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Hello and welcome to the show. Today's episode is going to be a noisy 1 because I'm out and about. The kids wanted to escape with the neighbourhood kids. So I'm out here just keeping an eye on things. Well, and also just in case you hear me shouting at some folks, it's sorry. One moment. OK, sorry about that. I had to attend to one of the kids. So that might be happening every now and then. OK, let's see. Oh, well, First off, I'd like to say thank you to those of you who reached out to me after the last episode to say congratulations on the radio show.
Yeah, thanks. I really appreciate the support. And don't worry, I'm still going to be here. Podcasting is my first true love. I'm just trying to see how I can use radio as a business development tool, not just radio, but traditional media. Because I think even the one in the age of social media, I think radio, television, billboards, things like that, they can still be in play for business development. So I'm going to keep you guys updated, you know, as I make progress in, you know, trying to explore traditional media for growing businesses.
So today I would like us to look at WhatsApp outreach. Now, I think that it's a real topical thing to tackle because people try and do WhatsApp outreach all the time. People are still trying to hit me up on WhatsApp, trying to get me to do business with them. And so just like I've done in the past, I'm going to do today. We're going to look at one instance of how somebody has done what's up outreach and then how you guys can tweak it to your own personal circumstances in case you are interested, not see if you're interested in trying out these sorts of ideas.
Now, the reason why I'm looking at this particular idea in particular is because when I saw this guy's message in my inbox, I thought, and this is really interesting because I haven't received this kind of message before. Sorry, one moment. OK, sorry about that. One of the kids got hurt, so I had to go. And what's the word intervene? So the reason why I'm looking at this guy's what's up outreach is because I think it's really,
really different. I mean, I've heard about it in theory, but I haven't seen it in practice. So let's go ahead and explore it today. So this is the background. Someone reached out to me and let's call him Peter Parker or Spider Man. Of course, not his real name because I don't have permission to use his real name. And also because the guy was giving me, you know, like Peter Parker vibes, you know, like high energy, very sprightly, you know, that sort of thing.
And of course, it's always good for business when from the beginning people can source out who you are. You know, they're beginning to get a sense of who you are get get a feel of your vibes and things like that. I mean, these are things that help you stand out, you know, impressions. And that's the reason why I tell people that look in business, don't try and be somebody else. Just be yourself. Because when you're when you're yourself, it's cool.
The impression is much more genuine and much more long lasting. So I tell people, look, don't try to be me because if you're trying to be me, you will flop. It's the same thing. I shouldn't try to be you. If I try to be you, I'm going to flop. So just be yourself. You know it's OK. It's, it's cool. And actually if you're yourself and you repel other people, it actually is a good thing when some people think of it as a bad thing, but it actually is a good thing.
If you and I are not vibing, chances are it's going to bleed over when we start trying to do business. So we're better off not doing any runs together if already from this small talking toasting stage, you know, I know vibing. So just be you. So Peter Parker spider man. Now he hit me up. He said he got my contact from Google My Business. And that's the reason why I've been telling you guys on the podcast for a very long time that you guys should set up your Google My Business profile.
You know, I was talking about traditional marketing earlier. So the way I explained Google My Business is I explained it as a billboard on the Internet. Because when people. Google something like Ketra Best Ketra in Abuja or Best Ketra in Anambra or Ketra in Emily or something like that. The search results show up on the left, but then on the right hand side of the page, there are some businesses that pop up in, you know, with the big squares and you know, the photos and with extra information like address and time open and then stuff like that.
So the people who show up on the left, that is the Google My Business. So that's the reason why I've always said that you guys should consider doing something like that because it's a much nicer way to show up on the Internet. Because if you have a good Google My Business profile, if you set it up right and then if you get lots of interactions and reviews and things like that, you show up in the searches and you show up in a very nice way.
So on the left side, people are showing up as a blue, blue links in Google. But you you will show up on the right hand side, you know, with that huge box with your business name, bold with your pictures, bold number of reviews, bold phone number is there. If somebody wants to call you, they can just click on the number straight and then just call you up. So yeah, Google My Business. Well, unfortunately I've been hearing gist that Google My Business is going away.
I don't know how true it is because you know, all this digital marketing stuff, stuff, stuff, it's not really my Forte. But as the gist I've been hearing that Google My Business is going away. So if you want to get on that game, you know, perhaps now is the time to to do it. So if you're listening to this podcast episode at the time it's being recorded in the year 2025, then I think you better hop on that because I'm hearing just that it's going away.
