Africa Imports African Business Blog

100% Pure Olive Butter

Olive butter is a natural skin care essential from the Mediterranean. Derived from olive oil, the butter is obtained by cold pressing of selected fruits followed by a full refining process.

What Olive Butter Does for Your Skin:

* Directly treats dry spots
* Reduces the effects of aging, pollution, and radiation
* Soothes sunburn and wind-burned skin
* Reduces extremely dry, itchy skin.

Olive butter is used in many anti-aging creams and conditioners around the world because of its natural skin-healing properties. The fact that it moisturizes the skin so much and makes it softer and more supple helps to plump up the skin and reduce any lines or crevices.

Find 100% olive butter on the Africa Imports web site by Clicking Here.

Each year 350–500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide, and over one million people die, most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa. For years parents and families have hoped for a cure, or an easy way to prevent the disease; the good news? there is hope on the horizon.

A vaccine that appears to be able to prevent the disease in about 50 percent of children, is now undergoing the final stage of testing.

If regulators determine the vaccine is safe, it could be on the market in three to five years — the first vaccine against a human parasite.

More than 1 million children die of the disease in Africa annually, a crippling economic drain that prolongs a cycle of disease and poverty throughout the continent.

This vaccine was developed specifically for Africa, however, and will only prevent the African strain of the disease. Experts say it would be a historic advancement.

“Some may say, ‘50 percent, that’s not great.’ And that’s true. If you get a measles vaccine, you’re not going to get measles again,” said Dr. Dave Jones, a U.S. Army colonel and director of a clinic in nearby Kombewa operated by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.

“But at the same time, when you consider we lose 1 million kids a year, if you could cut that in half it would be a great step forward.”

Experts from around the globe are meeting in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, this week as part of the fifth pan-African malaria conference, and a news conference on the vaccine trial is scheduled for Tuesday.

Find out more about this revolutionary vaccine by Clicking Here. To find more articles on Africa and its culture Click Here. To find African artwork and handicrafts to help support artisans in Africa just visit the Africa Imports web site.

Winter '09 Retail Catalog

One of the most effective ways to get new customers has been proven effective by one of our customers. He has gotten dozens of new customers; and extra sales from the retail catalogs he gives out! The technique is simple and very effective:

Instead of giving the catalog to customers by itself, this customer puts a sticker on each catalog saying 25% off the prices shown. According to him, this brings in dramatically more calls; people keep the catalog longer; and look through it more often.

If you want to try this idea, here are three ways to get even more customers. These are all proven advertising concepts. You have nothing to lose, and a lot to gain by trying these ideas:

You can change the sticker to say “20% off if you call before (date you choose)”. A deadline helps people to act sooner.

You can change the offer to $5.00 off on any order of $25. or more (which is actually a smaller discount - if you think about it for a minute). Many people do not figure out percents; or cannot do the math quickly in their head. In hundreds of catalog tests by different companies, giving a dollar amount discount almost always gets better response than a percent off discount.

You can change the offer to “Get a free bar of African soap” (or fill in the name of your favorite product), with any order. The free gift will not only cost you less than the cash discount, it also lets you expose your customers to new products that they might not try otherwise. So you now get the chance for future sales of this new product to these same people, who may not have even known about it without this offer.

To get your own retail catalogs to give to your customers just visit the Africa Imports web site or Click Here.

Scarab Bracelet from Egypt

They look like beautiful stone beetles, they symbolize so much more! Scarabs represent immortality due to their instinct to hibernate and then later re-emerge from the earth. Scarabs also symbolize the magnificence of the heavens as their shape resembles the sun. The scarab beetle god “Khepera” was believed to push the setting sun through the sky.

In ancient times, the scarab beads were used to record historical events or prayers to be placed on mummies as a protection against evil. The underside of the scarab was always marked with the names of Pharaohs, magical mottos, or sacred animals. The scarab is also believed to be a symbol of the Sun-god and as such could stimulate the deceased heart to life. To this day scarab beads are worn not only as a fashion statement, but as a talisman against death and evil forces, and as a bringer of good fortune.

