Selling Heavy Equipment in Nigeria: The King David Case

Hello and welcome to the podcast. Today's episode is one of those late night episodes because it's late at night obviously and I don't want to wake up the whole family, so I have to keep the volume low. I just hope that you guys can hear what I'm saying. All right. So today, you know what, today we're not really talking about any particular question or any particular topic per SE. I'm just sharing a conversation that I had with a listener of the podcast and he's involved in heavy equipment, He's involved in the sale of heavy equipment and machines.

So, you know, trucks, tractors, tractor heads, what do you call them? Diggers and you know all that stuff. Now, I know some of you who've been listening to the podcast for a while, You remember the episode where I spoke about another podcast listener who was also in this line of business. And you know, this is a different fellow, it's a separate guy. And in fact, I was happy when this other guy reached out to me because I haven't done any work for any clients in the construction space.

And actually I'm looking forward to it. So I like the fact that these kinds of boys have been reaching out to me now. So it's pretty cool, obviously, that the kind of boys that have serious money. So, you know, that'll be good, good for business. So yeah, so I had a conversation with this chap and this was a long time ago. I think this was maybe October of 2025, October, November, something like that. So I just came across our chat.

So I'm going to scroll through some of the things that we spoke about just in case the other people who are listening who might be in the same situation and they might be able to learn one or two things that'll help them move their business along, OK. Apart from that, you know, I keep on saying over here on the podcast that even though we might be talking about certain kinds of business problems using another person's business or another context as a case study,

you'll find that all these principles usually can apply to your own situation as well. You just have to try and apply it in context. So yeah, that's it. Today I'm sharing a listener conversation. A listener WhatsApp conversation wasn't WhatsApp. Yeah, it was a WhatsApp conversation. Yeah. We haven't had a phone call yet. I promised the guy a phone call, but we haven't had the phone call. Yeah. Because from November of from October, November of last year,

things got a little busy into this year. Oh, this is your first time listening to the show? My name is Tava Shima Ayede. I am a former lawyer turned business consultant. And what I do over here on the podcast is I bring you guys business goodness almost everyday. We solve business problems, especially problems that can be solved using a sales lens, a sales perspective, because revenue covers a multitude of sins as you'll see in this guy's case.

So when you're making money, you have the mental, how do I put it now mental space, like your mind is at ease. So you can talk with some problems, but if there's fire everywhere in your organization and you're not even making money, then your head will just be hot all the time. So yeah, that's it. Anyway. So if you'd like to reach out just like this and you want to connect with me just like this particular listener did, you can call, send me a text message or a WhatsApp message on 0806466

2140. All right, so let's get into the meat of the conversation. So I don't have the guy's permission to use his name. So let's just call this guy King David. Of course, King David is not his real name. So yeah, let's just call him King David and keeps privacy. Now, King David, he considers himself a startup entrepreneur. He deals in heavy machinery, so agricultural equipment, construction equipment, heavy duty farming equipment,

containers, you know, things like that. And the reason why he reached out to me is because he's looking for mentorship because he wants to solve 2 problems that he's been having. He's been having low sales and then also he's been having some operational hurdles in his business. And then the way he reached out to me, I told him the same thing that I tell everyone pretty much now, look, when it comes to mentoring, I do not do free mentoring.

There's no free mentorship except people who come to me through two particular programs. So I have my law degree in above my Wallow University and then my master's degree at the University of Aberdeen. And after I graduated from Aberdeen, came back home, University of Aberdeen reached out to me and I'm like, oh boy, what's up? I said I'm doing good and they say have you thought of mentorship? And I said no, never thought of that before.

Would you be open to mentoring people? I said OK, cool, let me give it a shot. So since then I have been mentoring people who pass through the University of Aberdeen who request for a mentor with sales experience. So yes, anybody who's passing through the University of Aberdeen and they're looking for a mentor, sure, definitely free mentorship. So if you happen to be in the University of Aberdeen right now, you're an undergraduate student or a postgraduate student and you're interested in being mentored by me, all you have to do is go talk to Student Support Services and say that you're interested in mentorship and you want to request me in particular.

