Bunmi Alofoje

I can use AI to make a ₦15,000 dress look like a ₦150,000 dress. But should I?

AI is changing how businesses market their products, and I’m here for it!

Imagine taking an ordinary picture of a dress, using AI to improve the lighting and background, and suddenly it looks like a luxury fashion campaign.

Beautiful, right?

But what happens when the customer receives the dress and it looks completely different?

Complaints. Refund requests. Lost trust.

Here’s my point: AI should improve your product presentation, not misrepresent your product.

Use AI to create attention, but let your actual product deliver on the promise.

Because good marketing attracts customers, but trust keeps them coming back.

This is Episode 1 of my AI Marketing Series, where I’ll be sharing practical ways Nigerian business owners can use AI to grow their businesses.

Want to learn more digital skills? Get my Small Business Digital Toolkit: https://grow.bunmialofoje.com/

Now tell me, would you buy a product advertised with AI-generated images?

If I used AI to market a fashion business in Nigeria today, this is where I’d start.

Let me tell you something.

You don’t need to own a big fashion store in Lekki or spend hundreds of thousands of naira on a photoshoot before you can start creating attractive marketing content.

Imagine you’re selling ready-to-wear dresses from your apartment.

You have beautiful clothes, but your product pictures are not giving them the attention they deserve.

Now imagine taking one clear photograph of your dress and using AI to explore different campaign concepts, backgrounds, product presentations and promotional visuals.

Same dress. Different presentation.

And here’s where I want you to pay attention.

AI is not the strategy. It’s a tool that helps you execute the strategy.

Before creating anything, I’d still ask:

Who are we selling to?

What makes this particular dress worth buying?

Where will customers see the advertisement?

And what should they do after seeing it?

Because a beautiful AI-generated picture that doesn’t represent your actual product accurately can damage customer trust.

The goal is not to make your product look like something it isn’t.

The goal is to present what you’re selling in a way that attracts the right customers without misleading them.

That’s what we’ll be exploring in this new series.

I’ll be showing you practical ways to combine AI, marketing and business strategy, using examples Nigerian entrepreneurs can relate to.

And if you’re building your business online, my Small Business Digital Toolkit is available to help you learn the essential digital skills every business owner should understand.

Get your copy: https://grow.bunmialofoje.com/

Now let me ask you: If I were to demonstrate AI marketing for your business, what product or service would you want me to start with?

Tell me what you sell in the comments. I might feature your business category in an upcoming episode.

Dear business owner,

Not every person who asks for your account number is ready to buy.

Not everyone who says “I’m ordering now” will eventually pay.

Before dispatching products, protect your business.

1. Confirm the customer’s order and delivery details.
2. Consider requesting a reasonable deposit.
3. Communicate your delivery and cancellation policy clearly.

You cannot completely prevent fake orders, but you can reduce unnecessary losses.

Business owners, do you collect deposits before delivery?

“I’ve been debited!”

“But I haven’t received the money!”

Two people. One transaction. Plenty of confusion.

This is why every business needs a clear payment process, especially when dealing with transfers and deliveries.

Don’t wait until a customer is standing in front of you before deciding how unconfirmed payments should be handled.

Set your payment terms, communicate them before checkout and have a process for resolving disputed transactions.

Customers also deserve clear information, respectful communication and proper records of their payments.

Business should not turn into an argument every time a bank transfer is delayed.

For sellers, the practical lesson is to create a reliable payment and order-confirmation system.

This is part of the digital business knowledge I teach in my Small Business Digital Toolkit.

Get your copy: https://grow.bunmialofoje.com/

Now let’s discuss: If a customer is debited but the seller isn’t credited, what do you think is the fairest way to handle the situation?

They found your business on Google. So why didn’t they call?

Let me tell you something.

Imagine you’re looking for a hairstylist in Lekki.

You search Google and find two salons.

The first one has no pictures, no opening hours, no customer reviews and a phone number you’re not even sure is working.

The second one has pictures of actual hairstyles, recent customer reviews, clear business hours and a working contact number.

Now, be honest.

Which one would you contact first?

Exactly.

And this is where some business owners are getting it wrong.

You finally create your Google Business Profile, enter your business name and phone number, and disappear.

My dear, you’ve only done half the work.

Getting found doesn’t automatically mean getting chosen.

Your potential customer still wants answers.

Are you genuinely operating?

What exactly do you offer?

Where are you located?

Can I trust you with my money?

And please, don’t tell me your business is trustworthy when your profile hasn’t been updated in two years.

If your business is eligible for a Google Business Profile, here’s what I want you to check today:

1. Is your contact information correct?
2. Have you added clear, genuine pictures of your business or work?
3. Are your business hours accurate?
4. Have you selected the right business category and listed your services?
5. Are you encouraging genuine customers to leave honest reviews?

Because sometimes, the difference between you and the competitor getting that enquiry is how easy you’ve made it for customers to evaluate your business.

Your Google Business Profile shouldn’t just tell people you exist. It should help them decide whether to contact you.

