A lot of Kenyans are making money online, some making millions quietly shipping US products to Kenya. Others are struggling to try to make a single sale posting on Kilimani mums and whatnot. But everyone is trying to do it! Do it differently
Keep reading!
You may have heard that you can make money blogging and reviewing products online. You may have even tried these online money-making tactics and I bet the results were not what you expected.
Everyone is trying to do the same thing all over the world. Do you stand a chance against the world?
But there is a better way. Read on…
I am a blogger in two niche markets and making money as a blogger without a product or a service to sell is tough, but doable.
👍 How to make money online in Kenya with a shoe-string budget
👍 How to do market research on-demand products people are looking for and fill in the market gap
👍 Using the fish-net tactic, fighting like a marine - OR - one bullet, one kill - shooting like a sniper. You choose!
There are millions of blog posts published every day. Every time you are blogging especially on a global topic like diet, health, and electronics, you are competing against billions of websites out there, all trying to get noticed.
You're competing with giants like Amazon, eBay, and Apple, just to name a few. They will crush you like a cockroach. If you are blogging online where 23 million blog posts are published every day, what are your chances?
Do you stand a chance?
The king & the queen of intentional/search marketing (Google) says, think globally, act locally. so, let's talk about Kenya
You're better off with 10 people actively searching for your product/service than 100,000 followers on social media like every post you make but not buying from you.
Competition in Kenya is Kidogo sana
Unless you are a seasoned blogger with a backup income to keep you going while gaining traction on the internet, blogging without selling a product or a service can get you frustrated and ultimately give up.
I bet if you are reading this post today, you either used google or saw it shared on social media. In a nutshell, I will explain how it is much easier to make money online selling products and services in Kenya than trying to compete against billions of internet websites and pages.
Before I explain how this works, let's first determine which product or service you are going to sell and blog about it.
Example, I can blog a lot about imports, air cargo, shipping and everything in those likes since Kentex cargo do air shipping from the USA to Kenya. I can target potential customers who want to shop from USA while in Kenya or target those in diaspora shipping to Kenya.
The easiest way to make money online in Kenya is by selling a product online product or selling a service. More importantly a physical tangible product. I will dissect this proposition into 2 subcategories
Stay with me here!
It is very important you identify something in demand that interests you and something you are very familiar with. You may have heard this advice before because it is a miserable life doing a business you do not like. You’re also not very likely to succeed in such a business.
It is also much more difficult to learn something new from scratch than to build on what you already know.
Having said that you can learn how to do just about anything with the right gratification, just like how Pavlov's dog was conditioned with rewards. That's a story for another day
Take Risks?
I know… they even told you that you must take risks to succeed. You want to take risks…. Bla bla bla….
I have even heard another one… “Fake it till you make it”. That is a big bull way of doing things. Be careful getting into businesses you do not understand. Play safe with what you already know. Then build on it!
If you follow me, I will show you how to avoid pitfalls.
“But if you’re gonna dine with them cannibals
Sooner or later, darling, you’re gonna get eaten . . .”
― Nick Cave
This should be about something you understand well and you have passion about. It is much easier to identify a demand or a deficiency in something you are familiar with.
I bet if you are not in healthcare, you are not going to see the demand for breast cancer screening. That may already sound daunting.
How do you identify gaps in the market?
If you cannot find anyone trying to do the same business, do not think you are the smartest seed ever born. There might be some barriers you are blind to. Tread cautiously.
The other day, I had someone comment that we are not taking advantage of the potential demand for shipping from Kenya to the USA. He wrote his comment in interesting language using uppercase here.
Find out about their prices online. If they do not have a website, Bingo💪! You can be confident in taking the next step. I am actually doing this in one of the businesses in Kenya - Yup!
Good characteristics of an industry ripe for disruption are an industry with very few players, very high margins, poor use of technology, and low barrier to entry. (I promise I will try not to use big words anymore).
Just in case you wondered what is disruption, it is usually coined with the word, innovation. For example, Uber came up with a way of "disrupting" the Taxi industry using technological innovation. This is called "Innovative Disruption".
While I am against copying what others are doing, I am all about making an industry better or changing the status quo, just like uber changed the taxi industry, worldwide.
Some of the most successful companies did not invent the idea. They only made it better.
I use this method every time and it has never failed me. This is shooting like a sniper! One shot, One kill – No wasted bullet. It means precisely going for the kill each and every time.
To find out if people are searching for the product, we need to conduct basic keyword research. Here is how to do it!
