I once had a conversation with a friend who is an entrepreneur. She was frustrated because her business wasn’t attracting customers, despite being located in a busy area of Lagos surrounded by offices and businesses. “This place is not good for business,” she complained.
I sat her down and asked her to rethink her approach. “You’re in a prime location,” I said. “But are you providing what the people around you need? Are you speaking their language?”
She looked puzzled, so I elaborated. “Look around you. We have busy truck drivers, mechanics, and people doing heavy jobs around here, plus offices surrounding this area. These people need healthy, heavy food that can fuel their busy lives.”
I asked her, “What’s on your menu?” She replied, “Just jollof rice and noodles.” I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d known my friend for almost twenty years, and she was one of the best chefs I knew. Her food was always in high demand at social gatherings, and everyone raved about her cooking skills. But here she was, serving only jollof rice and noodles in her restaurant.
I said to her, “You’re not showcasing your cooking skills. You’re not providing the variety of food that people are looking for. What about rice and beans, stew, egusi soup, afang soup, eba, ewedu and Amala, and other popular African dishes?”
She took my advice, adjusted her menu to include a wide variety of popular African dishes, changed her billboard, and updated her menus. The result was astounding! Her restaurant became the go-to spot for busy professionals and workers in the area.
As Bob Roberts says in his book “Know Your Customer”, “The best way to get people to buy from you is to give them what they want. And the best way to know what they want is to ask them, listen to them, and observe them.”
This experience taught me a valuable lesson: the problem is never the market; it’s always us, the service providers. When we’re not getting the desired response from our customers, it’s not because they’re the problem – it’s because we’re not providing what they need.
So, the next time you’re struggling to attract customers or get engagement, ask yourself: “Am I solving a problem? Am I providing what the market needs?” Remember, it’s not your customers who are the problem; it’s you, the service provider. Take the time to understand your customers, and adjust your offerings accordingly. The results will be remarkable!
Now, I’d love to hear from you. What are some ways you’ve learned to understand and provide value to your target audience? Share your stories and insights in the comments below.
featured image by Perfecto Capucine
