By Francis

Copyright thebftonline

You know that feeling when you leave a conversation and suddenly realize, “Ah! I should have mentioned my business!” Don’t worry—you’re not alone.

Across Africa, from the danfo buses of Lagos to the yellow yellows of Tamale, people are pitching without even knowing it. The woman selling groundnuts?

She’s branding herself. The Uber driver telling you why his ride is better than the next? Branding. Your auntie in Nairobi reminding you—again—that her daughter is single and has a master’s degree from the UK? Branding.

The truth is, branding isn’t just about logos, websites, or social media ads. Branding is what happens when people meet you, talk to you, and—most importantly—remember you. And here’s the kicker: everyday conversations are the cheapest (and most effective) branding opportunities you’ll ever have.

So, how do you turn chit-chat into brand-building gold? Let’s break it down.

1. Your introduction Is your jingle

Think of your introduction as your personal theme song. If you say, “I’m John, I work in IT,” you’ve already lost me. But if you say, “I’m John, I help businesses sleep at night by keeping hackers out of their systems,” suddenly you sound like Wakanda’s Chief Security Officer.

In a time where attention spans are shorter than NEPA light in rainy season, your intro must be clear, catchy, and confident. Don’t just state your job. State your value.

2. Stories beat statistics

Let’s be honest: nobody remembers the exact percentages you throw out in a conversation. But they’ll remember the story of how your product helped a small shop in Kumasi double sales, or how your app saved a farmer in Eldoret three days of manual work.

Humans are wired for stories. We grew up on folktales told by the fireside, not PowerPoint slides. So, when branding yourself, lean on stories. They’re sticky. They spread. They sell.

3. Humour Is Your hook

Now, I’m not saying you should turn every conversation into stand-up comedy at The Laugh Factory. But humour—used wisely—is magnetic.

If someone asks what you do, and you say, “I help people stop embarrassing themselves with boring presentations,” you’ll get a laugh—and also pique curiosity. Humour disarms. Humour makes you memorable. And in Africa, where we joke through even the toughest times, humour is a universal language.

4. Listen more than you sell

Here’s where most people get it wrong: they treat conversations like billboards, not like bridges. If you talk only about yourself, people will tune out faster than a bad Kumawood sequel.

Instead, listen. Ask questions. Understand the other person’s needs. Then, tailor your “brand” to connect with their reality. Remember: nobody cares about your product until they see how it solves their problem.

5. Drop nuggets, not novels

You don’t need to give a TED Talk every time someone asks what you do. Think of your brand message as suya: small, spicy bites, not a whole cow at once.

Share just enough to spark interest and leave them wanting more. That way, they’ll ask follow-up questions, and boom—you’re in a conversation, not a monologue.

6. Everyday spaces are stages

Stop waiting for the “big pitch meeting.” Every setting is a stage:

Chatting at the salon in Tema.Greeting your neighbor in Abidjan.Networking after church in Kigali.Even WhatsApp voice notes (let’s be real, many business deals start there).

The trick is not to be pushy. It’s to be intentional. Every hello can be an ad, every story a brand campaign.

Final word: brand without bragging

At its heart, turning conversations into branding opportunities is not about shoving your CV into people’s faces. It’s about showing up authentically, sharing value, and leaving people with a clear sense of who you are and what you stand for.

Think of yourself as your own billboard. The colours are your personality. The tagline is your story. And the brand promise? That’s the impression you leave behind.

So, the next time someone asks, “What do you do?” don’t waste it. That’s not small talk. That’s branding—African style.

>>> Kafui Dey helps professionals to communicate their ideas clearer. For coaching, call +233 240 299 122 or email [email protected]