CURAD TAILORED

TRAINING &
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Customers & Market

Practices
 1. Learning Objectives ….……..……….…….…………..…01

2. Introduction ..………………….…………..…….………..…02

3. C1 – Survey Customers ..…….…………..…..….……04

4. C2 – Survey Competition ………..…………………..…05

CONTENTS 5. C3 – Survey Suppliers …………………...……………..06

6. C4 – Innovate …………………………………..……………07

7. C5 – Implementation……………………………………….08

8. Conclusion ……….………………………………….………...09

9. References ……………………………………………………….10
Learning Objectives

Achieve Market Excellence With Data-driven Strategies and

Innovative Business Practices.
Understand the Importance of Customer and
Market Insights
❖Ability to explain the importance of regularly surveying customers, competitors,
and suppliers to gain valuable market insights and drive business growth.

Implement Effective Market Research Techniques

❖Learn how to design and conduct customer, competitor, and supplier surveys to
gather actionable data that informs strategic decision-making in their businesses.

Foster a Culture of Innovation

❖Leveraging Market research, Data and Customer feedback to identify

opportunities for innovation and develop strategies for continuous improvement
and growth.

Develop and Execute a Strategic Marketing and Sales

Plan
❖Learn how to create a comprehensive marketing and sales plan that aligns with
their business goals, targets the right audience, and utilizes effective marketing
channels to drive sales and customer engagement.

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Introduction

Ugandan Agricultural Trends

Increasing Demand for High-Quality Value-Added Agricultural Products
Produce
❖There is a rising trend towards value-added
❖Ugandan consumers are seeking out fresh, agricultural products, such as processed
high-quality fruits and vegetables, creating foods, juices, and other convenience items,
opportunities for SMEs to meet this growing that SMEs can capitalize on.
demand.

Diversification of Crop Cultivation Adoption of Modern Farming

❖Ugandan farmers are diversifying their crop Practices
cultivation to include a wider variety of high- ❖Ugandan farmers are increasingly adopting
value crops, opening up new market modern farming techniques and technologies,
segments for SMEs. improving productivity and quality, which
SMEs can leverage.

Expanding Agricultural Export

Market
❖Uganda's agricultural exports are growing,
particularly to regional markets, providing
opportunities for SMEs to tap into these
export opportunities.

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Introduction

Intro C1 – Survey Customers

•Implementing Business Practices •Video
•Customers & Market Practices Tools •Customers 1
•Step 1 Tools (Sample Customer Survey,
Customer Survey Guide, Market Research
Guide, Marketing, Customer Needs Analysis.
•Step 2 Tools (Personas, Relationships, etc)

C2 – Survey Competitors C3 – Survey Suppliers

•Video •Video
•Customers 2 •Customers 3
•Competitor Analysis Tools •Supplier Survey
•Market Research (Competitors) •Market Research (Café Paradise)
•Porter’s 5 Forces, Positioning Strategy
•Red Ocean and Blue Ocean Strategy,

C4 – Innovate C5- Implementing a Marketing & Sales Plan

•Video •Video
•Customers 4 •Customers 5
•Ideation •Action and Implementation Plan
•Value Proposition Canvas •Sales Objections, Sales Growth, Sales Pitch
•Business Model Canvas •Lead Generation, Cold Calling

Conclusion
•Recap
•Q&A
•Closing

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Introduction

Tools

Refer to Slide 1 and Introduction tools.

Understanding your customers and market
is crucial for business success, particularly in Moreover, adopting customer and market
emerging economies where market practices enables businesses to remain agile
dynamics can be unpredictable. In Africa, and responsive to changes. This adaptability
businesses face unique challenges such as is vital in African markets, where socio-
varying customer preferences, economic economic conditions can shift rapidly. By
instability, and intense competition. leveraging insights gained from customer
Implementing effective customer and feedback, competitor analysis, and supplier
market practices can help businesses information, businesses can make informed
navigate these challenges, foster resilience, decisions that enhance their market position
and drive growth. This session will provide and customer satisfaction. This approach
practical tools and strategies to help you not only promotes growth but also builds a
better understand and engage with your solid foundation for long-term success in a
customers, assess your competition, and dynamic and often unpredictable business
innovate effectively to meet market environment.
demands.

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C1 – Survey Customers

Tools

Refer to Slide 1 and Customers 1 tool.

Regularly surveying your customers is
Additionally, customer surveys can reveal
essential to ensure that your products and
hidden opportunities for innovation and
services meet their needs and expectations.
improvement. They provide insights into
This involves not just current customers but
customer satisfaction, preferences, and
also potential and former ones. By
areas of dissatisfaction, which can be crucial
understanding why past customers have left
for refining your product or service
and what current customers value,
offerings. In African markets, where diverse
businesses can adapt their offerings to
cultural and economic factors influence
better align with market demands. This
consumer behaviour, tailored surveys can
practice is particularly important in
uncover specific needs and preferences that
emerging markets like Africa, where
are not immediately apparent. By acting on
customer preferences can change rapidly.
this feedback, businesses can strengthen
Regular feedback loops through surveys can
customer loyalty and drive growth through
help businesses stay agile and responsive
continuous improvement.
(Kinyanjui, 2021).

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C2 – Survey Competitors

Tools.

Refer to Slide 1 and Customers 2 Tools.

