5 common mistakes African businesses make with marketing data

By Lawal Ruth Damilola

Many African business owners are excellent at tracking metrics, even down to the tiniest bit of information, but they often fail to make the best use of this data.

These are common mistakes in handling information that directly or indirectly reduce sales and marketing effectiveness:

Not Adapting to Local Trends:
Many African business owners find themselves lost in the global social media landscape, forgetting that their target audience consists of local people. They often use modern trends aimed at foreign clients rather than adapting to local trends that drive the most sales. This can be corrected by focusing on what appeals to the local market rather than foreign audiences who are not their primary target.

Ignoring Customer Feedback:
Many African business owners embrace positive remarks but neglect complaints, believing it’s impossible to satisfy all customers. While not all customers can indeed be fully satisfied, it is crucial to ensure every customer has the best experience with you. Always address complaints, attempt to resolve the issue, and, if needed, apologize. This approach makes customers feel valued, leading to increased loyalty and referrals.

Neglecting Social Media Metrics:
Many African business owners overlook social media metrics, focusing only on the number of posts rather than analyzing performance, such as reach, likes, new followers, best-performing content, and audience demographics. Understanding these metrics helps create content plans that boost sales. Start by identifying your top-performing content and recreating similar pieces. Producing content that resonates with your audience ensures continued engagement.

Not Training Staff:
Many African business owners neglect the importance of ongoing staff training, resulting in poor customer service and inefficient operations. Untrained staff struggle to adapt to changes within the organization. Investing in staff training improves productivity, enhances customer service, and keeps you ahead of competitors. Regular training should cover not only technical skills but also emotional intelligence, industry trends, and best practices. This ensures your customers receive excellent service, keeping your company competitive.

Focusing on Vanity Metrics:
Many African business owners focus on vanity metrics, such as follower counts and likes, which do not directly impact sales—the very reason for tracking metrics. Instead of focusing on these numbers, it’s better to prioritize engagement and conversion rates. While a large following might look impressive, engagement and sales matter more.

Prioritize metrics that reflect meaningful customer interactions, such as comments, shares, and click-through rates. By focusing on these, you can make informed decisions that lead to real results.

It’s easy for African business owners to fall into the trap of tracking irrelevant metrics or not knowing how to use them effectively. By recognizing and avoiding these five mistakes—such as ignoring customer feedback, neglecting social media metrics, and focusing on vanity metrics—business owners can make better marketing decisions. Prioritizing engagement, continuous staff training, and improved customer service will enhance brand loyalty and drive growth and sales.