By Jerry Nyazungu – The Chartered Vendor
Some people only save “important” numbers their boss, a supplier, their pastor, maybe their in-law (the nice one, not the noisy one).
Me? I save everyone. I mean everyone. My phone currently has over 20,000 contacts.
I meet a vendor in Mbare I save his number. I meet a kombi conductor I save his number. I even meet a thief yes, I save his number too.
Because one day, life can turn tables. Imagine I’m walking through Mbare and my phone gets stolen. All I need to do is call that thief I met last year:
“Ah boss, I’m in your neighbourhood… please assist me in recovering my phone.”
Trust me, it works better than crying to the police.
Contacts vs Contracts The R That Makes All the Difference
Here’s the thing: The difference between a contact and a contract is just one letter R. And in business, that R stands for Relationship.
If you have someone’s number but no relationship with them, that number is as useless as a landline during a power cut.
But if you’ve built a relationship, that contact can become your next big contract.
How Business Opportunities Hide in Your Phonebook
Your next investor? Might be that guy you met in the fuel queue. Your next supplier? Could be your cousin’s friend who sells goats in Gokwe. Your next big deal? Could be the DJ you met at a wedding.
The only way to unlock these opportunities is to treat every number as a potential bridge not just a name in your phone.
The African Network Advantage
Africans are naturally good networkers. We can start a conversation with anyone from a street vendor to a CEO and in five minutes we’ll know where they live, their cousin’s wedding date, and what they had for breakfast.
But here’s where many go wrong: we collect contacts but we don’t connect.
If you only call people when you need something, you’re not building relationships you’re building resentment.
Turning Your Contact List into a Contract List
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Follow up without selling – Sometimes just check in: “How’s business? How’s the family?” No sales pitch.
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Offer value before you ask – Send them useful info, referrals, or even introduce them to opportunities.
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Be present in their wins and losses – Celebrate when they succeed, and support them when times are tough.
Do this, and you’ll be shocked how quickly people recommend you, hire you, or partner with you.
Every contact you have is a potential door. But relationships are the keys. Without the R, you’ll be left knocking forever.
So go ahead save that number. You never know when a thief might return your phone… and hand you a million-dollar deal.
Drop your number below… lets connect
#JerryNyazungu #NetworkingTips #AfricanBusiness #FromContactsToContracts #RelationshipCapital #BusinessGrowthAfrica
