05 Jun 2019

The Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane says branding is the foundation for a successful business as it creates an image for the business and product.

Mr Tsogwane was officiating at the 4th annual Youth Business Expo held in Gaborone on June 4.

He said branding facilitates success as it is a marketing strategy, indicating that youth promoters have the potential to produce quality products but often faced challenges of market access and branding for their products and services.

Held under the theme: Brand It, Market It, win It, the Expo is hosted to accord youth in business an opportunity to showcase their products and services, build networks and marketing platforms for their products.

The Vice President emphasised that branding and packaging play an important role in facilitating a purchase decision. “Branding and attractive packaging make the potential customer interested in buying a business product, as such the quality of your brand and products remain key to your success in the world of entrepreneurship,” stated Mr Tsogwane.

The expo therefore, Mr Tsogwane said calls upon the youth to adopt new and different strategies in branding and packaging from their competitors. He said their branding strategy should create a unique niche in the market through leveraging various communication platforms such as good website designs, brochures and flyers design.

He further stated that government is committed to providing a conducive environment for the economic empowerment of youth, adding that the youth expo is a testament to that commitment. He said the private sector has in the past partnered with government to sponsor the expo and they continue to partner with them to grow youth entrepreneurship space.

For his part, Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said youth companies as micro enterprises are essential and add value to the country’s economic sphere. Targeting 300 youth exhibitors, Mr Makgalemele noted that the expo has grown bigger and better over the years showing the diversity of exhibitions by young people.

Mr Makgalemele added that the youth’s engagement and participation in the economy is essential to achieve sustainable human development. He said young people are the drivers of change, and they are part of the solution to the country’s problems such as food security and manufacturing to reduce on the importation of goods and diversification strategies as they a possess the right skills and competencies.

The Expo ends on Friday with an award ceremony. ENDS