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Sunday, May 31, 2009

PLANNING AN EFFECTIVE PRESS CONFERENCE IN (LAGOS, ABUJA, ETC) NIGERIA


A press conference provides an opportunity to get coverage for your products or services on television, radio and in the papers in Nigeria. However, in order to be successful, press conferences must be well-organized and present newsworthy information.
Just to clarify, advertising is the paid promotion of goods and services. Advertising is an outlet for your creative message. Advertising is about reaching consumers. While reaching consumers is important, the message that’s delivered to those consumers is what makes them wish to do business with you instead of your competition. A good press conference will guarantee that with style.
Advertising is reaching consumers. Marketing is communicating with consumers. We shouldn’t be having conversations about just how to reach searchers and serve ads to them. Instead, we should be having conversations about how to connect with consumers once they have seen the advertisements.
A press conference provides that platform for you to be interviewed about your products or services, an avenue for you to share the uniqueness of your product or services. A press conference launches you into the media and limelight in a short because it put a face behind the brand. People tends to trust a brand that has faces behind it.

Here are some factors to consider when planning a Press Conference in Nigeria

Make News:
You will need to provide new and interesting information at your press conference. You should talk about how you intend to impact the community with your product or services. Let it look like you’ve already identified some problems, what do you intend to do about it and what expanding solutions are you adopting.

Location:
Your location should be easy for the media to access. You should think about the backdrop for television cameras—and about potential weather concerns if you are considering using an outside location. The backdrop will also serve as extra publicity for you because it will likely stay for the duration of any speech.

Timing:
Timing is very important for press conferences. Make sure that there are no other events happening at the time of your event. Is the President or Governor giving a big speech? Is there a protest planned that day? The best days of the week for coverage are Tuesday through Thursday. Press conferences work best in the mornings and early afternoons so that reporters can meet their deadlines.

Breaking news:
You can have the best-organized press event in the world – and something major can happen and your story won't get covered as everyone rushes to cover this other "breaking" news. Don't get discouraged if this happens. Try to reschedule your event or reach out to journalists on a one-on-one basis to generate a few stories in the days to come.

Program, Publicity and Logistics you will have to Consider
Inviting an audience:
In order to attract an audience for your press conference, you will need to get your partner organizations (Media Agency in Charge of your Advertising Campaign) to mail or email details about the event to their membership lists and encourage them to attend. You can also consider inviting potential clientele to your press conference.

Inviting policymakers:
If you want to invite local policymakers to attend or speak at your press conference, you should send them an invitation as early as possible. You should follow-up with a phone call.

Inviting media:
To invite media to your press conference, you should contact local journalists who are interested in advertising news, business and political and statehouse reporters. Make sure your media list includes television, radio and print reporters. You should send them a media advisory a few days before the event and then follow-up with a phone call.

Set-up:
The set-up for a press conference should include a podium and a microphone for the speakers to use when delivering their comments. Depending on your venue, you can provide chairs for the audience or they can stand. If your press conference is indoors, remember to leave space for television cameras at the back of the room.

Sign in:
You should have a sign-in table where you can welcome the media and have them fill out a sign-in sheet with their information. This sheet will help you track which media outlets are attending your event.

Visuals:
You should consider the visual impact of your event—especially for television cameras. You may want to display a banner behind the speakers with your organization's name on it, or put a sign on the front of the podium. In addition, you may want your audience to reflect your issue

Press kit:
You should put together a press kit to hand out to media at your press conference. Contents of this press kit could include fact sheets, a press release and other background material on your issue.

Media:
Expect television cameras to arrive up to half an hour early for your press conference to get their equipment set up. In addition, you may want to find a quiet space where outlets can interview individuals separately after the event.

Moderator:
You should select a moderator for your press conference that can introduce the speakers and facilitate Questions & Answers with reporters.

Speakers:
You should select no more than three people to speak at the press conference. Each of these speakers should have a specific topic to cover—and should have prepared talking points before the event. Other people can be present to answer questions after the press conference.

Agenda:
Begin your press conference on time. The moderator should introduce the speakers and then each speaker should talk for no more than 5 minutes. If you invite a policymaker to speak, they should be allowed 5 minutes as well. The moderator should then facilitate a short Question & Answer session with journalists.

Practice:
It is a good idea to have a "dress rehearsal" the day before your press conference to make sure the speakers are ready for the event.