So just give them my name and then they'll hook it up. So people who pass through University of Aberdeen, free mentorship, then people who pass through Faith Foundation in Lagos, especially people who pass through Faith Foundation and who are part of the OCIF, that's the Orange Corners Innovation Fund or something like that. So it's an incubation program that is done jointly with the Faith Foundation and also the CSO arm.

I'll be the NGO arm of the Kingdom of Denmark, I think if I remember correctly anyway. So it's an incubator program. They help people build their businesses. There's a big competition at the end of the cohort and they give people good money as in good, good money. If I whenever they give people prices, they just, they vex my spirit. I won't like serious vex my spirit because the last person that I mentored, she went through the program and then they gave her €10,000.

And never mind, I'm thinking what is going on? You are giving these people euro, euro anyhow, 10,000 EUR 2000 euro, €20,000. Meanwhile, mentor, we're here, you don't give us anything. So anyway, yeah, so you pass through this program. If you pass through that program, then yes, free mentorship for you. So if you also happen to be in Faith Foundation right now, you're listening to this podcast episode and you're part of a series of programs of the Faith Foundation.

Just tell any of the people that you want to be mentored by me and then they'll hook it up, especially if you're going through the OCI program. Because I've noticed that people in the OCI program, those ones, they're serious. It's not just, oh, I want to be an entrepreneur or I want to do this, I want to be Unicorn. I want to this, this, this is not I want, I want, I want like people who pass through that program like they're already doing stuff.

Already doing stuff. In fact, the lady that I mentored the last time, the one who won the €10,000 prize, she is in cyclical, Cyclical fashion. Yeah, cyclical fashion. In fact, I was really glad to have met her because before then, if anybody had told me cyclical fashion, I would have thought it means that fashion is going round and round. Just like now the secondary school kids in my son's school, they've started doing Afro.

So I was like, I was telling my wife today, like, what is going on? Like young boys are doing Afro. Like I thought Afro was, you know, like Afro had faded because during my own time in secondary school, yeah, some of us tried Afro. It was kind of cool. But I was like, you know, 20 something, 30 something years ago. So I'm surprised that The thing is now back in in in fashion. So if you had asked me, I would have said that is what cyclical fashion means.

But silica fashion is, is actually about keeping fashion sustainable. So recycling fashion waste and it's about keeping fashion sustainable. Let me put it that way. How did I get here? OK, well, the long and short of what I'm trying to say is free mentorship. No, I do not do free mentorship. So if you pass through either of those programs, sure, request from me by name and we'll hook it up. So for everybody else, we actually need to have a paid session.

However, I'm open to talking to people for free. So what I do now is, yeah, reach out and give me a whole back story and tell me your life story. But The thing is, at the end of the day, if you are looking for free coaching, I'm only going to answer one question. It'll be a quick conversation and I'm only going to answer one question. If we need to delve any deeper into it, then we need to hook up a proper session. And if some of you do not understand that what I'm doing,

even answering that free question is of value in itself, then I want to come out and say you're just, you're just being a criminal. Excuse me, You've just been a criminal. You want to steal my time for free and get lots of benefit for yourself, but you don't want to cut your boy a check T not make sense. In fact, you know what, this would be the perfect case study to show how just to show, give you a glimpse of what is involved when you guys reach out and you're asking for free mentorship.

Anyway, so this guy says that he wants to solve some sales problems and then some operational shoes. So let's just run through some of the issues based on the charts that we'll be having. Let's just run through some of these issues now, some of the issues that he's navigating. And you will see the reason why I only answer one free question because I like to listen and there's some back and forth. But by the time you guys are done giving me your whole life story, your problem is actually more significant than you think.

