The African Centre for Career Enhancement and Skills Support (ACCESS 2.0) has trained more than 180 students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi in branding and marketing strategies to boost their employability and entrepreneurial competitiveness.

The event, held at the Department of Publishing Studies and themed “Building Brands That Sell and Last: Marketing Strategies & Personal Branding for Small Businesses,” formed part of the eTime with the Master’s Series 2025 under the ACCESS project.

Opening the session, lecturers Mr. Eugene Ampofo Duodu and Dr. Ralph Nyadu-Addo said students must now blend academic qualifications with market-ready skills, adding that branding and entrepreneurship are becoming key differentiators in a competitive job market.

Branding and marketing expert Daniel Adjei, who led the workshop, said businesses that invest in brand trust achieve stronger long-term performance compared to those that rely only on marketing visibility.

“Marketing wins attention. Brand wins hearts,” he told participants.

Mr. Adjei outlined research-driven branding as a continuous process that shapes how a business looks, sounds and interacts with consumers.

He added that positioning is critical for relevance, credibility and differentiation in saturated markets.

On marketing strategy, he said the core priorities were identifying a target audience, setting measurable goals, selecting the right channels and evaluating campaign results.

The aim, he noted, is not only to attract customers but to retain them in line with business objectives.

The session saw lively discussions as students questioned how small businesses can stand out online, retain customers and build digital visibility with limited budgets.

The facilitator responded with examples of small-business success stories and urged students to approach branding as a long-term investment rather than a quick fix.

The ACCESS Project is supported by the German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD) and funded by the German Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ).