The Supply and the Technical Know-how

It’s easy to shop online. Anyone with a good credit/debit card can purchase products from other countries. In fact, in this age where entrepreneurs are on the rise, several businesses have been set up to serve as a window for Nigerians to access Amazon and other US websites.

Hence, anyone can start importation as a business and start supplying goods to Tom, Dick, Harry and friends. Good news, right? You can start too. However, while you ride along this journey, here are some things you should know from our experience.

• Need – Proof of Concept

• Opportunity – Market Fit

• Trust – Guarantee

Need – Proof of Concept

While it’s interesting to go about shopping for products from just any store, it’s important to prove your point to your prospective clients if you would win them. If it was easy, you wouldn’t lead.

Clients have been doing without your product before you met them. Why should they buy this new gadget? If it’s way more expensive for them to purchase, is there a rental offer? Giving answer to these questions would guide you on better ways to approach your target market.

Opportunity – Market Fit

Don’t expect that when you find a new product, everyone would open their hands wide to accept it. In fact, when you have proven that they need it, getting the opportunity to prove your case is often a challenge. However, you must find the market fit.

Here is one way to get around this. When Huawei wanted to convince Nigeria Telecom companies to take on their products, they gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse. They asked them to take the product and pay for it in a number of years. They even offered support as well. Interesting right?

However, it’s important to identify the difference between a good risk and a bad one before making this decision. A good risk is taken with due diligence but a bad one is taken with the zeal for luck. What kind of risk are you taking?

Trust – Guarantee

Before you can take a risk to provide a product to a client who requires that you have deep pockets, it’s best to take a measurement of their potential. Potential doesn’t come from every blue-chip company. Some would give you the potential for greater opportunities while some would simply cause you to run at a loss. How then can you tell what kind of client to trust? Who should test your product?

Trust the client whose business solves real problems. They are often more relatable to your next deal. When people see your products in their hands, you would most likely get referrals or the exposure you need. You can’t get it wrong when you help the big players that solve problems.

We take these 3 factors seriously when making decisions so we always win. Remember, when you start, you need the factor of trust as part your capital and a wise choice of starters.