The bulk of the population in Nigeria is at the bottom of the pyramid in the other hand this is where literacy levels are lowest. Consumers in this group are reluctant to try products their neighbors have not certified. The challenge there is always to get the first few who are willing to test or taste your products and you start to see “word of mouth” do the rest of the job.
The challenge therefore is to get the critical mass of ” recommenders ” .
Using practical demonstrative approach to marketing is always the key. I take my learning regularly from the the young entrepreneur who takes his second hand clothing locally called ‘Okrika’ to the village market on market days and goes home with all his goods sold out.
Usually his two key advertising tools are ability to sway the shopper with his well crafted words , shouting over the market noise and his Bell, ringing this intermittently to disrupt the shopper on the journey through the market and further draw attention. Occasionally he turns himself into a mannequin and models the female dresses .
I learn so much from those traders in Nigerian open markets. They live and practice marketing daily.
Author: Iquo Ukoh
Entod Marketing Communications 