Not google.com because when you use google.com, global results may skew the preciseness of your data. Also, make sure you have enabled google location.
This allows Google to give you very precise information based on historical searches in the area you are in.
See the example below and the brands Google is suggesting that people are looking for. Then see who's selling these products online and how they are selling them.
Can you make them more available, and faster or can you use a better method of selling them than those already selling them?
Can you become a trusted source?
Pro Tip: Never compromise with China fakes of these products. Sooner or later, your customers will discover you are selling them fakes. That is where Kentex Cargo comes in to help you get original brands from USA.
As soon as you start typing, you will notice that google automatically starts suggesting for you.
These are low-hanging fruits for you to pick!
See what happens as soon as I search the same keywords above. Google gives me related searches of the same keyword at the bottom of the search page.
These are called commercial or transaction keywords. These types of keywords are precise in definition and intention.
For example, if someone is searching for MAC Lipstick for Sale in Kenya, they already know about MAC. They already know MAC sells lipsticks of all kinds.
When they precisely search for prices, they have already made up their mind and have a purchase decision. They just need you to convince them you are the best source.
Low Hanging Fruits!
Think about what someone wants to find when they are searching…”Where to buy human hair wigs in Nairobi”! They better find you as the Answer.
Or someone searching for... Pizza Delivery at Westlands
These types of keywords show an intention to purchase and are ready for a transaction. Believe me, no one is searching for Pizza delivery at Westlands just because they are full and want to play Googling.
They can bite you if they miss the Pizza!
Let me work up your appetite 😋
They know what they need, the quality, they even want it in Westlands, Not Kisumu or Meru! Here, you stand a chance to make a sale!
Since they searched, think about if you were a food blogger and you have these services available? Do you see how easy it is to make money online when you have a product your customers are searching for?
I only gave an example of lipsticks, wigs, and Pizza. The possibilities are endless. Recently, I helped a friend focus on needs with transactional keywords.
We worked on a high ticket item used by sick people (will not reveal which), so important that it is a must-have if suffering in that area.
Three weeks later, this friend of mine had made 6 sales, some coming late at night because the need can't wait till the morning.
I am talking about situations where the customer pleads and even offers to pay uber for you to get them the item at night!
Now, this part is technical and can be daunting but I will show you how to do this. You do not need to spend a fortune either but not free either.
7. Start Blogging About Your Products on Your Website:
If you can type an email, you can blog and make money online. The best type of blogging website is made of a content management system called WordPress.
Do not start scratching your head. I will walk you through this as well.
Blogging about your products makes them get found on the internet by those searching for such products. Those searching for specific product information.
Make your blog post informational, not promotional. The best way to earn your customers’ trust is by giving them information, not pitching.
There is more power in teaching the truth than hiding it and trying to sell it. There are times when you know something that others don’t and you can make money using that information. This is what business experts call “Information asymmetry”. I will leave technical terms there.
You will notice that almost everything on the streets of Nairobi comes directly from China. While you can still stock products from China (of you can compete with Jumia & Kilimall), most online buyers already know the difference.
For an internet-based niche business, I would suggest you focus on high-end products for premium profit margins.
Remember, be different - offer high value and quality. Let us help you shop & ship for business items from the USA.
The key to making a kill with high-end premium products is maintaining quality. Do not cut corners. If you decide to sell Cosmetics from the USA, your customers will trust you as a reliable source. The word goes slowly at the beginning but eventually spreads fast.
Do not compromise quality with replicas and fake products from China. If you sell replicas, make sure your customers know it is not the original product. They will make an informed buying decision.
Post your website products and blog posts on all social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
List your products on local websites like jiji, jumia, Jumia market, and all over those local websites.
Would you like to start a business using top USA products? We can help you ship. Here is how it works
Conclusion:
Making money in Kenya online is actually very easy especially because the competition is very low. Besides Jumia and Killimall with millions of advertising budgets, the other competitors are easy to beat. Start taking advantage of these low-hanging fruits we talked about.
Your Turn!
Did you find this article informative? Let me know which topic you would like me to cover next in starting a business or cargo shipping from the USA to Kenya!
Cheers
Greg!
Published :
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This is an eye opener for online business. Very informative
Thank you Dennis.
This is nice! Wonderful. I am glad I found you guys! I was working on this and you gave me a simple idea on how to start one of my services offerings!
Also, I'll use your services soon.
Lovely time,
Brendah.
I am glad you found it helpful. Thank you Brendah