And so it is only fair that if we're going to sit down and start hashing through things 1 by 1 by 1 by 1 by 1, look man, you got to put some skin in the game. You have to drop something. But anyway, like I said, feel free 08064662140 and I'll answer one free question if you are looking for free consulting. So some of the problems that he's facing in his business, there's some sales and revenue challenges obviously, because he has long sales cycles now.

A sales cycle just means the length of time between when somebody slides into your DM to say Bros, what's up, how you day and then up until the point where somebody makes a deposit pinging in your bank account. So that gap in between is what we call the same the sales cycle, the gap between hello and the gap between somebody drop money in your account. Now for these kinds of things, tractor, shipping container, look, these are things that cost, you know, 10s of millions,

some of them hundreds of millions. This is not the kind of thing that somebody will call you on Monday and then by Friday they've made deposit. You get me? It's not the kind of thing that somebody will call you January 1st, then by January 14th they've transferred money into your account. When we're talking big, big things, big, big money, complex machine, these things have long sales cycles. So there's some people who buy the inventory.

Yeah, I've spoken to some people who buy the inventory. Although the first guy who reached out to me, the one who is based in China, he's, he doesn't really buy the inventory. He's more of a reseller. So the people in China, they, they have the machine down, they have the tractor down. Then the guy says he's based in China, will now find buyers here in Niger, arrange everything, then, you know, work out the shipment and all that.

But either way, because this kind of business has a long sales cycle and there's plenty of, excuse me, capital expenditure like you have to drop serious money you are going to have you're going to be tying down money for long lengths of time. And now this kind of is a business problem, you understand. So for those of you who are buying your tractor, buying your days, buying your dad, even if you don't pay in full, you know,

you, you know, whatever the payment terms are, because it's not say we make these things here in Niger. Remember the first person that reached out to me and that's how I got introduced to this industry, the guys based in China. So all the manufacturers, the people that manufacture all these things that build all these containers and cars and tractors and everything, they're based in China. So yeah, these are long sale cycles.

Any money that you drop is going to sit in the is going to sit in your hand for a while. So if it takes you 6 months to 12 months to sell a truck, sell a tractor, sell a container, you know, there's going to be some cash flow management issues, inconsistent cash flow. Let me just put it like that. But then for those of you who sell small, small items, maybe you sell gadgets, Gadgets like what else? Like you know, phone case,

mobile phone, PS4, you know those ones seems to be moving quick, quick, well, relatively quickly. It's not as if it's everyday you sell PS4, but at least if you sell if UPS for January, maybe February, you won't sell at least March you sell, you know, if you 3-4 consoles in the meantime, mobile phone will be selling, will be moving sharp, sharp, sharp, you know so because this is a shorter sales cycles. So that's not a problem that people like this guy King David will have in this kind of business.

Then of course, there's also another problem from a sales perspective, which is the issue of trust. The buyer to trust is high. It doesn't matter which country you're involved in. Like I said, this is big, big things, big machines. We're talking big money. So when it comes to that kind of thing, everybody's ID, they tear, everybody's on high alert. Nobody wants to transfer millions of naira. And then next thing you know,

somebody's missing in action. They're like where the guy I don't know, where's my machine, I don't know. So there's a high trust buyer because people are shining their eyes. So especially in Nigeria, you know, all of us are on high alert. Nobody, everybody's afraid of foreign or nobody wants to buy substandard products or nobody wants to pay for new tractor. And by the time the tractor is delivered, what you receive is a refurbished tractor, you know,

so and there's high trust buyers in these kinds of business. So that's also something that King a problem that King David could be facing. Then let's see what else you know, since this is a matter of 10s of millions, sometimes hundreds of millions. Eventually people like King David, you, you get into the situation where you're always, you know, haggling back and forth, you know, price versus value, where somebody they price you, you know, you say, oh,

organic thing is 150 million, the person's like 150 million. How will you collect 80? They now start pricing Groundhog back and forth about why your tractor is worth this or your digger is worth that. So people in King David's situation, you're always having this price and value conversation with people. Then of course, he complained about what like most people do lead generation because he has some some issues with lead generation.

