Thursday 24 October 2013

Event - SHORT STORY TO FILM COMPETITION. Wednesday, 30 October 2013



Win N50,000 Naira by just writing a short story to be filmed as a short film. From OCT. 1 - 30TH 2013

Event - TARUWA KARAOKE JAMBOREE! Tuesday, 29 October 2013


Presenting, TARUWA'S first ever karaoke jamboree!!! We're gonna have some fun!

Event - 15th Annual Gathering of Africa's Best (GAB) Awards 2013. Sunday 27 October 2013


On: Sunday 27 October 2013

From: 5pm – 11.30pm

Tickets: Regular / VIP

Individual: £100 / £200

Couple: £175 / £300

Table of 10: £875 / £1500

Corporate Table of 10 / £2500



Award Nominees get 10% off


The GAB Awards was founded in 1999 by The Trumpet newspaper (Britain’s largest distributed Black newspaper) against the backdrop of huge negative publicity being flaunted by the UK mainstream media, among many others.

Our firm belief is that African countries like other nations of the world have their bad eggs – but these bad eggs constitute a very insignificant percentage in relation to the numerous Africans who are changing and impacting lives positively around the world. It is totally out of order to portray the vast number of Africans as fraudulent, lazy and benefit cheats – when we are excelling in areas including but not limited to: The Arts, Media, Banking and Finance, Architecture, Sport, Entertainment, Politics, International Relations, Health, Business, but to mention a few.

The GAB Awards is therefore a forum where the best of Africa and friends of Africa come together to network and showcase the very best that Africa has to offer. The event also rewards excellence within the community through the awards event.

The importance and high profile of the GAB Awards has been acknowledged by the Mayor of London. In 2007, the GAB Awards was celebrated as one of the programmes of the Mayor’s Black History Month Season.

Past events have attracted the support and presence of numerous African missions and their Heads; Royalties; Celebrities from numerous areas of human endeavour; UK and African government officials and politicians; because of the lofty ideals the event represents. Past guests have included the Heads of Mission of Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Egypt, Sierra Leone; HRH Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III – the Alaafin of Oyo, HRH Oba T.A. Akinloye, Sateru II – the Ojomu of Ajiranland, Prince Bola Ajibola, Chief & Chief (Mrs) J.K. Randle, Chief & Chief (Mrs) Oluwole Adeosun, John Fashanu, Rt.Hon. Simon Hughes, Rt. Hon. Dianne Abbott (both of the British Parliament), William Hague (then leader of the Conservative Party), Erelu Lola Ayonrinde – two-time Mayor of the London Borough of Wandsworth; John Bowis (MEP), Lloyd ‘Ragamuffin’ Honeyghan – the former undisputed and two-time World Boxing champion, but to mention a few.

Previous recipients of the GAB awards include Nelson Mandela, Professor George Kirya, Henry Annan, Anthonia Okonma of Bad Girls, Cyril Nri of The Bill, Paralympics medallist Ade Adepitan, Dele Momodu, Ishola Akay (MBE), Most Rev. Father Olu Abiola (OBE), Celine Loader – First Bank’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ogun State Governor - Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Patti Boulaye, and the late Professor Thomas Adeoye Lambo.

Please note that tickets must be purchased well in advance of the day and can be booked securely via Paypal at www.gabawards.com

Alternatively, if you will prefer paying directly into our Bank Account, then please email: gabawards@the-trumpet.com or telephone: +44 (0) 20 8522 6600 or +44 (0) 7956 385604 to request our Bank Account details .

You may also want to take advantage of the marketing opportunities that exist through Advertisements in the Programme of Events, Exhibition Stands and Sponsorship of the event. Please email: gabawards@the-trumpet.com or telephone: +44 (0) 20 8522 6600 or +44 (0) 7956 385604 for further details.

Event - Mahogany Bridal Show & Exhibition. Sunday, 27 October 2013



Event - FOREVERYOUNG---U OF I Homecoming 2013 Alumni Party. SATURDAY 26th October



Sat. Oct. 26 after the alumni tailgate make your way to the annual Forever Young Party Buvons Wine Bar

Kick it with U of I alumni and friends, grad students, and everyone else who is in town during Homecoming weekend. 

DJ Kaos on the 1s and 2s !!!

Tix on sale at 

https://uofiforeveryoung.eventbrite.com/
https://uofiforeveryoung.eventbrite.com/
https://uofiforeveryoung.eventbrite.com/

Email pyramideventz@gmail.com to join the host committee for free entry today.

