Dickson Mushabe an Entrepreneur with over 18 years of experience says that social media can make one rich or poor depending on how they decide to use it.
Speaking to Olive Najjuma on the Brunch Talk Show at RX Radio, Dickson, the author of 'Am Not Sorry For My Mistakes' a book about his reflections and lessons on business, money, and people, said there are very small mistakes people do that can grow or cripple their businesses.
The first is how a businessperson uses or handles their social media.
"It's possible that two people wake up to their social media, one makes a million and the other loses money,” said Dickson explaining how constant engagement in petty fights on social media can wreck relationships with potential clients or employers the end making losses for a business owner.
"The moment you upload your posts, it's for the whole universe to see. 70 percent of the people may never like or comment but they read and notice everything. So if you're not intentional in your posts, you'll lose quite a number of them,” he said.
"I sold over 90 percent of my book on social media only. So when I say it's a tool you can use properly and it pushes your business, I know it and I've seen it work. So be careful with what you post on your social media," he advised.
Similarly, he advised online business operators to market their products first to their neighbors, friends, and other people known to them, taking keen note of the feedback from them and making relative adjustments before they can sell to a wider market.
"People forget that they can apply simple marketing techniques that can boost their businesses. For example, you can move out to sell your product when your immediate neighbour wants that same product. So before you get to town to market your products, market them to your friends, and workmates just by word of mouth," Dickson advised.
Dickson also authored the book 31 Keys To Start/Re-start Your Business.
In this book, he says that a person doesn't need money and money alone to start a business adding that gone are the days people needed shops to start their businesses. Today, Dickson says all an entrepreneur needs is data to post their products and services on their social media status updates.
He recounted helping some youth notice how business can be made without capital. This was after hosting a fellowship at his home and talking to the boys and his wife to the girls.
Having talked to 2, who were University students one with a job and the other on internship, he decided to talk to one who had nothing to do at the moment.
"I noticed that he was stylish and asked him where he bought his clothes and he told me it was from his secret supplier. The moment he mentioned the word ‘secret’, I told him that's where the business was. For starters he was already a customer, he had a phone and data and all that was what he needed. I asked him to go there and take pictures to put on his Whatsapp status.”
"When he did that, I was his second customer and be made 60k profits on me alone and within a month one of the two guys who had taken the advise made 2 million shillings and he has been making money month in month out," Dickson narrated.
He also revealed that most orders of '31 Keys To re/Start Your Business' were made from his Whatsapp status.
"Covid taught people that you don't need a place to operate. All you need is a phone and a guy who can deliver. You can be a reseller and all you'll need is to place orders, ask your boda guy to pick them and deliver them to the client. So literally you'll be doing nothing and earning money," he added.
Brunch Talk is hosted by Olive Najjuma Monica every Saturday from Midday to 1 pm on RX Radio.