Now, a lead is anybody who has done something that shows that they might be interested in our product or service. So lead generation is a business activity that every single business owner is supposed to be doing. We're supposed to be doing stuff, whether in real life or whether online, to try and get people to signal that they need our product or ServiceNow. The people will give the corresponding signal. Those are the people that you can now be investing time with.

Like, OK, this person is a serious person. Any other person is a workout pass. So like the example that I keep on giving, by the way, I give this example just to show you guys that all these fancy things that we talk, they have some very, very simple practical corollaries for everyday businesses. So the person who stood outside my son's school and was giving flyer, giving flyer, you know, back to school sale, come and buy back, come and buy bottle,

come and buy textbook, come and buy socks, come and buy shoes. You know that giving flyer, giving flyer, giving flyer that is lead generation because definitely the guy will give Flyers to daddies like me. And what do daddies do? We carry this thing, we squeeze it, we throw it away and then you give it to mommies. What do mommies do? Because mommies are always, you know how our mommies can be God bless moms. So mother's always worried.

OK, school is starting. You know, the socks are dirty. It's time to buy new socks. It's time to buy a new bag. You know, so we have this conversation every single time. My wife will be like, I think it's time to buy new socks. And I'm like, but the socks that we're using is this was brand new socks that we bought last time. She'll say, well, look at the sole. The soles are looking kind of faded. I'm like, yeah, they're looking faded, but it's OK.

When they put on the shoe, the faded part will be inside the shoe. Nobody will see the fade. The one that is on top is looking OK. I feel like you started again for you know, to chorus more. Anyway, just keep quiet. Eventually we end up buying new socks. So that's what mommies do. So mommies will collect the flyer and mommies will keep it. Eventually one or two mommies will call, say hello. I got your flyer. Some, some some.

Do you have brand new socks? Now the person that calls in to say hello, do you have brand new socks or they say hello? Do you have Ben 10 bag or hello? Do you have water bottle or hello, do you have primary 5 general mathematics textbook? That person who calls that is a lead because the person has done something to show that they might be interested in your product or in your service. That's lead generation right there.

So every business owner is supposed to be engaged in these sorts of activities and we're trying to generate, generate quality leads, good quality leads. You don't want to be, you don't want to invest time. And then people that come will not be cherryweather people, you know, anyhow, anyhow, all kind of people, you know, cherry can be all kind of people. Sorry, Ebol listeners, if I'm messing up the words, forgive me. These are stuff that my lecturer used to say back in law school was Mr. Mr. Ocon.

Yeah. Mr. Ocon. So I don't know. Mr. Ocon was the Kalabaga was Mr. What's this guy's name? I can't remember. Shah boy in Abuja Shah. One correct guy, he ended up marrying one of one of our seniors. As I see this lecturer being very responsible. You're supposed to be teaching your students. Meanwhile, you're looking at your students. Anyway, he's lucky that it's Niger and it's not the US. It was US. Anyway, let me not say too much,

where was I? So yes, lead generation now for the first guy who reached out to me, the guy who was based in China, I think he was running ads, running advertisements, advertisements using Google to generate leads and for King David for his own business. I can't remember what he was doing for lead generation because this chat that I'm looking at now, this is our convo. This is like from, like I said, it's like from October, November of 2025, Basha, he complained about getting people that are not really serious, you know,

now people who will say, how far do you have this equipment? Do you have the equipment? Then you talk back and forth, you begin the price and then next thing they start ghosting. So there are some of those issues. So these are the kind of issues that yes, I could look at and I could I can solve. But from all these stories that I've said so far, can you see that when you guys reach out to me? Are you looking for free advice and you think it's a simple something can't see that there's lots of issues involved If we must treat this thing well.