So you're listening to this in, you know, 3062 then. Sorry, nothing for you. I'm sure that technologies would have moved on since then. So he says he got my details from Google, my business and the services that he provides. That's Peter Parker is he's into graphic design now initially. OK, well, let me just go straight to the offer now. The offer was that he was going to design 5 Flyers for me for X amount. Now I'm not going to say what the amount was, but let me just let you guys know that it was a very attractive offer and in fact, he might find the offer embarrassing at some point in the future.
So that's why I'm not going to say how much the amount was, but the amount definitely caught my attention because it was a very attractive offer. So the offer was that he's going to design fire Flyers for X amount and I would only pay if I like the designs. He also said that he was going to gather all the information from my profiles so I didn't even need to send him anything else. So let me repeat, he said he was going to design 5 Flyers for me for X amount.
Was a very attractive offer, in fact an embarrassing offer. So that's why I'm not going to say the the amount and I would only pay for it if I liked it and he would gather all the information from my profiles. Now what he's trying to do here in traditional sales and business development is called a risk mitigation strategy. Because when you're reaching out to people, you know, people don't know who the hell you are and people don't know who the hell you are, what the hell you are about.
And it's a risky proposition trying to do business with strangers. So there are some people who have come up with tactics when you're doing business outreach to try and mitigate, to try and reduce that risk, make the risk seem. Small. So in this case, a total stranger hits you off and says, look, this is what I do. There are the services I can provide. Let me just go ahead and do this thing for you anyway. You don't have to pay except if you like it.
That is one way of risk mitigation. Now you see what I mean when I said it's a strategy I'm aware of, but I have not seen it in practice. And that's the reason why I want to bring it in front of you guys today so we can see live all the different things that people are trying to do to move their businesses forward. And then you see how it works. So that is a risk mitigation strategy. And then him saying that he was going to gather all the information from my profile so I
don't need to give him anything. That is part risk mitigation. And it's also part of reducing, what's it called, reducing friction in the business process. Now, the idea is that if we make it easy for people to do business with us, then, you know, the whole process will be smooth and it makes people much more inclined to do business with us. So those are two strategies that the guys using here. He's using risk mitigation and he's trying to remove friction in the process.
Now, I'm sure you guys listening to this podcast episode today, I'm sure like 80% of you have never heard of these concepts before. So that's why we are examining it. So since this is my field, in theory, I've heard about it. In practice I have not seen it and in practice I have not even recommended it to anyone because it's hard. And as we go on, you see the reason why it's hard. And some of you, especially those of you who are designers,
I'm sure you guys are already all I say. I'm sure you guys are already been into vets. Like what kind of rubbish is that? 5 designs for free, How many people will I design for? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. This thing is going to be a nightmare. So yeah, you're right. That is one reason why people don't and try these sorts of strategies. So, but for me, Sha, I was curious and so I told the guy no Ala no problem, I'm down.
But The thing is I am no longer into photography. The main thing that I'm pushing right now is my consulting practice because actually I've stopped the photography. I think the last time, to be honest, I even did, I tried to market any photography related service. I think you should be entering maybe like 55, like 7 years. That's why I'm, you know, I'm even shutting down the Instagram handle, you know, all the profiles and everything because you know, I'm not, I'm not doing it.
So there's no point. So I told him, I asked him if he'd be OK doing that for the consulting practice and he said, OK, sure, no problem. But I told him that look, Flyers, I don't really need Flyers because I'm not doing anything. That is a flyer LED strategy for me right now. You know, if you've been listening to the show for a while, you will know, You remember the guy who was outside my son's school handing out Flyers as part of lead generation.
And I've been talking about how property development firms in Abuja have been handing out Flyers at traffic lights, so our traffic stops, what else, you know, stuff like that. So yes, people do have deliberate strategies that are built around handing out Flyers. So I told the guy that, look, Flyers, whether actual or digital, is not part of my game right now. So I don't need Flyers. However, because my design skills are 0 and my social media skills are 0, what I actually need right now, I think anyway,
you know, if you're a professional, you have a look at my stuff, you tell me exactly what it is, the idea for my business. But from a layman's perspective, I think what I need now is I think I need a LinkedIn banner and I think I need a YouTube banner because when you come to my LinkedIn, it's plain. When you come to my YouTube, it's plain. So I just focus on putting up good content. And you know, that's working for me for now.
But you know. I got, you know, and I'll make everything look presentable, I guess, package everything to look real nice. So yeah. So I told him LinkedIn banner, YouTube banner, that's what I need right now. Flyers, maybe not. So I gave him my LinkedIn handle and he said OK, cool, no problem. Now we will start the work. So this was a conversation that we had on. And so was it like maybe Saturday or so? Then on Monday, now the guy hits me up and then he starts trying to haggle a new price.
