By Mpumalanga Zwane
Eat, Sleep & Breathe Your Brand
Paula emphasizes that entrepreneurs must love their brands wholeheartedly and become their number one brand ambassadors. “You need to love your brand. You have to eat, sleep, and breathe it. If you’re a designer wearing other brands, you’re not truly loving your own. Your brand is your baby, and you are its ambassador. I only drink Emlembe Water. I won’t touch any other brand. No way. I make sure that my family and friends feel the same.When we go out, if they don’t see Emlembe Water, they ask, ‘Why isn’t it here?’ They demand it! And if Emlembe Water is not sold in that area, I make sure that it ends up there,” she shares.
Understanding Your Market
The enthusiastic entrepreneur adds that before businesspeople sell their products, they need to study where they want them to be sold, meaning they must understand their market.
Breaking Into the Retail Market
“It is difficult to get your product noticed when you’re just starting. Major retailers are sometimes sceptical about selling local brands, as these brands usually have teething problems. It’s embarrassing for a major retailer to run out of stock, so to protect themselves, they prefer to work with larger, established brands that never run out of stock,” she adds.
Marques notes that when she started her brand and aimed to get it sold at a major retailer, she discovered logistics to be a major problem. “When I began selling one of my brands at a major retailer, I found out that I had to transport the product in my car to the retailer. Sometimes I would wait five hours for other companies to make deliveries at this retailer before I could have a chance. This was very challenging, but I persevered. That’s why I am here today,” she said.
Placement & Differentiation of Your Product
Paula advises entrepreneurs to seriously consider where to place their products in a retail outlet. “When you have a product that you wish to sell, you must understand that placement is EVERYTHING. It’s about getting your product next to the right brands. Remember that the retailer you wish to work with reflects your brand. Every decision you make—from the space your product occupies on shelves to the way you present your product through its packaging—matters. You need to make your product shine! Positioning your brand correctly is crucial,” she advised.
She emphasizes that understanding retail shelf space is a game-changer. “Nothing in a store is placed randomly. Every product is strategically positioned. You need to make sure your product is placed where it will be seen; usually on the middle shelf, at eye level, and next to premium brands. For example, I want my sauces placed next to other premium sauces. That’s how you elevate your brand and make it stand out.”
Integrity
“Throughout my career, integrity and maintaining trust have been central values to me. Because of these values, I have seen how people are open to working with me because they can trust me.”
Financial Literacy & Discipline
Marques concludes by emphasizing the importance of financial discipline. “NEVER, EVER use your business’s cash flow to fund your lifestyle. As a business owner, I have a salary, and I stick to it. My personal life is separate from my business life. I’m telling you this because I see too many entrepreneurs making the mistake of using their businesses to finance their lives, and that’s a recipe for disaster. Your business is your baby. You have to nurture it, protect it, and treat it with respect. Businesses don’t grow overnight, and most fail within the first two years. But if you take care of your business—if you love it, protect it, and make smart decisions—it will reward you.”
*The article is an extract from Issue 8 of Inside Biz Magazine. To read the full article, download your free copy on Pressreader.