Zim has an estimated population of 5.5m Whatsapp users. This number does not include diaspora figures. If we add them, then our figures could be above 9m. This makes the study of Whatsapp a crucial topic as part of the Digital Marketing Strategy. It is our most popular Social Media platform.
The study of this topic includes Zimbabwean culture-What works here and you may not find it documented anyway unless you hold a discussion and getting the experiences of hundreds of users.
Challenges with Whatsapp Marketing
Unlike Facebook, there is no one central place to enable one to reach out to all 5.5m users in the country as they are all scattered in thousands of groups.
Fewer than 5% Zimbabweans appreciate Graphical Designing and the immense benefits it brings to Digital Marketing.
Little appreciation of the difference between selling and spamming. For instance repeatedly sending the same ad to the same group!
Little knowledge of the benefits of Business Whatsapp
Opportunities Discussion
Entertainment: Why do people log on to Whatsapp Groups? The answer is entertainment so if you are advertising on the platform, keep your Ads short, sweet, eye candy and containing all key information.
Canva: Canva is the most common Graphical Design App for the few Zimbabweans who appreciate the field. Found on Google Play Store or www.canva.com. For starters this app=Money.
Timing: When are you posting your ads? Study the best time to post ads
Linking your app: Can you link Whatsapp to your website, Facebook and other platforms? How is it done and the opportunities?
Business Whatsapp: Zimbabweans deriving a lot of benefits from the use of Business Whatsapp
Complex Issues
What if your ad or ad photos are stolen? Use water marks? What if they are cropped out?
How do you deal with competitors who join your group and start competing with you?
Should you create an app group where only the admin can post? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
What if everyone in the group is selling? Can you make business from sellers?
Experience Factor
We covered information you are hardly going to find anywhere else because Digital Marketing is a new field. You are not going to find a Professor in the field locally….but you will only find seasoned experts who are continuously learning every time.
Assignment: Task for first timers-develop own ad on Canva and share tomorrow.
Tomorrow we will cover Facebook Marketing in detail and sharing winning tricks used by members. This becomes the last series shared outside our 3 groups.
One for the road: The power of relationships in business especially REFERRALS, REFERRALS AND REFERRALS.
Kea leboga
