MESH Biz Class Week 3: Cheki Market Yako Na Ufanye Research Yako Fiti! 🌍📊

Imagine you’re about to play football, but you don’t even know who’s on your team, what formation you’re using, or if there’s even a keeper in goal. What’ll be your game plan? That’s exactly what running a business without market research is like. 😅

If you missed week 1 and 2, cheki hizi informative tips kutoka our fellow MESHers:

Find Your Zone: Lessons from the MESH Biz Class Week 1

Find Your People: Lessons from the MESH Biz Class Week 2

Market research ina-sound like a big, tricky deal, kitu only watu serious na very experienced wanafanya, but trust me—it’s not that deep. Ni about kuchunguza a few things:

Who’s out there playing your game? 🏃‍♂️

Wana-offer nini to the market? 💡

Wanapitia struggles gani? 💔

​​And most importantly, how you’ll stand out from compe yako? ✨

This week, tutaingia deep into why you need kuenda full detective mode 🔍 kucheki market yako kama pro. We’ll break it down and check out real examples of how it’s done right.

Ready to roll? Let’s get to work!

Market research ni kama kujua hood kabla uanze kuuza products/services zako kwa residents. Huwezi kurukia tu—lazima ujue nani ananunua, bei za mtaa, na vile compe iko. Otherwise, utajipata unashikilia stock kama landlord anashikilia deposit. 😅

James alitaka kuingia food biz, so he went straight to the ground: Gikomba. He studied a popular kibanda and broke it down:

Competitor: A kibanda near Gikomba

What do they offer? Hot, affordable meals for workers

Price? KSh 70 for ugali, sukuma, na nyama kiasi

Strengths? Skilled cooks, bulk buying from Gikomba, na cheap labor

Weakness? Limited variety na inconsistent cleanliness.

Jamaa aliona opportunity poa. Hio kibanda iko na loyal customers, but inaangusha in terms of variety na usafi. So, alichora kuongeza creative twists—meals with more options, better hygiene, na deliveries direct kwa offices.

Takeaway: Study compe yako at ground-level, bro/siz. Cheki weaknesses zao na ujaze hizo gaps to attract customers wao.

Wambui alitaka ku-grow graphic design hustle yake. Instead of guessing, akaenda Instagram kucheki local freelance designers.

Competitor: Freelance designer mmoja on Instagram

What do they offer? Posters, logos, na social media graphics

Price? 500 to 1000-bob per poster

Strengths? Portfolio ya nguvu na advanced software skills

Weakness? Long turnaround times na high prices for wateja ama biz ndogo

Wambo aliona small businesses zinataka designs cheap na fast. Solution? Akaweka budget packages, aka-promise fast delivery, na akamake customer service a top-tier goal.

Takeaway: Limitations za compe ni chance yako ya kushine. Ali-use research yake kuji-position fiti kama graphic designer “affordable but fast.”

Competitors ni wale wanatarget the same customers as you. These could be businesses online, physical stores, ama ata solo hustlers.

Example: Kama unauza nguo or shoes, cheki attire na shoe stores kwa Instagram, FB, other socials, na physical markets kama Gikomba, Getho, and the rest.

Hapa ndio pale undercover work inaanza. Chapiana na customers wao, ama ucheki how they interact online. ujiulize:

What do customers like about service/product zao?

Nini ina-frustrate hao customers?

Cheki competitors wako wanajibrand aje:

Pricing: Wanauza above market-price ama wanakata bei?

Marketing: Wako active kwa social media ama wanatumia flyers na other marketing channels?

Value: What makes them attractive to customers?

Unaeza fanya nini better? Think about:

Cheaper pricing?

Unique packaging?

Faster service?

Better customer care?

Tailored solutions?

Pro Tip: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—fanya tu i-spin faster, smoother, or cooler ndio usonge vile unataka. 🚗💨

Hii class ilikuwa fire! Wasee wali-expose real-life experiences about market research na mistakes unafaa kuhepa.

Antoni (Host) – "Kama Hujui Wateja Wako, Utasota"

Antoni alifungua live session na vile wasee wengi huingia market bila research, bila direction, alafu later wanashangaa mbona sales hazimove.

Solution? Usifanye guesswork kwa biz. Cheki wasee kwa ground, ongea na potential customers, elewa shida zao, na ujue wanataka nini.

Ruth (Business Lady)– "Bei Inaeza Kukutoa Game Ama Ikufungie Nje"

Ruth alishow wasee venye pricing strategy inaweza kukufinya au ikufungulie opportunities. Alisema ana-prefer small margins but high sales volume, na hiyo ndio inafanya auze poa. Many of her customers wakicheki deal fiti, wakashika na wakarudi tena.

Neil Shem (Neil Shem Designs) – "Creativity Itakutoa from Small Hustles to a Profitable Biz"

Neil alisema wazi, branding na marketing lazima iwe on point. Saa zingine, sio tu kushusha bei, lazima ucome na something fresh, unique, na eye-catching. Kama hustle yako haina vibe, utaachwa nje kama mse aliingia club bila ID.

Chris Creations (Graphics & Design Pro)– "Unajua Customers Wako Ni Nani ama Unaweka Blinds?"

