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The Move of Tangible Assets Towards Digital Convenience Ezekiel Muoneke Content Writer Blog May 31, 2023 4:46 pm Uber owns no vehicles. Facebook creates no content, and Jumia has no store. But there is one thing they all have in common: the ability to leverage the gap between consumers and their needs digitally. This action does not only identify the needs of the consumer; it also provides a speedy solution—one without stress but with ease—a digital convenience, if you will.  With the world changing rapidly, so are the ways we interact with our assets. Gone are the days when we had to carry bulk loads of cash, cards, keys, documents, and other physical items to access our money, property, identity, and information.  The world is moving from tangible assets to digital convenience, and today, we can store and manage most of our assets digitally, using our smartphones, computers, or cloud services. This trend of moving tangible assets into digital convenience has many benefits, but also some challenges and risks. In this article, we will explore some of the reasons and implications of this new trend. Why are We Converting Tangible Assets into Digital Convenience? There are several factors that drive the move of tangible assets into digital convenience. Some of them are: 1. Convenience: Of course, it’s always going to be convenience. After all, that’s the whole point of this article.  Compared to physical assets, digital ones are much easier to access, store, and use. We can pay for goods and services, unlock the doors of our homes, confirm our identities, access our accounts, and more using our electronic devices. This way, we don’t have to be concerned about misplacing, forgetting, or damaging our tangible possessions. Additionally, we can more simply and securely transfer and exchange our digital assets with others. 2. Efficiency: Another great benefit and reason why people now opt for digital assets is efficiency. With this, costs can be cut, time can be saved, and productivity can be raised. For instance, using digital payments can reduce fraud, do away with transaction fees, and speed up transactions. Printing costs, paper waste, and storage space can all be reduced with digital documents. The use of online or physical services is not left out, as they are made possible through digital identity, which in turn simplifies the verification process. Faster communication, teamwork, and creativity are all also possible thanks to digital information. 3. Security: Digital assets have the potential to provide greater security and control than physical ones. We can use passwords, biometrics, or other security measures to encrypt our digital assets in order to prevent unauthorised access. To avoid loss or damage, we can also create a backup of our digital assets on the cloud or on other hardware. With the help of logs, alerts, and other technologies, we can also keep an eye on and monitor our digital assets in order to spot theft or misuse and stop it. What are Some Examples of Tangible Assets that Have Moved into Digital Convenience? We’ve been talking a lot about these tangible assets and their metamorphosis into the digital assets we have become familiar with. But what really are they, and what are some examples for clarity?  Tangible assets are physical assets that have a finite monetary value and usually a useful lifespan of more than one year. Digital assets on the other hand are anything that is created and stored digitally, is identifiable and discoverable, and has or provides value. Some tangible assets have morphed into digital assets through the process of tokenization, which is the conversion of an underlying asset, tangible or intangible, into a digital “token” that acts as its proxy. And while there are many examples of tangible assets that have moved into digital convenience in various domains, here are some of them: • Money: Money is one of the most common tangible assets that has moved into digital convenience. These days, we can use digital wallets, mobile apps, online platforms, or cryptocurrencies to store and transfer our money without using cash or cards. We can also use digital currencies that are backed by governments or corporations to facilitate transactions across borders or platforms. These digital currencies can facilitate faster and cheaper cross-border payments and remittances. • Property: Property is another tangible asset that has moved into digital convenience. Today we can use smart locks, sensors, cameras, or other devices to control and monitor our property without using keys or codes. We can also use blockchain technology to create and manage digital tokens that represent our property rights and ownership without using deeds or contracts. This way, real estate properties can be tokenized into fractional ownership shares that can be traded on secondary markets. ENJOYING THE ARTICLE? Sign up For Our Newsletter • Identity: A vital tangible asset that has been incorporated into digital convenience is identity. Without the need for identification documents or cards, we can utilise biometrics, face recognition, QR codes, or other techniques to confirm our identity. Another option is to employ self-sovereign identification systems, which let us construct and control our own digital identities independently of intermediaries or third parties. • Information: Information is a valuable tangible asset that has moved into digital convenience. We can use cloud services, online platforms, or other tools to store and access our information without using paper or disks. We can also use artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics (BDA), or other technologies to process and generate information without using human labour or expertise. • Art: These days art can be tokenized into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are unique and indivisible digital representations of an artwork that can be verified on a blockchain. NFTs are a great way to make an extra income as they create new revenue streams for artists and collectors by enabling royalties and secondary sales. Now that we have all of these out of the way,  What are the Implications of Converting Tangible Assets into Digital Convenience? The move of tangible

