I once bought a phone just because everybody on my street had it — and I regretted it the same week.

-
I once bought a phone just because everybody on my street had it — and I regretted it the same week.

It was that popular model wey everybody dey hype. I didn’t check reviews. I didn’t test camera. I didn’t even ask questions. I just saw the crowd and followed. First day, it was fine. Second day, the battery started acting like PHCN. Third day, the screen froze while I was trying to transfer money. I nearly cried.

That’s when I understood the bandwagon effect.

It’s when we follow what others are doing — not because we’ve thought it through, but because we don’t want to be left out. We see people jumping into a trend, and we jump too. Whether it’s fashion, food, business, or even investment.

Some people bought land in one area just because their friend said, “That place dey hot now.” No inspection. No documents. Just vibes. Now they’re still dragging fence with omo onile.

We do it with clothes, phones, restaurants, even skincare. One person posts a cream, and suddenly, everybody wants to use it. Not because it works — but because they want to belong.

That’s how we lose money. That’s how we lose our own taste. That’s how we lose our voice.

Marketers sabi this thing well. They use it to sell. They’ll tell you:

– “Join 10,000 happy customers”
– “Don’t miss out on this hot trend”
– “Everyone is talking about it”

And it works. Because when we see crowd, we feel safe. We feel like it must be correct.

But here’s the truth — not everything trending is meant for you. Sometimes, it’s hype. Sometimes, it’s noise. Sometimes, it’s just people copying people.

So before you buy, wear, post, or invest, ask yourself: “Is this really for me?”

And if you’re selling something, use the bandwagon wisely. Show people that others trust you. Use real stories. Show numbers. But also give them reason to choose you with sense — not just follow crowd.

Because the real win is when people choose you with confidence, not confusion.


—Jbm Sopuruchukwu

Popular posts from this blog

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COURSES WHEN YOU'RE BROKE AND STARTING ONLINE

-
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COURSES WHEN YOU'RE BROKE AND STARTING ONLINE When you’re starting out online with limited funds, every decision matters. Time, effort, and money are valuable resources, so choosing the right courses can be the difference between struggling for months or fast-tracking your success. Unfortunately, many beginners fall into the trap of learning the wrong things first, wasting time on low-return knowledge when they should be focusing on high-impact skills. Let’s break it down—what courses should you avoid when starting with little money? COURSES THAT DON'T IMMEDIATELY HELP YOU MAKE MONEY If you're broke, your priority should be making money as soon as possible. Learning something interesting but not profitable will set you back. Avoid courses that - Teach concepts without application (e.g., "Philosophy of Business Success") - Focus on long-term mastery instead of quick results (e.g., learning a coding language that takes years to monetize) - Re...
Read more

The day I discovered why okrika sellers show you the torn shirt first before the good one, my whole life changed forever

-
The day I discovered why okrika sellers show you the torn shirt first before the good one, my whole life changed forever You know that woman selling tomatoes in the market? The one that always starts by saying "500 naira for this small basket" even though she knows you will price it down to 200? She understands something powerful about the human mind. Let me tell you what happened to Chidi. He wanted to sell his land in Victoria Island. The first agent told him to put 15 million naira as the price. But Chidi remembered what his grandmother used to do when selling yam in the village. She would always start high, very high. So Chidi listed the land for 25 million instead. Something interesting happened. People started offering 18 million, 20 million. He eventually sold for 22 million. If he had started at 15 million, they would have offered him 10 or 12 million. This same thing works for anything you want to sell. Your car, your house, even your services. When my cousin wanted ...
Read more

Everybody dey online. Everybody dey scroll. To catch person eye, your caption gats loud, clear, and straight to the point. Here's how to write mad caption 👇

-
Image
Everybody dey online. Everybody dey scroll. To catch person eye, your caption gats loud, clear, and straight to the point. If you write caption like say you dey beg, people go just waka pass. But if you hit their daily pain and joy, dem go stop, read, maybe even comment or click. Na psychology be that — people sabi respond to wetin touch them. When person dey see your post, the first thing wey go run for their mind na: - “Wetin concern me here?” - “Abi this one dey talk my story?” - “Na who dey pepper me like this?” So, you gats mirror how people dey think and feel. Use their own wahala and wish to write your caption. For example, if na food business you dey run, caption like: “Work stress wan finish me, I just need small jollof wey go reset my head”_ go grab attention pass _“Buy rice from us today.” If na fashion: “Who else dey wear slippers wey don bend like plantain leaf? Make we upgrade together.” People dey expect real talk. Dem don tire for fake packaging. So if your caption feel...
Read more

Why is it that every time someone wants to buy land or a house in Nigeria, the first thing they ask is, “Hope it’s not scam?”

-
Image
Why is it that every time someone wants to buy land or a house in Nigeria, the first thing they ask is, “Hope it’s not scam?” Think about how Nigerians choose where to live. It's like when your mother goes to the market - she doesn't just buy from anybody. She has her special meat seller she trusts, she looks for the best price, and she wants to be sure she's not being cheated. Buying or renting a house is the same, just bigger. THE BIG PROBLEMS NIGERIAN REAL ESTATE COMPANIES MUST SOLVE 1. THE TRUST PROBLEM (I DON'T WANT TO BE SCAMMED) This is the biggest problem in Nigeria. Remember all those stories about people who paid for houses in Lekki or Ajah, only for the developer to disappear? Or those who bought land and later found out it belongs to government? How to solve this: - Show people real houses you have built before, not just fine drawings - Let buyers meet families already living in your houses - Have an office people can walk into, not just WhatsApp number - Wo...
Read more

If you're into fashion, Stop posting only the outfit. Start posting the feeling. Here's what I mean....