So if you insist I no get money, no problem. I will only answer one question only. But the moment you want us to start digging and digging and digging, you'll be a matter of look guy, hold up. We're now doing some serious work here. So you suppose drop something. These are the options. Weekly we can run it like this. Daily we can run it like this. Monthly we can run it like this. Quarterly we can run it like this. So don't worry.

I sound expensive, but I'm actually fairly priced. So don't worry. There's something for everybody. Just call 08064662140 then. OK, so King David is also facing some operational and structural issues because OK, well, logistics is always a problem. OK, Well, luckily, luckily King King David has his stuff in mile 2. If I remember correctly, this one is not in the chat, but I think when we were, when we had a phone call.

OK, I think we've had one phone call, but I promise you one more phone call. So remaining 1, he has stuff in, I think he's mile 12 or so. Mile 12 would be mile 2 Lagos. And I can't remember Sharp, but still logistics is a problem, you know, moving stuff around. That's not a problem I can solve because my own specialty is just sales. Then of course, after sales supports also an issue because selling the machine is not when you sell the machine, you've done a good job.

But then if we want to retain customers, if we want to do a good job on customer retention, customer retention just means people buy from you again and again and again because that's where the good money is. Excuse me. The mistake that lots of people make is they assume that when you collect the big money one time, that that's it, your job is done. But actually, no, what we're trying to do is to maximize customer lifetime value.

So what that means is we want people to buy from us again and again and again. Then we also want people to refer their friends and their family members and their associates to us so that their associates can come and buy as well. So think about it, if King David is talking to somebody big machine and the thing costs 180 mil, most people will be happy that they collected 180 million once. That is not the goal. The goal is OK, the person bought machine now 180 million.

If we do a good job, we are hopeful that maybe in two years time the guy will buzz and say how far and he wants to buy another machine. Maybe that one is 20 M, Then maybe in another eight months they need to replace another spare part or something. That spare part, maybe No2 course, maybe like 7.5 M, then maybe you. God bless that guy. The business is moving up. He needs to buy more equipment. Next time he wants to buy,

instead of 120 M just for one, he will now come and buy 3 from you. So that's 120 * 3. That's 360. Now 360 M, you see. So this is where the good money comes, but too many of we Nigerian business people are lazy. You collect one payment 120 M 180 M you now go and start doing Thanksgiving. You're doing Thanksgiving for what? Like you're not done. Yes, you've you've you've closed the first deal. Good. We're not worried about retention.

Are people coming to buy again and again and again. Now the thing I will even be sweet is after this guy has been coming back after 180 M, the guy comes back, buy another 120M30M, buy spare part 7.5 M 10M12M. If the guy now comes and introduces you say look my friend Chief is also in this business. Take care of Chief. Chief is going to call you on Tuesday. That is where the good money comes from. When a good customer will now refer and then three or four other people will now start to start to be calling you.

That's the goal. So how did I get here now? After sale support. So after sale support is part of customer retention. So you sell the machine, but that's not just the the end of the whole thing. So providing maintenance, providing spare parts, offering people Technical Support, you know, things like this are necessary because we're trying to make sure that this person will come back and buy again. And then after a while, we'll send somebody to come and buy from us.

Then let's see. OK, Inventory management now is definitely a problem, but I can't solve that because my specialty is not inventory management. My specialty is just sales. Then there's also regulatory issues. And you understand, now you know customs, you know how they can be today. These are the rules. You have to pay with customs next tomorrow. These are the charges you have to pay next tomorrow. New set of charges have been introduced in two weeks time.

You now have a new clearance procedure, stuff like that. So dealing with customs, those who would have the wahala. So yeah, those are some some other issues. But of course I can't solve these sorts of issues. So by the time he gets to this stage, I would have to refer you to somebody else because I'm proud to stick with what it is that I know that King David also had a few other problems that OK, it was a solo founder.