Email Copywriting: Best and Worst Practices Ezekiel Muoneke Content Writer Blog May 27, 2023 11:35 am As has already been established in our email series, email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience and generate leads. However, writing an email copy that converts is not as easy as it sounds. You need to consider various factors such as the subject line, the tone, the structure, the call to action, and the value proposition. In this article, we will share some of the best practices and common mistakes to avoid when writing an email copy. What is an Email Copy? An email copy is the text that you write in your email to communicate your message to your subscribers. It can be a newsletter, a promotional offer, a welcome email, a follow-up email, or any other type of email that you send to your list. The purpose of an email’s copy is to urge the recipient to do something, like click on a link, buy something, sign up for a trial, or respond to your email. Why is Email Copy Important? Email copy is important because it determines whether your email will be opened, read, and acted upon by your recipients. According to a study by Litmus, the average email open rate in 2020 was 21.3%, and the average click-through rate was 2.6%. This means that only a fraction of your subscribers will actually see and engage with your email. Therefore, you need to write an email copy that stands out from the crowd and convinces your readers to take action. How to Write an Effective Email Copy? The best way to write effective email copy varies depending on the recipient. However, there are some general guidelines that you can follow to improve your chances of success. Here are some of the do’s and dont’s of writing an email copy. Dos: 1. Write a Catchy Subject Line  When your subscribers receive an email, the subject line is the first thing they will see. It should capture their attention and entice them to open your email. A good subject line should be clear, concise, relevant, personalised, and benefit-oriented. Instead of saying “Our latest update can save time and money,” you may write “How our new feature can save you time and money.”  2. Use a Friendly and Conversational Tone  Your email copy should sound like you are talking to a friend or a colleague, not like you are lecturing or selling something. Use simple and familiar words, avoid jargon and acronyms, and address your readers by their name or pronoun. You can also use humour, anecdotes, or questions to make your email more engaging and relatable. 3. Prioritise the Benefits Over the Features  Your email copy should answer the question “What’s in it for me?” for your readers. Instead of listing the features of your product or service, explain how they can solve their problems or improve their situation. Instead of saying that our app includes a built-in calendar, you may say something like, “With our app, you can easily schedule your appointments and never miss a deadline.”  4. Use Clear and Compelling Call to Action (CTA)  Because it informs readers of what they should do next, the CTA is the most important section of your email message. For instance, you could write “Claim your free trial now” instead of “Click here.” 5. Proofread and Test Your Email Copy  Before you hit send, make sure that your email copy is free of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. You can use tools like Grammarly or Quillbot to check and improve your writing. You should also test your email on different devices and platforms to ensure that it looks good and works properly. Don’ts: 1. Write too Long or too Short Emails  There is no ideal length for an email copy because it depends on your purpose, audience, and message. However, you should avoid writing emails that are too long or too short for your readers’ attention span and interest level. A general rule of thumb is to keep your emails between 50 and 200 words.  2. Use too Many Images or Attachments While many tend to be guilty of this, like myself, because images and attachments enhance blog posts and email copies by adding visual appeal and providing additional information, they can also slow down the loading time of your email and increase the chances of being marked as spam or blocked by firewalls. Therefore, you should use images and attachments sparingly and only when they are relevant and necessary for your message. 3. Make False or Exaggerated Claims Your email copy should be honest and credible because your readers will not trust you if you lie or exaggerate about your product or service. You should back up your claims with facts, statistics, testimonials, or guarantees. A better alternative to stating “Our product is the best across the market” would be “Our product has been rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by over 10,000 customers.” You see, no lie no foul.  4. Use too Many Colours or Fonts Your email copy should be easy to read and scan because most people will not read every word of your email. You should use colours and fonts that are consistent with your brand identity and style guide. You should also use white space, bullet points, headings, subheadings, and bolding to break up your text and highlight the key points. 5. Send Emails Without Permission or Segmentation Your email copy should be relevant and personalised for your subscribers because they will not open or click on emails that are not interesting or useful to them. You should only send emails to people who have given you permission to do so by opting in to your list or agreeing to receive marketing communications from you.  You should also segment your list based on criteria such as demographics, behaviour, preferences, or interests so that you can tailor your email copy

