Visibility Is Good. Credibility Is Better.

08/02/2010

By Mindy Gibbins-Klein

This winter there has been a lot of talk about 'visibility'. For the purposes of this though, I'm not talking about whether you can see out of your windscreen when it has frosted over. The kind of visibility that has become a trendy subject is about being seen in the marketplace. We all know about information overload and how much competition there is for your customers' attention, both online and offline. So being seen - in person, online, in the media - is essential. However it is dangerous to stop there.

Visibility is one element...

...of the VCP model created by BNI founder Dr Ivan Misner and it is an important first step in business relationship-building. The model shows how you first need to be visible, then, over time as people in your network get to know you, Credibility is achieved. Finally, only when you have that credibility amongst your advocates and prospects will you see Profitability. Misner asserted that every relationship needs to built in that order. So you need to get out to networking events and become active on social media, just to be seen.

But it is not until you achieve credibility that you will get the business. Just think about someone you see a lot at business events or online, but he has not impressed you. In fact, you suspect he doesn't know a lot about his subject, and it's embarrassing to watch him making a fool of himself. You know exactly who I'm talking about, don't you? And you won't be giving him any business in the near future, will you? That's because he has not engendered any credibility with you.

The word credibility comes from the Latin and means... continued on page two >

 

 

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