From opposite sides of the spectrum I have heard two opinions from executives of leading companies in Uganda, one very skeptical about Social Media, voicing his concern that Social Media does not yet have a critical mass or enough followers. I wondered whether it was based on casual observation, loose opinion or company research. ICT Creatives, Social Media research, even though admittedly an imperfect science reveals otherwise.
So there are about 5 million users of Facebook in the region, and several thousands using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, with an average growth rate of 13% for Facebook. So what do these paltry statistics mean, if anything? Good news!
Early birds will catch the worm. It is strange that businesses in East Africa only want to adopt a tool when it has become very 'hot', costly and competitive. Few see the advantages of being a First Mover to use a platform.
The second executive was extremely excited about using Social Media platforms saying that she saw the potential of it becoming a customer engagement tool.
Enterprise Technology loves to move with dynamic, quick adapting companies and for those that are excited about Social Media, the benefits of early adoption will lead to cost effective marketing which will lead to customer loyalty and disruptive innovation.
Companies that want a tool to first reach critical mass will only wake when the competition has gone an 'unreachable ahead'.
To find out how ICT Creatives can help you develop a Social Media Strategy, contact us at jtonda@ictcreatives.com
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Why we need the Young Professionals Technology Symposium
I received a frantic call this morning.
"Hello, hello" (panting)
"Good morning, Joyce speaking"
"Hello,I wanted to inquire about the symposium held yesterday"
(Joyce surprised) "Hello, the symposium is on April 30th. It was not yesterday."
(Huge sigh of relief) "What? Are you sure? Oh my God I am so happy.Thank you thank you.." Click. Hangs up the phone.
(Joyce bemused)
It's funny how we always want to guide youth in education (by taking them to school and spending exorbitant amounts on educational resources); spiritually (by taking them to religious institutions); socially(by taking them to social events where they learn social mannerisms)but when it comes to helping them build a career, no one's standing.
School whether primary, secondary or University does not teach youth how to build careers. They teach them knowledge but not how to put it into practice.
The Young Professionals Technology Symposium (YPTS)is designed to provide career training and job opportunity recognition for students before they leave university and shortly after graduating.
The YPTS will offer practical technology skills, work ethic skills, business skills and financial skills helping young professionals build sustainable technology business models.
You can support this effort by sponsoring young professionals,exhibiting at the symposium, or speaking as an expert.
Follow us @techsymposiumug #techsymposium
"Hello, hello" (panting)
"Good morning, Joyce speaking"
"Hello,I wanted to inquire about the symposium held yesterday"
(Joyce surprised) "Hello, the symposium is on April 30th. It was not yesterday."
(Huge sigh of relief) "What? Are you sure? Oh my God I am so happy.Thank you thank you.." Click. Hangs up the phone.
(Joyce bemused)
It's funny how we always want to guide youth in education (by taking them to school and spending exorbitant amounts on educational resources); spiritually (by taking them to religious institutions); socially(by taking them to social events where they learn social mannerisms)but when it comes to helping them build a career, no one's standing.
School whether primary, secondary or University does not teach youth how to build careers. They teach them knowledge but not how to put it into practice.
The Young Professionals Technology Symposium (YPTS)is designed to provide career training and job opportunity recognition for students before they leave university and shortly after graduating.
The YPTS will offer practical technology skills, work ethic skills, business skills and financial skills helping young professionals build sustainable technology business models.
You can support this effort by sponsoring young professionals,exhibiting at the symposium, or speaking as an expert.
Follow us @techsymposiumug #techsymposium
Friday, March 11, 2011
Fluff and The Emperors New Clothes
After reading a great and logical piece from http://bit.ly/12GaF I have had to go through a mental exercise of playing the Devil's Advocate - a belligerent CEO who has no inkling that 'sensible companies' are even using Social Media to market their services and products. "You mean via Facebook? How much money have they made from there?" He asks very flabbergasted.
And as PeterD slammed every strong point I'd ever heard for using Social Media, it became clearer what Social Media actually is which has probably been lost in translation-its a tool NOT the tool. It's like radio ads, tv ads, magazine ads, they are all appropriate in some way to different audiences, for different products for different messages.
At Enterprise Technology/ICT Creatives www.ictcreatives.com we understand Social Media as a tool for creating two way engagement between vendors and customers/prospects. Traditional media has never allowed the buyer to give meaningful feedback (even those 'send us an email or write to box number if you're not satisfied with this product' pasted on packaging have always been redundant)and Social Media has allowed that.
As a result of this two way feedback, companies can make better and informed decisions on: product design ; service price; new features; geographical markets to sell in in addition to getting wind of new business opportunties from existing ones.
So whats our selling point: "Social Media will help you hear what you need to do to sell more through your other platforms- radio, TV, street bashes, mall setups."
It follows that if you're a Social Media professional it's important to stay grounded, be conversant with the limitations but have one key value proposition for social media that cannot be beaten by any other marketing platform.
And as PeterD slammed every strong point I'd ever heard for using Social Media, it became clearer what Social Media actually is which has probably been lost in translation-its a tool NOT the tool. It's like radio ads, tv ads, magazine ads, they are all appropriate in some way to different audiences, for different products for different messages.
At Enterprise Technology/ICT Creatives www.ictcreatives.com we understand Social Media as a tool for creating two way engagement between vendors and customers/prospects. Traditional media has never allowed the buyer to give meaningful feedback (even those 'send us an email or write to box number if you're not satisfied with this product' pasted on packaging have always been redundant)and Social Media has allowed that.
As a result of this two way feedback, companies can make better and informed decisions on: product design ; service price; new features; geographical markets to sell in in addition to getting wind of new business opportunties from existing ones.
So whats our selling point: "Social Media will help you hear what you need to do to sell more through your other platforms- radio, TV, street bashes, mall setups."
It follows that if you're a Social Media professional it's important to stay grounded, be conversant with the limitations but have one key value proposition for social media that cannot be beaten by any other marketing platform.
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