Most Nigerians, male and female, are sports enthusiasts, so why not make money from something you are passionate about. We have compiled a list of businesses you can set up that revolves around what you love.
PHYSICAL THERAPY: Injuries happen in sports, and, often, players need professional help to recover. If you’re willing to get your degree in physical therapy, you can open your own practice and assist athletes or teams in your area. This profession is uncommon in Nigeria, and not appreciated, imagine if someone sets something up revolving around this, and also includes mental therapy.
SPORTS VIDEO GAME AND GAMING CENTRES: Gaming is a popular hobby today, and many video games are sports-related, like Madden and FIFA. Develop your own game, but choose a unique angle. Pick a sport you’re most interested in and create a game that you would want to play yourself. Many people cannot afford their games at home, and they may not have power supply at home, setting up a gaming centre will attract a lot of people, include drinks and finger foods, and tournaments.
SPORTS RADIO STATION: While most fans like to watch their teams play on TV, there are certain times and situations where that is not possible. If someone is traveling or simply wants to catch up on sports stats while on the run, you can provide play-by-plays, recaps and entertaining segments by starting your own sports radio station where you can talk about your passions – and get paid while doing so.
FANS BETTING COMPANY: Fans love placing bets on teams and players as a chance to win money while keeping up with their favourite sport. Friendly competitions, like fantasy football, allow you to connect with others through shared interests. Consider starting your own betting company or site where sports enthusiasts to compete with like-minded individuals while earning a profit.
SPORT PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY: Parents often want lasting records of their kid scoring the winning goal or hitting a home run. Most times, the best they get is a blurry action shot on their smartphone or digital camera. As a sports photographer, you can work with amateur teams to capture photos of each player and sell them to proud parents. You can also work with parents to capture video footage and assemble a video highlight reel that parents can send to scouts at prospective colleges and universities. Knowledge of the game and a good single-lens reflex (SLR) camera are essential for this business. In addition, game footage is a much sought-after skill for coaches and media outlets alike. If you’re a skilled videographer, consider freelancing: Teams require game day film to prepare, and local media often reports on high school sports.
SPORTS WRITING: Since you already keep up with games, teams and players, you can share your knowledge by starting your own sports copywriting firm. Whether you want to freelance for a local newspaper covering high school teams in your town or ghost write for major and minor-league athletes, you can attract a following by offering sports news, op-eds and features.
SPORTS CAMPS FOR KIDS: Organizing a sports camp is a great way to start a business you’ll enjoy. The camp could focus on the sport of your choice and any level of competition; it can last one day or several weeks. To boost its appeal and popularity, bring in experts, like coaches and athletes, to offer attendees experienced insights into their respective games. Garnering a local athletic personality’s endorsement can also add further prestige to your event.
B2B SALES
Investopia defines business to business as ‘business that is conducted between companies, rather than between a company and individual consumers. Business to business stands in contrast to business to consumer (B2C) and business to government (B2G) transactions. Here are some tips (outlined by Business News daily) to help your B2B Company thrive, including some common mistakes to avoid.
Rely on research instead of cold calls: Cold calling used to be a favourite tactic of B2B operations. It made sense when it was harder to gather information on clients. However, today it’s relatively easy to research whether a potential client can likely be converted to a sale, how profitable they could be, and what the common needs are within their industry. It’s wise to identify more than one real, tangible business reason for meeting with an account before doing so. Remember, your time is valuable, and prioritizing the clients you meet with could be the difference between booming business and flagging sales. A final sale can often be determined in the information gathering stage, so don’t skimp on your background research.
Look for opportunities to qualify leads: Once you’ve done your research and decided to engage with a potential client, it’s important to continue to qualify your leads as you being to engage them. How can you help support this business, and do they have the means required to secure your services? These involve ascertaining the goals of a business, understanding and helping them craft their plans, identifying the challenges they face, and working within their intended timing. Further, you should determine whether they have the budget necessary to solve their problem, identify the people within the company with the authority to make purchasing decisions, find out if there is a specific need that your business can address, and provide an actionable timeline for completing your solution.
Don’t reduce your interviews to “sales calls”: When trying to secure the business of a B2B customer, you’re not engaging in a “sales call.” This term suggests a more B2C type approach and can appear unprofessional or undignified when working with companies. Instead, present your meetings as interviews; you might even consider typing up a questionnaire ahead of time to better understand your leads needs and goals. Your potential clients are seeking out your help because you offer expertise in whatever vertical you serve. Finding a way to demonstrate that expertise while learning more about the client is a great way to impress and boost your chances of landing a deal at the end of the day.
Don’t be pushy or aggressive: The old sales mentality of constantly trying to close a deal is generally not the best approach in the modern B2B environment. According to Accenture research, 71 percent of buyers prefer to conduct their own research and then access a sales representative remotely. That means you’re not likely to schedule a face-to-face and most buyers will come to you with information gathered. While you can help educate them on the nuances of your services, you won’t often be teaching anybody the basics for the first time. Differentiating yourself in the marketplace is key, and then nailing that first point of contact – by qualifying your leads and making your value propositions apparent – is what will close your sales. Pushiness and aggressive salesmanship will not win the day; availability of information and a consultative approach are much more effective.
Remember that B2B customers, ultimately, are people: Just because you are selling products or services to a company doesn’t mean you’re not dealing with people. Beyond the very important aspects of a potential client’s challenges and the ways in which you will help them solve them, it is also important to leave a positive personal impression on the individual charged with selecting a solution. The best B2B salespeople will take the time to understand a decision-makers likes, dislikes, and the other complex layers of their personality. Many business people live by the mantra, “first you know somebody, then you like them, and then you do business with them,” so remaining cordial and warm is as important as being strategic and factual. By combining a clear value proposition, a helpful and consultative approach and personal like ability, your B2B sales should virtually close themselves.
