Promote local products, says Nzenza

industry and Commerce minister, Dr Sekai Nzenza, has challenged marketers and associated marketers to promote local consumption as Zimbabwe works towards localised products.

Officially opening the marketers association of Zimbabwe's 12th annual Conference held in Inyanga on October 22, 2020, Dr Nzenza said her ministry had been working tirelessly to promote the local products.

"During this period of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ministry of industry and Commerce has been promoting the local content strategy, focusing on import substitution. as we continue to work towards localised production, I would like to challenge all the marketers and associated services present today to promote local consumption," said Dr Nzenza in a virtual address to the conference.

Dr Nzenza added that the government this year acceded to the African Free trade area which comes with competitiveness and global penetration of Zimbabwean products.

"I would like to encourage the association in its endeavours to strategise towards global penetration of Zimbabwean industry and enterprise by deploying the tools marketing 5.0 has to offer," she said as companies restrategise, they have to invest in marketing as this is the direct nexus between the product and the consumer.

Dr Nzenza also emphasised the importance of creating consumer or client relationships as they have become very powerful and influential in the digital era.

"The consumer behaviours we previously knew are now different due to various influences. marketers have to constantly deal with balancing the power that the consumers have, as compared to how much control the actual marketer has.

"Every marketer here knows that the success of any organisation is anchored on your ability to manage your consumer relationships. I therefore encourage all sectors here present across all value chains to embrace marketing 5.0 as a strategic device to grow enterprise," she said.

The marketers Convention was held under the theme "marketing 5.0: reconfiguring business in the new normal".

"The theme rightly speaks to the changing digital trends not only in marketing, but in the manner of conducting business as a whole. digital transformation has become a priority for every sector particularly with the advent of Covid-19.

"This has necessitated the need for reconfiguration of marketing to marketing 5.0 in which marketing cloud technology and rich customer data enables brands to meet the expectations of today's consumer expectations," said Dr Nzenza.

Dr Nzenza said president Mnangagwa is desirous to ensure increased production, productivity and profitability aided by innovation and sustainable enterprises.

"I am pleased to note that the theme for this convention resonates well with our mandate as the ministry of industry and Commerce. going forward, it is of paramount importance to strengthen the existing partnerships in order to deliver on our shared values and ultimately contribute to industrial growth," she said.

Dr Dzenza said the marketing profession serves as the ministry's finger on the pulse to ensure that service delivery is in tandem with clientele needs and global trends.

She said that the ministry of industry and Commerce remains committed to supporting the organisation and the profession in order to realise production, productivity and profitability of industry and enterprise.

Minister Nzenza commended MAZ for spearheading digital transformation through its training department by offering courses on digital marketing, big data analytics and many other customer services training.