Making Your Emails Mobile-Friendly Ezekiel Muoneke Content Writer Blog May 24, 2023 2:54 pm Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach and engage your audience. It can help you build trust, increase conversions, and generate revenue. But email marketing is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. You need to consider how your subscribers are accessing and reading your emails and optimize them accordingly. As a result, one of the most important factors to consider in this journey is mobile optimization. Mobile devices account for nearly half of all email opens worldwide, and this number is expected to grow in the future. If your emails are not optimized for mobile, you risk losing subscribers, clicks, and sales. In this article, we will guide you through the best practices for optimizing email marketing for mobile devices. We will cover the following topics: ~ Why mobile optimization is important for email marketing ~ What to do And ~ How to design mobile-friendly emails Why Mobile Optimization is Important for Email Marketing Mobile optimization is the process of ensuring that your emails look good and function well on mobile devices. This means that your emails should be responsive, adaptive, or scalable to fit different screen sizes and orientations. Mobile optimization is important for email marketing because it affects your subscriber experience, engagement, and conversion rates. Here are some of the benefits of optimizing your emails for mobile: • Improve subscriber experience: Mobile users expect fast and seamless experiences when they open your emails. If your emails are not optimized for mobile, they may encounter issues such as slow loading, distorted images, unreadable text, or broken links. These issues can frustrate your subscribers and damage your brand reputation. By optimizing your emails for mobile, you can ensure that your subscribers have a positive and consistent experience across devices. • Increase engagement: Mobile users tend to be more active and responsive than desktop users when it comes to email marketing. They are more likely to open, click, and share your emails if they are relevant and appealing. When you effectively optimize your emails for mobile, you can capture their attention and interest with clear and compelling content. You can also use mobile-specific features such as buttons, icons, emojis, or swipe gestures to enhance interactivity and engagement. • Boost conversions: Just like desktop users, mobile users are also likely to take action from your emails if they are optimized for mobile. They are more likely to visit your website, sign up for your offer, or make a purchase if your emails are easy to navigate and complete on their devices. By optimizing your emails for mobile, you can reduce friction and increase urgency with simple and effective calls-to-action. What to Do 1. Optimize Your Subject Line and Preheader Text The first thing that mobile users see when they receive an email is the subject line and preheader text. Therefore, it is pertinent to optimize them for mobile devices. Keep your subject line short and to the point, as mobile screens have limited space. It should grab the user’s attention and encourage them to open the email. The preheader text is the short summary of the email that appears right after the subject line on mobile devices. It should also be concise and informative, providing the user with a reason to keep reading. Make sure that your subject line and preheader text work together to entice the user to open the email. 2. Use Responsive Design  Responsive design is a must for any email campaign that targets mobile users. It ensures that your email looks great and functions properly on any device, regardless of its screen size or orientation.  A responsive email design involves using HTML and CSS to adjust the layout of the email automatically. If your email is not optimized for mobile devices, it will look cluttered, and the user may have difficulty reading it. Responsive design ensures that your email is easy to navigate, and all elements are easy to read and interact with. 3. Optimize the Email Content Once you have optimized the subject line, preheader, and design of your email, it’s time to focus on the content. When writing content for mobile devices, keep in mind that users have limited attention spans. Therefore, your content should be concise and easy to read. Avoid using too much text in your email. Instead, use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and images to break up the content and make it more scannable. Use a legible font size and typeface that is easy to read on small screens. Also, make sure that your call-to-action (CTA) is prominently displayed and easy to click. 4. Test Your Email on Multiple Devices Before sending out your email campaign, it’s important to test it on different mobile devices. This will help you identify any formatting issues or design flaws that may cause problems for mobile users. Test your email on various smartphones and tablets, including both iOS and Android devices. 5. Monitor your email metrics It’s important to monitor your email metrics to see how your campaigns are performing on mobile devices. Pay attention to metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates on mobile devices. This will help you identify any areas that need improvement and optimize your campaigns for better results. How to Design Mobile-Friendly Emails Designing mobile-friendly emails is not as complicated as it may seem. You can use various tools and techniques to create responsive, adaptive, or scalable emails that adapt to different screen sizes and orientations.  Earlier on, we mentioned the need to use responsive design because it is the most suitable for mobile. However, there are other design techniques, and for the sake of clarity and a full understanding of these things, we’ll be delving briefly into them. The Responsive Design The Responsive design is the most popular and recommended technique for mobile email optimization. It uses media queries to detect the device type and screen size of the subscriber, and