Get your own scarab bracelet on the Africa Imports web site by Clicking Here.

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in Liberia on the first Thursday of November. It follows the same traditions as Thanksgiving Day in the United States, since Liberians do have several holidays in common with, or to honor, the United States.

Thanksgiving is celebrated to give thanks to God and Americans for freeing the slaves and granting them Liberia in Africa to live as free men. The Liberians also use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to recognize the good things that life has to offer them, even though the country has been troubled by internal conflicts. It is a day celebrated with family gatherings and eating chicken roasting and green bean casserole and mashed cassavas. Liberians like their food hot and spicy, so cayenne and other peppers may be added to Liberian Thanksgiving dishes. As with all Liberian celebrations, there is plenty of music, song, and dance during Thanksgiving Day.

We want to wish the people of Liberia a Happy Thanksgiving! To find out more about African holidays just visit the Africa Imports web site or Click Here.

Black and Gold Mudprint Dress

Africa’s Take on the Season
Bring an ethereal fall look to the forefront with this mudprint foliage print dress. 100% cotton; best if hand washed. Fits up to a 52” bust and 51” length. Made in India.

This dress comes in many different colors! Click Here to see them and to find out more.

“It isn’t where you came from; it’s where you’re going that counts.” - Ella Fitzgerald

Find out how you can bring in more sales this year with this new video from the Africa Imports video vault. Click Here to see more helpful videos!

Tired of spending huge amounts of money on skin treatments that leave something to be desired? Try making your own! It’s easy, fun, fresh and all-natural which means longer-lasting healing.

This lavender honey bath soak softens the skin while healing irritation, scarring, and arthritic pain.

Here’s how you make it:

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons baking soda
1-2 tablespoons honey
5 drops lavender essential oil
handful lavender leaves or flowers (optional)

What you do next:

1. Place the milk in a bowl. Add the baking soda and stir to combine. Add the honey and stir to dissolve. Next, add the powdered milk (or baking soda) to a running bath,followed by the honey.

2. Add the essential oil last and mix. Some people don’t like herbs and flowers floating around the tub so these are optional.

3. Now just sit back, relax and soak in the healing and calming aroma!

3. This recipe is enough for a normal-sized tub. You can double it for a larger spa-type bath tub but be careful not to add more essential oils. Five drops is enough for just about any size bath.

Get your own lavender essential oil on the Africa Imports web site by Clicking Here. Find more ways to heal your skin naturally by Clicking Here.

How do you get your customers to have such a positive experience that they’ll remember you for their holiday shopping and more? How can you be that store that they tell their friends about? With just a few pointers you can be on the right track to having a successful season this year.

Don’t Forget the Accessories!
If you sell African clothing, while you talk with your customer about their favorite garments don’t forget to mention matching accessories and shoes. The total sale of accessories easily surpasses the sale of the dress!

Keep Stocking-Stuffers On Hand
After helping your customer choose the perfect gift for a friend or relative, make sure to mention stocking stuffers! Small bottles of oils, sample sizes of shea butter, jewelry, and more make great stocking stuffers. Remember, being successful with one or two add-ons will help meet your goals. Why not make a game out of it? See how much extra money you can make by helping customers this way.

Have a Winning Sales Pitch
Remember to greet your customers when they enter your store. Also remember to develop a winning sales pitch. These may include: “Have you ever tried our product?”; “Would you like to try it?”;”Customers who bought this item also bought…”; “Our most popular item is…;” and “May I suggest the following accessories to go with that item?”

Keep Discounts In Mind
If you have any sales or discounts, make sure to bring them up when the customer is checking out. If the customer is happy about their purchase than they’ll be likely to add on another item that would go well with their purchase. Maybe even wear some of the items that are on sale so that the customer doesn’t have to leave the check-out counter to go and find them. Or keep them at the check-out counter so you can show him or her.

Find even more business-building tips at the Africa Imports web site by Clicking Here.