SMEs’ need for rebranding, refocusing and repositioning

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that want to leave good strong footprints on the sands of time in the business world have to think of rebranding, refocusing and repositioning their brands.

Entrepreneurship experts have observed that  these would require  a dynamic marketing plan and ability of the business operators to take profitable advantage of existing and future opportunities.

According to the African Biz4Afrika Community, a company brand is core to all its communications. Biz4Afrika Community points out that the brand is the ‘essence’ of the organisation., stating “Until you have discovered and defined this (brand), you cannot proceed with any component of your marketing. This ‘essence’ will inform every marketing action you undertake.”

Various business experts attest to this. In realisation of the essence of the brand and knowing that so many SMEs may have started without building a strong brand and therefore need to rebrand, refocus and reposition, a summit is holding this October ending to address this.

This summit tagged “FOOTPRINTS”  is the second edition of the annual summit organised by NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW). This women’s network was started in 2005 under the aegis of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) to promote entrepreneurship among women primarily and from time to time organise programmes that benefit not just women but men, youths and teenagers.

Lola Okanlawon, president, NNEW states, “The summit is an excellent opportunity for business operators to be better informed about their businesses.”

According to Okanlawon, the thrust of this year’s summit holding Thursday, 29 to Friday, 30, October, this year would be re-branding, refocusing and re-positioning a business for success and sustainability. “The aim is to address branding as a communication tool and how it affects customers’ perception of your business,” she states.

Speaking further, she says, “The 2015 summit is going to be a double celebration, as we would also be celebrating the network’s 10th anniversary.”

Edobong Akpabio, publicity secretary of NNEW states, “The event will help to answer pertinent questions like

•What is Branding?

•How are you and your business perceived by your numerous and prospective customers?

•What is your personal brand?

•What image do you portray?

•When you walk into a room what do people see? How do you brand yourself and your business to ensure you are sending the right message to your audience?

According to the organisers, the conference fee is N10,000 for members and N20, 000 for non – members with rewards and/or discounts for early bird registration.

The summit is one of the different programmes organised by NNEW within each year in line with its mandate of training generations of successful women entrepreneurs and spreading the knolwedge on entrepreneurship to all and sundry.

OLUYINKA ALAWODE