![\"Visibility](\"http:\/\/localenterprise.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/05\/visibilitycredibility.png\" "\\"visibilitycredibility\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nHigh\/High – ‘The Real Deal’ or ‘The Hen’s Teeth’<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n This is the goal. \u00a0Credible services that work and are visible and accessible to the people they are intended to serve. \u00a0Likely\u00a0to have \u00a0a low marketing overhead as word of mouth and the power of attraction will keep the clients coming. \u00a0Well evidenced, high value for money services mean that funders cannot afford to withdraw from it.<\/p>\n High Accessibility\/Visibility but Low Credibility – ‘All Mouth and No Trousers’ or ‘The Emperor…has no clothes’<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n This is the norm. \u00a0Sadly. \u00a0PR companies on large retainers to buy square inches in the\u00a0local\u00a0press. \u00a0Social media strategies, web sites, leaflets, posters and\u00a0inspirational\u00a0strap lines and\u00a0branding guidelines\u00a0abound. \u00a0Every one knows it’s there – but most of us know it doesn’t do ‘what it says on the tin’…The service relies on heavy self promotion to find a continual source of new referrals. \u00a0Word of mouth strategies including introductions and referrals don’t work. \u00a0They often have to rely on ‘inducements’ such as\u00a0soft\u00a0loans, grants and free lunches to get people to ‘sort of’ engage. \u00a0They can have plenty of\u00a0clients\u00a0on the books but few of them do\u00a0anything\u00a0very interesting. \u00a0Failure rates are high. \u00a0Many new entrepreneurs soon fall out of love with their ‘dream’\u00a0businesses\u00a0and loan\u00a0default\u00a0rates are high. \u00a0Often have lots of front line staff on the ground all looking for ‘good’ clients. \u00a0Added\u00a0value\u00a0is low. \u00a0Management\u00a0strategies involve\u00a0efforts to ‘bluster our way through’ until the funding stream ends.<\/p>\n High Credibility\/Utility but Low Visibility – ‘The Hidden Gem’<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n So we have a great product and service that does the job – but people don’t know we are here. \u00a0Don’t worry about it – this situation won’t last for long – perhaps 6 months? \u00a0 If you have a product\/service that\u00a0reliably\u00a0and consistently does what it says it will do – transforms lives, starts dream businesses and contributes to economic and community development the word will get out. \u00a0In fact you will soon be winning prizes and if you are smart making serious money. \u00a0Perhaps give a little thought to promoting a word of mouth strategy – learn how to ask for referrals, and introductions and you will soon have them beating a path to your door. \u00a0Make sure you can evidence your effectiveness and trademark\/copyright your service. \u00a0It is worth a bomb. \u00a0This is a great place to be….<\/p>\n Low Credibility and Low Visibility –<\/strong> ‘No Style – No Substance’<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Actually not as bad as it sounds. \u00a0Perhaps most new enterprise services should recognise that this is the starting point and where we might spend most of the first year or two of a new project. \u00a0Learning about what works in a particular community, about which partners are the ‘real deal’ and which are ‘all mouth but no trousers’. \u00a0Sniffing out the hidden gems to work with. \u00a0By\u00a0deliberately\u00a0keeping a low profile, but working on the long\u00a0term\u00a0impact of our products and services with a modest volume of clients we can gradually build a great service. \u00a0Once we have moved into the ‘hidden gem’\u00a0category\u00a0we can then make the transition to become the ‘real deal’.<\/p>\n Working with Stakeholders<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course when we use this in our own services we tend to have a bias towards the ‘real deal’ and ‘hidden gem’ quadrants. \u00a0But if we ask our clients, our funders, our experienced advisers, or an informed outsider to place us in the matrix then the results can be enlightening and provide powerful clues about the way forward – if we are smart enough and honest enough to listen.<\/p>\n\n
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