Now, if you're going to try this kind of strategy, even beyond the strategy itself, any interactions that you're going to have to any interactions that you have with potential customers, you should always keep to the terms of your offer. Don't make an offer. And then come back halfway and then start trying to renegotiate. We have to keep. The expectations consistent with our prospects and with our potential customers.
We want to keep the expectations consistent and want to keep the experience consistent. So don't come back halfway and then try to renegotiate anything. In fact, if anything, we should think very well at the beginning of crafting the offer whether this thing is a sweet deal for us or not. And if it's not a sweet deal, don't put out the offer. If you think it's a sweet deal, you can kind of make this thing work, then put out the offer and then trust the process.
But don't make an offer and then you come back and now start trying to renegotiate anything. But anyway, I'm still curious about this guy's work and what he's calling for. The renegotiation itself is OK. It's not. It's not that much of a big deal as in, yeah, I'm strapped for cash right now, you know, because of moving house and everything. But you know, the money that he's asking for, I can raise it, you know, it's not a problem.
So where was I? So he starts trying to negotiate so we agree on the new price. Now Peter Parker, Spider man remember not his real name. He told me that the work will be available Sunday. Remember we talked Saturday, he came on Monday, tried to renegotiate and I said the work will be available Sunday. So I said OK well Sunday no problem. Then I wake up on Sunday. Now my guy sends me a new message. He says he has no access to LinkedIn.
So he has not been able to view my link. And you know all the stuff that I sent him, no access to LinkedIn. So now let me comment on that. And in fact, this is a very stern warning to you guys. You don't have to be on LinkedIn. And the choice of social media that you use is dependent on where your customers hang out. So if your customers are like, and if your customers are the Instagram crowd, then make sure that you have a a presence on Instagram.
If your customers are the Tiktok crowd, make sure you have a presence on Tiktok. However, if you're going to try and sell business to business, I think that most businesses in Nigeria are beginning to take LinkedIn serious and then that's where they hang out. So if you're trying to sell flat designs to business consultants, I really think is somehow that you do not have a LinkedIn profile. If nothing else, have the LinkedIn profile so that you can now be looking at the profile of other business consultants.
And then from there you start trying to toast them for business even nothing else. So for social media, yes, hang out wherever it is that your customers hang out. But then if you're in the business to business space, you are selling to a business, it will not hurt you. I really think it will not hurt you to open up a LinkedIn profile and just hang there. And from there, just be using it to be spying on people. Is this a good person to do business with?
It's just not a good person to do business with. Or let me do outreach here. Let me do outreach there. Some people put their phone numbers on LinkedIn, like my phone number is there. People put e-mail addresses websites, you know it's a treasure trove of information so you can go there and look for prospects. So the result of the business to business space, I beg you need a LinkedIn profile. So those of you who sell like corporate hampers and things like that, you're not on LinkedIn.
Like, I don't understand, yes, you should have the Instagram handle so that when people say when you're chatting on LinkedIn and they say, I want to see some samples, you now send them the Instagram, whatever. But you want to get people's office addresses, office phone numbers, e-mail address, you know, so he can start chasing down and looking for new customers. I really think for some people, especially if you're business to business, your customer is a business, I really think LinkedIn is the place to be.
So that's my warning to you guys. So I'm shocked, quite frankly, that he didn't have LinkedIn money. That's not a problem. So he asked me to describe my business. I said, OK, sure, no problem, I'll do that. And which leads me to another failure in this guy's approach because I've been telling you guys time and time again that Google is here to stay. And Google is a nice way to research people. If you hit someone up, you're trying to do business on the photography front.
Like in my own case, I say I'm not doing photography again. I have another line of business. I mean, at the very least Google the person so you can have an informed conversation when you show up the next time around. So it's, it's a good idea and it's something that I do. In fact, I'm not going to take a meeting with any of you If you want us to do business in the future, I'm not going to take a meeting with any of you without Googling your business.
So you reach out to me. You want me to do consulting services for you, You know something. At the very least, I will do a Google search where I know some basic one or two things before the phone call or before I show up in your office and then we start talking. So you guys should be doing that. So I'm surprised that you know, he didn't at least Google. Please understand though, it's not like I'm feeling like a style. I'm not feeling like a superstar.
You know, I haven't had, my dear, I haven't reached, I haven't blown yet. I'm not saying that these things are basic stuff that you should be doing. In fact, even in this, my house itself, because landlords want to vet you. I have been researching every single landlord because we'll start chatting on WhatsApp. I take the number, I paste it in Truecaller from Truecaller. The landlord's real name will show. Now copy the landlord's name,
paste it in Facebook and I'll see what comes up. Paste it in LinkedIn, see what comes up. I'm trying to figure out who is this guy? What do they do? Who is this woman? Are they nice? Are they problematic? Are they people I can do business with in the future? You know, you never know. So any researcher, Google is your best friend, Google, Truecaller and all these things, they're your friends. So I sent him my bio and then next thing and I started asking for payment.
