S S Ten Slides in Ten Minutes: Business Growth Into Africa [Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]

Presented by:

Bill Graham CP.APMP

September, 2014

bill.graham@sales-synthesis.co.za

Dominant Exclusive Emerging Pervasive Absent

Making the competitors irrelevant

Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za

Focus on Market Trends & Challenges

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Mutual Sustainable Value resulting in

Strategically Planned Growth

Markets

Customers

Relationships

Building mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term ‘relevant’ relationships

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The Sustainable Business Imperative (being Real in a World of Confusion)

Doing Business is Challenging – More so, for ‘Cash Cows’

Fact: Whatever brought success to an organisation will eventually be its downfall…

Do not just assume your relevance to Africa…

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Source: countryeconomy.com

African Business is Challenging – Consider the Corruption Index

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Practical experience of the potential markets is a necessity

Understanding the impact of Cultural Differences is an Imperative

Point to Ponder: 'Most businesses reward those that are supportive of the group’s strategies and punish those who challenge the authority of the leaders by raising doubt/s.'

Model of Culture

Time Focus

Space

Structure

Action

Time Orientation

Power

Communication

Competition

Primary source: Centre for Promoting Ideas,

Culture : ‘the inherited values, concepts, and ways of living which are shared by people of the same social group’

Activities: One after the other – with detail; Concurrent activities – less detail

Past, present, future: Traditional – short term gains through to long term plans /results

Hierarchy versus Equality: Dictatorial through to involvement

Wealth, performance, ambition versus Job satisfaction

Doing or being

Individualism or collectivism: Individual is self-reliant versus shared values of group

Personal zone: Business rather than personal issues

High context versus low context

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An African ‘Cultural Differences Matrix’ is required

Per Country: • Action • Communication • Competition • Power • Time Focus • Time Orientation • Space • Structure

The focus must be on the present – and planned - country reach

An African growth plan should not be crafted on a whim – or merely to follow the competition

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Building mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term ‘relevant’ relationships

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1 Morocco

2 Mauritania

3 Senegal

4 The Gambia

5 Guinea

6 Sierra Leone

7 Liberia

8 Côte d ' Ivoire

9 Ghana

10 Togo

11 Benin

12 Nigeria

13 Burkina Faso

14 Mali

15 Niger

16 Algeria

17 Tunisia

18 Libya

19 Egypt

20 Chad

21 Cameroon

22 Equatorial Guinea

23 Gabon

24 Congo

25 Central African Republic

26 Sudan

27 Uganda

28 Rwanda

29 Burundi

30 Congo ( DRC )

31 Angola

32 Namibia

33 South Africa

34 Lesotho

35 Swaziland

36 Botswana

37 Zimbabwe

38 Zambia

39 Malawi

40 Mozambique

41 Madagascar

42 Comoros

43 Tanzania

44 Kenya

45 Ethiopia

46 Somalia

47 Djibouti

48 Eritrea

49 Guinea - Bissau

50 Cape Verde

51 Seychelles

52 Mauritius

53 São Tomé and Príncipe

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Commonwealth

SADC

COMESA

SADC

IGAD

ECCAS

UNICA

NEPAD

ECOWAS

EAC

COMESA

CENSAD

AMU

OAU

Other

ECOWAS

Consider Leveraging Regional Initiatives - via Regional Communities

Be Aware of Territories: Jurisdictions, Sovereignties, Countries, Communities. 7

Consider Other Aspects that Could Impact African Growth To a ‘Greater or Lesser Extent’ other factors need to be considered – the trick is deciding which !!!

• Unclear Business Strategy • Business Ethics • Cultural Diversity • Inexperience in the Region • Regulatory Environment/s • Role and responsibility confusion • Remuneration Parity • Buy-in to the Business Strategy • Company Politics • Weak Leadership • Poor – or missing - Support Systems & Tools • Unfocused Strategic Market Development • Restructuring Periodicity • Brand Acceptance • Labour Markets • Relevant Offerings Portfolio • Etc…

Solution Sales: Value

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Be Aware: The Aspect/s of Consideration will Impact the Potential for Growth

Market

Management Relationship

Building Opportunity

Scouting

Prompts: • Global trends • Industry knowledge • Unfolding

opportunities • Emerging risks

Prompts: • Pedigree/s • Preferences • Requirement/s for

advancement • Resource alignment • Communication plan/s

Prompts: • Wants vs. needs • Resourcing

requirements • Solutions vs. Risks • Ability to deliver • Competition

Account Managers

should be “Thought

Leaders” in specific

industries Account Managers

need to be articulate &

be the Single Point of

Contact [SPOC]

Account Managers

need to understand

the clients’ needs and

deliver against this

need

Relevant Solutions/Offerings - mutually agreed between ‘You’ and the Client

Abundance of

Solutions Selection of

Solutions

Mutually Agreed

Solutions

Client

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Building mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term ‘relevant’ relationships

Pulling it all together… on a Per-Country Basis

Define type of sales

organisation

Build a Client-Centric

culture

Build Industry Knowledge

Account Management to

define Solution Suitability

Build a robust Business

Acquisition flow process

Ensure the deployment of

relevant client solutions

The ascent of acceptability

Robust relationship

development, based on trust and

openness

Consider planning some concurrent stages, depending

on availability of resources/budget

Product/Solution Decision Hurdle

Formulate a Business

Development Strategy

Be Real and be accommodating to your

client base – use resources that know (and have experience of) Africa

Source: Sales Synthesis

Underpin the process with Strategic Market Development initiatives

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