If you need help in Planning an effective press conference in Nigeria. Please contact us for support and all the help you might need. Our contact detail is at the top of this page.

Monday, May 25, 2009

WAYS OF INTRODUCING YOUR PRODUCT TO THE (LAGOS) NIGERIAN MARKET


Introducing your product into the Nigerian market requires exceptional product knowledge, creativity, imagination, persistence and energy. Now, in some cases, your "product" may be you!
Do you have a product or services you want to sell? Are you about getting a franchise for a fast moving product abroad and you want to introduce it into the Nigerian market as soon as you finalize all your plans? Are you about starting a production or service company of your own? These steps will guide you in some basic steps you need to take, and if you take these steps you might be able get your product into the Nigerian market in record time.

Create a Marketing Plan
An excellent marketing plan is essential and serves as the blueprint for your business success. Begin by confirming that there is in fact ... a market for your product.
Many overlook this and end up making one of the most expensive mistakes of their lives. If there is a market for your product, get the most recent market synopsis for your business.
Do your research online and at your local library or bookstore. There is a excess of information and literature available to help you succeed. Speak to individuals who operate businesses like yours, or call people in Nigeria that have done it before (We can also help you with information).
Next, do your homework. Write down your specific goals, objectives, and desired outcome for your business. After you've done this, you're ready to create your marketing plan. Be sure to include your:
• Product description
• Target market
• Customer demographics
• Price
• Competition
• Promotion
• Advertising
• Profit percentage
• Product Guarantee
• Product/liability Insurance
• Budget
(We can also help you to create a marketing plan)

Set a Launch Date
What is the exact date your product goes on a shelf, in a rack, in front of an audience, or online? Write it down.
Your launch date not only gives you something to aim at, it helps keep you accountable. Your Launch Date is considered your debut, or grand opening. It is the day your customers line up for the first time to be the first in line to buy your product.
The launch date is typically set far enough ahead for a full-steam ahead marketing effort. Setting a launch date six months in advance is the minimum I would suggest for a strong marketing campaign. Anything less would compromise your efforts and results. Six or more months out increases the likelihood for great previews, reviews, blurbs and other publicity mediums. And be sure to arrange press interviews and personal appearances with radio and television stations. (Click here to read more about brand launch in Nigeria)

Work With a Brand Agency or Small Group
Everyone can benefit from the guidance and support while putting their product on market. A brand agency or a business support group can help you reach your destination. You can't help but benefit from the shared experience and knowledge of others.
These resources can also help you hold yourself accountable for reaching your daily goals and objectives. The primary goals include helping you grow, and stay in business. You can meet once a week, once a month, or even once a quarter. It's up to you.

Take Action Every Day
This tactic requires discipline and is one you cannot afford to overlook. You must do something everyday which moves you closer to putting your product on the market.
Be sure you are advertising and utilizing both online and offline resources to do so. Go out and network and establish business relationships in Nigeria.
Join trade association if you can. Approach your niche market everyday with the intent to advance.
Be creative, daring and tenacious. Pick up the phone and tell the people about you and how your product can change their lives for the better.

Run Publicity Campaigns
You might also consider running some form of publicity, but that is really depending on your budget. You can also have an advertising budget. However, your budget doesn’t have to be so much. You can be strategic in your advertising campaign and you will not have to sp spend so much. For example, not every business need to go the TV media, you might just need to have a few billboards in Nigeria, and all you need might just be few fliers in the area you are concentrating your product. The product you are introducing determines the kind of publicity you need to throw. You can contact us for more of advertising in Nigeria or just read my later articles.


Sell, Sell, Sell!
Sell, sell, sell. But not without a specific strategy.
Depending on your product and respective marketing plan, you may want to focus selling to individuals first, then small businesses. As you reach your goals, you are more than likely to open up to retail or wholesale. Business-to-business selling is fundamental in the success of many products.
Illustrate the low cost and benefits of your product. Break down the price to its smallest increment and make the benefit clear. For example, "Enjoy delicious, high quality, hot bugger delivered to your home for less than N600.00 a day."

Monday, May 18, 2009

4 Ways You Can Boost Sales in Your Business in (Lagos) Nigeria



The complaint of most business owners in Nigeria is that “Business is not moving well as before”. This is a major concern to so many small scale businesses and corporate organizations. These four proven ways will help you focus on some things you have probably ignored in your business. Whether you operate a service business, retail shop, wholesale service or online business, this article can give your company an edge.

