… as it launches Brand Reputation Week and Awards with focus on SMEs
The survival of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in difficult times and their general growth hinges on how they have effectively planned their operations and long-term goals, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa Ltd. (Stratcomm Africa), Esther Cobbah, has said.
She added that concerns about SMEs not being investor-ready and unable to access funds could also be attributed to the fact that most of them do not have an effective plan which will influence how it executes their operations and attract funding.
“It is one thing coming out with an idea or being passionate about something and turning it into a business. You ought to have the plan to let that business survive. We are encouraging SMEs to take that seriously.
A lot of SMEs say they do not have access to funding. We know there are issues with that, but a lot of the time, it is probably because they do not have the strategies and have not planned how the business will grow, say over the next 5years. They have to build a reputation through what they do, planning their product line, kinds of machinery and even human resources they will need,” she said.
She said this as Stratcomm Africa launched the Annual Brand Reputation Week and Awards on November 16, 2022 in Accra, aligned to the commemoration of the Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrated annually from November 14 to 20.
The Week is specially set aside to celebrate entrepreneurs and empower them to scale up their businesses given their contribution to the country’s development.
The theme for the Brand Reputation Week is “Skill up in communication to scale up your business” highlighting the importance for entrepreneurs to acquire the right business and communication skills to grow.
The event will focus on the use of digital communication for reputation management and enterprise growth as Stratcomm Africa believes the current growth in digitalisation creates the opportunity for entrepreneurs to reach a wide audience with their products and services, therefore, if the right knowledge and skills are applied, they can grow their businesses and effectively manage their reputation.
Activities outlined for the week include Reputation Clinics which will be on November 30 2022, at the offices of Stratcomm Africa.
The clinic will provide communication consultancy advice to about 30 SMEs selected across the country and other organisations who are looking to grow and require fresh perspectives to help them succeed.
Stratcomm Africa through the Business Clinics will offer one-on-one consultation to the SMEs whiles offering them the strategies, skills and support to grow and develop their business.
SME Communication Awards
The awards scheme will allow SMEs to showcase how communications impacts their businesses, thus highlighting further, the importance of strategic communications in business growth.
SMEs with the most impactful communications approach will be awarded and some will be given the opportunity to receive professional communications services from Stratcomm Africa.