This is one of the practical lessons I teach in my Small Business Digital Toolkit.

If you want to learn how to set up and optimise your digital business presence yourself, get your copy at:

grow.bunmialofoje.com

Now, let me ask you something.

When was the last time you checked how your business appears on Google?

You have a business. But Google doesn’t know you exist.

Let me tell you something.

Imagine someone in Ikeja needs a makeup artist urgently.

She doesn’t know anybody to call, so she picks up her phone and searches Google:

“Makeup artist near me.”

Several businesses appear.

She checks their pictures, reviews, locations and contact details.

She calls one of them.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the same Ikeja, another makeup artist is posting beautiful pictures on Instagram, wondering why customers are not coming.

And this is where I want business owners to start thinking differently.

You cannot depend on people discovering your business only when Instagram decides to show them your content.

Sometimes, people are already searching for exactly what you sell.

The question is whether your business is positioned to be found.

Now, I’m not saying that creating a Google Business Profile will automatically bring you customers.

But if you run an eligible business that serves customers in person, having a properly completed profile can help people discover you through Google Search and Maps.

And here’s what surprises me.

Some business owners will spend ₦50,000 promoting a post but haven’t taken the time to check how their business appears on Google.

My dear, marketing is not only about chasing customers.

It’s also about making it easier for customers who are already looking to find you.

So here’s your assignment this morning.

Open Google.

Search your business name.

Then search the type of service you offer and your location.

For example:

“Hair salon in Lekki.”

“Event planner in Abuja.”

“Plumber in Surulere.”

What comes up?

Can people find accurate information about your business?

That’s where I want you to start.

Today’s lesson comes from my Small Business Digital Toolkit, where I teach practical digital skills business owners can implement themselves.

Get your copy at grow.bunmialofoje.com.

Now tell me something: Have you ever searched your own business name on Google? What did you find?

Before you sleep tonight, check your WhatsApp. Your next sale might be sitting there waiting for you.

I’m serious.

Open your business WhatsApp and scroll through your conversations from this week.

That woman who asked for the price of your product on Monday.

The customer who requested your delivery charges.

The person who said, “I’ll make payment shortly.”

And that one who asked for your account details and disappeared.

What happened to them?

Did they buy?

Did you follow up?

Or did you just assume they weren’t serious?

One thing I’ve noticed about business owners is that we can be so focused on finding new customers that we forget about the people who have already shown interest.

You want to run another advert tomorrow.

You want to post another flyer.

You want more followers.

Meanwhile, there are five people sitting in your WhatsApp who already know what you sell.

Now, I’m not saying everybody who enquires will buy. Some people genuinely aren’t ready.

But how will you know if you never follow up?

Here’s your assignment tonight.

Find five genuine enquiries you haven’t followed up on.

Review the conversations.

Where appropriate, send a simple message:

“Hello, just checking whether you still need help with the product you enquired about. I’m happy to answer any questions.”

No pressure. No begging. Just professional follow-up.

You may not make five sales.

You may not even make one tonight.

But you’ll start building a habit that can improve your business.

Sometimes, growing your business starts with paying better attention to the customers you already have.

And that’s the kind of practical digital business skill I’m teaching in The Small Business Digital Toolkit: 30 Things Every Business Owner Should Know How To Do Online.

Get your copy: grow.bunmialofoje.com

Now tell me, when last did you follow up with someone who enquired but didn’t buy?

A customer finally clicks your WhatsApp link. Please don’t make them regret it.

Let me tell you something that happens in Nigerian businesses almost every day.

A customer sees a beautiful bag on Instagram.

She likes it. She clicks the WhatsApp link and sends:

“Hello, please how much is this bag?”

Three hours later, the business replies:

“₦45,000.”

That’s all.

No greeting. No product details. No delivery information. No attempt to help her make a decision.

My dear, what exactly is the customer supposed to do with that information?

Now imagine another business replies:

“Hello! Thank you for your interest. The bag is ₦45,000. It’s available in black and brown, and we deliver nationwide. Would you like to see the available colours?”

Same product. Same price.

But a completely different buying experience.

And please, I’m not saying you should write an essay every time someone asks for a price.

I’m saying your response should help the customer move closer to a decision.

This is why I keep telling business owners that getting enquiries is only half the work.

You can have a beautiful Instagram page.

You can run ₦100,000 worth of ads.

You can create the perfect WhatsApp link.

But if your customer service is poor, you’re spending money to bring people into a conversation you’re not prepared to handle.

Here’s what I would do.

I’d create quick replies for common questions about prices, delivery, payment and availability.

I’d make sure somebody is responsible for responding to enquiries.

And I’d review conversations that didn’t turn into sales to understand where customers lost interest.

Because sometimes, your next growth opportunity isn’t another advertisement. It’s a better conversation.

Now tell me something.

Have you ever wanted to buy from a business but changed your mind because of how they responded to you?

I’m teaching practical digital business skills from my book, The Small Business Digital Toolkit: 30 Things Every Business Owner Should Know How To Do Online.

Get your copy at grow.bunmialofoje.com