Remember that the initial offer was that he would do the work for free. If I see anything I like, I'll pay for it. This is another inconsistency in the whole experience now, in the whole customer experience and the whole user experience. And these are things that we should avoid. And it also goes back to what I said early in the beginning that this kind of thing, this kind of risk mitigation strategy is hard. So you need to decide from the beginning whether The thing is sweet for you or not, whether it's worth the risk or not.
If it is. And that's how you put out the message. Go ahead, but don't start something and then I'll start trying to do you turn later because in this case they will come across as I'll like describe it and then let me just continue here. Bottom line is I understand. I know, I know, I know how the guy is. I know how he's feeling right now because I've, you know, we've all been there. Like you're really. Tight for cash like you need cash now, now, now, now, now,
now. We've all been there. So I can't really blame the guy. It's not a good it's not a good way to go about it if you need cash now, now, now. So now let's do some debrief about the outreach style that he did and then how we can improve on that. Oh, sorry, one moment. Oh, my sister-in-law just showed up. OK, I bet you guys give me just let me see give me like 10 minutes. Let me settle them and then I'll be back. OK, I am back.
I'm sure you guys might have noticed a change in. The. Background noise well that's because you know, well back in the house my sister-in-law just showed up. So I had to, you know, settle her first and her friend before coming back to you guys. Now for those of you who are single in a relationship and are looking towards getting married. This is one of the wonderful things that you guys can look forward to. You're just minding your business.
You're trying to make a podcast recording and voila, your sister-in-law just shows up. So let's see. I have so I was talking about try where? Were we? Where were we? I have. So OK, I have. So now going to try and debrief this guy's outreach, all the things that he's trying to do with risk mitigation and trying to remove friction in the process and then see how we can. How can we can improve what it is that this guy, Peter Parker,
yeah, Peter Parker, that was what we namely selected Peter Parker, Spider Man to try and see how we can improve his business outreach. Now, before my sister-in-law showed up, I think I was telling you guys that I understand how the guy will start one way and then next thing he's renegotiating the money and then next thing he's trying to get me to pay. Now, even though he has said don't pay, if you see what you like, then pay.
So I want to say that guy is cash strapped and that's the reason why he's doing outreach now because the guy needs cash now. Now, now, now, now, traditional sales and business development. This is what we call Commission breath. When somebody's hungry and the person is chasing you and you can't tell that the person is hungry, it is not a good place for a salesperson to be in and it's not a good place for a business person to be in.
Even if you're trapped and you are dying, don't let the person know because the person knows what's up. The Omar you're hungry. Like they will take you for a ride, like they will use less you. So is normal. We all get into that situation where we need cash like back, back, back like now, now, now, now, now, now, but don't let. People know so. Because we don't want people to smell our Commission breath. You know, when you open your mouth, people can hear, can smell the saliva, they can smell the hunger.
That's what Commission breath is. You know, you haven't eaten for a long time. You open your mouth, you know, you know that order now, you know, like you haven't eaten for like 2 days is where your mouth will be smelling. Those of us who went to boarding school, you understand what I mean? Now you know where for breakfast or give you beans and pop is one spoon of beans, the pop is one spoon of pop, the egg, you only eat egg once a time.
You know that kind of suffering or that that harsh life, a mass perpetually smelling. So in order for people not to smell your mouth when you start doing these kind of things, I keep saying on the podcast that LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Instagram, all this DM outreach is not a good way to go when you are broke and you need cash now, now, now. Because no matter how you try and play cool, eventually your mouth will start to smell, the Commission breath will start to show.
So if you're cash strapped, this is not a good thing to do. You appear slimy, you will appear desperate. And the one that pains me the most, you will now start assuming on equal status with the other person. That's the thing that pains me the most. And I really, my hope and my prayer for you guys is that we stop doing this kind of rubbish. When you stand and you're talking to somebody, the person should see like, OK, me and this guy were equals.
And I told you guys, when I meet down Gote, it'll be a conversation of equals. Yes, he's a billionaire. He has more money than me, but it does not mean him and me down Gote, two of us were equals. Culturally. He just happens to have a whole lot more money. And that's how we're going to have a conversation. And that's the only hope that I even have of standing out when I meet down Gote. If I show up and my mouth is smelling Commission breath harsh, how am I going to stand out in front of him?
