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Entrepreneurship

Is Visibility More Important than Ability?

Can you think of one of your competitors who is very successful even though they aren’t nearly as experienced or skilled as you? The one that leaves you scratching your head about why they are on top and you are not? I’m going to tell you why, and I will offer a glimpse into the harsh reality (sorry) and the truth about why inferior products and services often end up as the market leaders.

When it comes to branding, size matters. Or better still, the number of eye-balls counts. The more visible you are, the more you win. It doesn’t matter if you’re more skilled or have more talent. The most visible brands are those who have opportunities come their way while invisible brands do not. People get paid for who they are more than for what they do. We see this happen with celebrities every day. Kim Kardashian doesn’t get paid to attend events because she’s a riveting conversationalist. She gets paid to attend events because of her name recognition. People don’t always choose the most deserving person or company to work with. Business is often a popularity contest. Now, I’m not suggesting that you can succeed with bad products or services just as long as you focus on brand visibility. That is a surefire way to make sure your brand is known for all of the wrong reasons. You will never get any repeat business or referrals if you can’t deliver on the goods. You still have to have the ability. Most people fall into a trap that is commonly called the Field of Dreams approach to marketing. They believe that if they build it, they will come. If you think this way, I’ve got terrible news for you. No one is coming for your product or service. No one is going out of their way to discover you. Just because you have a product to sell doesn’t mean anyone will buy it. You may have an incredible product or service, and I truly hope that you do. But having a great product or service isn’t going to be enough. If no one knows you exist, the best product in the world isn’t going to save you. An overwhelming number of good products are on the market. However, just because a product is good, doesn’t mean it’s worth talking about. Producing a good—or even a great product—doesn’t mean people will come busting down your door to buy it. Keep in mind that you don’t need to be found everywhere, as traditional branding would suggest. You just want to be found everywhere within your niche, everywhere your audience is hanging out. Visibility is all about being consistent. You must be active and be “out there” every single day. You want to maintain your visibility and momentum. There’s no time to slow down.