This write-up was prepared as part of a lecture I delivered on entrepreneurship some years ago. I hope you will find it helpful. Please try and do the assignment given. Who knows? You may come-up with the next big thing like Facebook, Google and our own Hotels.ng. Have a wonderful read!

Business opportunities are everywhere but are usually in disguise, So you can only notice them when you pay close attention to the world around you and the people living in it. Today’s lecture will help you understand what business opportunities are and how to identify them.

I would like to explain the concept of business opportunity by looking at the definition of marketing. Marketing is not the same as advertising. It is a much broader concept. Unlike advertising, marketing starts even before the product is created.

Marketing is the process of identifying a need in the market, designing a product (good or service) capable of solving the identified need; pricing, promoting and distributing the product to the target customers through various channels. The underlined word “need” is the business opportunity we are talking about here. Businesses start having difficulties when they try to do things the other way round – i.e. creating a product and start looking for problems that the product can solve.

For an idea to qualify as a business opportunity, there must be four elements present, viz: a need, a means to fulfill the need, a method of applying the means to fulfill the need and a method to benefit the provider of the means (the provider of the means is the entrepreneur). In order words, for a need to qualify as a business opportunity, there must be a good or service that can satisfy that need, and the person providing the product should be able to enjoy financial reward for his efforts.

The key to identifying viable business opportunities is to focus on people’s pains and frustrations. In that way, they will be left with no choice other than paying you, if you are able to come up with a solution. Take yourself as an example. What are those products you need that are not readily available to you? Or the product is available but of poor quality or the process of accessing it is time consuming or inconveniencing. If others are experiencing the same problem, then you’ve just found a good business opportunity. The next issue would be that of having the resources, capability and most importantly the guts to solve the problem.

There are several ways of finding business opportunities. But in order not to confuse you, we’ll be looking at only three:

1. Identifying unmet customer needs. A customer need is unmet when it is important to the customer, but he/she is not satisfied with the solutions currently available or the solution is not available at all. The more important the need and the less satisfied the customer is, the greater the business opportunity.

Most successful businesses have capitalized on the pains, struggles and challenges of people. They were able to achieve success by identifying what the problems were and proffering solutions to them. Since you may not have the funds to hire a market research firm to survey the market, the best option available to you is to sample peoples opinion. Talk to friends and family members to find out what their problems, needs or challenges are. The internet is also a good source to discover what goods and services people are looking for.

Let me share with you how I came up with the idea of a CV writing business I established two years ago. In 2011, a friend approached me to help him write a CV and cover letter. According to him, he has submitted applications to over 20 companies without hearing a word from them. As at then, I did not even have a CV myself. I scrutinized his CV but couldn’t see any reason he wasn’t getting interviews. So, I sacrificed a couple of hours of my time to do a little research on the current trends in CV, Resume and cover letter writing. That was when my eyes were opened to the mistakes on his CV. I restructured his CV and to my surprise, He was invited for an interview within a month.

Few months later, when I went to the cyber café, before my very eyes, a young lady paid three thousand naira to one of the attendants to help her prepare a CV. In my curiosity, I waited to see the finished results, and it was not even as good as what I wrote for my friend for FREE. I then asked the attendant how often he gets to write CVs for people, and he said, “Almost every day. When business is good, I even write up to three in one day.” That was when it occurred to me that I could make good money by offering the same service. Prior to this incident, I never knew people paid money to get their CV written. The rest is history. Today my CV writing service is recognized as a leader in the CV writing industry in Nigeria.

2. Identifying inefficiencies in an existing product or service. You can also source for business opportunities by looking out for good ideas that have not been effectively executed. People value quality products. They also like speedy delivery and convenience. So, If you are able to improve on the quality of an existing product or the process of delivering the product to the customers, you may be in business soon.

3. Import an existing product or service into an untapped market. Lookout for products that were successful in a different geographical location. Maybe you’ve traveled to a different city or town and seen a product (good or service) that is selling very well and is not being offered where you live. You can do some research to see how you can successfully introduce it as something “new” in your area.

Business opportunities come and go. Just like time, they wait for no one. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you should always lookout for problems experienced by people or businesses. When you finally spot one you have the resources to solve, don’t hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity immediately. Otherwise, someone else will do it.

ASSIGNMENT:

1. List ten companies and identify the type of opportunity they leveraged upon to break into the Nigerian market.

Hint: introduced an entirely new product into a new market, improved an existing product or introduced an existing product into an untapped market

Also explain briefly.

Example:

MTN – introduced an entirely new product into a new market. MTN was the first company to introduce mobile communication a.k.a. GSM into the Nigerian market.

2. Pick any town or city of your choice. Identify at least five (05) major problems affecting the residents of the town or city. Are you sure these people are willing to pay for a solution? Which of these problems do you have the resources to solve? Why do you think you will succeed? What threats are you likely to face in this business and what measures will you put in place to minimize their effects on your business?

Submit your answers here. Have a wonderful Day!

SOURCE: Accounting Wizards’ Blog

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op, so you want to take me back to class room abi......well it's good Sha.

great post!