Understanding Workplace Diversity Ezekiel Muoneke Content Writer Blog May 16, 2023 7:35 pm Diversity is a term that refers to the variety of differences among people in terms of their backgrounds, identities, experiences, perspectives, and skills. Diversity can include aspects such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, culture, language, education, and more. Diversity is not only a moral and ethical issue, but also a business imperative. In this article, we will explore how diversity in the workplace can benefit organisations and their employees by driving innovation and success. What is Diversity in the Workplace? Diversity in the workplace means that an organisation employs people from different backgrounds and groups who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the work environment. A diverse workplace can foster a culture of inclusion, where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported for their contributions and differences. A diverse workplace can also enhance creativity, problem-solving, decision-making, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. Now that we’ve established what workplace diversity is,  Why Then is Diversity in the Workplace Important? For a number of reasons, diversity in the work-space is important to every business. The following are a few advantages of workplace diversity: • Innovation: Diversity can spark innovation by bringing together people with different ideas, insights, and experiences. A diverse team can come up with more new and effective solutions to complex challenges and opportunities. A diverse team can also adapt more quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and customer needs. • Performance: Diversity can improve performance by enhancing productivity, quality, efficiency, and profitability. A diverse team can leverage the strengths and talents of each member and complement each other’s skills and knowledge. A diverse team can also reduce errors, conflicts, and turnover by fostering a positive and supportive work environment. • Reputation: Diversity can enhance reputation by attracting and retaining top talent, customers, partners, and investors. A diverse team can reflect the diversity of the society and the market and appeal to a wider range of stakeholders. A diverse team can also demonstrate social responsibility and commitment to equity and inclusion. • Learning: Diversity can enhance learning by exposing people to different perspectives and experiences. A diverse team can challenge assumptions, biases, and stereotypes and create a culture of curiosity and openness. A diverse team can also encourage feedback, communication, and collaboration among members and across departments. How to Promote Diversity in the Workplace Promoting diversity in the workplace requires intentional and strategic actions from leaders and employees at all levels. Some of the strategies to promote diversity in the workplace are: • Recruitment: Recruitment is the process of attracting and hiring qualified candidates for a job. To promote diversity in recruitment, organisations should adopt fair and inclusive practices such as posting job openings on diverse platforms, using objective criteria and assessments, eliminating bias from CVs and interviews, and offering flexible work arrangements. • Retention: Retention is how you keep employees engaged and happy with their jobs. To promote diversity in retention, you should provide equal opportunities for growth and development such as mentoring, coaching, training, feedback, recognition, and promotion. You should also create a culture of inclusion where employees feel valued, respected, and supported for their differences. • Education: Education is the process of providing information and knowledge to employees about diversity and its benefits. To promote diversity in education, organisations can offer regular training sessions on topics such as diversity awareness, cultural competence, unconscious bias, micro-aggressions, allyship, and conflict resolution. Organisations should also encourage employees to share their stories and experiences with each other and learn from each other’s perspectives. • Engagement: Engagement is the process of involving employees in decision-making and problem-solving processes that affect their work. To promote diversity in engagement, organisations should solicit input from employees from different backgrounds and groups on issues such as strategy formulation, product development, customer service, and policy implementation. Organisations should also empower employees to initiate and lead diversity initiatives such as employee resource groups, diversity committees, and community outreach programmes. ENJOYING THE ARTICLE? Sign up For Our Newsletter In conclusion, diversity in the workplace is a key factor for organisational success in the 21st century. By embracing diversity, organisations can enhance their innovation, performance, reputation, and learning outcomes. As a brand, by promoting diversity, you can create a more inclusive, equitable, and respectful work environment for all employees. Don’t just exist online, thrive! Partner with us to create a digital marketing strategy that will take your business to new heights. Say goodbye to mediocre results and hello to digital success – contact us today to get started!  Share this article

