Brilliant article. This spoke to me “being present at the point of need matters more than being different. They'd rather risk being the sixth person to offer you a ride than miss the moment when you finally decide you need one.”
Been discussing distribution with my team and this feels like a massive eye openner. Especially using existing but overlooked channels like whatsapp to reach an already existing market. Thanks so much for validating some of these ideas that appeared vague in my mind.
As a Marketing undergrad, I was taught many ways to differentiate a product, and I don't remember distribution/place being emphasized, sadly.
Its important for businesses to recognize the nuances of their environment and not rely only on "conventional" ways of making their products stand out.
Bigi Cola realized that the soft drink market didn't include only customers who wanted the signature Cola taste, but a chilled, high energy drink on a hot day, in the closest shop/shed they can find. At an affordable price.
They even went beyond distribution to include other flavors in their product portfolio, including apple, lime, tropical, etc.
I'm still curious to know how they keep the prices low with such an extensive distribution structure.
Adia, thank you so much for your thought provoking articles 😊
As we continue to analyze various business models and strategies, it's particularly noteworthy that distribution consistently emerges as the critical factor that requires careful consideration and strategic planning. This fundamental aspect often determines the success or failure of initiatives in our target markets.
Here are my detailed key takeaways from our analysis:
1. Understanding the local market and its nuances is crucial, particularly how people in that locality conduct transactions, their preferred payment methods, and their established purchasing patterns. This deep local knowledge forms the foundation of any successful distribution strategy.
2. Instead of creating something new and attempting to change existing consumer behavior, it's significantly more effective to integrate into and leverage established behavioral patterns and existing distribution networks that people already trust and use regularly.
3. In Africa, the seamless integration between offline and online channels must always be maintained as a core principle. The most effective strategy has proven to be acquiring customers through traditional offline channels first, where trust can be built face-to-face, and then systematically transitioning them to digital platforms for enhanced convenience and efficiency.
4. Just-in-time solutions work best because they align perfectly with our pay-as-you-need mindset, allowing for flexible purchasing patterns that match income flows and reduce the burden of large upfront payments on consumers.
I used to think that this principle applied only to cheap products and services but I can now see how it can also be applicable to expensive/luxury ones too .
But quick question, for a bootstrapped business (with limited manpower), when does the brand building start because I’m worried that if we focus too much on distribution then we lose out on building an identity since we don’t have the manpower to do it simultaneously. I don’t believe in spreading oneself’s too thin.
Brilliant article. This spoke to me “being present at the point of need matters more than being different. They'd rather risk being the sixth person to offer you a ride than miss the moment when you finally decide you need one.”
Great insights, Adia! Thanks for sharing 🙏🏾
I got to the end and said one word "beautiful". I love your writing, Adia. Engaging. Informative. Practical. It's certainly not easy, so thank you!
Been discussing distribution with my team and this feels like a massive eye openner. Especially using existing but overlooked channels like whatsapp to reach an already existing market. Thanks so much for validating some of these ideas that appeared vague in my mind.
As a Marketing undergrad, I was taught many ways to differentiate a product, and I don't remember distribution/place being emphasized, sadly.
Its important for businesses to recognize the nuances of their environment and not rely only on "conventional" ways of making their products stand out.
Bigi Cola realized that the soft drink market didn't include only customers who wanted the signature Cola taste, but a chilled, high energy drink on a hot day, in the closest shop/shed they can find. At an affordable price.
They even went beyond distribution to include other flavors in their product portfolio, including apple, lime, tropical, etc.
I'm still curious to know how they keep the prices low with such an extensive distribution structure.
Adia, thank you so much for your thought provoking articles 😊
As we continue to analyze various business models and strategies, it's particularly noteworthy that distribution consistently emerges as the critical factor that requires careful consideration and strategic planning. This fundamental aspect often determines the success or failure of initiatives in our target markets.
Here are my detailed key takeaways from our analysis:
1. Understanding the local market and its nuances is crucial, particularly how people in that locality conduct transactions, their preferred payment methods, and their established purchasing patterns. This deep local knowledge forms the foundation of any successful distribution strategy.
2. Instead of creating something new and attempting to change existing consumer behavior, it's significantly more effective to integrate into and leverage established behavioral patterns and existing distribution networks that people already trust and use regularly.
3. In Africa, the seamless integration between offline and online channels must always be maintained as a core principle. The most effective strategy has proven to be acquiring customers through traditional offline channels first, where trust can be built face-to-face, and then systematically transitioning them to digital platforms for enhanced convenience and efficiency.
4. Just-in-time solutions work best because they align perfectly with our pay-as-you-need mindset, allowing for flexible purchasing patterns that match income flows and reduce the burden of large upfront payments on consumers.
Preach!!!! 🙌🏽
This is a beautifully written and authentic piece.
Thanks for the insights Adia.
A lot to ponder on especially when key business decisions need to be made in a crunch.
Lovely article, Adia
I used to think that this principle applied only to cheap products and services but I can now see how it can also be applicable to expensive/luxury ones too .
But quick question, for a bootstrapped business (with limited manpower), when does the brand building start because I’m worried that if we focus too much on distribution then we lose out on building an identity since we don’t have the manpower to do it simultaneously. I don’t believe in spreading oneself’s too thin.
You can always rebrand. But you can’t lose the chances to make money. Start figuring out which distribution channels help you sell as soon as you can
Thank you Adia.🙏🙏
I love the post frequency btw, I know it’s a lot of commitment. Thank youuu
Yeah. E no easy. But will try to keep it up. 🙏🏽
Sales = Timing * Trust
Timing and trust are either 0 or 1.
Great article!