Chris alirealize challenge moja big! He thought anajua customers wake, kumbe kwa ground story ni different.

Chris alisema it’s pretty hard kuelewa exactly what customers wanataka. This can lead to challenges bigi in figuring out the right customers for your products. Pia alibonga about the importance of brainstorming, to really understand where customers are coming from.

Hii ni mambo ya perspective. Pricing and customer care, he mentioned, are also game-changers for creating that competitive edge.

The Takeaway? Usijidanganye na hunches, look for real data, fanya research, ongea na wasee, na confirm nani ananunua na kwa nini.

Ruth – "Msiogope Kuingia Market Mapema"

Ruth alitu-show kama tunataka kushika market, usichelewe! Be one of the first of ma-O.G wa biz inakupatia head start. Form connections na suppliers early and uweke loyal customers on lock.

Plus utaeza ku-dictate prices before compe iingie na ikufinye. Those waiting for the “perfect time” watajipata wakikichase those already wamejenga empire. So, jiingize, jisort, market, na uchukue chance yako!

Neil – "Compe Sio Enemy Yako, Ni Form Ya Kuchora Form Kali"

Neil alichanua wasee that competition si lazima iwe beef—ni learning tool! Compe yako ni kama textbook ya street smarts. Ina-show wapi game iko strong na wapi kuna gaps.

Other successful hustlers in your niche wanapiga marketing safi?

Pricing yao iko aje?

Wateja wao wanarudi why?

Study them uelewe moves zao, then ucheze juu yao na innovation, creativity, na customer service! For example, ukicheki stitching ya bags za Neil Shem Designs, utashika why wateja wake wanarudi kwake kubuy more.

Host Wetu wa Biz Class, Antoni, alisema – "Copy-Paste Itakuangusha, Jifunze Ujibambe"

Antoni alidrop real talk—kuiba moves za compe yako ni short-cut ya kujichimbia shimo. 😬 Learn their strategies, but usi-copy kama mwizi wa exam! Take an idea, rebrand, ongeza twist yako, then udrop kitu original yenye inabamba watu in a fresh way.

Kama uko na vibe yako unique, utaweka name ama brand yako kwa streets na compe itaanza kukusoma instead of wewe ku-follow game plan yao!

Ruth: “Peer-Pressure Purchases”

Ruth alidrop ukweli plain and simple—nowadays, watu wanabuy na macho before thinking about why they need that specific product. Ukiona kitu ikitrend TikTok ama IG, chances ni wasee watanunua before wachunguze bei kwa market.

Kama hustle yako haina testimonials za mbogi, collabs na influencers, ama fire content, basi uko nje! Jenga presence yako, post consistently, na fanya wasee wakuskie!

Neil – "Excellent Customer Care Itakujenga Sana"

Neil alisema kuuza product ni kitu moja, but making your customers return and recommend you ni a whole other level. Watu wanapenda kusikizwa, kuheshimiwa, na kupata that VIP treatment.

When you make them feel special and important, whether ni fast response, follow-ups, ama small bonuses, utaona wakirudi kama vile you always buy from your regular Mama Mboga. Customer care ni investment, sio favour unafanyia wateja!

Perpetua – "The Power of Perception"

Perpetua aliwasha bulb.💡 Kwa handmade products, perception ndio kila kitu! Wateja wanataka kitu exclusive, kitu premium, lakini bado wanataka bei friendly. So, how do you find ile balance fiti?

Kumbuka, vitu handmade tend to be more expensive kuliko vitu imported ama secondhand. That said, don't lose hope. Kumbuka pia kuwa watu wengi wanataka handmade products of excellent quality. Imagine inataka kupea your mom a birthday gift. Uta-prefer kumpea gani? This is where ku-market vipoa inakuja into play.

Kumbuka, vitu handmade tend to be more expensive kuliko vitu imported ama secondhand. That said, don't lose hope. Kumbuka pia kuwa watu wengi wanataka handmade products of excellent quality. Imagine inataka kupea your mom a birthday gift. Uta-prefer kumpea gani? This is where ku-market vipoa inakuja into play.

Educate customers! Waonyeshe quality ya kazi yako, the process behind it, na kwanini it’s worth every shilling. Ukiwapea story ya products ama services zako, they’ll feel invested—na hapo ndo customer loyalty inaanza! Cheki a few of her products uelewe what she means.

Jaribu hii challenge ujue kama uko ready for market research!

1. Chunguza Competitors Wako: Tafuta watu wawili wanafanya kitu kama yako.

2. Bonga Na Wateja Wao: Uliza nini wanapenda na nini haiwabambi.

3. Analyze Game Yao: Competitors wako na strong marketing? Prices zao ziko aje?

4. Find Your Edge: Utafanya what differently kubamba such customers?

Post your views na #MESHBizClass, tujengane pamoja! 🌟

MESHers, market research si mambo ya theory pekee, ni kujua wapi pesa inatoka na unakam vipi ndani ya game!

Cheki, wateja wako wanataka the best. Wako ready kutoa doh kama uta-solve shida zao faster, cheaper, ama in tailored, unique ways.

So, swali ni moja tu—uko game ama bado unacheza jokes like an extra kwa Nigerian movie, ukisema 'Madam, your product is ready' alafu unatolewa kwa scene?" 🤣