Event - SMADE 6 Year Anniversary Party at GUVNOR BAR, Saturday 26th October



IT HAS BEEN 6 YEARS SINCE SMADE 1ST BEGAN, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT SHOWN TO US OVER THE YEARS AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A BRIGHT FUTURE

-------------------------------------------------
#SMADE SIX | Sat 26th OCT | GUVNOR BAR 
-------------------------------------------------

SMADE 6 Year Anniversary Party
Sat 26th Oct 2013
GUVNOR BAR, Bell Lane Dock Road E16 2AB London 
10pm - 4am 

FREE Before 11pm 

Music By Best in the Business
DJ SEAN ~ DJ ERA

DRESS TO KILL ! NO TRAINERS PLS !! 
OVER 18s +ID

FOR MORE INFO, GUEST-LIST, TABLE AND BIRTHDAY BOOKINGS
Contact SMADE on
07949806892 | 07961791850 
@iamSMADE @iamDonbazy
Pin:2AFD09D7

Event - (TOTALLY 80s) OL' SKOOL AUTUMN PARTY 2013. Friday 25th October




Following the massive success of the Totally 80s Ol' Skool Summer Party, we are now having the Autumn edition of the event in October 2013 by 'POPULAR DEMAND'.

Venue: African Community Centre Hall. Unit 2, Lyndean industrial Estate, Felixstowe Road Abbeywood London SE2 9SG

On the turntables again, will be the Grand Master himself - 1st Choice KC

ADMISSION is FREE b4 12.30AM with INVITE/£10 without/after.
INVITES Outlets TBC or call the Numbers Below.

RSVP:
BaronessJummy-SplendourEvents - 07946 126561
Djkc - 07940 312814


Its time for the mamas & papas to be kids once more.......

Event - CorporateAfrika Social Networking London. Friday, 8 November 2013



CorporateAfrika Social Networking London - Free Entry 
Social networking after work in the City of London 5pm -11pm PauseBAR EC3A 3DH



Date: Friday, 8 November 2013

Sponsored by - Lagos Monopoly, Swifty Studios, Nollywood Movies Sky 329, OHBoxApp

Free Suya / African Drinks / African Businesses / African theme... African Discussions / African Vibe / African Money 

CorporateAfrika Social Networking London - Free Entry Social networking after work in the City of London 5pm -11pm PauseBAR EC3A 3DH

Event - ZAFAA - The African Film Festival & Academy Awards. Saturday 16th November



The African Film Academy Awards are in recognition of African Films and Actors. 

Join us at Greenwich Odeon, Bugsby Way, London SE10 0QJ, on 15th November, as we screen segments of the nominated films. There will also be seminars on the African Film Industry. Entrance is free for these days.

This will culminate in the Awards Ceremony on 16th November.

Doors open at 4pm

Tickets are £25 Standard; £50 Premier and £120 VIP;
A table of 10 Premier will be a discounted £450;
A table of 10 VIP will be a discounted £1,000.

Venue for the 16th is:

Hilton Metropole Hotel

225 Edgware Road

London W2 1JU


Checkout www.zafaa.com for further information.

Watch highlights from the ZAFAA Press Conference at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9030TgKTYmM and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKqgsaT4H3g

Prince George Christened At St James's Palace

The private christening ceremony for Prince George was attended by the royal family, Kate's family and his seven godparents.


Prince George has been christened in a ceremony at St James's Palace that was attended by four generations of the royal family.
The baby boy was pink cheeked and chubby as he emerged from the historic Chapel Royal with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, after the service.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry gathered for the private ceremony of the future king and supreme governor of the Church of England.
Before entering the chapel, William told everyone: "He's all ready. So far, so good."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their song Prince George
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George

Prince George was dressed in a Honiton lace christening gown, a replica of the one used by more than 60 members of the Royal Family since 1841.
Kate looked relaxed before the service began and wore a cream Alexander McQueen outfit and a matching hat by milliner Jane Taylor.
Other guests include Kate's family - parents Carole and Michael Middleton and siblings Pippa and James - along with his godparents and their partners.
The historic 45-minute service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury saw the four generations of British monarchs photographed by celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell, together for the first time since 1899.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive at Prince George's christening
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive at the service

Harry and Pippa both gave readings and William and Kate chose two hymns, two lessons and two anthems for the service.
The Lily font used by the Archbishop was brought to the Chapel Royal from the Tower of London where it is normally housed as part of the crown jewels.
While the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all christened at Buckingham Palace, the Duke and Duchess have chosen to break with tradition, holding the baptism in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.
It is the chapel where Diana, Princess of Wales' coffin rested before her funeral in 1997.

Prince George at his christening in St Jame's Palace
Prince George wore a lace christening gown

Earlier, Kensington Palace revealed the names of Prince George’s seven godparents.
They are Zara Tindall, Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.
Mr Lowther-Pinkerton is William and Kate's former private secretary, who continues to serve part-time as their principal private secretary and equerry.
Mr Baker is an old university friend who attended St Andrews with William and Kate, while Earl Grosvenor, whose first name is Hugh, is the son of the Duke of Westminster.
Ms Samuel was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and is the founder patron of Child Bereavement UK, which has William as its royal patron.
Mr van Cutsem is an old family friend of William and Harry, while Ms Jardine-Paterson is an interior designer and an old Malborough College friend of Kate, who also uses her maiden name d'Erlanger in her working life.