I'll just be relegated in his mind to all those other people, all those beggars who show up when they need something. So please, desperation, slimy, unequal status, we should not be in our vocabulary anymore. No matter how broke you are, you everybody is equal. So yes Dangote has more money than me but as far as I'm concerned me and him were equal. When I meet him we will have a conversation and I will hold my own and so should you too.
Don't lose your social footing. It's OK to be cap in hand because everybody gets broke as normal. Never assume on equal status. Never lose your social footing. Never. Anyway, let me not get caught up in the whole whatever. So if you're cash strapped, all these DM outreach, it's not a good way to go. People who smile your mouth and you're hungry. So don't bother. Content marketing is not a good way to brook to go when you're broke and you're cash strapped because content marketing is a long time play.
And that's why I tell lots of people. Some people meet me and after I tell her, look, guy, do not start a podcast. I told somebody that last week Friday, a real estate guy, I told him, do not waste your money. Do not start a podcast. You're looking for money that comes now, now, now podcasting money comes long term. People make money with their podcast after they've been podcasting one year, 2 year, three years, some people self eight years.
So content marketing, putting our stuff on social media, creating a podcast, all these things that is not for money now, now, now, now. So you need money now, now, now you're cashed up all this DM outreach, No stop it. Content marketing no, stop it, leave money now. Now what you need to do is direct marketing or direct response tactics. That is what you need because that is what has been designed to give you immediate cash now or to get people to buy now or to get people to place the order now.
So if you want Peter Parker situation and you need that money now, now, now, now, now. Sorry my son likes to act a fool. He's trying to scare people, he's running around shouting, so ignore the noise. How was I? So if you need money, no no no no no. Ignore this DM game. You come across as desperate. Don't do content marketing. You frustrate yourself because content marketing involves a lot of time and attention and money and you're not going to see any fruits in, you know, six months or one year.
There's some people who hammer, you know, you start with the podcast today and then in four months, you know, you hammer with some huge advertising deal. That is not the norm. That is the exception. So don't think it's going to happen to you. I don't plan on it happening to you. So after today's episode, let's say today is Sunday. OK, so Monday, I think I'll now do an episode how we'll show how direct marketing and direct response tactics would work in this situation.
What Peter Parker should have been doing because he needs money now, now, now, now, now. So the purpose of the WhatsApp outreach, he was doing it because he needs cash. Based on how this thing goes with based on how me, I'm understanding the situation. If you you're hearing everything I've said so far and you think he doesn't need cash like that, hit me up. Send me a message. The phone number is 0806466. Excuse me, 2140 country code +234.
For those of you who are not Nigerian, that's my WhatsApp message. If you have a different opinion, hit me up. Let's rub mines. If I see your weight, I'll make another podcast episode and they will explore other alternatives. Well, they can also hit me up on LinkedIn, the name to look for establishing my IED. I'm on YouTube as well, same name. So my opinion now the purpose of this what's up outreach that he was doing?
Should he be to get cash or should it be to have solid business conversations that might lead to business tomorrow or next tomorrow or next month? I repeat, if I'm going to be reaching out to people like this on WhatsApp, what's the focus? Is it to get cash? No, no, no. Or is it to have conversations with people that might lead to fruitful business opportunities later? If you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time,
you already know my own point of view. If we're doing our outreach like this on WhatsApp, we're sliding into people's DM. It's not because I'm trying to collect cash now. Now I'm just trying to get as many nice positive, you know, solid conversations going that might lead to something in the future. That should be the goal. So my own suggestion for doing what's about reach like this where you're trying to have conversations with people.
And by the way, when we're having these conversations with people, remember what I've been talking about, not assuming on equal status or losing your social footing. We should always be trying to position ourselves as an authority, position yourself as an expert because nowadays everything is commoditized. This guy is in graphic design. I mean, think about it. You probably know like 5 or 6 graphic designers. Even if you don't know them,
you've seen few people, their Instagram handles, Boscha graphic designers, you can't find them a dime a dozen. It is not your graphic design skills that is going to make you stand out in the market, is the fact that you position yourself as an authority that will make you stand out. Because let's face it, the average person does not know the difference between good graphic design and bad graphic design. My own area of specialty is sales and personal selling.
When it comes to graphic design, I only know I like it. I don't like it, but I cannot tell you from an artistic or an academic angle why this design is good and why this is bad, why this will work and why that will not work. Your average customer does not know. So you distinguish yourself by standing out as a professional, as a business growth consultant, I can tell good from bad. You listening to the podcast, you don't.
The only thing you know is I like this idea. I don't like this idea. I think this might work. I don't think this might work, but you can't tell me from a good, sound academic perspective or theoretical perspective why something might work or why something might not work. The only way that I can hope to sell my own services and that Peter Parker can sell his own services as a design professional is we need to set ourselves out as the authority.
