The cellphone entrepreneur

THESE days, the most common device people will have in their possession is not a wristwatch, it’s a cellphone. No longer is the cellphone a luxury item; nowadays it has become a common part of our modus operandi to the point where as some of us open our eyes in the morning we reach for the cellphone.

If you keep apace with the world of technology or gadgets, this cellphone you have — or want — may cost upwards of $20,000, depending on the brand and your style, and so it is not a small investment piece.

With the cellphone being the new go-to item, Natalie Lue-Fung, entrepreneur and success coach, says running a business from the palm of your hands is not difficult. However, knowing how to capitalise on the potential of your smartphone is what matters.

With this pearl of wisdom, Lue-Fung explains to Career & Education the benefits of using your cellphone as a business tool, so talk and data services can mean dollars and cents.

1. Work on the go; anywhere, anytime

Lue-Fung says you are not confined to an office desk when using your cellphone to operate your business. Sitting at home helps no one, she says: “You need to meet people when building a business, and a good way to do this is to leave your home. When I started out I was without a laptop; so I went to a coffee shop, and that was where I met my first customer and business partner. She adds: “With my phone I was able to follow up with a lot of people. There are only 24 hours in a day, and for many of those hours people don’t work; I realised that with my phone I could be flexible with anybody who was available.”

2. Productive commute/traffic time

According to Lue-Fung, her cellphone allows her to make calls and do follow-ups with her business contacts while stuck in traffic. She explains: “Someone who takes a bus can do more than someone who’s driving. You can post quotes, messages and pictures, or answer email in that time. Before people leave for work, the first thing they check is their social media. So the best time to post things about your business is during rush periods — morning, noon, evening.

3. Social media’s window to everyone

Social media never sleeps, so Lue-Fung says this is where you can capitalise on a live, always-there audience. “People won’t necessarily talk to you in person, but they’ll follow you on social media. Once they get to realise that you’re “cool”, they’ll more likely do business with you,” she explains.

She adds: “I’ve now increased my network by opening up my social media. At first I wasn’t open, because it is really scary that people can have access to your personal life, but the truth is social media is more helpful than harmful if used appropriately.” Social media is fraught with various apps that can link you with business partners, pitch ideas, set up meetings, and help inch your way closer to business people you admire.

4. Call versus text

Lue-Fung says 80 per cent of her business is done on her phone, and determining whether to call or text a client is essential. She advises that, when establishing relationships, “it is very important to call people versus always texting them; it gives it more of a genuine feel and you don’t lose your conversations”. But after rapport has been developed, because everybody is texting these days, she suggests that “when you have developed a relationship with the client, texting may prove to be more effective”.

5. Apps make for branding

Your cellphone is loaded with apps: Skype, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and others. According to Lue-Fung, if you understand how to use them, they can do wonders for you and your business. “Take Instagram, for instance. which is instantaneous. They’re people I’ve never met who follow me on Instagram, and without realising it, you’re building relations and partnerships with people across the world you’ve never met before. You’re on it as a personal brand. “You may also use the apps to organise your life; and it helps you to be able to track things,” she advises. Young entrepreneurs, the world over, are using various apps to send out direct messages and secure business deals because of the brand presence they’ve created. “People who own stores put on the outfits, take pictures of them, and when they do that people will know what’s in the store, and that is free advertising,” Lue-Fung explains.

What’s more, Lue-Fung says many young people may be unemployed but have expensive cellphones which are not generating a profit for them. “Whatever your interests are you can use it [cellphone] to market yourself. You may have over 200,000 followers, you’re not famous, but you can become infamous. Most people don’t wade through the phone book or wait for an advertisement on TV. Instead, they use their cellphones to market themselves and spend the days working to pay their bills and the nights chasing their dreams.”

— KIMBERLEY HIBBERT