General Manager of Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA) Gregoire Thomas says that while small business faces challenges to stay afloat, marketing and promotion of products and services must be seen as priority.
Thomas, made the remarks at a recent Creole in the streets Trade Expo, which was hosted by the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD).
“Small business have some serious challenges in terms of making ends meet and most times marketing and promotion are like an afterthought, we do not incorporate those costs into the operations of our businesses,” he said. “If we want to create awareness, if we want persons to know about our products, we have to find ways and means to promote our products. There are means that are expensive, there are means that are low cost. But the point I want to make is, we need to make a deliberate decision to support, to promote our products and services.”
He also pointed out that the products itself must be unique, consistent and manufacturers must know what they produce.
“Staging this exhibition in the streets provides us with an excellent opportunity to showcase both our products and services especially in the post Erika period where there is an urgent need for us to generate sales to sustain our businesses,” he stated. “As you display your products and services, I want you to pay particular attention to the feedback that you will receive from existing and potential customers. Use this opportunity to access how you have applied elements of your marketing mix in your operations.”
Thomas noted that while small, medium, micro business can do very little to change what is happening in the micro environment, however they can do things to influence the environment.
“We can manipulate elements of the marketing environment to produce the results that we deserve,” he stated.
He said Tropical Storm Erika is a reality that the country has to deal with and to find creative ways to keep businesses afloat.
The Manager of DEXIA also had some questions which he said applies to all business.
“There are some pointed questions that we need to pay particular attention to,” he pointed out. “One of them, how do you treat the pricing of your product or your service? Are you setting a price that kills demand for your product, or are you setting a price that is too low to generate profits for your business? I say that because many times we convince ourselves that we have an excellent product, and we charge prices that are not competitive. And sometimes we may use an approach of cost plus pricing, where you determine your cost and you add your margin but cost plus may not be the price.”
He said pricing cannot be done in isolation of what is happening to the market.
“We have to take into consideration what exist in the market place,” Thomas said.
“Creole wear on display at Creole in the Streets”
That is a national, dress, that is in our culture, how many places on earth do you believe people, a merchant would put themselves out to buy that sort of thing to sell to modern day people, in a modern world! Let’s take the African style of clothing. In more than thirty years I’ve been living in Los Angeles, it is my experience that as fast as these businesses specialized in African clothing opens their doors in less than 90 Days, they are out of business!
No need to remind anybody that of the millions of people residing in California more than 1/5 are black people you would anticipate buying such things, they do not! It is one thing to get involved into the business of producing apparels, nevertheless the material and style should be something people wish to buy! That style of dressing dates back to the French colonial days when Dominica was a colony of France, and even the French no logger dress in such masquerade…
“Thomas says that while small business faces challenges to stay afloat, marketing and promotion of products and services must be seen as priority”.
Since the aftermath of Erika, we keep reading the same old crap; selling Dominica products; nevertheless no has stated what Dominica has to sell to the world that one have to go on a promotional campaign! What are you selling, what are you promoting?
What type of products, or commodities you manufacture, and produce in “Dominica.” How can one promote something for sale when they have nothing to sell? All who are babbling, I wish to ask, if you all talk about tourism, and fail to advertise Dominica on the international tourism market, how do you expect people to know about Dominica.
As recently as this morning on “Let’s Make a Deal” I saw the people of St. Kitts advertising their country on National Television, while you all talk fart that travels no further than where you brake it!