People hear us, they see us, they like us, they regard us, they respect us. They will listen to us. Everybody else's, damn, it doesn't. But when they look at us all, OK, this guy, he knows his stuff. So where was I? This unequal status thing you think just makes me angry. Where was I? Where was I? So the way now my suggestion for how to position yourself as an authority and initiate solid business conversations that will end up closing deals later.
Because remember, if we're going to be doing once up outreach like this, it's not about collecting 300K400K now, it's about starting a number of conversations, maybe 5 or 6 conversations like yours, chatting with these people and with the 5 or 6, maybe there's a hope that two or three of them might close like around that, you know, 300, three, 5400 K kind of thing. The focus is not, I'm reaching out now to 20 people because I
won't collect 400K now. So this is my suggestion now Peter Parker, this is how I suppose run now you reach out to people and you say, hi, my name is Peter Parker. You can call me Spider Man. I do responsive graphic designs and this is what it means for you and your business. I have an incredible offer that's going to give you 5 amazing designs for free if you're interested. You only have to pay X amount for the ones that you like.
What do you think they leave it like that? You see the initial structure. This pretty much what he did anyway, but as the initial structure, the initial flow, the people that are interested, they'll reply. The people that are not interested, they don't reply. They didn't reply, ignore, continue for the people that replied, continue with the conversation. You can see that the risk mitigation strategy is here. You're trying to get people interested.
But of course, we've also pointed out that this thing is labor intensive. If you're going to apply it, strictly speaking, you will do design for free for the whole world and you'll be frustrated. So the purpose of the conversation and the reason why I tell people tell you guys, listen to ensure that everybody needs to have a sales framework. Because the first part of the sales framework is when we reach out to people, we try and figure out who these people are and we try and figure out are these people good people to do business with in the 1st place.
So the next step is was try and engage in conversation with them. I'm trying to figure out, is this a serious person who can pay? If the person sounds like an inhale person who's looking for Osho free, then ignore the person, let the person bounce. But if it looks like, OK, this is a cream person, this is a person who is worth building a relationship with in the future. You know, something like that, then OK, let me go ahead and do the designs.
You know, if it clicks, no problem. If it doesn't click no Allah, at least it seems like he's an OK somebody. She's an OK person. You know, who knows, we might do business in the future, that kind of thing. So the next step now is to engage in conversation because we're trying to figure out who is serious, who is somebody that can pay, and then who is Osho Free, who is workout pass, who is a time waster, You know, who is a demon.
That's what we're trying to filter out now. In traditional sales and business development, that is what we call discovery and qualification. You're asking questions about the person, you're asking questions about their business. You're asking questions about the opportunity. You're asking questions about the problem, asking questions about the vision. You're trying to feel this guy out or feel this girl out. That's the whole point because I
only want to give a proposal and offer a presentation in whatever to somebody who is serious because I don't have time for time wasters. So after this whole first whatever, Hi, I'm Peter Parker, I do responsive graphic design, I have an incredible offer, blah blah blah. You only pay if you're interested. The next thing is to start asking questions about them. If you have been listening to the podcast from like 2 weeks back where we did the episode on Sounding Like a Spy where the guys spoke about elicitation,
getting people to have free flowing conversations, go listen to those episodes again. You know, so you get caught up to speed. That's the focus of everything that we're going to have to do now. So now let me rewind. I wondered the part where I say I am Peter Parker. You can call me Spider Man. I do responsive graphic designs. I have an incredible offer. I'll give you 5 amazing designs for free if you're interested. You only get to pay X amount for the ones that you like.
Would you like to know more? Are you interested? Does that sound like something you'd like to invest in? You know, whichever way shall you want to do call to action, we must always do call to action because that's how we get feedback. There's only when we ask people to do something, that's how we get feedback. So that's your risk mitigation strategy in play. Now for people who say, yeah, OK, that sounds interesting, What have you got?
Where Peter Parker goofed was now was right. He now said, don't worry, you don't have to tell me anything. I will go to your website and get all the information that I need. No, you're wrong. That is foul. That is a failing strategy. Engage the person in the conversation because you're trying to figure out, remember, you're trying to figure out is this a person or substance? Somebody who can pay? Is this somebody who's looking for Osho free?
Is this person a trickster? Is this person and serious somebody? Because there's some people who have no conscience. In fact, they'll try and get you to design the first five, try and get you design another second five try and get you design another 3rd. 5:00 And then of course, all of this is soft copy. They will now try and take these 15 copies and use them. I won't give you anything that's on people like that. So the next thing is, you know,
Peter Parker, you know, tell people, OK, cool. Before I start designing, I need to ask you a few questions about you and about your business. And of course the person is getting these things for free in their mind. So they will continue talking to say, yeah, sure, sure, no problem. What do you need to know? You now start asking questions. You ask them questions about their marketing challenges. You ask them whether they have used Flyers before.
