Last Friday 26th september 2025, Smartpreneur hosted an engaging webinar titled “Growing Your Business with Technology and Online Selling,” bringing together entrepreneurs and experts to share practical strategies for leveraging technology to scale businesses.
The session was hosted by Elsie Godwin, who is a business leader, seasoned marketing and communications professional, and respected media personality. With a career spanning diverse sectors, including fintech, media, oil and gas, and development, Elsie has established herself as a master of strategic impact and innovation. She started off by introducing Smartpreneur as a platform built to empower entrepreneurs through community, resources, and opportunities. She stressed the importance of learning from others’ experiences to avoid common pitfalls and encouraged active participation from attendees.
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The first speaker, Kelvin Bob Manuel, a marketing communication specialist, kicked off with a collaborative activity that allowed participants to introduce themselves and their businesses. He highlighted the critical role of social media in today’s business landscape and shared insights from a recent campaign where storytelling drove organic engagement without paid ads. Kelvin explained the difference between advertising for big brands and small businesses, noting that entrepreneurs can maximize visibility and lead generation by leveraging social media effectively.
Kelvin also gave actionable tips for online selling, including setting up WhatsApp catalogs, using tools like ManyChats and chatbots to enhance customer interactions, and running direct message ads. He emphasized the value of after-sales support in building customer loyalty and recommended collaborating with influencers as long-term partners rather than one-off promoters.
The webinar also featured community business showcases. One of the highlights was Mr. Talib’s presentation of Best Deals, a platform connecting customers with service merchants to improve small business visibility.
The second speaker, Sandra Nkamigbo joined the conversation to share her entrepreneurial journey and insights. She underlined the importance of adaptability, customer service, and communication, pointing out that many Nigerian vendors lose customers due to poor service. Sandra encouraged businesses to treat customers well for retention and to keep learning new technologies that enhance operations.
During the interactive segment, Sandra offered tailored advice to participants. For instance, when one of the perticipants, sought guidance on increasing sales of educational books and digital products for children, Sandra clarified that the business operates in a B2B model targeting schools and parents. She advised focusing on selling solutions rather than just products, positioning books as tools for child development and education. Sandra also recommended cost-effective strategies like attending school open days, networking with peers (“networking sideways”), and using targeted platforms such as Facebook groups for parents.
Overall, the webinar reinforced the central theme: technology and community are powerful tools for business growth. From building strong customer relationships to embracing digital selling tools, entrepreneurs walked away with practical strategies they can immediately apply to their businesses.
At Smartpreneur, we remain committed to fostering a thriving entrepreneurial community through knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and opportunities. Stay tuned for more impactful sessions.
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