Educate Your Customers about your business
There is value in education, especially when it comes to sales. You can educate your customers about the different services you render by using business brochure, or by offering articles related to your products and services inform of a newsletter. For example, if you own a dry-cleaning business, you can publish an article on the dangers of chemicals in many cleaning solutions and the effects on the body. However, let your articles be based on facts and not fictions. To compliment this effort, make sure your marketing efforts highlight the fact that you use safe solutions that are not harmful to their body.

Educate Your Employees about your Vision

So many businesses have closed down because the staffs do not understand the vision of the owner of the business. The staffs need to understand the vision and mission of the business especially those that deal directly with your customers. Multinationals and local organization spends so much money education their staffs about customer service and ways their staffs can treat customer better. Trainings are excellent way to train your sales team. Educate your staff on business policies or improve customer service. Let your staff know that “Customer is King, even when the customer is wrong”.

Run Advertising Campaign

Having a business and not telling customers about it, is like putting on a light and hiding it under a stool. Running advertising campaign is very fundamental to the growth of any business. Running a campaign does not necessarily means you have so much money to spend; you can run strategic campaign that would not cost you so much. I will not advice a local food restaurant for example to spend money on a TV commercial, because it is going to be a waste of resources that can be put to more effective use. I will rather suggest campaign fliers (handbills) to the local community where the restaurant is located. In the fliers, we will educate people on what will be gained, if they decide to stop to eat at the restaurant.

Run Sales Promotions

Sometimes, you don’t even need to spend money on publicity. I once advice a lady who runs a local gift shop to spend the money she intend to use on advertising campaign to buy extra bonus gift for her present customers. She did just that and her customer base increased by 300% in 6 months. You will ask how? Her present customers she gave free gift told the whole community about her store, and that is the power of “Word of Mouth (WOM)”. WOM has proven to be the most effective form of advertising campaign in the history of man, because most people that buys a product, mostly do by recommendation. So, run sales promotion today because people love FREE gift, and your gift bonuses will go a long way to make ways for you.

Friday, May 15, 2009

PRODUCT LAUNCH STRATEGY IN (LAGOS) NIGERIA


Planning a product launch in Nigeria can be one of the best ways of informing consumers about your new product or services. Lots of people don’t know the benefits of a brand launch, but I will just list a few…

- A good product launch helps you to set a tone for the media to follow.

- A good product launch, put faces behind the brand so that people can trust it.

- Good product launch helps you win new clients and convince new customers about your product.

A well planned new product launch strategy can result in a very successful business. However, often people do not plan the product launch well enough to get enough publicity and generate enough interest in the new product. The more initial buzz and interest you generate in your product the greater your initial success will be and the more money you will have to market your products and create an even bigger impact.

The very first part of your new product launch strategy should contain a well written press release. It is very important to make your press release newsworthy. You can organize a product launch at a trade show which will create additional buzz and interest. If you do this right you can generate substantial interest and free media coverage which could be worth tens of thousands of Naira in advertising.

The next step of your new product launch strategy is to announce the product launch to your list. Your list already knows and trusts you. If it is something that interests them they will buy your product. You can create a video which advertises the benefits and this will increase the interest level in the product.

A well executed new product launch will result in an initial rush of new business helping you to maintain a stable business with a lot of cash flow. The importance of this cannot be underestimated.

You should always know the right people to invite to attend your new product launch. Most people planning a new product launch sometimes invite the wrong crowd to attend. Imagine the product launch for a premium brand suits and you have mostly students in attendance. What will they do with such an expensive suit and how can they afford it? You need to have the right set of people in attendance.

You also need to have a budget for a good product launch. Planning a product launch in Nigeria can be quit expensive and time consuming. There lots of logistics involve in it, from venue, to souvenirs. Sometime the budget can get between N5m (Five Million Naira) to about N40m (Forty Million Naira) depending on how big you want it and what kind of people you are planning it for. If you are also the kind that knows how to cut down on lots of unnecessary expenses, you can reduce your budget to the barest minimum. However, if you are not so much of a expert in planning one, you can waste all the money you spent on your product launch. You might then consider working with professional, to help you invite the right people and set the right tone for the media to follow.

Would you like us to help you with your product launch in Nigeria today? Call us on the numbers above this page,

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Producing TV Commercials in (Lagos) Nigeria


Television advertising has become much more affordable over recent years but if it doesn’t work it can still be a very expensive exercise. The success of your television advertising campaign depends on the level of targeting and the quality of the commercial.