You ask them what their target audience is like. You ask them in the past when they've used Flyers before, what didn't work or how much did they budget for it? How did they try to execute it? Ask them questions about their preferred style when it comes to Flyers and stuff like that. Ask them questions about their brand aesthetic. Because all of us, we have a certain brand that where I'm trying to, I was not worth trying to portray in our businesses.
So you ask, he asked them, OK, for the flags that I designed, what kind of messaging messaging do you want to convey? What's the call to action? What do you want to achieve? And he also asked them, huh, Is there any existing marketing materials of that I can see? Can I see your logo or can I see the last whatever campaign you did Something, something, something. Now, by asking all these questions, it seems plenty. But here The thing is, if you do the first part right, the risk mitigation part right, this whole, you know, amazing 5
designs for free pay only if you're interested, the person will go into conversation. That's the whole point of risk mitigation. We're trying to get the person to be calm and relaxed. OK, There's no risk. Let me follow this guy be talking. After all, what do I have to lose if I talk and I see the five designs and I don't like it? Yeah, if I like it, no, I'll, I'll pay. After all, the money that he's calling is not too big.
So no, Bono asking all these things is this is how you now figure out this guy, this babe, are they serious? From the way that I reply you, from the way that they're responding, you now know, is this an educated fellow or this an illiterate person? It is a babe who's trying to move her business to the next level or is she looking for show free? Is this somebody who likes to get the best out of what they pay for or is this somebody who's always looking for things that are cheap?
By having these conversations, you'll be hearing some kind things that will let you know where this person is, You know where this person falls. That is what will now answer the question, is it worth the risk of doing 5 designs for free? If you hear that this guy is cheap or you think that this baby is useless, then there's a way that you just bounce and weave the conversation. But if it sounds like, OK, this is a solid somebody, this is a serious somebody, this is somebody I'd like to keep in my network, then yeah, it might be worth the risk of doing 5
designs for free. Because if the person doesn't see, sees what he doesn't like, yeah, no, Allah, no problem. At least you're expanding your network and there's a possibility of you calling back tomorrow to or next week or next month. Do business with the person again. If the person sees the design that they like, you have entered the account. That's all. People now say land and expand. You entered, you entered for cheap and no problem.
It will be hard work to now to get paid what you're worth in quote, but at least you've achieved land and expand. So this is the process and this is how you do it. So those of you who are in the situation of Peter Parker Spider man, remember not the real spider man. That's the guy who reached out to me. This is how you run the play. If it is not worth your risk, if the guy sounds like he's an idiot or the babe sounds like she's cheap, then this is how you weave the thing.
You just say, oh, OK, brochure could be based on the discussions that we've had so far. I don't think I have the skill sets to deliver on what it is that you, what it is that you need and you know and you leave it like that. He can't force you to make the designs. I think about it. You've asked some questions about him, his company, the marketing challenges and goals, whether they use fly out before the target audience, the preferred style, the brand aesthetic, the message they want to convey.
If you ask all those questions, I say brush you Cody. I don't have the skill set to give you what you want. He can't call you a phone and he can't argue. He can't whatever conversation ends there. And that's how you weave, weave it because brush you Cody is useless. And it's not the kind of person who would have ever paid or let's say it is Cami. So, but I'm Cami. Based on what we've discussed so far, I don't think you're a good candidate for the offer.
I don't think you're a good candidate for the offer. You know, how will I put it? OK, Bottom line is there are ways that you can weave it. I can't come with any more examples, but OK, The first one, I said, I think that one makes sense. I don't have the skill sets. You have to deliver on what it is that you want for now and then you weave it. That's how you deal with people who are not worth the risk. Then you can also try and do some value add and you can say,
oh look, boss, you could be based on our conversation, my recommendation for you for this kind of your business is to do XYZ. It's like you're giving him free advice. That's value add. That's part of positioning yourself as a valuable resource. You're knowledgeable and you're useful and you could be valuable. Then after that, you also try and make a referral plea. Oh, OK, Our sister Cami, do you know any other business owner who could take advantage of this offer?
And then you hear what it is that she has to say or he has to say. So you might get other referrals to other people that you can try having this conversation with. This is for people who are not worth the risk because I'm assuming for that, if person is worth the risk, you already have that process figured out. But if person is not worth the risk, this is how you do it. Now, the benefit of this approach that I've outlined here is you will weed out all the fake people and you will weed out all the cheap people.
