The verdict in three sentences
If you run a hardware store, a shop or a small service business in Kaolack, you can lay the foundations of digital marketing that brings in enquiries in four weeks, at 3 hours a week. Kolonell Academy's level 2 Beginner course (50,000 FCFA, about 76 EUR, 12 h) has you produce concrete deliverables: a one-sentence promise, a Google listing with 20 photos, organised WhatsApp Business, a posting calendar and a weekly Google Sheets dashboard. Advertising is optional: most possible gains come first from free levers, such as replying fast and following up on silent quotes.
Why a four-week plan in Kaolack
In Kaolack, many businesses live on word of mouth and foot traffic around the central market. Yet your customers increasingly search "hardware store Kaolack" or "caterer Kaolack" on Google Maps, then message you on WhatsApp. If your listing is empty or you reply the next day, the enquiry goes to the shop next door.
The digital marketing course for small businesses on finding customers with WhatsApp, Google and social media, taught in French, has six modules of written lessons, with a PDF handout and a quiz per module, exercises applied to your business and two projects to submit. Prerequisites are simple: an ongoing business with a few customers, a smartphone, a WhatsApp account and access to Facebook. No technical skills, no website required. Lessons can be read on a phone, even over 3G, with no app to install.
The week-by-week plan
The program is 12 hours. At 3 hours a week, that makes four full weeks. If you only have 2 hours, plan five weeks.
| Week | Modules | Suggested time | Deliverable at the end of the week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Module 1 (message and priority customer, free) and start of module 2 | 3 h | Your one-sentence promise of 15 to 25 words, with a figure and a city |
| 2 | End of module 2 (Google, Google Maps, AI assistants) and module 3 (WhatsApp Business) | 3 h | Complete Google Business listing with 20 photos, prices and review link; WhatsApp Business set up |
| 3 | Module 4 (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) and module 5 (Meta ads) | 3 h | 4-week calendar (12 posts, Canva template); campaign ready, launched only if your numbers justify it |
| 4 | Module 6 (measurement and rhythm) and final project | 3 h | Weekly Google Sheets dashboard and 90-day marketing plan |
The module 3 project, your WhatsApp Business system ready to sell, includes a catalogue with prices, five labels, five quick replies and a follow-up sequence at D+1, D+3 and D+7. For a hardware store in Kaolack, that means for example a quick reply for "price of cement delivered" and a polite follow-up three days after an unanswered quote.
This level is part of the Digital marketing and social media track. The full five-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA.
The real budget, advertising included
No ad budget is needed for modules 1 to 4 and 6. Module 5 teaches you to set up a Meta "WhatsApp messages" campaign at 3,000 FCFA a day, with a cost-per-customer threshold and a 7-day review sheet. The full test costs 21,000 FCFA and requires a bank card, only if you decide to launch.
| Item | 2026 cost | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2 course (lifetime access) | 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) | Yes |
| Google Business Profile listing | 0 FCFA | Yes, free |
| WhatsApp Business | 0 FCFA | Yes, free |
| Canva (free version) | 0 FCFA | Recommended |
| Meta ads test (3,000 FCFA × 7 days) | 21,000 FCFA | No, only if the numbers justify it |
| Weekly time after the course | 3 h per week | To keep the system running |
According to the program, gains come first from three free levers: replying within an hour using scripts, following up on silent quotes (20 to 30% recovered) and asking every customer for a review. For a service SME with an average basket of 35,000 FCFA, this usually means 2 to 6 extra customers per month, or 70,000 to 210,000 FCFA of extra monthly revenue before any advertising. This is a 2026 order of magnitude: results depend on your business, your consistency and local competition, with no guarantee.
Mini case study
Consider a hypothetical learner: Ibrahima, 38, runs a hardware store near the Kaolack market. He sends about fifteen quotes a month on WhatsApp and around 10 go unanswered.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
- Cost: 50,000 FCFA for the course, no advertising at first.
- Assumption: with the D+1, D+3, D+7 follow-up sequence, he recovers 20% of the 10 silent quotes, so 2 extra sales a month.
- Illustrative calculation: with a margin of 15,000 FCFA per sale, that would be 30,000 FCFA a month, and the course would pay for itself in just under two months.
This calculation is an illustration, not an observed result: it only helps you check, with your own numbers, whether the effort is worth it.
FAQ
Is four weeks realistic?
Yes at 3 hours a week: the program is 12 hours, lessons, exercises and two projects included. At 2 hours a week, plan five weeks instead, then 3 hours a week to keep the system alive.
Do I need a website?
No. The course relies on Google Business Profile, WhatsApp Business, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Canva and Google Sheets. If you do have a site, module 2 shows which page should answer the "service + city" search.
Is this course right if I sell delivered products?
It mainly targets service and local businesses. If you sell and deliver products online, the E-commerce course is a better fit; the two complement each other.
Is there a certificate?
Yes: a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online (QR code), to add to LinkedIn, after passing the six quizzes with at least 70%; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. It is not a state diploma.
How do I pay?
By Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33; access is activated within 24 working hours and stays open for life. The course is not refundable once access is activated, so start with module 1, which is free to preview.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Digital marketing for small businesses: finding customers with WhatsApp, Google and social media: 12 hours, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR), Kolonell Academy certificate verifiable online. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
