Start-ups can leverage social media to drive business growth – 9mobile

Start-ups and entrepreneurs in Nigeria can leverage the social media platform to expand business through access to wider customers and markets, according to 9mobile.

9mobile, which recently organised a networking and business mentorship programme called ‘The Hack’ in Enugu State to equip start-ups and entrepreneurs with the needed innovative skills to build their businesses, believed that social media can enable start-ups to make more sales.

Speaking on the topic: ‘How to Use Social Media to Grow your Business,’ at the programme, Nelly Agbogu, lead facilitator and online business coach, said every business needs social media to gain ease of accessibility, make sales, engage with customers, and generate business leads.

Agbogu said for start-ups to excel, they must be strategic in the choice of social media platforms and know the ideal place brands can meet customers.

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According to her, brands must be honest with themselves when making choices of social media platforms to reach their markets as the business success, stability, trust, and intentionality are hinged on it.

“To succeed in business, one must be consistent, trustworthy, and intentional about the business. If you are not consistent in your actions, you will lose it. So, remain scalable, profitable and consistent at every single point in time,” Agbogu said.

On his part, Femi Olaojo, head of Network and IT Procurement at 9mobile, who spoke on ‘Negotiating Your Way to Business Growth,’ took the SMEs on the significance of vendor performance evaluation, cost of ownership, sourcing strategies, and contracting in business.

Segun Dawodu, manager of SME Marketing at 9mobile, spoke on ‘SME Business Automation,’ adding that automation can help reduce business costs.

“Automation can help you, as an SME, to streamline your processes, increase efficiency, reduce cost, and customer experience. What we do at 9mobile is to help you automate your customer expectations with voice solutions, CUG, accounting, inventory management, customer relations management, and CRM tools,” Dawodu said.

The Hack seeks to support and promote entrepreneurs in the SME space. It is anchored as a business and networking mentorship programme facilitated by business experts who share business ideas with participants and groom them to scale their businesses. The first edition was held in Lagos and has since made stops in Abuja and Port Harcourt, with the next stop scheduled to hold in Kano.

It is an enterprise mentorship and networking event where seasoned SME mentors, business leaders, growth experts, and facilitators share practical business fundamentals and insights to help SMEs and growing businesses scale up.