Keeping a close eye on your competitors
Furthermore, competitor surveys can help
helps you understand your market position
businesses anticipate market trends and
and identify opportunities for differentiation.
potential disruptions. By understanding what
By regularly analyzing competitors'
competitors are doing well and where they
products, prices, and service levels,
are falling short, businesses can identify
businesses can adjust their strategies to
gaps in the market that they can exploit.
gain a competitive edge. This is especially
This proactive approach is essential in
crucial in African markets where new
rapidly evolving markets, where staying
competitors frequently emerge, and market
ahead of the competition requires constant
conditions can shift quickly. Informal visits,
vigilance and strategic agility. By leveraging
customer feedback, and market intelligence
competitive intelligence, businesses can
can provide valuable insights into your
develop more effective marketing strategies
competitors' strengths and weaknesses
and innovation initiatives.
(Chironga et al., 2012).

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C3 – Survey Suppliers

Gain Insights on Popular Products Enhance Supply Chain Efficiency

Identify Innovation Opportunities Strengthen Supplier Relationships

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C3 – Survey Suppliers

Tools.

Refer to Slide 1 and Customers 3 Tools.

Suppliers can offer a wealth of
information about market trends and Additionally, supplier surveys can enhance
customer preferences. Regularly engaging supply chain efficiency and innovation. By
with suppliers can help businesses understanding supplier capabilities and
identify popular products and services, constraints, businesses can develop more
enabling them to update their offerings robust and flexible supply chains. In
emerging markets, where supply chain
accordingly. This practice is beneficial in
disruptions can be more common, this
African markets where suppliers often knowledge is invaluable. Collaborating
work with multiple companies and can closely with suppliers also opens up
provide comparative insights. Building opportunities for joint innovation projects,
strong relationships with suppliers also where suppliers can contribute their
ensures better negotiation terms and expertise and resources to develop new
access to the latest market information products or improve existing ones.
(Khanna, 2015).

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C4 – Innovate

Market Research & Foster a Culture of Develop Unique,

Customer Feedback Innovation Innovative Solutions

Continuously review Encourage a culture that Leverage market insights

market research data, empowers employees to and customer feedback to
customer surveys, and think creatively and develop innovative
feedback to identify new proactively about products, services, and
revenue opportunities, addressing local business models that
emerging trends, and challenges and tapping differentiate the
areas for improving into new markets. agribusiness from
existing products and Promote continuous competitors and cater to
services. improvement and the evolving needs of the
experimentation to help Ugandan agricultural
the business remain market.
adaptable and resilient.

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C4 – Innovate

Tools.

Refer to Slide 1 and Customers 4 Tools.

In addition, fostering a culture of innovation
Innovation is key to staying relevant and
within the organization encourages
competitive in any market. By continuously
employees to think creatively and
reviewing market research data and
proactively. This can lead to the
customer feedback, businesses can identify
development of unique solutions that
new revenue opportunities and improve
address local challenges and tap into new
existing products and services. In Africa,
markets. In African economies, where
where markets are diverse and evolving,
traditional business models may not always
innovation can drive growth and open up
apply, innovative approaches can
new segments. Regularly conducting market
differentiate a business from its competitors.
research helps businesses understand
Encouraging continuous improvement and
customer needs, competitive dynamics, and
experimentation ensures that the business
emerging trends, enabling them to make
remains adaptable and resilient in the face
informed decisions (World Bank, 2020).
of changing market conditions.

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C5 – Implement Marketing & Sales Plan

Define Clear Objectives

Identify Target Audience

Select Effective Channels

Adapt to Market
Changes
13

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C5 – Implement Marketing & Sales Plan

Tools.

Refer to Slide 1 and Customers 5 Tools.

Moreover, an effective marketing and sales
A well-defined marketing and sales plan is plan should be flexible enough to adapt to
critical for attracting and retaining market changes and customer feedback.
customers. This involves regularly This adaptability is crucial in dynamic
identifying and executing promotional markets where consumer behavior and
activities to boost sales. In emerging preferences can shift rapidly. By
markets like Africa, where word-of-mouth continuously monitoring and evaluating the
and local advertising play significant roles, a effectiveness of marketing strategies,
strategic marketing plan can significantly businesses can make data-driven
impact business growth. This practice adjustments that enhance their reach and
includes setting clear objectives, defining impact. This iterative process ensures that
target audiences, and choosing the right marketing efforts are aligned with business
marketing channels to reach potential goals and market conditions, driving
customers effectively (Njoh, 2017). sustained growth and customer
engagement.

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Conclusion

Tools.

Refer to Slide 1.
In conclusion, integrating these practices
Effective customer and market practices are into your business strategy can lead to
fundamental to business success, significant improvements in performance
particularly in the dynamic and diverse and competitive positioning. By focusing on
markets of Africa. By implementing these understanding and meeting customer needs,
practices, businesses can better understand monitoring competitors, leveraging supplier
their customers, stay ahead of competitors, insights, fostering innovation, and
and continuously innovate. This not only implementing strategic marketing plans,
drives growth but also builds resilience, businesses can navigate the complexities of
enabling businesses to adapt to changing emerging markets effectively. This
market conditions and customer comprehensive approach ensures that
preferences. Embrace these tools and businesses are well-equipped to seize
strategies to enhance your business opportunities, mitigate risks, and thrive in
operations and achieve long-term success. the ever-changing landscape of African
markets.

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References

1. Chironga, M., Leke, A., Lund, S., & van Wamelen, A. (2012). Cracking
the next growth market: Africa. Harvard Business Review.
2. Khanna, T. (2015). Contextual Intelligence. Harvard Business Review.
3. Kinyanjui, M. (2021). Customer Feedback: The Key to Business
Growth in Africa. African Business Review.
4. Njoh, A. J. (2017). Marketing Strategies for Emerging Markets: Case
Studies from Africa. Journal of African Business.
5. World Bank. (2020). The Innovation Imperative for Developing East
Asia. World Bank Group.

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