- Sky News, BBC.

How small businesses can boost patronage

" In this time that we are it is imperative that businesses invent ways to increase customers"


Customers are more inclined to patronising a business that goes the extra mile in marketing itself. Special treatments leave a positive impact on customers and keeps them returning to the business. Your inability to get enough loyal customers to patronise your small business should not make you despair. Analysts say entrepreneurs in the small-scale business category often face the challenge of how to grow their customers. According to them, what is required is how to generate new sales lead, as this is an essential skill for an entrepreneur. Experts note that there are a variety of age-old staple techniques and newer tools you can use to boost customer patronage and increase sales.
However, it’s best to understand the range of choices you have in order to determine which may best help your business reach new customers. Entrepreneurs should understand that newspaper readers may not be moved by Internet-based sales techniques. Similarly, business people who are accustomed with hiring only people they know may be better swayed by meeting you at a chamber of commerce gathering than accepting a blind invitation to connect on LinkedIn or Facebook. So, as an entrepreneur, it is your call to know the best means through which you can reach your target market.
In an interview with this correspondent, a business consultant, Mr. Goke Adebanjo, explained that sales and marketing are the engines of entrepreneurship. He stated that entrepreneurs must have both skills if they want to grow their businesses and increase their customer base. According to him, having the skills is not enough, but you have to be an expert in the ability to sell and market your products, especially if they are intangibles. Experts say it is important to conduct a market research to understand your target audience and their needs. They also state that you need to know how to determine which lead generation techniques are best to broaden your sales horizons, and how to increase sales by following several strategies to sell additional products and/or services to existing customers. Below are steps to help you increase customer patronage and boost sales for your small business, according to experts:
Networking
You can employ the old-fashioned method of networking, which requires you to get involved in community organisations, such as the chamber of commerce, or attending business functions, such as trade shows, experts say. Social functions like dinner invitations, book clubs, etc. can also lead to potential businesses. Experts say these are important ways to network and find new customers. According to professionals, networking has also taken a 21st Century twist on the Internet, with the rise in popularity of such websites as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Many businesses find that this type of networking, making contacts through friends or former colleagues, can lead to new customers. As a smart entrepreneur, you can take advantage of these channels to grow your customer base.
Encourage loyal customers
Your loyal customers are champions of your products. You should encourage them by giving them the right attention and care, as whatever treatment they receive from you will be publicised. Experts say you should use your business contacts, who have been happy with your products, to help generate references and referrals. Once you have sold to them, customers can help you to sell to others by offering positive testimonials and leveraging a refer-a-friend campaign created by your business. According to professionals, this technique also employs word-of-mouth marketing. Help the customers to help you by giving them the ammunition they need to tell your story to others. Don’t be afraid to ask if there is someone else you can talk to and also help with your services. As an entrepreneur, employ every legal strategy that will boost your sales and increase your profit.
Establish partnerships
This is another gainful strategy. Affiliate marketing is also crucial in your bid to grow your customer base, experts say. They state that you should look at non-competitive products or services that are reaching out to the same audience to see if there are ways you can collaborate through shared outreach efforts such as newsletters, mailings (online and offline) or co-branding opportunities. According to professionals, you probably can uncover a handful of like-minded products or services that are talking to your customers. It is advisable to suggest to these business owners ways your businesses can support one another. Your customers will see joint efforts as a value-added opportunity to reinforce their choice of brands. This might end up increasing your output and impacting on your turnover positively.
Advertise your business
This is one tool that requires spending. It is not out of place to spend money while trying to boost sales and productivity. Experts say typically, businesses are encouraged to spend three to five per cent of their revenue on advertising, but a small business needs to make sure that advertising is effective. According to professionals, one way to do this is to ask your customers where they heard about you so that you can measure what is effective. In addition, you also have to carefully pick your markets for advertising to make sure you’re reaching your target audience. If you’re targeting an older audience, newspaper ads might be the way to go. However, you’ve got to define your demographics before you develop your advertising or marketing plan. Good adverts attract customers to businesses, so ensure yours is shrewdly done.
Increase sales to existing customers
As you strive to increase your customer base, don’t neglect your existing ones. Small business analysts say in order to increase sales, many businesses believe the only way is to find new customers, but this strategy leaves out an obvious potential source of new sales. It’s much easier to get an existing customer to buy from you than to convince a new customer to take the plunge. Businesses that fall short of this, experts say, are forgetting about the low hanging fruit, which is their existing customer base. If you want to expand sales, the number one place to go is your existing customer base, because they already trust you. So, it is important for you to continue selling to your existing customers in a bid to boost sales and find new customers for your venture.


BY ADEMOLA ALAWIYE

The Oloja Blog Fan Box