Access new markets in Nigeria (Influencer marketing)

Are you looking to reach local markets in Nigeria and do not know where to start? You just hit the jackpot, as the answers you need are right here. The first thing to know about expanding beyond your conventional market sphere is that influencer marketing is one of the best allies to have. It doesn’t matter if it is a consumer or service business; you will have the upper hand when your customers can trust you through influencers that speak their needs.

The big question is “How do you penetrate the market using influencer marketing?” Read on to find out the strategies you can implement to access the Nigerian market. 

  • Find local talent

The first approach in finding talent in Nigeria is to source for local influencers. In searching for local talent, you must remember that the same approach in your country might not work in Nigeria, so you need to move strategically. There are different kinds of influencers; micro, nano, and macro. When you know what type of market you are targeting, it will be easier to select the influencer that fits the market.

  • Risk assessment

When expanding a new market in Nigeria or any other novel market, it is crucial to weigh the risk to minimise it well. If the influencer you choose doesn’t fit your brand but knows everything about the market, that can pose a challenge to getting value for the money spent. This is a major problem for businesses in a new environment as they have a limited understanding of the targeted market. Another risk is going into the market without brand awareness. This strategy will not be a wrong move if you have something planned with your influencer marketing agency or in-house team. But if not, it is a major risk.

  • Minimise the risk

While you can’t eliminate all the risks, it is possible to minimise them. How do you minimise the risk?

  • Start with a strategy – Make sure the strategy is in line with the goals of your company and the expected result you want to gain once started.
  • Get a good number of influencers – Many times, what you need the most is not just one or two influencers but having different capable hands onboard. This doesn’t mean you will start with plenty of influencers, but the right amount is the best way to avoid wasting money.
  • Research African influencers before hiring – You need to get familiar with the influencers before you start a conversion, which can be done when you do your research correctly.

After minimising the risks in the best way possible, you should contact an influencer marketing agency to support expansion. Whether you have an in-house partner or an external partner, any of them will work well for your expansion as they have the right knowledge you need. Bookings Africa is a significant influencer marketing agency in Nigeria that provides the services of different kinds of influencers. Infact, if you need other talents, we have them readily available for easy bookings.

With our help, you can book influencers matching your brand identity and reach submarkets in Nigeria. We have access to premium Nigerian influencers registered on the Bookings Africa platform that you can collaborate with as you expand your business. The team at Bookings Africa will also help manage influencers and develop strategies to target the right audience.

With the best influencers in your team, you can speak to your consumer and be confident they will trust your brand. So, to access a new market in Nigeria, take a cue from these four points and be guaranteed the right exposure your brand needs to scale.

5 Best Apps You Need as a Freelancer

There are a few things that make life easier such as outsourcing laundry or ordering food. The feeling of not having to sort the clothes or prep meals is one that is so satisfying. For you, it might not be laundry. It might be planning a vacation or getting your finances right but what counts the most is that this seemingly little assistance adds to the totality of a person’s wellbeing.

 

We know freelancers help in easing the burden of other individuals but what reduces the burden of  the freelancer? 

 

Don’t answer that because we have our answer. APPS!

 

Apps are technology’s best gift to mankind. There’s no way you’ll look at your device(s) and not see apps that are beneficial to easing your life or enhancing your work in some way or the other.

 

Hence, we have created a list of five apps we think every gig-worker, entrepreneur, solopreneur or freelancer can benefit from. 

 

Personal Finance Apps

Not everyone is exceptional with numbers and definitely, not everyone is Excel-proficient

 

A make-up artist enjoys shopping for new products and making people look beautiful but it does not mean that she’s a pro at budgeting or tracking her expenses. 

 

Does the makeup artist need to get a grip on her money flows? Definitely. But does she have to track her expenses, prepare a budget, automate savings, and calculate profit and expenditure, all by herself? No. There are so many great apps that can help with that.

 

Apps like Money Manager help with the day-to-day tracking of an individual’s expenses. You can record everything single thing you spend money on daily and weekly or monthly, you are able to see exactly where your money goes. 

 

Tracking your personal expenses is great for you because it helps you become more responsible with the money you earn. 

  • Money Manager for expense tracking.
  • Kippa for accounting and bookkeeping practices.
  • Cowrywise for savings
  • Piggyvest for savings and investments.

 

 

Photo Editing Apps

Take your pictures from bleh to wow in a few minutes using some of the best photo editing apps. 

 

We don’t need to preach about why photo editing apps are great for freelancers such as photographers, make-up artists, fashion designers and stylist, just to mention a few.

 

A few of our favourites include:

  • Lightroom
  • InShot
  • Snapseed  
  • Airbrush

 

 

Scheduling Apps

One thing a professional freelancer must never do is miss an appointment. You don’t want to be tardy or sloppy as well. 

 

A guaranteed way to ascertain that you are updated on all scheduled activities is utilizing editing apps. These apps keep you more productive and ease off the pressure from never ending work load. 

 

Our top picks include 

  • Calendly
  • SimplyBook
  • Doodle
  • Square Appointments

 

These scheduling apps automatically link to your calendars and keep you reminded. You do not have to manually input your meetings.

 

 

Payment Apps

A registered business can open a bank account but as you might have guessed, not all freelancers have their businesses registered or incorporated. Hence, they have to make use of third-party apps. 

 

Although these apps might take a percentage when you collect a payment, they however give your business a professional look. 

 

In Africa, apps like PayPal are a bit difficult to use in collecting payment but there are other options.

 

The user interface of these apps is superb. The best part is your clients don’t have to download the apps if they do not want to. A simple link leads them to the payment page and just like that, everyone is happy. 

  • Paystack
  • Flutterwave
  • Traction

 

 

Wellness Apps

After a long week of work, Jack still needs to recuperate from all that working. The benefits of exercising are endless. You not only stay fit and healthy for work but you spend less money on medical bills.

 

Getting a gym membership might be counter-productive and costly but most workout apps are free and show you exactly what form you need to be in for the best results. 

  • Nike Run App 
  • Women Fitness App
  • Men Fitness App

 

 

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. We’ll like to know, what are some of the best apps you use that keep you productive?