I went round Lagos today sourcing information from several banks as to their profitable investment packages! I will tell you the truth, it was discouraging. I almost felt like crying.

The interest rate on a 2-million Naira capital wasn't even enough to buy Dodo.

I suggest that people who have the capital no matter how small should consider other investment packages outside of the banking sector. I listed a few in this post https://topwritersden.com/best-investment-opportunities-with-low-risk-capital/

If you still think that the banks love you, go ahead and make them rich with your own money, while you keep waiting for peanuts investments.

That is my own Quota. Set up a business with your capital and make good profit.

There are some tins u will Neva see till u enter

Nice one !

inspiring post....

Cool

The Nairaland of my Delight. Nice One OP.

This post is d easiest way to say bye bye to poverty

Lazy youth will not take action.

Thank you @ OP

There is opportunity everywhere but those who are entrepreneurally blind can't see them.
Meanwhile, I launched my Digital Marketing Internship Program starting October 1st.

If you want to join, visit http://jetroolowole.com/interns/

ok

nice one

Nice one OP, capital is the issue, How can someone in earn 25k and wanting to start business, how can he start? and how can he save?

Real estate is one of the profitable businesses you can.do. Properties appreciate in value steadily. Contact us for nicely located properties in Ogun state and also near Dangote Refinery, Ibeju Lekki.

There's hardly anything you want to start up that another person hasn't done before. The best thing is to learn from your competitors, find out their mistakes and make it your gain.

Are you a student, or graduate looking for self-employment, or you are a stay at home Mum, or someone looking for something to engage in? or a worker who needs a part-time business? or you want to make extra income? Then you are the one we are looking for.
Boxers Business is a very profitable business to do, with less than NGN10,000 you can start your own business and within a month you would have made triple profit.
We are offering high quality 100% real cotton boxer minimum of 25 peices.
A boxers in the market sell for 200 and Banana Republic goes between 300-350 depending on your location.
Both products are of high quality and we deliver to you Nationwide

Note: The boxers stated above are not the boxers Aboki/Mallam are selling. For more enquiries: DM/Pm me.

such as?

clinsman1:
There are some tins u will Neva see till u enter

Good one

Nice write up. Kudos

Very enticing and educative article.
Nice one op.

Meanwhile, this post will not have a lot of likes and comment cus there is no snake or yeyebrity stuff on it.

For like minds only, not internet maggots

Nice post but op, Econet (Airtel) was the first GSM company in Nigeria. It was launched in August 9th 2001( that's if my memory serves me right)

I just checked now and discovered it was actually 6th August 2001. Econet was definitely the first

If you enter the field of business you will understand... Once you see a need and start your business, you will see other people opening same thing around you to frustrate you. You will be like where are all these people since.

Thank you for the correction.

nams77:
Nice post but op, Econet (Airtel) was the first GSM company in Nigeria. It was launched in August 9th 2001( that's if my memory serves me right)

I just checked now and discovered it was actually 6th August 2001. Econet was definitely the first

Thumbs up to the op.

BiafranBushBoy:
great post!

I went round Lagos today sourcing information from several banks as to their profitable investment packages! I will tell you the truth, it was discouraging. I almost felt like crying.

The interest rate on a 2-million Naira capital wasn't even enough to buy Dodo.

I suggest that people who have the capital no matter how small should consider other investment packages outside of the banking sector. I listed a few in this post https://topwritersden.com/best-investment-opportunities-with-low-risk-capital/

If you still think that the banks love you, go ahead and make them rich with your own money, while you keep waiting for peanuts investments.

That is my own Quota. Set up a business with your capital and make good profit.

Well said, bro. Well said.

Blessingmoyo:
Are you a student, or graduate looking for self-employment, or you are a stay at home Mum, or someone looking for something to engage in? or a worker who needs a part-time business? or you want to make extra income? Then you are the one we are looking for.
Boxers Business is a very profitable business to do, with less than NGN10,000 you can start your own business and within a month you would have made triple profit.
We are offering high quality 100% real cotton boxer minimum of 25 peices.
A boxers in the market sell for 200 and Banana Republic goes between 300-350 depending on your location.
Both products are of high quality and we deliver to you Nationwide
√Banana Republic 25pcs @ NGN250= NGN 7,500
√ Normal boxers 25pcs @ NGN200=NGN6,000
FAQ: If I buy 1bundle of 5000 naira, how much can i get as my profit if sell?
Answer: Profit always depends on each seller, you could target NGN3,000.00k and make less than or more than, I guess it's all about you.I guess you can think beyond selling in small packs (3-in-1) and be a distributor.

Note: The boxers stated above are not the boxers Aboki/Mallam are selling. For more enquiries: DM/Pm me.

For people to know the difference between your kinds of boxers and Abokis' boxers, you should upload at least two pics of your boxers so people can know. You can do that now or next time you post another comment. Just saying.

it is for a friend not me. However, attached are pic of the kind his selling

Arkmanbuddy:


For people to know the difference between your kinds of boxers and Abokis' boxers, you should upload at least two pics of your boxers so people can know. You can do that now or next time you post another comment. Just saying.