And of course, you know, when you are starting up brand new, you're the only person you try to do everything. So King David is not just the CEO founder of the business. So excuse me. So he's not only the CEO, founder of the business, but he's also head of sales because he has to sell. The King David is also a logistics manager because when he sells something, who's the person that will now arrange for the trucks to move up and down?

Is it not him because it doesn't appear. Then King David is also kind of like the lead technician. You know, if something spoiled, he has to get on the phone and start talking to people to figure out exactly what it is that went wrong before. They will now know what the next thing to do is. So King David, he has lots of stuff that he's that he's doing. Then let's see what else. OK, we discussed financing because that's one way that you can make your sales easier by offering finance, finance and flexible payment terms.

Because for somebody like me now I'm not in the business of my own things is not hundreds and hundreds of millions. My own money is not big, big money. My money is actually, I won't exactly call it small money, but you know, reasonable something. The kind of things I charge are the thing that people can pay one time at most. You break it into two. Go ahead. There's some people that do that. They say, you know what, I'm not too buoyant right now, but let me just transfer 351st then give me like 2-3 days.

I'll now wire the balance of X amount. So I'm dealing in small, small money. But for those of you who deal in big, big, big, big money, when people want to buy things from you, 100 million or 200 million or 300 million, sometimes you can make your businesses easier by offering financing options, arrangements where people can drop a certain percentage down and then pay the rest of overtime. But they are all, I call them now.

I'm sorry, I can't remember, you know, it's late at night. My brain is a little foggy now. But there are companies who are into asset financing in Niger. One of them used to be called Pay Hippo. I can't remember the name that they're called now, but their old name is, was Pay Hippo, PAYHIPPO. And they're the ones that used to finance for this my client in Lagos who does solar yeah, that they used to do financing for for their customers.

So if a customer comes, the customer wants to buy solar system and inverter. And then by the time you calculate everything, maybe the amount is like 50 M and the customer no get 50 M, You know, they can talk to pay Hippo and then maybe they can drop, you know, 20 or 30 now and then be paying the balance of, you know, every month or every whatever until the money is finally paid. So for those of you who do businesses like that where the money is big, big, big, big money, 10s of millions, hundreds of millions, having financial options makes it easier to close the deal sometimes because it means the means that people have the opportunity to drop the balance.

You know, so I don't drop the balance, drop a deposit, 20%, thirty percent, 40% and then pay back the rest overtime. So that's also something that King David would have to might have to look at make his job easier when it comes to closing sales. So these are just some of the issues. These are just some of the issues. But anyway, like I said, since all these construct on boys, all these big boys, you know how to break into that segment of the market 'cause these boys get serious by serious money.

So anyway, so I just, I follow on the Yan. So I said, OK, no problem, let's let's do this. I'm trying to figure out exactly what the problem is. So let's just do a role play so we can figure out exactly what's going on. Now role play just means you, I know some of you are mature, you understand. And because of that, when we hear role play, you be thinking bad, bad things. When we say role play in business, we're not thinking of that kind of role play, you understand.

In fact, if you're thinking of that kind of role play, you need Jesus in your life. Go and repent. When we say on this podcast, I would say role play, we mean is a business something I will pretend to be a buyer or I pretend to be a seller. And then who will now add drama back and forth. Now, based on the drama that we're acting, based on what the things I say and how you respond, I'll now know that. Oh, OK, this is where King David has problem because every time a customer says this, he will see this.

That means that there's a problem here. So role-playing is a good way to figure out how robust people's selling systems are and how well they are thought through things and their level of strategy involved in business. So excuse me. So, yeah. So we so we now did some, some, some role play. Remember when I say role play, I mean business role play, not that other kind of role play. When you're done listening to this podcast, if you want to engage in that kind of role play, go ahead.

But those of us who are focusing on business, let's stay here. So we now role play back and forth. I pretended to be a customer who wants to buy a machine. And so we did back and forth. Then by the time we're done, I figured out some, I figured out some some problems from the role play #1 remember he said in the beginning that his sales are low because he's, he's closing one deal every three to four months. I can't remember how many people he's getting, how many leads he's getting through.

