WHO AM I TRYING TO IMPRESS?

Last month on my trip back from London via Dubai, I was the first person to enter the plane. The travellers in business class had not started seating and so I took a peek. The air hostess saw me and called me in from where I was peeping and told me to take a seat and have an experience of sitting in Business Class. I laughed as I sat down and enjoyed the feeling of briefly sitting in this luxury part of the plane.

FACT - I  SAT IN BUSINESS CLASS

MY LUXURY EXPERIENCE

In my normal fashion I asked the hostess to take a photo of me and she did. She smiled and said business class suited me and I should book it on my next visit. I wanted to say to her that there’s a recession in my country and it took sweat to buy my promo ticket. But I didn’t. I smiled and went back to my seat.

I saved the photo that she took and didnt share it until today. That must have been the Holy Spirit lol.

FACT OR TRUTH

So today, a friend of mine was discussing Fact or truth on his Facebook page and I remembered my photo. I wondered how I would have been perceived if I had posted that photo with no headline. What fact and truth would I have been portraying? Would my audience know that I wasn’t really travelling in business class? Would it open doors to people that would want to associate with me just because of the perceived impression? Don’t be surprised. It’s happens especially where I live.

TRUTH - MY REAL SEAT

WHAT IMPRESSION AM I CAUSING?

This caused me concern. Then I started to think about my daughter who is 16 and my son who is nearly 15 and all the peer pressure they must face to impress their friends, especially in the social media age. What about the movement that I belong to? Raising Confident Girls? What do we tell our girls?

I wanted more conversation, more thoughts and more interaction on this topic. So I took to Facebook and Instagram and surprise surprise, it generated the conversation I wanted.  

BE AUTHENTIC
I was taking a bold step. I opened my facebook conservation to the public. I was showing the world my authentic self. Is that really hard to do? Yes sometimes, depending on where you live in the world. 

At the end of the day, you do have to live your own truth, whatever that maybe and hope that it will set you free. I hope you enjoyed my blog post today. Please feel free to leave a comment and share with others.

Happy Weekend! 

HOW TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL S.P. E. C. I. A. L

Everyone wants to feel special. Just see how a person's eyes light up when you give them a compliment.  If you want to improve your relationships, the following tips below will help.

S. Serve 

Put others first before yourself. I know this might be a challenge in the ''Me, Myself and I'' era but its doable. Rather than think about how someone can serve you, why not think about how you can serve someone else. Do something kind with no strings attached.  Make serving your ultimate goal.

P. Personalize 

Everybody loves a personal touch. Call people by their name. They love it.  Personalise your interactions with others. Do something specifically for someone, especially if you know what they like. Buy them a gift and personalise it.

E. Encourage

People can never get enough encouragement. When we encourage people we help build their confidence. I have a group of women that encourage me daily and its such a boost. Look for a good word and encourage them. Your encouragement may be the only positive message they hear today.

C. Courtesy

This goes hand in hand with respect. When you are courteous to others, it's very welcoming. Courtesy doesn’t just mean saying please or thank you, but it also means treating people with kindness.

   I.  Interest

If you want to be a person of influence, you have to show a genuine interest in others and NOT because you want to get something from them. Show interest. No strings attached.  Have a pure heart. Ask questions rather than talking about yourself. Send a text that just says How are you today? 

   A.  Appreciation

The best way to appreciate others is to simply tell them so.  It’s that simple. Not because you want to use them but because you genuinely care. You don’t always have to buy gifts to show appreciation, you can simply say ''well done!'' 

L. Listen

People just want to be listened to. When you are listening, show you are, by using good body language like nodding or repeating back what the person says. Look at the person. Remove all distractions like your mobile phone and just listen.

So that's it. You can never go wrong with making people feel special. I hope you found the above, a useful reminder of what you know already. Sometimes we just have to be more intentional with our interactions. 

Thanks for stopping by and if it you found the tips useful, then please share with others.  Don’t forget to leave a message in the comment box and let me know what makes you feel special. I would really love to know.

BOLD STEPS IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY- MY NOTES

I am attending a series of women events in the next few weeks to mark international women’s month. Mo Abudu was the lecture speaker today for Wimbiz and here are my summary notes which I hope you find useful.

So right now in the world, it’s fair to say there is chaos. With Brexit in the UK and Trumpism in the USA, Nigerians now face uncertainties as to whether they can enter those countries smoothly. What’s the alternative? Let’s stay in our country and make Nigeria great. Let seek opportunities in our own soil. There are always opportunities in a recession

Mo Abudu's Lecture

Mo who's company Ebony Life Films, along with other partners, produced the Wedding Party. I went to see this movie at Christmas and I have to admit that it was one of the best Naija movies that I've seen. Mo explained in her talk that the movie exceeded its budget to gross over 450 million naira at the box office. According to sources, it is currently the highest grossing Nollywood movie of all time. Below she outlines why it was a success and maybe the tips can help you with your goals. 

Understand Your Market

She understood that the product for consumers in a time of recession needs to be inexpensive. She talked about the cinema market. An average cinema ticket costs around N1,500. In a recession, people seek escapism. Producing a good film at this time worked. What can you produce at low cost?

Find The Right Team

They found the best talent locally and partnered with other brands. Mo said they actually spent less on Wedding Party using local actors than her previous movie 50. What about you? Do you have the right teams and best talent? 

Storyline

Her market could identify with the story. Every Nigerian has been to a wedding and can identify with all the drama. I should know. I was once a wedding planner. What is your story? How relatable is it to your audience?

Credibility

The movie was showcased at the Global Vision in Canada where Oscar nominated films are showcased. How about your brand? How credible is it?

Testimonials From Customers

She received testimonials from influencers who spread the film ''as a must watch'' like wild fire. Nothing beats word of mouth marketing. Publicists like me, talked about the film and showcased it on our social media platforms. How about you? What are you doing about getting testimonials from your target audience?

Audience Feedback

She invested in Market research to find out about consumer behaviour. It’s so important because it stops you from making assumptions. Market research gives you facts. 

Sponsors

The film was sponsored by a firm all the way in Dubai. Think out of the box and don’t always believe that your sponsors must only come from Nigeria. This is a global economy.

Her success tips

God first

Prayer is the key. Yes I agree. We cant do anything without our maker.

Understand your DNA

It’s important to know who you are: strengths and your weakness. She worked on hers and makes an effort to smile more (because that is a key to success) and she says sorry when she screams at her staff (That was so open and vulnerable of her to share– I like that)

Have A Vision

Her motto: If you can think you can do it. Dream it and write it down. Have a notebook by your bedside for your night ideas. This is something I will start doing.

Partnerships

Find ones that can add value and are ready to invest in your dreams. The agreement needs to be clearly defined.

Planning & Execution

A lot of people struggle to execute their dreams. Without action, nothing happens.

Marketing and Publicity

It’s fair to say that this is one of my favourite topics. She said don’t be afraid to talk about your brand. Even at events like Wimbiz where you may have the opportunity to ask a question, mention your name and mention your brand or what you are passionate about. In my case Majestically Rare and Raising Confident Girls - That’s marketing - WINK

Other Tips

Challenge the status quo
Maintain your femininity 
Employ ladies
Spend time with friends who encourage you

Seek Opportunities

Know your close circle - Success can create enemies

Finally, find your God given purpose. It’s the only way to live a fulfilled life.

Happy International Women’s Day to all the beautiful women around the globe. We all need each other.

I run practical High Impact Marketing workshops. Contact me if you would like to attend the next one on March 31^st 2017 in VI Lagos at rita@majesticallyrare.com

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