The following tips helps to avoid the potential pitfalls and create a television commercial that gets results.

Decide on a Budget
Without knowing your total budget for the whole campaign it’s impossible to know how much to spend on your commercial. Decide on a set budget and stick to it. The budget of a TV Commercial in Nigeria is determined by several factors. You have to decide on if you want to use a production house or you want to shoot it yourself (However I will always advice you give to professionals in order to truly save cost). You also have to decide if you are giving the whole job to an advertising agency; an agency which will probably prepare a script and contact a production house. You also have to decide if you want to use models or it’s just special effects, animations and motion graphics you want in your commercial (most low budgeted commercial use basically this for their commercial, so they would not have to pay models, location managers, production managers etc). However, professionally done TV commercials in Nigeria usually falls within the range of N1.5m and N40m (check the world currency converter for the current dollars equivalent). The cost break down usually depends on what and what is needed in your TV commercial.

Hire a Production Company
Few companies in the Nigeria produce their own television commercials in-house but this isn’t recommended. The agency you are using to plan your campaign should be able to recommend a good quality production company. Bear in mind that they are probably receiving a commission for making the recommendation so always do your own research.

If you’re searching for a production company on your own don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s best to arrange a meeting to discuss the commercial, as this also helps to identify who are the third-party agencies who simply receive your brief, pass it over to a production company, and charge you a fee for doing so.

Before confirming anything arrange for a contract to be drawn up that states the objectives of the commercial and a breakdown of the costs. This prevents any extra unexpected costs arising once the commercial is being produced.

Finally, after hiring a production company don’t take a hands-off role. They may be professionals, but they are professional producers, not marketers. Make sure that they always have the original concept and vision in their minds; otherwise they may drift and produce a fantastic visual commercial which simply doesn’t sell the product.

Decide on the Type of Response Required
There are two main types of television commercials – immediate response and branding.

Immediate response commercials are common in Nigeria and focus on encouraging the viewer to take action immediately, usually through phoning a number.

Branding commercials focus on image association, where the aim is to make viewers feel good about a brand through the imagery. Most commercials in the Nigeria, focus on branding.

The advantages of immediate response commercials are that you can tell instantly whether the ad is working through simply checking call statistics. The downside is that it only tends to work for business products and services, and some local consumer services if the commercial reaches a highly targeted audience.

Realistically, branding commercials are most suited to large firms advertising commercial goods. The resultant brands can be very powerful but it takes a lot of time and money to reach the desired result.

The Quality of the Commercial
The quality is likely to be linked to the size of your campaign. It makes little sense spending 50% of your budget on producing a great commercial, but at the same time you don’t want your campaign to fail because of a poorly produced one.

In general, keep the cost of producing the commercial to less than 20% of your total television advertising budget, and take into account the type of commercial that you’re producing and your product. Branding commercials tend to be more expensive to produce, and if you’re promoting a product where quality is an important attribute it may be worth spending a little extra on the commercial to ensure that the correct image is portrayed.

Take Length into Account
The standard length of a commercial is 30 seconds but you don’t have to stick to this – short commercials can be just as effective. Whatever happens don’t be tempted to add on an extra second or two at the end to try for the sake of a better commercial. This will just simply create problems when trying to edit to ad.

Use People in the Commercial
People relate to other people and one of the goals of an advertisement is to build up a rapport with the prospect. Including people in your commercial will make this much easier to achieve.

The Script
You have a very short time to capture peoples’ attention and get across your message. Therefore stick to short, punchy sentences. Don’t forget about the audio – any music or background noise should support the commercial so that people can recognize it’s your advertisement even when not present in the room.

The Next Stage
With your commercial produced the next step is to make sure that the frequency of your campaign is right. Television advertising isn’t as demanding as radio advertising when it comes to repetition, but you should still aim to make sure that your target audience sees your commercial at least twice.

Also, branding commercials require greater repetition whereas you should be able to assess the effect of an immediate response commercial after the first couple of times it is aired.

(If you need to write a script, draw up a story board, direct or produce your commercial in Nigeria, you can contact us and we will be willing to help)
Also check out www.hotadsafrica.com for couples of sample ads produced in Nigeria)

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For further inquiry

Please contact Victor Ariyibi at

+234 - 818 547 6473.
info(at)poisemedianigeria.com,
www.poisemedianigeria.com

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