Is he advertising or something? I really can't remember. And I figured out the problem. Why this guy he's, he's selling, he's just using idea to sell like most Nigerians, he's just using idea. So I like the fact that he's persistent and he stays on the call. You know, he, he maintains the follow up cadence. It's good. But sure, Nah, sales process was his ability to handle the conversation was lacking. So that's the reason why he's having low conversions.

And the conversion just means the person who is ready to take the next step. So back to the first person I spoke to, the one who is based in China, who runs advertisements on Google. Let's say you run advertisements on Google, then 100 people respond. Of the 100 people who respond, let's say the next step is you get on a phone call with them to diagnose their needs. So let's say 100 people respond. So excuse me. Oh, sorry about that.

You know, like I said, there's a late night episode and then I'm having to clear my throat. So that's, you know, why all the stops and starts and all that? What was I conversions are here. So you place advertisements, 100 people respond, then you start pinging back and forth. You're trying to get people on the phone call to figure out what's going on. So out of those people who respond, 100 may be able to get 60 to take a phone call with you.

Now from the 60 who take a phone call with you, maybe you're able to get 25 to come to the site to come and see the truck live. And then maybe out of the 25 that see the truck live, maybe you send proposals to, I don't know, maybe like 8 or 10. Then for the 8 or 10 that receive specific proposals, maybe two or three pay deposit. So at every single stage where people took action, that is what we call a conversion. So you place the advert, some people respond, that is conversion.

For the people that respond, you're trying to get them on the phone call. Some people agree to phone call, that is conversion for the people who agreed to phone call. Some of them, you're able to convince them that their name come down to Lagos so they can see the truck live and direct. Nobody say picture, picture, picture. Let them come to the yard and come and see all the machines. So down is also conversion then for the people who saw machine,

you now send specific proposals to them. That's also conversion. For the people who receive proposals, some of them will now transfer money to your account. That is also a conversion. So he didn't have a well thought out sales framework, a way to handle the conversations. And so because of that, his conversions were low. Then. Yeah, he said he had a problem with people ghosting him. He called them scammers, but they're not really scammers.

It's just, it's just frustration. I understand, you know, like when I was in the event space, even though I started off as a lawyer, eventually I moved into wedding photography. And so it's something that my colleagues used to say. Ennis Martindo said that girl is not serious. That girl is not serious. Not frustration. It's not as if the girl is not serious because let's be honest, any bride, any babe who is about to get married is talking to multiple vendors.

So it's not like she's not serious. It's just that she, she didn't call you back. She has selected somebody else. So she's serious. She's getting married. The wedding we hold. It's just that the wedding will hold without you. She will select another vendor. So they'll be saying she's not sure. She's not serious. She's serious. It's just that you're handling the sales process wrong. You're handling it wrong. So that's how King David, any small team seen as scammers As scam.

As scam. No, nobody scam. It's just that you don't know how to handle the conversation. Well, that's why they're ghosting you. Wasn't as if they're scam. And yes, because he he wasn't handling the the conversations too. Well, then let's see. What else? What else? OK, Then there's also some issues around professional presence because OK, now I'm looking at one of my notes. Sorry. How did professional presence enter this matter now?

And professional presence, yes. So he was wondering about setting up an office space, but he doesn't have the revenue to sustain it because he doesn't have office space now. So but people can come and see the trucks in K2, is it? I'll be mile 12. I can't remember mile 2 or mile 12. Anyway, you can come and see the trucks, but it's not as if he has a nice respectable Porter cabin on site where people can come in. You know, you sit down, you know, you have some coffee and then you will start discussing one-on-one and start pricing things.

So there was some talk of that then. Yeah. He was also worried about feeling unqualified because in this kind of market, especially since he's in Lagos, there are some established players, there are some big boys there. You know, boys went on full ground already. They've been in business for years. So they already have name, they have reputation. But I'm he, he's new in the game. So he doesn't really have reputation like that like that.

