It is currently election season in Zimbabwe. It is often a time of uncertainty and anxiety for some. This time around the atmosphere and mood is somewhat different. Anyways, that is not the pith of today’s discussion. Whenever there is some form of season, literal or figurative, there are prospects to consider. For example, weather seasons come with their respective business prospects. There are also times such as festive seasons. The same applies to election season; there are business prospects to consider. Here are some business ideas to explore during this 2023 election season in Zimbabwe:
Content Creation And Or Propagation
Election season is a time when people are keen to be in the know on certain things. The thirst for news or the latest developments will be rampant. That appetite is monetizable. You can choose any possible means of disseminating engaging and relevant content. Two common options here micro-blogging and vlogging. You can simply use social media platforms at the most basic. In Zimbabwe, Facebook is the most used social media platform.
You can also explore the use of YouTube. The general idea is to take advantage of features such as reels and shorts. Video is most certainly the most engaging. Take a cue from what many of your news sources are doing on social media. There is money to be made from that. What is important is to be cautious about the type of content you cover. It is best to be as impartial as you can be. This will avoid becoming a target, especially given the toxic nature of Zimbabwean politics.
Event Planning And Management Services
This is a broad spectrum of possible business ideas actually. For instance, you could start a business where you hire out certain types of equipment. Examples of that are public address (PA) systems, venue hire, vehicle hire, mobile toilets, and so on. Then you can also focus on a business majoring in catering services. These are just overviews to give you an idea but the possibilities are endless. Election season is characterized by many meetings or gatherings.
Their size and nature differ greatly but all provide opportunities to make money. You would have to be proactive in offering your services. As in, you would have to cold contact prospective contacts. Undoubtedly there will be competition amongst players clamouring to score such gigs. That is why you would have to be creative in your product or service offerings, pricing, and marketing strategies.
Multimedia Designs And Production
This is yet another broad cluster of specializations you can pick from. During election season there will be a heightened need for various multimedia material. It can either be in electronic form or physical form. Some of the common examples are posters, fliers, banners, and the like. Then you have branded wear e.g. t-shirts, caps, and the like. Generally, you would have to start a business that offers services focusing on graphic design, branding, printing, and so on. You can score big by winning gigs to do all that for an entire political party’s campaign. It is also interesting to note that you still stand a chance to get countless individual clients too.
Audio-Visual Productions
Closely tied to multimedia are audio-visual productions. This is also a broad range of possible specializations. During election season there is a need for photography and videography services. These are usually needed for coverage of events. They are also needed in creating promotional material e.g. candidates selling themselves.
All this also spans to audio productions e.g. the production of election campaign jingles. These are just broad examples to paint the picture. Nowadays the use of the internet and social media is central to any promotional activities. It is often evident that the most engaging content is audio-visual in nature. That is why having what it takes to do audio-visual productions is big money during an election season.
Social Media Management
Going back to the issue of the importance of the internet and social media, here is another focus. There is no question about the place social media holds in this day and age. Anyone looking to make headway during election season knows they have to be online. The thing is, not that many people know the inner workings of how social media management works. After all, candidates will tend to be too busy for that. That is why many election candidates would do well to hire a social media manager. Some already know they need one but some may need you to pitch to them. Easy money this is.
Offering Relevant Products Or Services During Campaign Events
This is open-ended and is most strategic to events such as campaign rallies. Such events are attended by scores of people. Yes at times the conveners can provide food and refreshments. Regardless, there will still be a need for such services onsite. Your homework will be to identify products or services you can offer during such events. Some common examples are mobile food services, airtime retail, and public transport services (e.g. taxis), amongst others. These types of business ideas are ones you can set up spontaneously. You can even structure it such that you target wherever there is a campaign rally. By the time election season ends you would have made some quick cash. You just have to have an eye and ear out for gaps to fill.
Most business ideas need you to approach prospects and pitch to them. This will quickly get you clients and hopefully wait for them to discover you. It is advisable to tread carefully though. The Zimbabwean political landscape is toxic and precarious. Even when it comes to payments make sure you get paid upfront if possible. As much as possible seek to be impartial if you can. If pursuing a business idea where you are aligned with a particular camp, make sure you do not ruffle other camps’ feathers. There is money to be made; just be prudent in how you approach it all.
