the world8. Internet business ideas you can implement on a shoestring budget9. Practical exercises: How to set up a free blog and become known as the expert

in your industry- a step by step guide10. Viral marketing- how to create a buzz for your brand and get rapid results

Facilitators: William Makava (Inbound Marketing expert) Founder of over five online

businesses Phillip Chichoni (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators-

http://smebusinesslink.com

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Zimbabwe) Founder of SME BusinessLinkFee: $65 (BusinessLink Gold Club subscribers $35) Covers course tuition, materials,

handouts, teas, lunches and refreshments.Booking: Please call Christine on 0772 854 301 or email marketing@smebusinesslink.com .

Please book early so we can adequately prepare the logistics.

Business Profiles

http://smebusinesslink.com

Contribute your articles and profiles to BusinessLink Newsletter

Expand your reach, get other entrepreneurs to know about your business and your products or services and you will start accelerating your growth.

Email your articles, profiles and pictures to chichonip@smebusinesslink.com.

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http://smebusinesslink.com

Safes and Equipment (Pvt) Ltd is a Zimbabwean steel fabrication and manufacturing company with a vision to be the best in quality, value and customer and customer satisfaction in Zimbabwe.

Our mission is to continuously grow our offerings of high quality products and services with total customer responsiveness. We specialize in the following:High Risk Security Products

Catering Equipment Hydraulic Equipment

Pioneer Safes: for security of record against fire

Explosive Resistant Safes

Treasury Office Safe

Strong Room doors: Fire & burglar resisting strong room doors.Service and repairs to all types of safes, Safe removals & Key cutting

Industrial stoves Chip fryers Bread ovens Oven racks Stainless steel tables Oil jacketed pots Mincer machines

We also provide repair and maintenance for the above range of products.

We supply, repair and service the following equipment: Tilting Rams Tilting Pumps Cylinder Rams Hydraulic Pipes and

Fittings Steering Boxes Steering Pumps Trolley Jacks Bottle Jacks Pallet Lifters

Contact us at Factory No.10, Isafil Industrial Complex, 667 Seke Road,Hatfield Harare. Our contact numbers are: 04-2933391/ 2933392Cell: 0772 403 827, 0712 400 534, 0733 377 915

Email: safesequip@yahoo.com

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http://smebusinesslink.com