Well, not all, but you weed out a a huge percentage. In fact, there's some very, very cheap people who will say when you start concerned, look, look, look, if you're not even going to give this design for me, then, you know, stop wasting my time. And then they'll just cut you off. When that happens. Don't feel bad though, it's good. It's God helping you. You've dodged the bullet. You can imagine what this is when you design for this guy and then he says that he likes or she likes, and they are now trying to collect money.
So the benefit is you want to weave out fake people without all the cheap people, and then you position yourself as an expert. Because I firmly believe that even when we're broke, we can go begging with style. Just like when I finally meet Down with It and when I finally meet Illumilu, I want to finally meet more Abudu. While all of us are chilling together. Yes, I'll be the broker's person at the table. Even if I'm begging, I will go begging with style and I'm not going to lose my social footing and I'm going to maintain equal status with them even though they have more money than me.
So I was like, anyway, this is over 40 minutes. Let me just wrap up. Let's have realistic expectations. If you're going to try this kind of approach that Peter Parker is doing, don't expect to get paid for every single conversation you have. You won't get paid for every single conversation you have. Even when you separate the chi people and you separate the wheat from the shelf and you're only dealing with, you know, people of timber and caliber,
people of substance. You don't want to end up doing business with them, all of them. But I can promise you one thing, you will be broadening your network if you try and do this thing, you know, two to three people every single day you do for like one or two months, whether you get paid or not, I can assure you, you are going to be broadening your network. And that's one of the reasons why at a certain point in my practice as a wedding photographer in Abuja, there was no wedding planner that I didn't know because I tried to hit up a good number of people.
Somehow, somehow whether it's WhatsApp or enter the office or, or or something, you know, I knew I knew people and people knew me. I wasn't able to leverage it into, I wasn't always able to leverage it into business opportunities, but at least I knew people, people knew me. I was quite well networked and it's also something that has been helping out now that I am doing documentaries, that's apart from my consulting practice that I do documentaries for NGOs, developmental,
international developmental, what do you call them? International NGO shop is also something that has helped because I have been well networked within the community and so it pays off. So you might not make money now, but you're broadening your network and I can assure you that it's going to pay off in the future. So my recommendation for Peter Parker and other people who are trying to do this thing like Peter Parker Spider man number 11, buy data.
Luckily, data is not like too expensive anymore. If you're on glow, 1K is going to buy you. Sorry, no glow is it? If you're on AT salad, 1K will buy you 4 point something gig. So that's all right. Just invest in that 1K, then say your prayers. Business can be hard. It can be rough. So sometimes we need support. You know, if you have a babe, you can go and, you know, create your babe as you, you know, give you some soccer and, you know,
your mood arise and you'll be happy. Or if you have a boyfriend, you can go and talk to your boyfriend. You know, he will help encourage, you know, things like that. You know, talk to your parents. Yeah, you know, watch out any which way. Take care of all that mental game and then say your prayers. You need help because we all need help. Business can be rough. Then also keep it manageable because this kind of outreach can be hard.
You say you're going to be messaging 20 people like this every day and it's your first time of doing it, man, it'll be rough and you'll be depressed. So start on a realistic something, Say OK, I'm going to be doing 3A day or maybe 5 a day. You know, eventually you're going to be able to build and improve. So those are just my recommendation so far. So risk mitigation, really, really impressive tactic or strategy when it comes to sales.
So yeah, if you want to try it out, yeah, try it out. Just make sure you research it well and come up with the plan well and make sure that the terms suit you well before you start because it's not a good idea. Excuse me to tell a potential customer nowhere. Let's do it like this is my offer and when the person says yes you now start trying to change the offer. Just set it up well from the beginning and see what I think pays you or not.
If it pays you go all in. If it doesn't pay you, then relax and try and do something else. Well, please, if you're broke, I need money so that your mouth will not smell. I know because I've been in that situation before where I open my mouth and people can smell my Commission breath. Like man, these guys broke. You'll take advantage of you. All these LinkedIn DM, you know what's up? Instagram trying all that DM thing is not going to work.
Content marketing is not going to work because you're broke. You're desperate. So don't do that. Direct response, direct response. There is support marketing. These are direct marketing, direct response tactics. These are the things you should be doing. Tomorrow, I'll come up with a couple of ideas to see how our guy Peter Parker could have done some direct response. So thank you very much for listening. I'll catch you guys at the next episode.
If you'd love to connect, the phone number is 08064662140. Country code is +234. Excuse me, what was I? Yeah, country code +234. For those of you who are not Nigerian, then you can hit me up on LinkedIn. Yeah, the name to look for is Tavishima Aidi. Thank you very much for your time and attention. I'll catch you guys at the next recording. Bye.