And then plus on some of those trucks, you know, he's not the one that owns it. So on some of those trucks, some of those tractors, some of those digger, he actually is a middleman and then low commissions. So well, you know the story plenty. So can you see from what I'm saying that you guys think it's nothing? But by the time you finish telling me your life story, can't see that the the work is plenty. If I'm going to work this work,

the work is plenty. That's why I say if you want free advice, sure, no problem. Ask me one question of all these multiple issues. Ask me only one question and I give you answer anything. We have to dig in. We have to dig in. So doing the role play, I pretended to be a customer who wanted to buy Sino truck or Sino truck. Sino truck. Ho ho. If you're hearing this for the first time, don't worry because you will need to until I started doing the role play with King David, that was the first time I

was researching it. So to do the role play, you know, to sound realistic, I had to go online, go and do some research, you know, to find out the different model. Because if I'm going to call up as a customer, you know, I guess to sound realistic now, so I'm going to do some research. So during our role call, now I remember what I said. When I say role call here, I mean business. Any of you who are thinking any other kind of role call, you need Jesus in your life.

So I say role call, role play, role play. So doing the role play now, yeah, these are some of the issues and pricing. When we got to the pricing part, King David was struggling because King David was saying 75 M for that, as you know, truck who. But based on my own fooling around on the Internet, I found somebody who claimed that they were offered for 65 M And of course you can see that that's a big price difference. King David is saying 75 M for that truck.

Meanwhile, I found somebody online who offered that thing for 65 M So King David was kind of struggling on how to justify the the difference between that 10 M. Then even though King David was on the ball, like he tried to keep the conversation in check. Whenever I give the guy a small objection like, oh, let me get back to you. The guy will just give up. You understand? So King David was waiting for the customer instead of driving the initiative to close the sale.

But you know what, it's been like, OK, this is 42 minutes. But you know what? Let me just wrap it up here. Let me just wrap it up here and then. Plus, it's a late night episode. Let me stop for my kids who come out, they'll be looking at me be like, what the hell is wrong with this old man got a whole microphone at midnight saying the record podcast. So let me just stop here before I wake up the whole house and before I get you guys bored.

So this is what we'll do in the next episode. Some of these major episodes that we've come up with now during the role play. I'll try and tackle that in the next episode. So if you've been listening to this and you've been enjoying the story of King David, remember, not his real name, and enjoying the sort of King David, and you want to see how we'll resolve some of these issues, then OK, Yeah, we'll do that in the next episode.

So the pricing issue, how should he, should King David have handled this pricing matter? You know that he's calling 75 M for one Sinotroko and then I'm claiming that I found I found it online for 65 M. So how do you handle it when you're talking to a customer, you call your price 75 M and the customers say how too expensive the almost see this link I found this name 65 M. How do you handle it then when you're having conversation with people and then they throw you small, small objections or let me think about it.

I'll call you when I'm ready, you know, blah, blah, blah, you know, things like that. How do you handle these sorts of issues? OK, so that's it. Let me bring today's episode to a close. And and like I said earlier, no, I didn't end up doing any work with King David. And no, I didn't end up doing any work with the with the guy from China. But you, you bigger boys, bigger bosses. I yeah, I really would like to do some work with you guys,

especially people who are in the construction spaces. Sounds interesting. Sounds exciting. I'd like to see how I can take somebody's business to the next level. If you've been playing in these sectors, so if you fancy yourself like King David or like the first guy who reached out, the one who is based in China and you're selling heavy duty equipment and you're trying to tell you can move your business to the next level, give your boy a call.

Send me a text message or WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Reach out. Let's see what we can make happen and and for the rest of you, one is here my recommendations. That's not a problem. I'll just I'll tackle this tomorrow. So thanks for your time and attention. I'll catch you all some other time. Let me go and get some shut eye. Let me rest my brain for today.