-
Image
If you're into fashion, Stop posting only the outfit. Start posting the feeling. Here's what I mean.... Instead of saying: 2-piece Ankara set, N12,000 Say: Step into any room and turn heads with this bold Ankara 2-piece. Perfect for weddings, brunch, or that weekend getaway. N12,000. See the difference? People don’t buy clothes. They buy how those clothes will make them feel. They buy confidence. They buy compliments. They buy attention. So here’s what you can do today: – Rewrite your last 3 fashion captions to focus on the feeling, not just the fabric – Add one sentence that shows where or how they’ll wear it – Use words like “perfect for…” to help buyers imagine themselves in it Try it now. Post it. Watch the difference. Now, if you want to go beyond quick fixes and actually build a fashion brand that sells consistently… I’ve created a 30-Day Fashion Content Fix (Under 30 days business jumpstart program). In this hands-on program, I’ll help your brand: – Fix your captions so ...
Read more

When a Nigerian says "I go think about it," what they really mean is:

-
Image
When a Nigerian says "I go think about it," what they really mean is: "I don't see the value clearly" "I don't trust you completely" "I'm scared of making a mistake" "I don't have the money right now" "I need to discuss with my spouse" But they will never tell you the real reason. So they hide behind "I go think about it." Smart salespeople know this. They don't fight the objection. They prevent it from happening in the first place. Here's how: First, stop talking about features. Start talking about problems. Before you even mention your product, make sure your customer admits they have a problem that needs solving. If they don't see the problem, they won't buy the solution. Second, use the "what happens if" technique. Ask them: "What happens if you don't solve this problem in the next six months?" Make them feel the pain of not taking action. Third, create urge...
Read more

Your Advert is Not Bringing Customers? This is How I Fixed Mine

-
Image
Your Advert is Not Bringing Customers? This is How I Fixed Mine Last month, Mama Sidi spent 50,000 naira on Facebook ads for her ankara business. Zero sales. Today, she makes 10 sales daily from the same budget. Let me show you what she changed. You know that feeling when you post your product online, boost it with your hard-earned money, but nobody is buying? It's like cooking party jollof rice and nobody shows up to eat. Your heart just breaks small small. Let me tell you what happened to three Nigerian business owners like you. First, there was Emeka who sells phone accessories in Computer Village. He was posting pictures of phone cases with prices. Nothing was happening. Then one day, he posted a video of a phone falling from upstairs with his case on it. The phone survived. That week, he sold 200 cases. Then we have Funke who makes organic soap in Ibadan. She was writing long stories about ingredients nobody understands. Sales were dead. She changed and started posting before ...
Read more

THE CUSTOMER WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT WILL STILL PRICE IT FOR HOURS

-
Image
THE CUSTOMER WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT WILL STILL PRICE IT FOR HOURS Whether online or offline, time-wasters behave the same way. That prospect you want to approach? Let me show you how to know if they have money before you start marketing — whether it’s in your shop or in your DM. First sign — how they ask about price. Offline, someone with money will touch the product and ask, “How much?” Online, they’ll message you saying, “Hello, please how much is the blue gown, size 12?” See the difference? Specific questions show seriousness. Watch how fast they respond. In your shop, someone with money won’t spend 10 minutes calculating. Online, they won’t take three days to reply after you send the price. Quick decisions show available funds. Check their behavior. In a physical store — are they carrying a basket or just walking around? Online — are they saving multiple items or just viewing? People with purchasing power gather options, not just look. The questions they ask matter. “You get warra...
Read more

If you can’t solve one sharp problem for your audience, they won’t remember your name.

-
Image
If you can’t solve one sharp problem for your audience, they won’t remember your name. Let’s talk real life. People are tired. They’re broke. They’re overwhelmed. They don’t want motivation. They want solution. Fast one. So ask yourself: What’s that one thing your business can give them today that will make them breathe easy? Now picture this like say I dey show you screenshots. You sell digital products. Your audience dey complain: “I don’t know how to start selling online.” Your lead magnet fit be: “Free guide: How to launch your first digital product in 3 days—even if you have zero followers.” You’re a fitness coach. Your people dey shout: “I want to lose weight but I hate gym.” Your lead magnet fit be: “Download my 7-day belly fat meal plan—no gym, no stress.” You help small businesses with branding. Dem dey say: “Nobody dey take my business serious.” Your lead magnet fit be: “Free checklist: 5 things your page must have before people trust you and buy.” You see how e dey go? No lo...
Read more

Why Musa’s Jollof Rice Recipe Never Made Him Money

-
Image
Why Musa’s Jollof Rice Recipe Never Made Him Money Musa had a special jollof rice recipe. Anybody who tasted it always asked for more. He cooked it during weddings, birthdays, and Sunday family hangouts. People praised him, saying, “This jollof rice go sell well o!” But months passed. Then years. And Musa never made one naira from that idea. Why? He didn’t know how to turn his idea into cash. One evening, his cousin Sade visited. She asked, “Musa, why haven’t you started selling this rice?” He scratched his head. “I don’t have money for a big restaurant.” Sade laughed. “You don’t need a restaurant to start making money from your idea. You need strategy.” She broke it down: 1. Write it out – An idea in your head is just imagination. Putting it down turns it into something you can act on. 2. Solve a real problem – People buy what helps them. Musa’s rice wasn’t just delicious, it saved people time and stress during events. 3. Start small – Sade showed him how to sell on weeken...
Read more