The Art of Communication: The Number One Skill that Every African Woman Entrepreneur Should Learn!
We are a product of the stories that play over and over in our heads. From a very young age, many women, especially those in Africa, are taught to stay passive and quiet. And we grow up with that narrative of questioning ourselves and wondering whether we are good enough.
This conditioning finds it’s way into our lives as entrepreneurs, but as our recent conversation with Seanice Lojede, Founder and Group CEO of Blu Flamingo, a pan-African marketing agency, illuminated - there are ways to break this cycle of self-doubt.
The Lies We Tell Ourselves
Have you ever wondered why men find it effortless to self-promote, even when they may not be 100% ready? Women entrepreneurs have internalized a lie that they need to prove themselves before they can speak up. It makes women with perfectly great business ideas shrink themselves. Don’t believe the lie.
Our beliefs limit what we say about ourselves and what we feel we can accomplish. We have both conscious and subconscious beliefs. Conscious beliefs are easier to identify and overcome by gaining knowledge and experience.
The subconscious beliefs are the most dangerous ones. They can cause stagnation if you do not take the time to sit yourself down and explore the things you believe to be true and identify what is holding you back.
Create New Rituals
Seanice shared several tips on how women can start to free themselves of the beliefs that often hold us back:
Start with the language you use to share your ideas. Catch yourself when you share ideas with doubt, and remove the words that make you sound less confident.
Build the confidence muscle every day and with time, you’ll become better at expressing your value. Be clear on the value that you bring to the table and talk about it whenever you get an opportunity to do so.
Building a business requires sacrifice. You need rituals that give you the strength to be able to think through all the issues that you will need to solve. Rituals like working out help you stay grounded and confident.
Motivation is like showering - you need to do it daily.
Actionable Advice
Seanice leveraged her digital marketing expertise to inform the advice she shared with African women entrepreneurs struggling with how to start changing how they communicate with others.
Be crystal clear about the customer you are trying to serve. Can you clearly explain the problem that you are solving? Is it a real problem or are you just putting lipstick on a pig? Have a clear value proposition.
Prioritize marketing as a cost of doing business to ensure your product or service is visible to the right potential customers. Put aside at least 20% of your budget to promote your business.
If your vision can be accomplished by you alone, then your vision is too small. Don’t be afraid to dream big and seek help in accomplishing your goals. When working with outside marketing experts, do your research so that you come to the table with a base of knowledge, be clear about what your business objectives, and hire the best people you can afford
As entrepreneurs, no one knows our businesses better than us. With these tips and advice from Seanice, we hope you have a roadmap for changing the narrative about your business and what you offer your customers.