Have you ever thought about how you can make sure that your customers in far and wide places get your products, but never seem to hit the nail on the head on how that is possible?
You should be getting your notepad and pencil out to jot down some notes on the right channels that you can use to nail that customer!
First off, what is a channel?
A channel is a network that is used to reach a customer, be it a physical or non-physical means. Some examples are; a retail store, a website, an email, a text message, a letter, or even a magazine! (Yes, surprised right?!?!)
For an SME, an entrepreneur can explore a lot of channels to reach a customer, but can effectively use some channels to reach a customer especially in the early ages of their enterprise which are;
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Wholesale/Retail stores: This is a channel we all know of, where a customer walks into a shop to inquire or purchase something. This is the most effective channel for an SME because they have personal contact with the customer, helping them to form a relationship with the customer. However, this does not work for all SME’s due to the nature of the things they sell.
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Website: This channel can be used for marketing products and services. An example we have in Ghana is Jumia. With a website, the customer does not have any personal contact with the business owner, but they are able to transact perfectly online.
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Social Media: This channel is quite new in Ghana, where customers find out about a business through different online platforms. With the world changing to digital, it is best to have some form of social media presence as an entrepreneur to target your market. Some social media channels you can explore are Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Twitter.
So, after reading this, there are some questions you need to ask and evaluate your SME on. Which channel am I currently using to market my brand? Is that the best channel I can use? Can I use another channel to reach a wide forum of customers?
Thinking of the best channel to use? Download the OZÈ app today and talk to your personal coach on the best channel to use to capture your customers and grow your business.