Much emphasis is placed on leaflets, posters, websites and business cards when planning a community based enterprise project.\u00a0 And thankfully when you look at what is produced these are pretty poor channels for reaching potential entrepreneurs in disadvantaged communities.<\/p>\n
Now there is very good chance that your answer to all of the above would be a resounding ‘No!’.\u00a0 Especially if you life in an area of multiple deprivation and have a history full of failure to deal with.<\/p>\n
Yet these are the opening gambits on so many fliers, leaflets, posters and websites that hope to get people to say Yes!<\/p>\n
A better start to such marketing collateral might be;<\/p>\n
\u2018Looking to make a better <\/span>life <\/span>?<\/span><\/p>\n Fed up with the same old, same old\u2026?<\/span><\/p>\n Looking for ways to make some more cash\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Then come and meet\u2026.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n But the reality is that it does not matter what you put on your marketing collateral.\u00a0 You will find it very difficult to push your way into a community.\u00a0 You can only work successfully upon invitation – when people invite you to help them on the basis of your strong track record of helping others in a similar position.<\/p>\n So if you want to do enterprise work in a community make sure that you have trusted advocates inside the community who will encourage others to seek you out.\u00a0\u00a0 Most of the effective community enterprise workers that I know get over 90% of their referrals from word of mouth and very little from the leaflet drops and the websites.<\/p>\n Is your experience any different?<\/p>\n