The Buyer Persona: Connecting with Your Audience Ezekiel Muoneke Content Writer Blog May 4, 2023 5:46 pm If you’re a start-up brand looking to grow your audience and boost your sales, it’s important to understand who your target market is. You need to know what their pain points are, what they like, and what motivates them to make a purchase. This is where buyer persona becomes useful. What is a Buyer Persona? Based on market research and actual information about your current clients, a buyer persona is a semi-fictional picture of your ideal consumer. It’s a profile that includes information about their behavioural, psychographic, and demographic traits. A buyer persona is a helpful tool for developing effective product ad placements because it’s like a picture of your target market. Creating a buyer persona is all about understanding your audience, and it starts with research. You need to gather data about your target market, including their age, gender, location, income, interests, and buying behavior. You can get this information from surveys, interviews, social media, and website analytics.  Once you have enough data, you can use it to create a buyer persona. Give your persona a name, and then outline their characteristics, including their demographics, goals, challenges, and preferences. Why is a Buyer Persona Important? For a number of reasons, developing a buyer persona is crucial. First, it helps you understand your target market and tailor your messaging to their needs and interests. Second, it can help you identify new opportunities for growth and expansion. Third, it can help you create more effective product ad placements that speak directly to your audience. Other advantages include, but are not limited to: 1.     Better Marketing ROI: By targeting your marketing efforts to your ideal customer, you can increase your return on investment. You can focus on the channels and messaging that are most effective in reaching your target market. 2.     Improved Customer Acquisition: By understanding your target market, you can attract new customers more effectively. You can create content and products that resonate with them and address their pain points. 3.     Increased Customer Loyalty: By establishing a personal connection with your target market, you can build customer loyalty. Customers who feel understood and valued are more likely to become repeat customers. 4.     Better Product Development: By using your buyer persona to guide product development, you can create products that meet the needs and preferences of your target market. This can lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction. Understanding your audience will help you produce content that connects with them and motivates them to act. For example, if your buyer persona is a busy working mother who happens to also be a fitness enthusiast, you might create content that focuses on quick and easy workouts that can be done at home. This type of content is likely to appeal to your target market and encourage them to make a purchase; in this case an e-fitness plan. How to Create a Buyer Persona Creating a buyer persona is a process that requires research, data analysis, and creativity. Here are the main steps you should follow when creating a buyer persona: 1.     Research Your Target Market: The first step is to research your target market. You can do this by conducting surveys, interviews, social media analysis, and website analytics. You want to gather as much information as possible about your target market, including their demographics, interests, behaviors, and pain points. 2.     Analyze Your Data: Once you have gathered your data, it’s time to analyze it. Look for patterns and trends in your data that can help you create a buyer persona. You want to identify common characteristics and behaviors that are shared by your target market. 3.     Create Your Buyer Persona: Once you have analyzed your data, it’s time to create your buyer persona. Give your persona a name and create a detailed profile that includes their demographic information, goals, challenges, and preferences. Use the data you have gathered to make your buyer persona as realistic and accurate as possible.  4.     Validate Your Buyer Persona: Once you have created your buyer persona, it’s important to validate it. You can do this by conducting surveys or interviews with your existing customers to see if your buyer persona accurately reflects your target market. Example of a Buyer Persona Let’s say you’re a start-up brand that sells organic skincare products. Your target market is women between the ages of 25 and 45 who are health-conscious and environmentally aware. Here’s an example of what your buyer persona might look like: Name: Sarah Age: 36 Location: Abuja Occupation: Marketing Manager Income: 130,000 – 250,000 Naira Interests: Yoga, healthy eating, sustainability Goals: To have healthy and glowing skin, to reduce her carbon footprint Challenges: Finding skincare products that are both effective and environmentally friendly Preferences: Prefers natural and organic skincare products. Creating an Avatar Once you have created your buyer persona, the next step is to create an avatar. An avatar is a visual representation of your buyer persona that makes it easier to imagine and connect with them. It can be a photograph, a drawing, or a stock image that represents your target audience.  Creating an avatar is an important step because it helps you humanize your target market. By visualizing your buyer persona as a real person, you can better understand their needs and motivations. This can help you create more effective product ad placements that resonate with your audience on a deeper level. ENJOYING THE ARTICLE? Sign up For Our Newsletter How to Use Your Buyer Persona Once you have created your buyer persona, you can use it to create a marketing strategy that speaks directly to your target market. Here are some ways you can use your buyer persona: 1.     Content Creation: Use your buyer persona to create content that speaks directly to your target market. This can include blog posts, social media content, and email marketing campaigns. 2.     Product Development: Use your buyer persona to guide product development.